Buddhistisches Tor Berlin Podcast

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-09-12.  What are we actually trying to do when we meditate? In this talk, Padmasagara explores the often-unconscious views and assumptions that shape our meditation practice, and why the understanding behind our practice matters just as much as the method itself. The talk concludes with a guided meditation, offering a chance to explore these ideas directly in expe...

Talk given by Tarapalita on 2026-09-05.  What does it actually mean to move towards Enlightenment? In this talk, Tarapalita explores why we need a coherent path of practice, and how the timeless principles of the Dharma take shape in different traditions, cultures and times. Tracing this living thread into the present day, he introduces Triratna’s system of practice and asks what it means to follo...

Talk given by Padmavajra on 2026-09-26.  Padmavajra, President of Buddhistisches Tor Berlin, explores the Buddhist symbolism of light and the Buddha’s invitation to “make a lamp for yourself”. Moving across early Buddhist teachings, Chan Buddhism and the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, he reflects on the inner resources we need for the journey of life: mindfulness, loving-kindness, ethics, wisdom and spiritu...

Vortrag von Dharmasara am 2026-09-21.  Padmasambhava ist ein Magier, Dämonenbezwinger und eine der geheimnisvollsten Gestalten des Buddhismus. Doch was bedeuten diese Bilder für unsere eigene Praxis? Dharmasara erkundet Padmasambhava als Symbol radikaler Transformation. Die Dämonen auf dem Pfad werden dabei nicht vernichtet, sondern erkannt, verstanden und in den Dienst des Dharma gestellt. Ein Vo...

Talk given by Tarapalita on 2026-09-19.  What do Buddhists mean when they speak of demons? In this talk, Tarapalita explores Padmasambhava, the great tantric master and "demon tamer", and asks what it might mean to encounter the darker, wilder, and more powerful forces within ourselves and in the world. Rather than simply rejecting or repressing these energies, can we meet them, transfor...

Talk given by Sanghadarsini on 2026-08-30.  What do our hands communicate? In this practical and experiential talk, Sanghadarshini explores the symbolism of mudras, Buddhist hand gestures that can express meaning and qualities through the body. She begins by looking at symbolism in general, before guiding us through several mudras and their histories. We explore the earth-touching mudra associated...

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-08-22.  Bahiya was a spiritual practitioner living on the beach near modern-day Mumbai. One day, he asked himself: “Am I enlightened? Or even on the path towards Enlightenment?” The answer was a resounding "No". He immediately sets out to find the Buddha, travelling thousands of kilometres and refusing to give up when the Buddha initially turns him away....

Talk given by Tarapalita on 2026-08-01.  What could you realistically expect to happen over the next 10 to 20 years if you practise the Dharma with sincerity? Drawing on personal experience, this talk explores ten reflections on what may unfold through long term Buddhist practice. Some changes may be fairly predictable: deeper self knowledge and integrity, a growing wish to love and protect others...

Hosted by Padmasagara and stories from mitras Erik, Tania & Britta on 2026-07-25.  We live in an age when it is possible to personalise spirituality, to explore different traditions and to take what works for us from many different sources. So why choose Buddhism? Why call yourself a Buddhist at all? Is the label restrictive, or can committing to a tradition actually help us travel further and...

Talk given by Rijumati and readings by Lalitaratna on 2026-07-19. In a world marked by war, political division, environmental challenges, and uncertainty, how can Buddhism help us respond wisely? In this talk, Rijumati explores whether Buddhism has a political agenda. His answer may be surprising. While Buddhism certainly has a vision for society, its primary focus is not on changing systems alone...

Talk given by Sanghadarsini on 2026-07-04.  In this talk, Sanghadarsini explores the Four Reminders, a set of reflections from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition that help us stay connected to what truly matters. In the midst of modern life, with its endless distractions, routines, and comforts, it is easy to lose sight of our deeper purpose and fall back into habitual patterns. These reflections invi...

Talk given by Arthaketu on 2026-06-20.  How do different ways of understanding the spiritual life shape our meditation practice? In this talk, Arthaketu explores the relationship between the Metta Bhavana and the three myths of the spiritual life described by Subhuti: the myth of development, the myth of surrender, and the myth of discovery. What do these three perspectives mean in practice? How m...

Talk given by Simhavara on 2025-01-18.  This talk brings to life the story of Machig Labdrön, an 11th-century Tibetan yogin whose radical clarity unsettled scholars and reshaped Buddhist practice across traditions. Speaking in a language people could immediately understand, she pointed directly to awakening itself, beyond intellectual refinement or doctrinal boundaries. Her story becomes a mirror...

Talk given by Kalyanaprabha on 2026-06-06.  In a time marked by conflict, uncertainty, and rapid change, many people find themselves asking how to respond without becoming overwhelmed, fearful, or resigned. In this talk, Kalyanaprabha explores a distinctly Buddhist response to the challenges facing both individuals and society today. Drawing on Sangharakshita’s visionary lecture series Buddhism fo...

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-05-24.  The stupa is one of the oldest symbols in Buddhism, emerging long before images of the Buddha became common. Across traditional Buddhist countries, these striking structures have stood for centuries as symbols of awakening, transformation, and the path itself. In this talk, Padmasagara leads us into the symbolism of the Stupa through the dramatic scene fro...

Talk given by Arthaketu on 2026-04-25.  In this follow-up to the talk "The Second Arrow: Working with Pain", we return to the Sallatha Sutta and deepen the inquiry. The Buddha’s image is simple but challenging: when pain arises, do we add a second arrow through resistance, or can we stay with the first? But what about the mind itself? Does this teaching apply only to physical pain, or ca...

Talk given by Padmavajra on 2026-05-16.  In this talk, Padmavajra evoked the spirit of Padmasambhava, the great tantric master of Tibet. He formulated four precepts that shall guide us as Buddhist practitioners in modern-day Berlin. These are: Arouse the great passion Live the great death Hurl the lightning bolt of compassion Revere the glorious mandala Listen in to learn what these mean for our p...

Talk given by Arthaketu on 2026-04-18.  In this talk, we explore the Sallatha Sutta, “The Arrow,” where the Buddha draws a sharp distinction between reactivity and practice. When pain arises, the untrained mind resists, adding a second arrow of suffering on top of the first. A practitioner, by contrast, learns to meet experience directly, without that extra layer. What does this mean in practice?...

Talk given by Suryagupta on 2026-05-02.  Suryagupta, Chair of the London Buddhist Centre, draws on her decades of Buddhist practice alongside experiences of activism, parenting, and work in the arts, to reflect on what it means to be fully human: to struggle, to long for growth, and to seek connection, meaning, and love. At the heart of her path, a powerful moment from a frightening international...

Talk given by Simhavara on 2026-04-06.  On 6 April 1967, in a modest basement in London, Sangharakshita founded the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, the seed that would grow into today’s Triratna Buddhist Community. Almost six decades later, we gather to mark this anniversary, not as something distant or historical, but as a living sangha shaped by practice, friendship, and shared commitment...

Talk given by Sanghadarshini on 2026-04-04.  An evening in April 1968 marked the beginning of something new in Western Buddhism: the founding of the Triratna Buddhist Order, a spiritual community rooted in friendship, practice, and equality between men and women. This talk revisits those early days in London and traces how this living tradition continues today in places like Berlin. It also includ...

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-04-11.  Buddhist mantras are often misunderstood. It can look like singing, prayer, or a superficial kind of magic and mysticism. But it’s none of these. In this talk, Padmasagara explores what a mantra actually is within Buddhist practice, and why it has been described as “the short path” to awakening. He reflects on how mantras work and invites us to try the pra...

Talk given by Tarapalita on 2026-02-14 . What are you afraid of: death, loss, or even your own potential? In this talk, Tarapalita explores how the Buddhist tradition encourages turning directly toward what frightens us. Drawing inspiration from the ancient practice of meditating in the charnel grounds, where the living sat with the dead, he reflects on how confronting fear and impermanence can tr...

Talk given by Simharava on 2026-03-14.  What does it really mean to be on a journey? In this talk, Simharava reflects on a recent trip to India through the lens of three interwoven journeys. The first traces the life of the Buddha and the unfolding of the Dharma. The second follows Sangharakshita, whose own spiritual quest in India led to the eventual founding of the Triratna Buddhist Community. T...

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-03-28.  Is it really possible to be happy in a world that is full of suffering? In this second talk on a Buddhist response to global crises, Padmasagara turns from the theme of heartbreak to happiness. But this isn’t about cheering ourselves up or looking on the bright side. Instead, the talk explores how we can stay open to the reality of suffering, both in our o...