# Turn Pain Into Purpose - A Buddhist Nun’s Journey from Tragedy to Transformation

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-buddhism-podcast-7039790/turn-pain-into-purpose-a-buddhist-nun-s-journey-from-tragedy-to-transformation
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-buddhism-podcast-7039790/turn-pain-into-purpose-a-buddhist-nun-s-journey-from-tragedy-to-transformation.md
Podcast: [The Modern Buddhism Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-buddhism-podcast-7039790)
Published: 2026-02-14T17:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-modern-buddhism-podca/episodes/Turn-Pain-Into-Purpose---A-Buddhist-Nuns-Journey-from-Tragedy-to-Transformation-e3f1n4o
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/fbd61f2c/podcast/play/115448408/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-1-13%2F5c06a4bc-f789-542f-2167-8258ad2fee21.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-modern-buddhism-podcast-7039790/episodes/turn-pain-into-purpose-a-buddhist-nun-s-journey-from-tragedy-to-transformation
Duration seconds: 2174

## Resource

In today’s episode, Gen Rinchung reflects on loss, grief, spiritual growth, and the transformative power of Dharma. Drawing on her personal experience of losing her brother at a young age and her subsequent search for meaning, she shares how this loss revealed there was something within herself that was causing her pain. Seeing how destructive mental states shaped her suffering set her on a quest to find a spiritual teacher—someone who could teach her about her mind and how to work with it. Meeting Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche profoundly changed her life. This episode explores how changing our mind is the only realistic way to change the world, bringing hope, purpose, and deep peace, and how authentic spiritual practice helps us live a more meaningful and compassionate life. Chapters 00:00 Facing Death and Loss 05:20 Losing Her Brother and Grief 10:00 Spiritual Search and Meeting Venerable Geshe-la 15:20 Meeting Venerable Geshe-la and Authentic Dharma 20:02 Changing the Mind, Changing the World 24:10 Meditation, Effort, and Stubbornness 29:04 Ordination and Daily Commitment 32:01 Goals, Prayer, and Letting Go Book References Modern Buddhism: https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism How to Transform Your Life : https://howtotyl.com/ Gen Rinchung is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide. Find a meditation center near you: https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en Listen to teaching clips YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nktikbu Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes. #Kadampa #Grief #GesheKelsangGyatso #NewKadampaTradition #BuddhistWisdom #ModernBuddhism #Dharma #Meditation #Compassion #S…

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