Free Buddhist Audio

This is the seventh talk in an eight part series by Padmavajra exploring a great classic of Tibetan Buddhism – Gampopa's 'Jewel Ornament of Liberation'. The work, inspired by devotion to Manjusri, is one of the key texts in the development of the Tibetan Lam Rim teachings. And Gampopa, being one of the two principle disciples of the yogi Milarepa, presents both the monastic Lam Rim approach of Ati...

Using verses from both the Dhammapada and the Bodhicaryavatara, Vairocana   maps out the Buddhist practice of patience, from restraint to positive emotion. This is the fourth talk in a series on the Six Paramitas at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre in the summer of 2012. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma ins...

Virya is the energetic counterpart to the patience of Ksanti; it is energy in pursuit of the good. Bodhinaga   tells us how we can develop this noble vigour, which brings strength and courage like that of a virtuous knight. He guides us through counteracting the four 'enemies of virya' before introducing the Four Powers: ethical sources of energy to power the Dharma life. Recorded at Sheffield Bud...

Viriya expresses itself in action, with attentiveness, care and enthusiasm. Saddhanandi   shares from her personal training and experience as an artist to elucidate the meaning of Virya, drawing out the aspect of training the mind to develop positive mental states. Talk given at Glasgow Buddhist Centre, GBC Rainy Season, March 2020. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  S...

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? Parami explores these questions and more with great compassion and wis...

How do we relate to the Buddha? Sangharakshita has emphasised the importance of connecting with him as a historical figure. Through personal example and stories Dharmashalin asks the question, do we even see the Buddha as a kind old man? Maybe that would be a good start… Talk given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre (UK), 2014. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe t...

How do we construct our world? Collective experiences impact on our personal views and experiences. Mahayana texts offer us the opportunity to interrupt our usual way of perceiving and thinking about the world. Suryagupta explores the extraordinary character, Vimalakirti, and his teaching of The Great Love – the love that is great compassion, the love that is never exhausted, the love that is givi...

"The creative mind loves when there is no reason to love." Sangharakshita Viryajyoti gives the second talk in a series on Compassion for a Modern Word on a theme close to her heart. The Bodhisattva aim is to free all beings from suffering – what about here and now in the 21 st century? What is radical kindness? What would it be like to be radically kind? The Buddha represents the spiritual ideal o...

Vessantara shares reflections that emerged during his three year retreat, namely a poignant opportunity to let go of self reference and enjoy the simple awareness of the present moment. This talk was given at the Triratna Buddhist Order European Order Gathering at Wymondham College August 25, 2012. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast...

Visuddhimati explores how we really need to know ourselves deeply and experientially to allow us to let go into the deep mystery at the heart of the mandala. She shares her reflections on initiation, spiritual death and rebirth, inspired by a Rilke poem. Using the structure of the Rilke poem she explores how engaging with images and allowing them to unfold their meaning within us, allows us to let...

Drawing on his book on the Buddha, Vishvapani explores the connection between awareness of our immediate experience and seeing the true nature of existence. Talk given at Cardiff Buddhist Centre , 2018. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration, t wo times a week! Follow our blog for news and new Dh...

Karunagita explores emptiness through Padmasambhava's advice to Queen Ngang Chung: During the time of insight which is surrounded by a calm, gentle aura, openness and appearance are inseparable. The six senses come forth, though appearance and voidness are inseparable; this is the real foundation, without which no means exists. Talk given at Dhanakosa Retreat Center , 2017. *** Help keep FBA free...

Nagabodhi offers his reflections on the Buddha's enlightenment. What is it are we actually trying to achieve? How intensely are we cultivating and experiencing metta, friendship, kindness, compassion, patience and love? This talk is part of the series  The Bridge, the Path and the Goal  given at Adhisthana, 2019. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dhar...

In this talk, Moksatara   explores what karma really means and how we can work with this law of the universe to leave behind the 'snakes and ladders' game of repetitive ups and downs, moving instead on a liberating path of growth. By understanding the importance of conditionality and ethics, we can take charge of our lives and move in the direction we want to go. Recorded at Sheffield Buddhist Cen...

Concise and essential, Satyaraja draws out practical and profound aspects of the four Brahmaviharas, considering them as both meditation practices and as realms that we can occupy. This is the second talk in a series of four talks on the topic of karuna, compassion. From the series Brahmaviharas and the Awakening of the Bodhi Mind given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre Winter Retreat, 2016. *** Help ke...

A stirring and penetrating talk by Dhammadinna around the image that a Bodhisattva's compassion runs as deep as their very bones. Nagarjuna, Milarepa and others add their voices as Dhammadinna makes an emotionally resonant but clear-eyed attempt to lay out the ground of a practice that is moving towards the development of Bodhichitta. Why bother? she asks us, and shows how open-heartedness can res...

Ratnaguna gives us ten pieces of advice from the Buddha that speak to the isolation we're experiencing whilst the world is in lockdown. The talk was given via Zoom, following the temporary closure of Manchester Buddhist Centre due to the Coronavirus pandemic, April 3, 2020. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dh...

Vilasamani   gives an introduction to the twelve links on the wheel of life, specifying how the spiral path emerges from the gap between feeling and craving. Talk given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2016. Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration, t wo times a week! Follow our blog for news and new D...

Here we have Maitreyi  talking about communicating through symbols, this time round through the hub of the wheel of life. Talk given at Mid Essex Buddhist Centre , February 2020. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration, t wo times a week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA...

Vadanya launches a series of talks on three great Buddhist symbols that describe the way things are: the wheel of life, the spiral path, and the ultimate goal of Enlightenment. Together they form a guide to escape from the ultimate vicious circle into the complete freedom and fulfilment of Awakening. Here, Vadanya explores on the wheel by describing the symbolism of each of the four concentric rin...

Instead of the traditional description of the Fourth Noble Truth - the Eightfold Path - Saccanama   explores Sangha as a means to counter the individualism of our times. What exactly is the true meaning of Sangha? And how can the mysterious 'third order of consciousness' or Bodhicitta help us to transcend our preoccupation with ourselves? He looks at three stories from Buddhist tradition that expl...

Kalyana Mitrata is spiritual friendship, even 'the lovely intimacy', the need for close and supportive connections with others in treading the path. Ratnaprabha   explores why the Buddha said spiritual friendship is 'the whole of the Buddhist Life'. Is it as important now as it was in the Buddha's time? Is a Kalyana Mitra the same thing as a guru or teacher? How can we make the intimate connection...

Vajratara  introduces the theme of spiritual friendship or kalyana mitrata. What is spiritual friendship? How is it distinguished from ordinary friendship? How can we make friends? What is the difference between vertical and horizontal friendship? Using stories, personal anecdotes and images she introduces the overall theme to prepare for more talks in this series, which focusses on the tantric ri...

Ratnaghosha  reflects on how friendships and connections are woven into the tapestry of his life, how other people give our lives a sense of richness and abundance. In the sangha, people are passing on the Dharma through their relationships – living, breathing Dharma is passed on through spiritual friendship. The Buddha was the original spiritual friend, exemplifying for us that Enlightenment dema...

Satyajyoti  introduces the tantra: Buddhism to set life aflame through deep personal transformation of our direct experience. Out with abstractions and theory, it's time to act 'as if your turban was on fire!' In the words of Sangharakshita, 'making Buddhism respectable is the last thing we should do'.  In her introductory talk, Satyajyoti outlines five key principles of Tantric Buddhism and expla...