Dharmabytes from Free Buddhist Audio

Suryagupta explores how war, destruction and conflict are on the increase in the world, as are conflicted and destructive individual lives. How do we live in a way that brings about a less conflicted world and a more creative, integrated way of being? Excerpted from the talk entitled On War given at London Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https:/...

Maitrivajri explores gender and leadership under the five aspects of Sangharakshita's teaching of the true individual. Excerpted from the talk Gender, Leadership & the True Individual given in the context of Triratna Regional Order Weekend held at the London Buddhist Centre , 2014. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dh...

On this special Dharma night, Subhadramati interviewed local Buddhist artist Amitajyoti about her work and practice. Excerpted from The Artist As True Individual - Interview with Amitajyoti , 2016. More on Amiyajyoti's work: https://www.cbarton-harvey.co.uk/ *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-...

Here, Sangharakshita emphasises the importance of distinguishing Buddhism as a universally applicable path of development from the specifically Eastern cultural forms it has been associated with in the past, and explains why an authentic, non-sectarian Buddhist movement is needed in the West. Excerpted from the talk entitled Western Buddhists and Eastern Buddhism, part of the series A New Buddhist...

Rijumati explores the place of meditation in the bigger context of the growth of oneself as an individual, exploring how we can develop a coherent answer to the question "Who am I and where am I going in my life?" Excerpted from the talk Growing into Real Individuality given at Centro Budista Triratna de Barcelona , 2025. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebud...

In this talk Vadanya explores how paying attention to reality - rather than mental or media noise - can bring our life alive and give us a vivid experience of beauty. But is "being here now" enough to bring real happiness? Or do we need a deeper idea of the meaning of awareness? Excerpted from the talk The Aware Mind Is the Happy Mind given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2025. *** Help us keep FBA...

Peace, happiness, contentment we all want it, but where and how to find it. The Buddhist tradition would say that it is in how we relate to our experience that either satisfaction or grasping can be found. Does this stand up, how do we do it, what difference does it make in the world. Dharmashalin talks here about the essential problem of life. Excerpted from the talk Finding Peace In a Frantic Wo...

In this masterly lecture to an American conference audience, Sangharakshita reminds us of the basic conceptual formulation of the Buddha's enlightenment experience. The twelve negative and twelve positive nidanas ('links') represent two trends - reactive and progressive - within the same conditionality. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Twenty-Four Nidanas given as part of the series Two Lectur...

What does it mean to be human? Dhammadinna 's gently balanced and encouraging talk explores various perspectives on one of the fundamental questions, and clearly lays out various Buddhist approaches to the nature of our existence and consciousness, especially in relation to the other realms of the Tibetan wheel of life. Cherishing the opportunities is one of the challenges of this reflection - and...

Bhadra describes the six realms as a mirror in which to fully know the particulars of our own self created universe. Here, we learn how the presence of Avalokitesvara in the God Realm teaches of impermanence through music.  Excerpted from the talk Wheel of Life: 3 - Practice As Knowing Where You Stand , given at Bristol Buddhist Centre , 2017. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donat...

Maitreyi 's visit to the Mid Essex Buddhist Centre, talking about communicating through symbols, this time round through the hub of the wheel of life. Excerpted from the talk entitled Communicating Through Symbols: The Hub of the Wheel of Life given at Mid Essex Buddhist Centre , 2020. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to ou...

Vishvapani talks here about the Buddha's response to society's need for protection from demons the spirit world. Excerpted from the talk The Buddha and Society , part of the series Gautama Buddha , Birmingham , 2011. This series marked the launch of Vishvapani's book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Dona...

Dharmacharini Vidyajyoti , who passed away in 2010, offers a sparkling talk on a key part of the Buddha's legendary life story - his encounter with Mara. She's the ideal person to introduce the figure and the seriousness of her topic comes through well amidst the laughter and the key references to art and culture.  Mara isn't the devil but what he represents is a challenge for us all in everyday l...

The full moon in May is celebrated as the anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment and his victory over the demon Mara. Sangharakshita explains what Mara represents and how he can be overcome. As well as containing much that will fascinate experienced Buddhists, this is also an excellent introductory lecture. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Buddha's Victory given in 1987. *** Help us keep FB...

Khemasuri explores the message of Transforming the World in The Sutra of Golden Light at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre 2008. Excerpted from the talk Transforming the World given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2008. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration...

Here Vajratara encourages her audience to enter a Mahayana text like one would reflect on a dream. Excerpted from the talk The Sutra of Golden Light given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2008. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcas...

Taranita explores the historic and mythic origins of the Heart Sutra, the emergence of the Mahayana in the context of a Buddhist orthodoxy, emptiness, and our relationship to Buddhist concepts. Excerpted from the talk entitled An Introduction to the Heart Sutra given at Bristol Buddhist Centre 2019. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate S...

Chandana talks about the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, a category of Sutras in the Mahayana tradition. Exerted from the talk A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Buddhist Scriptures: Perfection of Wisdom Sutras given at Manchester Buddhist Centre , 2010. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips -...

With his customary dry wit and sharp eye, Abhaya leads us on the crazy paving path through the Diamond Sutra - a text guaranteed to turn your world upside-down. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Diamond Sutra given at the Western Buddhist Order national Order weekend, 2003. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmab...

The Bodhisattvas descend, the Bodhichitta is called down, and Parami is off and rolling on her favourite subject... With a thoughtful look at Padmasambhava too, and an affectionate tribute to her own teacher, Urgyen Sangaharakshita, whose poem 'The Song of the Windhorse' forms the root text for this talk. Excerpted from the talk entitled Energy At Its Most Abundant given at Windhorse Evolution, a...

Bodhilila speaks to verses from the Dana (Generosity) chapter from the Bodhicaryavatara. Excerpted from the talk Dana Paramita and the Bodhicharyavatara given at the London Buddhist Centre , 2011. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple P...

Jvalamalini offers suggestions to bear in mind when reading the Bodhicaryavatara, followed by a selection of guided reflections. She begins by exploring ways into the transcendental and then describes the bodhicitta, the heart of the exposition. Excerpted from the talk Reflections From the Bodhicaryavatara given at Bristol Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Do...

Padmavajra plunges fearlessly down into the lower realms of the wheel of life to meet the beings who inhabit - and the Buddhas who come to meet them. A sobering but strongly felt evocation of how we make the worlds with our minds - and what we might do to counteract the dangers. Excerpted from the talk On Hell and Hungry Ghosts , given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , as Part of the series Tibetan Bo...

Saddharaja describes the qualities of Akshobya,  the great blue Buddha of the eastern quarter of the mandala - the Unshakeable One, the Imperturbable Akshobya, with a reading from the Bardo of Thodol. Excerpted from the talk Akshobya given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2001 *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabyte...

According to Tibetan tradition, in the bardo, an 'intermediate state' in the endless round of birth and death, we are free for an instant from that round. The Tibetan book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) describes six of these opportunities for escape from reactivity. From the talk Psycho-Spiritual Symbolism in the Tibetan Book of the Dead given by Sangharakshita as part of the series Aspects of Buddhi...