Buddhistisches Tor Berlin Podcast

"Befriend your mind" is an invitation to explore how meditation can serve our life on and off the cushion, and especially during challenging times. By Prasadavati

Why do people worship the Buddha if he is not a god? What might Enlightenment actually look and feel like? How do we free ourselves from the suffering caused by clinging? Tarapalita takes us on a journey through all this and more.

I will look at these 3 words and draw out how they relate to 3 sets of Buddhist teachings. Talk by Arthaketu

The Buddha talks about 7 kinds of suffering. The 7th is the suffering of not getting what one wants. So I would like you to pay attention to that when it hsppens. What is that like when we dont get what we want?. What thoughts arise?, what emotions arise? and very importantly how does that feel in the body? Also notice your relationship to all those things. Your thoughts, emotions and bodily sensa...

Every Buddhist tradition has its own unique history and qualities. Tarapalita explores some of these in celebration of Triratna day.

And what does Kentucky Fried Chickens latest advert ‘Believe in chicken’ have to do with any of this? 🐣🐔🍗🫨 Talk by Tarapalita

What are the core values you live your life around? Where exactly did they come from? Did you make them up yourself? Did you pick them up somewhere? Do you know their history? And what does it have to do with Instagram? In this talk, Tarapalita explores how we become who we are.

In this talk, Dharmasara looks at a fundamental question: Why on earth should be follow a 2500 year old Religion alles Buddhism?

What does it mean to be upright in this life? Well, it means not being spineless. What does it mean to be spineless? Being spineless means being utterly self-absorbed and giving in to any and all of your stories or desires. Being spineless means being a bully, a bitch, a coward or a snitch… It means playing the eternal victim or treading on others to get to some imagined top. It means being the ki...

Join Tarapalita in this talk about How the Buddha´s community grew. The Buddha was a true individual. Free from everything that we are restricted by and suffer from. Psychologically, socially, emotionally…spiritually. He discovered the causes and sources of his suffering and dissolved them in the profound and sustained depths of awareness. What was left afterwards was the ongoing bliss of Liberati...

Being a Buddhist isn’t all about glory and light. Sooner or later we’ll encounter difficult experiences, even grief and death. How will Buddhism help us then? In this talk, Padmasagara shares a story from the earliest Buddhist texts in which the Buddha helps one of his female followers - Kisagotami - overcome her grief and reach enlightenment.

In this talk, Tarapalita looks at the Story of Angulimala: How did a serial killer, who’s passion was cutting off the fingers of people he’d killed to make a delightful necklace for himself, go on to become a disciple of the Buddha and eventually the patron saint of women in childbirth? And just to say, even if you’re not a serial killer yourself, and you might not be, that’s ok as well, there are...

The mind is our most precious asset. Untrained, it can also be the most dangerous thing in this world. Really, it is the only thing we have control over and can take responsibility for, at least potentially. In Buddhism, Consciousness is central. It is at the centre of our perception and therefore conditions how we perceive ourselves and the world. It is so powerful that the Buddha said that "All...

This week, Sanghadarsini gives a talk on one of the central themes of Buddhism: Friendship. In many instances, the Buddha has emphasised the necessity of Friendship and companionship with people who journey on the path together. One of those instances is the story of Meghiya, who was a young monk and one of the Buddha's personal attendants. He was an idealistic young chap and quite driven. He want...

In this episode Tarapalita shares his top ten tips for living a spiritual life…starting with No.1- ‘Don’t try and be spiritual’.  Confused? Indeed.

The story goes that the Buddha was enlightened beneath a full moon. The land, the water, the bodhi tree under which he was sitting, as well as the person -his body, heart and mind - were all fully illuminated by and bathed in a reflective, silvery light. He was Enlightened, literally and metaphorically. We celebrate this moment every year on full-moon day in May - which we call 'Buddha Day&#39...

The Buddha’s insight was so profound that words alone can’t express it, and we need images and symbols in multiple colours to evoke it. This week I’ll be developing the theme a little further… Not only can the profound insight of the Buddha be hinted at through visual images, it can also be expressed through sound. The sound of the Buddha. He spoke of it as the beat of his ‘Deathless Drum’. What o...

Why do so many people love Buddha statues so much in the modern West? You see them everywhere. Many people have Buddha statues and images in their living spaces without knowing anything about Buddhism or even considering themselves Buddhists. In this Episode Tarapalita Explorer this subject further.

Join Tarapalita as he shares his profound experiences from a three-month ordination retreat. In this insightful talk, Tarapalita delves into the practice of walking meditation, reflections on life, and his deep interest in Japanese Buddhism and the teachings of Ajahn Chah. Tarapalita discusses various fears, including fear of loss, discomfort, and insubstantiality, and how these relate to Buddhist...

What does it  really  mean to live a Buddhist life? This week Dharmasara dives deep into the heart of Buddhist ethics. We'll explore how Buddhist practice translates into everyday actions, challenging misconceptions about passive detachment. Join us as we uncover the vibrant, nuanced world of Buddhist morality and how it shapes a life of value.

Explore the concept of freedom through a Buddhist lens with Dharmasara. This talk delves into the gradual path of self-discovery outlined in Buddhist teachings. Dharmasara examines the idea of liberation from suffering and explores three key areas that can hinder progress: self-attachment, superficial practices, and indecision. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to Buddhism, this ta...

In this episode, Padmasagara delves into the profound wisdom of the Bahiya Sutta. Join us as we explore the story of Bahiya, a revered figure yearning for enlightenment, and his transformative encounter with the Buddha. Padmasagara unpacks the Buddha's revolutionary teaching: to experience the world directly, free from the burden of concepts and labels. We'll discover how Bahiya grasped th...

Join us in exploring instances from Siddharta's life before he became enlightened. In this talk we explore what we can learn from his meeting with his first two teachers and how he related to other practices that he tried out on his quest to find the truth.

In this episode Arthaketu talks about a period from Śāntideva's life within the context of the image of The Refuge Tree of the Triratna Buddhist community. Arthaketu explores three stanzas from a classic buddhist text called the Bodhicariyavatara - meaning 'The way of the Bodhisattva'. The first stanza reads: 'Just as a blind man may find by chance a priceless jewel in a heap of re...

In this episode Prasadavati talks about how mindfulness connects theory and practice on the buddhist path.