Don’t be a jerk (the Buddha says so).
In Episode 43 of Vibe with Venerables, Venerable Thubten Chodron at Sravasti Abbey discusses the Three Higher Trainings (Ethical Conduct, Concentration and Wisdom) — core practices across all main schools of Buddhism. Here’s the thing: she doesn’t start with big cosmic wisdom talk. She starts with ethics, and keeps coming back to it.
Because, as she puts it, without behaving like a decent human being, nothing you build on top of that is stable.
What we get into:
- How ethics isn’t just a starting point, but the basis for everything else.
- What the three tiers of Buddhist ethics are, and how each one builds on the last.
- How unethical conduct comes back to bite us in different ways.
- How mindfulness and introspective awareness begin with ethics.
- Why wisdom involves the correct understanding of emptiness.
Remember: the eightfold path is never separate from any of this. It unfolds through the Three Higher Trainings.
Donation
This series is freely offered by Buddhism.net. If you’d like to show your appreciation and gratitude to our teacher, Venerable Chodron and Sravasti Abbey, you may make a donation to Sravasti Abbey (https://sravastiabbey.org/donation/. We thank you for dāna, the practice of cultivating generosity.
Overview of the Series
Part 1: Higher Training in Ethical Conduct
We start with ethics, and keep coming back to it
Episode 43: Series Overview: Ethics, Concentration and Wisdom
Episode 44: The Five Buddhist Rules That Will Instantly Improve Your Life
Episode 45: Ten Non-Virtues: How Our Actions, Speech, and Thoughts Create Suffering
Episode 46: How to Deal with Anger: Buddhist Ways to Stay Calm
Part 2: Higher Training in Concentration
With a grounded ethical foundation, the monastics guided us into the art of meditation, showing us the prerequisites for deep concentration and how to avoid the trap of “rushing” our practice.
Episode 47: The Higher Training in Concentration Explained
Episode 48: Higher Training in Concentration: Why You Can’t Rush Samadhi
Episode 49: How to Prepare for Meditation: Six Preparatory Practices
Part 3: Higher Training in Wisdom
In the final stretch, we explored the ultimate goal of the path: developing the wisdom that frees us from cyclic existence by understanding the true nature of reality and the self.
Episode 50: The Three Types of Buddhist Wisdom: Hearing, Reflecting, and Meditating


