Pema Chödrön

Pema Chödrön, born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown on July 14, 1936, is an American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun, author, and teacher. She is widely recognized for her accessible interpretations of Buddhist philosophy and practice, particularly her teachings on compassion, mindfulness, and navigating life's difficulties.

Life and Education

Born in New York City and raised Catholic in New Jersey, Chödrön pursued higher education, earning degrees from Sarah Lawrence College in English literature and the University of California, Berkeley, in elementary education. Her spiritual journey began with studies under Lama Chime Rinpoche in London and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in San Francisco. She became a novice Buddhist nun in 1974 under the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and was fully ordained as a bhikṣuṇī in Hong Kong in 1981, becoming the first American woman to achieve this in the Vajrayana tradition.

Teachings and Career

Chödrön was appointed director of the Boulder Shambhala Center in the early 1980s. In 1984, she moved to Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in North America for Westerners, and served as its first director. She authored her first book, "The Wisdom of No Escape," in 1991. Chödrön was later appointed an acharya by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the son of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Her prolific writing career includes well-known works such as "When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times," "Start Where You Are," and "No Time to Lose." Her teachings often focus on the concept of "shenpa," or attachment, explaining how it leads to habitual negative thought patterns.

Later Life and Retirement

In 1994, Chödrön faced a period of illness with chronic fatigue syndrome, during which she also met and took Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche as her teacher. She became a member of The Committee of Western Bhikshunis in 2005 and received the Global Bhikkhuni Award in 2016. In 2020, Pema Chödrön resigned from her acharya role within Shambhala International, citing concerns about the organization's direction and its handling of sexual misconduct allegations.

Personal Life

Pema Chödrön married at age 21 and had two children before divorcing in her mid-twenties. She remarried and divorced a second time eight years later. She has three grandchildren.