If nuns begin getting more empowered, where does that leave us?

If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It will take time. But the difference between the first girls from Ladakh who became nuns, to the girls we have now, is very encouraging.

I think, for East and West, the first thing we need is a good grounding in basic Buddhadharma.

We have met with the dharma. Many of us have met with teachers. We do have some idea of what to do and how to practice. And we should not be lazy.

I think to dwell continually on the dark side creates gloom and despair and anger and hatred, and that just adds to the darkness. So rather than that, we need to think of the beauty in the world, and also send out love and compassion to all beings in this world. Not just the people we like, but people who we find difficult. Because they are very deeply in need of compassion.

Whether we're in retreat or out in the world, we should try to develop the quality of awareness as much as possible.

Our thinking can create liberation or it can create imprisonment. It depends on how we use our mind.