Wise Choices For A Good Life
by Venerable Thubten Chodron©
Northern Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
23 and 24 March 23, 2007
Venerable Chodron gave a series of talks on making good choices in our life.
Part 1: 23 March 2007
[63 minutes] : Download mp3 file
Venerable Chodron talks about what is a good life and what is real happiness. She talks about the relationship between ethical conduct and happiness. She discusses how anger and attachment cause suffering and the benefits of a calm mind.
Part 1, Q&A: 23 March 2007
[31 minutes] : Download mp3 file
- How can one be optimistic around pessimists?
- What advice can you give an activitist?
- What is the difference between romantic love and parental love?
- What is a good way to neutralize anger?
Part 2: 24 March 2007
[61 minutes] : Download mp3 file
Venerable Chodron talks about the importance of motivation in our life and the eight worldly concerns. She discusses the view that happiness and suffering come from outside and trying to arrange the world to achieve happiness.
Part 2, Q&A: 24 March 2007
[32 minutes] : Download mp3 file
- When we get what we think will make us happy it does not make us happy.
- We create an illusion and believe in it when we realize it is incorrect we have another idea. How do we know it is not an illusion?
- How do you respond when people criticize the faith you follow?
- Could you expand on ignorance as one of the causes of suffering?
- How do we cleanse the imprints of negative actions?
Part 3: 24 March 2007
[28 minutes] : Download mp3 file
Ven. Chodron explains the practice of purifying negative actions through the four opponent powers.
Part 3, Q&A: 24 March 2007
[21 minutes] : Download mp3 file
- What is the proper order of the opponent powers?
- Can you talk about restorative justice?
- How do you know if you have purified?
- Can you apply purification on a larger scope like to the war or a group?
- Should you regret your inaction?
- If what we said is true, but we said it with a harmful intention how does apology work there?
- The twelve step program and the opponent powers.
- Can you expand on the promise not to do the action again?
Part 4: 24 March 2007
[25 minutes] : Download mp3 file
Ven. Chodron talks about criteria for making good decisions. She also talks about the importance of a long-term view and motivation in making decisions.
Part 4, Q&A: 24 March 2007
[33 minutes] : Download mp3 file
- Could you repeat the 3 criteria for making good choices?
- When you project yourself in the future how to you avoid bringing your mistaken state of mind?
- What advice do you have for a novice Buddhist to nurture a proper path to enlightenment?
- Is there good and bad karma? Who decides?
- How does forgiveness fit in with karma?
- Is there a collective karma?
- How can you do purification collectively?
- What can you do when you want to think about taking on the suffering of others but you can not sustain that attitude?
- What if I’m not at the point where I want to think about taking on the suffering of others?