Free Buddhist Audio

How do the Bodhisattvas enter the Dharma door of non-duality?Today's FBA Podcast, "The Way of Non-Duality" explores this as one of the main themes in the Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra. Sangharakshita explains some of the dualities listed in the Sutra, gives some examples of his own (with tips on how to transcend them), and concludes with Vimalakirti's 'thunder-like silence'. Talk given in 1979 as part of the series "The Inconceivable Emancipation – Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha."

Ratnaguna brings a fresh, clear-minded look at the Vimalakirti Nirdesa sutra in today's FBA Podcast, where he asks: "Who Is Vimalakirti?" Exploring current writings and the thinking of Sangharakshita he offers a number of possibilities: Vimalakirti is a community of practitioners; he is the bodhisattva principle; the spiritual imperative; and both an inspiration and a rebuke. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2009

In today's FBA Podcast, Sangharakshita goes to Buddhafield! " A first for him, and a first for the fabulous Buddhafield Festival that takes place each year at the height of the English summer. This talk, "Entering the Sangha" was given in a tent in Devon – and the sounds of this great Dharma celebration are everywhere around as Sangharakshita marks his entry to the 'Dharma Parlour' with a rolling set of thoughts and reminiscences and encouragements to practice. We move from India at the time of the peaceful revolution of 'untouchable' caste Hindus, to the famed hot-tubs of the festival itself. And we are introduced to the first 'three fetters' from the Buddha's teaching, the breaking of which will set us free. This is classic Sangharakshita – plenty to challenge and plenty to talk about around the fire afterwards. With an excellent and thoughtful introduction by Kamalashila. Talk given at the Buddhafield Festival, Devon 2007

This week's FBA Podcast is one of our Dharma Tape Detectives findings from the FBA Archives. "In Harmony with Friends and Brethren" by Srivati. What does it mean to be part of a Sangha? What does true harmony mean alongside the inevitability of conflict? Srivati addresses these questions with help from the monks at Kosambi, the six memorable qualities of a Bikkhu, and the seven knowledges of the stream entrant.

In today's FBA Podcast, "The Defects and Dangers of Samsara," Dharmacharini Maitreyi looks at pleasure and suffering in the context of samsara – compassionate responses to self and other, and how to loosen the bonds… Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005 as part of the series "The Four Mind-Turning Reflections."

This week's FBA Podcast , "Tibetan Book the Dead: Talk 1 – The Six Bardos", is an extraordinary talk by Padmavajra exploring the great text that reveals the realms between death and new life, where anything is possible in the Bardo – the 'intermediate state'. From the first talk in the series "Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol)." Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, winter retreat, 2005

Today, on the full moon of May, we celebrate the Buddha's Awakening, his full and perfect Enlightenment. Our FBA Podcast is a passionate look at our true nature and our deepest yearnings. "The Ideal of Human Enlightenment", by Sangharakshita, was given in 1975 and is as relevant now as it was then.

In this week's FBA Podcast,"Enlightenment as Heart, Life as Whole," Saddhanandi takes us through a set of very thought-provoking reflections. She is forthright about the difficulties and joys of cultivating faith in the Dharma and makes very plain the consequences we can expect in our life as and when that faith arises. The talk is peppered with examples from her own practice. The audience clearly appreciates her sense of humour – which is often at her own expense. The event was recorded in a very large marquee on a rainy day and despite that the sound quality is still OK! Given at Taraloka, May 2005. The companion talk to this one is Vajradarshini's "We Have a Huge Barrel of Wine, But No Cups"

This weeks FBA Podcast, "The Significance of the Buddha's Enlightenment" is a talk by Sona given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on Buddha Day, 9th May 2009.

This weeks FBA Podcast, "On the Threshold of Enlightenment" is part of the pivotal by "Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal" series delivered by Sangharakshita in 1969. This lecture describes dhyana (meditation), and prajna (Wisdom), the fifth and sixth perfections.

This weeks FBA Podcast, is a recording of a question and answer session with Sangharakshita at the Croydon Buddhist Centre in 2004. "An Evening with Sangharakshita" is a lovely introduction to the man who founded the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community (formally known as the Western Buddhist Order and FWBO).

This weeks FBA Podcast, "The Buddha's Gift To The World" is brought to us by Vajratara. Vajratara condenses nearly 50 years of the Buddhas life, using stories from the Pali Canon to show how the Buddha built a spiritual community that lasts to this day. Transcending the conflict between the desire to withdraw and the desire to engage, the Buddha wanders northern India out of compassion, teaching the Dharma by his presence and his words.

This weeks FBA Podcast, "Brahma Viharas and the Key Moment", is a distillation of Kulaprabha's 15 years of co-leading retreats on the development of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity. This talk was given in September 2001, before and after the Twin Towers attack, while Kulaprabha was on a six week retreat in Italy. She was one of only a few people on the retreat who knew what had happened and knew about the shock that had reverberated round the world. Some of her reflections from that time are included in the talk.

This weeks FBA Podcast is a thoughtful, inspiring talk by Khemasuri titled "The Spiral Path – The Great Escape." Faith, joy, and delight in the spiritual life. Sharing experiences from her own life, Khemasuri expounds on the importance of the Spiral Path, a fundamental teaching in the Triratna Buddhist Order.

This weeks FBA Podcast is a talk was given on a Young Women' Weekend at Taraloka titled "Faith is Innate, Doubt Acquired." In this talk Singhamati explores Sangharakshita's aphorism: Faith is Innate, Doubt Acquired. It looks at questions such as: What is faith? How do you cultivate the three grounds of faith? How is doubt a fetter? How can you dispel doubt?

Today's FBA Podcast, is a classic talk given by Sangharakshita in 1967 titled "Mind: Reactive and Creative." In this brilliant and accessible approach to the essence of Buddhism, Sangharakshita shows that Buddhism starts with the mind. Mind can be reactive, symbolised by the Tibetan Wheel of Life, or creative, as when one follows the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, described here in detail.

Our FBA Podcast today is a talk by the delightfully clear Vajrapriya titled "The Selfless Mind." What if all of our emotional and spiritual problems were caused by an incorrect understanding of our true nature? Vajrapriya explores the Buddha's insight that our commonsense assumptions about ourselves are the source of our suffering. Unpicking those assumptions is the first step to the arising of a wisdom that leads to an expansive and liberating way of relating to others and the world. Talk 2 in a series of 4 talks entitled 'Powers of the Mind' given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, April 2011.

Today's FBA Podcast is another reading from The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. This one, "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras" Chandana talks about the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, a category of Sutras in the Mahayana tradition.

Our FBA Podcast today is "The Diamond Sutra" by Sangharakshita. If one does not want to 'get caught in the grip of reality', one should leave this great text alone! The Perfection of Wisdom Discourse that 'Cuts Like a Diamond'… N.B. Reference for this lecture: Buddhist Wisdom Books, translated by E. Conze. (Allen & Unwin, 1958) Talk given in 1969.

Our FBA Podcast today brings us to the core of our practice: "The Heart Sutra, Sangha and Spiritual Death" by Kamalashila. Beginning with a shared understanding of spiritual practice that is Sangha, we are led through a revisioning of our practice that includes the deeper, darker more mysterious perspectives of insight and wisdom. This talk was given at the London Buddhist Centre's Tuesday evening drop-in meditation class on 6th Dec 2011.

Today's FBA Podcast, "The Buddha, Hakuin, Birth and Death", is the second 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. In this talk, Padmavajra takes us into the strong experience of Going Forth into homelessness. Through personal reminiscence and classic Zen poetry that evokes a truly rich awareness, we see the Buddha, Hakuin, Dogen and Ryokan as they struggle to make sense of this fleeting world of form. This talk is part of the series "Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters."

This weeks FBA Podcast, "Spiritual Death and Rebirth, a New Perspective On the Dharma Niyama", takes us deeply into the stages of spiritual death and rebirth that are key to the system of meditation, representing the culimination and fulfilment of the Buddhas vision. During this talk given at Padmaloka Subhuti explains some new elements of Sangharakshita's thinking about how they relate to the Niyamas, particularly the Dharma niyama – exciting, and challenging stuff.

Today's FBA Podcast, "The Transitoriness of Life and the Certainty of Death", is by Vajradharshini who brings us a beautiful piece on the hardest of subjects. The third talk in a five-part series from Tiratanaloka's retreat on the 'Four Mind Turnings' of the Tibetan tradition. Using zen poetry and a happily wide-ranging series of quotations (from Tibetan lamas to Ezra Pound), Vajradarshini explores her own father's death as a way to approach attitudes to death and dying. She considers death in the light of the four mind-turning reflections of Atisha: the result is an inspiring, funny, truly challenging look at the heartbreak of our mortality, and how the Dharma helps us to meet and be present with the ultimate experience. Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre 2005. This talk is part of the series The Four Mind-Turning Reflections.

Today's we introduce Atula in our weekly FBA Podcast with "Mending the Broken Ladder" a very thoughtful talk long-time by this practising Buddhist and psychotherapist. The nature of the 'psyche' and our sense of self-view is explored with reference to the Fourfold Vision of William Blake, T.S. Eliot, Charles Bukowski, Edward Conze, and Humpty Dumpty! Expect some stimulating words around the role of myth, metaphor and all our ways of cognizing, thinking about and expressing experience in what we call 'spiritual life' – and a clear encouragement to see that process as one that is profoundly relational. Talk given Monday 8th March 2010.

Welcome to this weeks FBA Podcast, "Fields of Creativity", a sparkling talk by Sangharakshita on a theme close to his heart. Full of warmth, wit and stimulating ideas. Talk given in 2001.

Today's FBA Podcast, "In the Bleak Midwinter", Parami delivers a gem of a talk, with a wintery theme. With a song to open followed by metaphors on bleakness, with the earth as hard as iron and water like a stone, times when we struggle and it seems as if no growth is possible. She talks about her early experience of doing the metta bhavana and what a radical practice it is, leading to beauty, magic and angels. This talk was given in December 2010 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

In today's FBA Podcast, we are taken deep into the mythical magical world of Milarepa, Tibet's great yogi saint, in "The Life of Milarepa," by Paramartha. First talk in a series of 4 talks on 'Milarepa'. Talks given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, Winter Retreat 2010.

In today's FBA Podcast, "Renunciation – Tasting Freedom," Saddhanandi says at the beginning of this talk that she's concerned she won't fully convey the depth of inspiration she feels about her theme – she shouldn't have worried, she does it full justice. Her various approaches to her subject include renunciation as giving up unreal expectations, as giving up compulsion, as continuity of purpose and commitment to values, as establishing freedom, as not being blown by the worldly winds. One of her telling quotes is " … there is no spiritual development without renunciation, and no renunciation without spiritual development …" This is the first of three talks given on the 2009 UK Women's Order / Mitra Event. It's based on the first section of Tsongkhapa's short text "The Three Principle Aspects of the Path". The other talks in the series are "Generating Bodhi Mind" by Vajratara, and "The Path of the Buddha's Delight" by Samantabhadri. Given at Taraloka, May 2009.

Today's FBA Podcast is titled: "Getting It," by Vidyadevi. Her brief here is 'study as a way to Wisdom', and she comes to it with a delightfully playful straightforwardness. As a means of exploring the 'Middle Way', she speaks of the various dualities and juxtapositions she has encountered in her own engagement with Dharma study over the years: theory and practice, metaphor and literalism, authority and personal experience, utility and beauty, etc. But she also speaks (and sings! Paul Simon…) of the need for a lightness of heart and of mind at the root of it all… Talk given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, Great Gathering 2000

Padmavajra delivers some crazy stuff as we hit koan country! Today's FBA Podcast titled "Great Doubt" is the seventh 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. A fascinating look at doubt in spiritual life in general, and in the lives of some of the most celebrated practitioners of Zen. Uncompromising stuff towards a more profound level of awareness – steer to the deep! Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004 This talk is part of the series Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters.

Today's FBA Podcast takes us into the mysterious world of "Tara – Virya Buddha". Dharmacharini Vanaraji gave this talk to the Women's Class at the London Buddhist Centre, June 2011.

Today's FBA Podcast is titled "Chetul Sangye Dorje" by Vajratara. A forthright and passionate talk, taking as its starting point the great contemporary Tibetan teacher (sometimes also written 'Chatral Sangye Dorje') and his relationship to practice in the Triratna [FWBO] Community via his giving of the Green Tara practice to Sangharakshita. The main focus, however, is the need to practice the Dharma for others as part of a meaningful community, and Vajratara argues her case with a balance of down-to-earth humour and uncompromising vision. Talk given at the Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 2007

In today's FBA Podcast titled "Visibility" Kuladharini explores what it's like to be an example of the fourth sight in the world, to be a visible embodiment of Dharma practice. Using the metaphors of the begging bowl, robes and shaved head she shares three ways in which she has gone forth as a visible example of a dharma farer. Talk given at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

Today's FBA Podcast, "Beyond Hope and Hopelessness Dancing In the Ruins of Time," takes us into the world seen through the eyes of EcoDharma, a Triratna retreat centre in the Catalan Pyrenees. Guhyapati offers a sober analysis of the environmental problems facing humanity and issues a clarion call for action – including from the Buddhist community. Recorded at the 2009 Buddhafield Festival. Visit the EcoDharma website – www.ecodharma.com

In today's FBA Podcast Suriyavamsa begins "Life for a Limited Time Only" 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 on Parinirvana Day 2010 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

Today's FBA Podcast is the first talk in a brilliant series titled "Eight Verses for Training the Mind" by Dharmachari Subhuti. Based on the Tibetan text by Kadampa Geshe Langri Tangpa, Subhuti introduces the verses in the context of the development of Buddhism in Tibet and India. We then have a full treatment of the first verse itself: "May I always cherish all beings, Withe the resolve to accomplish for them The highest good that is more precious Than any wish-fulfilling jewel." Talk given at Madhyamaloka, Birmingham, 2004 For the full series: "Eight Verses for Training the Mind."

In today's, FBA Podcast, simply titled "Ethics," Manjuvajra takes a look at the complex area of ethics from a Buddhist perspective. The nature of 'self', the place of feeling and emotion, the role of intention and action – these are fertile grounds for digging deeper into our own ethical practice and considering our lives in the light of the Buddha's teaching of 'non-harm'. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2000

"Just as the mighty ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt, even so the Dharma-vinaya (Buddhism) has but one taste, the taste of Freedom"- The Udana. Today's FBA Podcast, "The Taste of Freedom: is a brilliant and rousing tour-de-force on transcendental freedom, one of Sangharakshita's best-loved lectures. Talk given in 1979.

Today's FBA Podcast "Talks of a Free Spirit – 45 Years of the Buddha's Life" explores the life and teachings of the Buddha as they've come down through the stories of the tradition. Vajrasara has a veritable genius for making clear the relevances for contemporary society, and this talk is a most engaging example as she takes her own favourite tales and draws out the beautiful challenges of it all.

Today's FBA Podcast "Doubt as Path" is a good and useful talk on the dangers of certainty in the spiritual life – individually and within a community. Amaraketu draws on his own experience of zen and of painting in order to evoke a sense of what it might be like to live and practice not knowing. Everything is just beginning… Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2005.

Today's FBA Podcast is titled "Life with Full Attention". In this half-hour talk, Maitreyabandhu (a teacher at the London Buddhist Centre) gives you a witty, practical, real-life look at how mindfulness makes us more alive and free. His book 'Life With Full Attention' will be published by Windhorse Publications in July 2009. Click here for more talks from the 2009 International Urban Retreat. For more information on this years Urban Retreat see: www.theurbanretreat.org

In today's FBA Podcast, Mahabodhi kicks off a series of talks on the theme of 'Work As Spiritual Practice' with "Work As Spiritual Practice: Introducing Reginald Ray's Threefold Model". Based on Ray's book, 'Buddhist Saints in India', this is a framework for considering the spiritual benefits and challenges of three roles or life styles within Buddhism: The solitary retreatant, the sangha builder who works within Buddhist institutions, the lay practitioner or social activist whose commitments take them to work out in the world. According to Ray, each plays a crucial role in the health of the Sangha. After exploring the different life styles, Mahabodhi talks about his experiences as the 'retreatant' writer. A talk in a series addressing the relevance of Buddha's teaching to contemporary issues at the Manchester Buddhist Centre 2011.

Today's FBA Podcast, is a magical exploration by Vajragupta titled: "We Live In a Beautiful World: Buddhism and Nature". Sharing his very personal experiences on solitary retreats, Vajragupta asks, "How can human beings live with more love and appreciation of the natural world? What does Buddhism have to offer?" A talk in a series addressing the relevance of Buddha's teaching to contemporary issues at the Manchester Buddhist Centre 2011.

Today's Podcast "Compassionate Koans – The Heart of the Matter does in fact take us to the heart of the matter! An excellent, personal set of reflections by Vijayamala on the relationship between our longing and our pain. The Buddhist tradition posits compassion as the best response, but it isn't always clear how that works. No answers here – but a few leads and some thoughtful tales from life and from a longstanding practice of meditation. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Women's Convention, 2005

Today's FBA Podcast takes us back to the 1969 wholly inspiring Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal series by Sangharakshita. "Masculinity and Femininity in the Spiritual Life"is the fifth talk in the series. Here, the third and fourth Perfections are kshanti (forbearance, tolerance or spiritual receptivity) and virya (energy in pursuit of the good). So the Bodhisattva integrates 'feminine' and 'masculine' qualities in a perfect union. Talk given in 1969.

In today's FBA Podcast, "Learning from Tibetan Buddhism – A Personal Account" Vessantara shares from his many years of engagement with Tibetan Buddhist approaches to meditation and general Buddhist practice. He carefully weighs up the different aspects of exploring a tradition outside of your own, and evokes Tibetan Buddhism itself through the story of his initiation into the Vajrayogini sadhana. A lovely, thoughtful talk that pays tribute to the effect of one ancient form of Dharma in a modern practitioner's own life. There is also a thorough discussion of visualization meditation, and a moving celebration of the teachers who have helped him on the path. Given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention 2005.

Today's FBA Podcast, is a brilliant retrospective on our Triratna Community developments titled: "Being Radical – 40 Years of the New Society" by Vajragupta. Do we still believe in the ability of the Dharma to transform self and society? Do we still want to make a distinctive Dharmic contribution to building a better world? Are we willing to accept that challenge? And are we willing to sometimes challenge the views and values of the society around us? This was the fourth talk given at Dharmapala college's New society seminar in April 2010.

Today's FBA Podcast, "Transcending the Human Predicament", Sangharakshita investigates various symbolic elements in the Parable of the Burning House and we are reminded of the importance of responding to 'the call of the Divine'. The general significance of the parable is then discussed under the headings of escapism, universalism and sectarianism. "The White Lotus Sutra is not only a religious classic, but a masterpiece of symbolic spiritual literature." ~ Sangharakshita From the classical ground-breaking series: Parables, Myths and Symbols of Mahayana Buddhism in the White Lotus Sutra given in 1971.

In today's talk, "Anatta Made Simple", Locana provides an excellent introduction to the most subtle and complex part of the Buddha's teaching on impermanence: that all things in conditioned existence are empty of any innate self-nature. Insubstantiality might never be really 'simple' to understand – but this is a good place to start and Locana an ever-intelligent guide along the way… Locana (Elizabeth English) is the author of 'Vajrayogini: Her Visualization, Rituals, and Forms'

Welcome to this week's FBA Podcast, "Abundant Treasures," by the wonderful story teller, Suriyavamsa. The first of a series on the parables of The White Lotus Sutra, this talk looks at the Sutra as a whole. Suriyavamsa explores the key themes as well as how best to approach a Mahayana Sutra. Please note that there is some noise disturbance at the end of the talk due to a small and restless child!