Free Buddhist Audio

Be prepared for the odd surprise in our FBA Podcast today where Dhivan asks: "What Do We Really Know About the Buddha?" A lovely talk here from the excellent Dhivan. As he sifts the information that's come down to us, we meet several different versions of a human being as he blurs with the archetypal presence he has also come to represent. Yet whichever manifestation we prefer, more than anything this talk brings us face to face with the rich and moving legacy of a brilliant and truly compassionate individual, changing the world he took part in, stepping out of history "with the walk of a lion, the walk of a swan." Talk given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2008

Our FBA Podcast today is a wonderfully entertaining talk on Perfect Vision titled: "Welsh Bats, A Vajrasattva Drugs Mule and Spanish Insight." Here Vajrin tells a story of a wide ranging journey, including his early days at the Bristol Buddhist Centre in Long Ashton; his time as a junior doctor working in Africa; travels through India and Tibet; a visit to an Everest base camp and finally to ordination at a retreat centre high in the Spanish sierras. Along the way he manages to acquire a splendid Vajrasattva rupa and overcoming considerable obstacles, brings it home, thereby establishing a life-long association with this powerful bodhisattva of purification.

In this week's FBA Podcast, Manjuvajraa offers us insight into "Spontaneous Universal Compassion." The last of eight talks in the series 'Evolution and the meaning of life', here Manjuvajra shows us the next evolutionary step – purifying the mind.

In this week's FBA Podcast, Ratnaprabha gives us: "How To Have Fun" – A Look at the Buddhist path in terms of happiness, engagement, interest and delight. A new take on the positive nidanas. Talk given at the West London Buddhist Centre

In this week's FBA Podcast, "The Power of Empathy," Vajrasara explores metta (loving kindness), the subtle art of listening, and Kuan Yin, the mysterious white lady of Compassion. One of a series of talks on the theme of 'A Force for Good in the World', given in the Dharma Parlour at the 2010 Buddhafield Festival in Somerset, UK

In this week's FBA Podcast, "Empty Cave: Reflections on Life, Practice and Enlightenment," Saraha takes us on a journey into the snowy mountains of the Pyrenees where he engaged in a solitary meditation retreat. He found 'nothing but the sound of a man breathing' and hope and direction through emptiness, beauty and the Buddha's assertion that mindfulness is the way to freedom. Talk given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, October 2012.

In this week's FBA Podcast, Padmavajra takes us on an amazing journey into: "The Tiger's Cave." This is the first in an excellent 8-talk sequence by Padmavajra on Zen Buddhism. The series is full of colourful stories and challenging insights from the lives of the great Masters of China and Japan. This talk introduces the basics and brings us face to face with the Great Emptiness at the heart of practice. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004 This talk is part of the series "Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters."

In this week's FBA Podcast, "Magic For the Modern World," Candradasa takes a personal look at aspects of magic in the East and West, considering its place in Buddhist history and practice and also its meeting with Christianity at the time of the Renaissance. What emerges is a picture of how magic defined in various ways can be a powerful metaphor for the everyday work of Buddhist meditation and ethical practice – with the enchantment of love and wisdom fused the only one we need. The Buddha is the Master of Enchantments and his path – a magical training with him – is available to all. The truly marvelous awaits… Talk given in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, October 2012. This talk is part of the series "Religion Without God."

In this week's FBA Podcast, "The Blissful Mind," Vajradevi explores bliss, happiness, joy and their relationship to the Buddhist path. What stops us feeling happy more of the time? Is there a difference between freedom of desire and freedom from desire? Last of a series of four talks entitled 'The Powers of the Mind' given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre in April 2011.

In this week's FBA Podcast, Vadanya delivers an engaging and rich talk titled: "The Great Hidden Treasures of Padmasambhava."

In this week's FBA Podcast, we bring you a classic talk by Sangharakshita: "Art & The Spiritual Life." "Art is the organisation of sensuous impressions that express the artist's sensibility and communicate to his audience a sense of values that can transform their lives." Using his own definition, Sangharakshita investigates the relevance of art and the artist to higher evolution. Talk given in 1969 as part of the series "The Higher Evolution."

In this week's FBA Podcast, "Ashvaghosha: India's Great Buddhist Poet" Dhivan introduces Ashvaghosha, the Buddhist poet of 2nd c. AD India. Two of his works survive: a poetic re-telling of the Buddha's life-story ('The Buddhacarita' or 'Acts of the Buddha'), and 'Handsome Nanda', about the conversion of the Buddha's sensuous and wife-loving cousin to the Dharma. Here Dhivan shares some of his own translations of Ashvaghosha from Sanskrit and Pali sources, in this accessible and humorous introduction to some fine Buddhist poetry. This talk given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 20 August 2009, on the occasion of the launch of Urthona magazine, issue 26.

In this week's FBA Podcast, Maitreyabandhu brings us "Poetry East: Sasha Dugdale Interview." Sasha Dugdale is a poet and translator. She worked for the British Council in Russia in the 1990s where she set up the Russian New Writing Project with the Royal Court Theatre. Since her return in 2001 she has translated new plays for the Court, the RSC and other theatre companies. Her recent translations of Elena Shvarts' poems Birdsong on the Seabed were shortlisted for the Popescu Prize and the Academica Rossica Award. Her third book of poetry Red House appeared in August 2011 and is published by Carcanet Oxford poets. "One of the most original poets of her generation" Paul Batchelor, The Guardian. PoetryEast.net

In this week's FBA Podcast "Life – For A Limited Time Only," Suriyavamsa begins with the inevitability of death and some of our habitual attitudes to death and suffering, reading from contemporary poets. He brings out the Buddhist perspective that life and death are not separate, but parts of the same process. This talk was given at Parinirvana Day 2010 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

In this week's FBA Podcast "Death And The Buddhist," Danavira is very funny, can do poetic and profound, tends to the chaotic in his style, and has a particular genius for this kind of thing; this kind of thing being talking about death. The whole talk is a kind of respectful joyride through the hardest subject of all – sit back and enjoy a thoroughly adult treat that's likely to blow the heart wide open. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, Men's Event 2000

In this week's FBA Podcast "Reflections on Vajrasattva: Purity, Confession and Death," Dhammadinna shares her thoughts on Vajrasattva. His purity is not any sort of purity that can be attained – he is beyond space and beyond time. He is a very positive, profound, beautiful figure encouraging us to turn towards our innate purity, our Vajrasattva nature, so that we can wake up to the fact that in our deepest nature we've never been impure. This talk was given as part of the Vajrasattva Festival Day at the London Buddhist Centre on Sunday 13th February 2010.

In this week's FBA Podcast "Triratna Buddhism," Vadanya tells the story of Sangharakshita and the new Buddhist Order and movement he founded. He talks about the early days of the FWBO and demonstrates the radical nature of the movement that has now become the Triratna Buddhist Community.

In this week's FBA Podcast , "The Individual and Community" Dhammarati talks about the Order as the basis for the New Society. Basing his talk in part on the lectures where Sangharakshita originally introduced the idea of the New Society, which also includes interesting material on the Order, specifically the distinctions between Public and Private Ordination and what they represent. Dhammarati then goes onto to explore the central importance the Triratna Buddhist Order places on communication and connection as a means of personal transformation and the basis from which we influence the world. This gives us the significance of the Triranta Buddhist Order as a community of individuals trying to change themselves and have a positive impact on society making them a nucleus of a new society. Talk given in a seminar at Dharmapala College, 2010.

This week's FBA Podcast , "Dreaming Angels" is a rousing and challenging talk by Vajratara given on the December 2012 National Order Weekend for women. The full title is "Dreaming Angels Each Imbued with the Mysteries of the Other – Why the Triratna Buddhist Order is Needed and What It Can Do." Vajratara begins her talk by evoking the social revolution of Dr Ambedkar. A revolution, she says, which is still needed to overthrow unhelpful attitudes in society, free the disadvantaged and give meaning to those who long for a higher life. She explains how the Triratna Buddhist Order can be in the first rank of the fighting forces in this revolution by referring to the Five Pillars of the Order.

In this week's FBA Podcast , "Buddhism: A Force for Good in the World" Vajragupta explores the potential of the Buddha's teachings to transform society, starting with seeing how the Dhamma has helped millions of people who've suffered under the Hindu caste system change their lives. He asks how we've done in bringing this part of Bhante's vision into being in the last 40 years, and encourages us to take opportunities to change society, including helping activists in positive change, and bringing a Buddhist perspective to current social debates.

In this week's FBA Podcast , "Buddhism and Peace" Parami thoughtfully asks: What is peace? And what does peace mean for Buddhists? Is it just the absence of war and conflict; guns and screaming? Or is it also the deep silence that arises when the mind and heart are in harmony – a positive state of mind that can be cultivated both personally and collectively, where good and evil don't exist as concepts? This talk was given by Parami at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 30th July 2011 in the series Buddhism and the Big Questions.

In this week's FBA Podcast , Kamalashila introduces the fifth perfection: "Dhyana Paramita, the Perfection of Meditation." Kamalashila is the author of 'Buddhist Meditation: Tranquillity, Imagination, Insight', an excellent manual on the practice of Buddhist meditation. Talk given at the West London Buddhist Centre, 2012.

In this week's FBA Podcast , "The Myth of Tristan and Iseult: Love, Transgression and Death," Dhivan explores the origins and significance of the myth of Tristan and Iseult, relating it to the practise of Buddhism in the modern west. The twelfth-century Cornish story of Tristan and Iseult has captivated imaginations and inspired poets, composers and artists ever since. What is it about this tale of a love potion and a doomed love, of adultery and lies, that is so fascinating? The talk was given on 11 September 2008 at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, on the occasion of the launch of Urthona Magazine, issue 25.

This week's FBA Podcast , "Sangharakshita in Conversation with Kathleen Raine," is a retro piece from the 1980s when 'Independent Arts' ran an ambitious and extremely impressive Arts program through the Croydon Buddhist Centre in London. Here's a first offering from the archive of recordings – an open conversation between Sangharakshita, founder of the Western Buddhist Order, and the renowned poet and scholar Kathleen Raine, one of the founders of the Temenos Academy. The occasion was the launch of Sangharakshita's book 'The Religion of Art' – and the discussion ranges widely and, at times, controversially through the subject of the Arts considered as a vehicle for spiritual truths. It's full of talking points and challenges to contemporary orthodoxies around art theory. But whatever one's take on the views of the participants, this is a marvellous record of a unique meeting of minds.

The Jungian commentator James Hillman suggested that 'soul' needs nurturing as well as 'spirit' in human life. Our FBA Podcast , "Poetry, Soulmaking and Meditation," Paramananda uses deeply meaningful poems to show soulmaking in action, and explains how the process can be brought into your meditation practice.

Our FBA Podcast this week is a window into the ancient art of happiness. In " Stop Buying Stuff and Learn How to Be Happy Instead," Ratnaguna explores alternatives to buying more stuff and hooking up to more electronic gadgetry… The Buddha repeatedly said that the only reason he taught was to alleviate suffering, and he in fact enumerated three level of happiness. This teaching is no longer simply an issue of personal growth – it has become vital to the future of our planet. Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Center, 2011 in a series of free public talks, Buddhism and the Big Questions.

Our FBA Podcast this week, "The Buddha and Friendship," by Vajratara, begins by looking at how the symbols of the individual spiritual journey is really a story about a network of relationships. Every symbol is born out of relationship. It's living tradition that gives confidence, it's not about your own individual practice – your own individual practice is just a part of the Buddhist tradition and the Buddhist community. With references to Indra's Net, from the Avatamsaka Sutra, Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra and descriptions of the Bodhicitta, Vajratara delivers an inspiring and engaging look at how our collective practice is essential for the arising of the Bodhicitta.

Our FBA Podcast today, "People of Loving Kindness," is a lovely talk from Padmavajra, given to celebrate Sangha Day in Birmingham. And who better to conjure the spirit of loving kindness as it permeates a community practising together and supporting each other in their great, shared endeavour.

Our FBA Podcast today, "Sangha in the Context of Contemporary Buddhism," is from two of our speakers, Parami and Ratnaghosha. Together they deliver two excellent talks that reflect on the area of sangha from inner and outer perspectives respectively. How does the FWBO's approach square up with that of other traditions? And how might we continue to work on our practice of sangha as an integral part of our personal practice of the Dharma. As usual from two of our most thoughtful speakers, there is much to consider here – in which any Buddhist will likely recognise the challenge and the joy. This is the last in the series organised by 'Dharmapala College' to mark the 40th anniversary of the Western Buddhist Order. The series looked at the Order and the FWBO taken together – past and future: its own emphases, and its relationship to the whole Buddhist tradition…

Our FBA Podcast "Building Sangha, Creating Harmony" is a beautiful talk by Vajrasara. Here she explores the value of spiritual community, ways to encourage fuller harmony, and the many opportunities in friendship for waking up.

OurFBA Podcast this week "Sangha As An Insight Practice," is a thoughtful, inspirational and, in some places, challenging exploration of how Sangha can be a practice leading to Insight. Please note: the last few minutes of this talk are missing, for a transcript see our description on freebuddhistaudio.com.

Our FBA Podcast is titled "Creating Sangha and Changing the World" – an inspirational exploration of the Third Jewel by Saddhaloka. He looks at the distinguishing role of Sangha, spiritual community, in the development and life of the Triratna Buddhist Order, and, in fact, in any kind of Buddhist spiritual life. Saddhaloka here is steady and thoughtful as ever… Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2002 This is the first talk in the series of the same name. It touches on aspects of Sangharakshita's 'system of meditation', and most specifically the area of positive emotion. Parami is an ideal guide for this sort of material, steeped as she is in study and practice engaged with in the light of the 'Bodhichitta', and the Bodhisattva Ideal itself.

Our FBA Podcast, this week is from the delightfully inspirational Parami titled "The Awakening Heart." This is the first talk in the series of the same name. It touches on aspects of Sangharakshita's 'system of meditation', and most specifically the area of positive emotion. Parami is an ideal guide for this sort of material, steeped as she is in study and practice engaged with in the light of the 'Bodhichitta', and the Bodhisattva Ideal itself. Parami is the International Women's Order Convener for the Triratna Buddhist Order.

FBA Podcast, "The Alchemy of Wisdom," Yashobodhi introduces the perfection of wisdom in a series on the Six Paramitas at a West London Buddhist Centre Sangha night in May 2012. Followed by questions and answers.

FBA Podcast, this week, "Conditionality and Meditation" is a talk by Vessantara who has just completed a three year, three month, three day retreat. Conditionality is a central theme of the teaching of the Buddha, and it is very helpful to bring our understanding of it into the arena of our meditation practice. During this talk, Vessantara looks at how to set up good conditions for our meditation to unfold in a natural, expansive way. He also explores how to meditate on conditionality, so that we take our understanding of it deeper, until we know its truth in our bones, and conditionality becomes our natural way of seeing the world. Talk given at the Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2012.

Today's FBA Podcast, "The Therigatha and the Problem of Self"by Dassini, takes us into the lives of the early bhikkunis. Two verses by elderly nuns, Dhamma and Citta, give rise to reflection on letting go of fixed self view as a major component of breaking through to Enlightenment.

FBA Podcast, "The Six Elements," Ratnaprabha introduces us to earth, water, fire, air, space and consciousness as the mystery of human experience. He then describes how to use the elements in meditation and life.

FBA Podcast, "Continuous Spiritual Death – Continuous Spiritual Rebirth" Padmavajra speaks about the stages of spiritual death and rebirth, specifically how to prepare for them, how they can be seen in all the stages of the path, as well as where they lead. Talk given on a Kula Gathering at Padmaloka, 2012.

This week's FBA Podcast is a delightful talk by Danapriya titled: "Let your Inner Riches Shine." Exploring the themes of generosity and abundance, we are led into the heart of Buddhist practice.

In this week's FBA Podcast "Dana – the Emotional Life of the Sangha," Samacitta puts the practice of generosity under the microscope in this engaging talk on the first paramita. When we perform an act of generosity, what exactly is happening? How does it relate to the development of Wisdom? Is there such a thing as purely mental generosity and how effective is it? This talk explains the 'why', 'what' and how' of Dana-Paramita.

This week's FBA Podcast was first given on Lord Buddha TV in India. In "The Buddha's Advice to a Banker" Subhuti talks about a conversation the Buddha had with his leading Lay disciple, who was one of the wealthiest men in North India. What makes him significant is that he was also recognised as a non-returner. In this conversation the Buddha talks as prosperity, wealth and what makes for happiness. We see both his straight-forward common sense and his vision for the depth and meaning of human life. Although advice given two and a half thousand years ago it holds good today. It is not wealth that bring meaning to life but the qualities of your mind and the relationships around us. This talk was given at the London Buddhist Centre

In today's FBA Podcast, "All In This Together – Is It Time For a Buddhist Economics?" Kavyasiddhi delivers beautifully in this first of a series of public talks at Manchester Buddhist Centre entitled 'Buddhism and the Big Question'.

Our FBA Podcast this week "The Alternative to God" is a very thought provoking talk by Maitreyabandhu. Does God exist or not? How do you know? A thoughtful and critical look at this age old question in light of the Buddha's teachings. Talk given at the London Buddhist Centre in November 2006.

"The true revolutionary is guided by love." (Che Guevara). In this weeks FBA Podcast, "Finding Freedom," Amalaketu explores freedom through images and stories and the Chappanakopama sutta, the discourse on the simile of the 6 animals, and shows how Buddhism is the way to ultimate liberation.

This week's FBA Podcast is a quietly passionate talk by Jinapriya titled: "What is Enlightenment" – impossible to pin down and utterly transformative. His main theme within the frame of such a big question is the struggle to live our lives in the present moment, especially in the face of pain. We are met with a thoughtful series of reflections, stories and images that all look to open up the gates of perception, and prepare the heart for the biggest change imaginable and possible for all. In that sense, this is a truly optimistic talk. Talk given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2003

This weeks FBA Podcast, "Songs of the Elder Sisters" is one of a series of talks on the Therigatha, the songs or poems of the nuns at the time of the Buddha. Here, Gunasiddhi gently explores the three themes of Going Forth, Friendship and Impermanence through these tender yet powerful stories.

In celebration of the Buddha's Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma, this week's FBA Podcast"The Word of the Buddha" describes the various levels on which Enlightened Consciousness seeks to communicate itself to those who are unenlightened. Talk given in 1972.

Today's FBA Podcast, "The Jewel in the Lotus," by Sraddhagita, is a beautiful down-to-earth exploration of the great central images of Mahayana Buddhism, usually associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshavara. This talk was given in 2007.

Today's FBA Podcast, "A Personal Talk On the Bodhisattva Ideal" is just that – a moving and personal talk, by Vidyamala, given at the 25-year jubilee retreat (of FWBO activities in Stockholm) in a beautiful setting in the archipelago north of Stockholm, Sweden, September 2005.