Dharma Friendship Foundation will welcome Venerable Thubten Chodron on
Friday, March 6th at 7pm and Saturday, March 7th from 10am – noon.
Donations accepted. Dharma Friendship is located as 2420 E. Union in the back of the building.
Born in 1950, Thubten Chodron grew up near Los Angeles. She graduated
with a B.A. in History from the University of California at Los Angeles
in 1971. After traveling through Europe, North Africa and Asia for one
and a half years, she received a teaching credential and went to the
University of Southern California to do post-graduate work in Education
while working as a teacher in the Los Angeles City School System.
In 1975, she attended a meditation course given by Ven. Lama Yeshe and
Ven. Zopa Rinpoche, and subsequently went to their monastery in Nepal to
continue to study and practice Buddha’s teachings. In 1977, she received
the sramanerika (novice) ordination, and in 1986, received bhikshuni
(full) ordination in Taiwan.
She studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition for many
years in India and Nepal under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters
for many years. She directed the spiritual program at Lama Tzong Khapa
Institute in Italy for nearly two years, studied three years at Dorje
Pamo Monastery in France, and was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist
Center in Singapore. For ten years she was resident teacher at Dharma
Friendship Founation in Seattle, where she continues to be spiritual
advisor.
Ven. Chodron was a co-organizer of Life as a Western Buddhist Nun, and
took part in the conferences of Western Buddhist teachers with H.H. the
Dalai Lama in 1993 and 1994. She was present during the Jewish
delegation’s visit to Dharamsala, India, in 1990, which was the basis
for Rodger Kamenetz’ The Jew in the Lotus, and attended the Second
Gethsemani Encounter in 2002. She is keen on interreligious dialogue.
She has also been present at several of the Mind-Life Conferences in
which H. H. the Dalai Lama dialogues with Western scientists.
Ven. Chodron travels worldwide to teach the Dharma: North America, Latin
America, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, and former communist countries..
Seeing the importance and necessity of a monastery for Westerners
training in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, she is currently involved in
developing Sravasti Abbey.
Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings
in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways
easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well-known for her
warm, humorous, and lucid teachings.
You can find further information at dharmafriendship.org.