Free Buddhist Audio

Sanghamani with a great second talk from the 2019 Triratna International Gathering. Her theme on this Alchemy of the Dharma weekend is how we can transform ourselves in order to transform our communities. And she leads with fearlessness in discussing her own work and practice in this regard. As a fundraiser at the cutting edge of the practice of connection – trying to forge a sense of mutually vit...

A wonderful first talk of the 2019 International Gathering, whose theme is 'Alchemy of the Dharma'. The utterly delightful  Ratnaguna  takes us through the true miracle of transforming ourselves via magic of a practice in which we also learn to let ourselves change.  This is a beautiful, reflective, funny take on the challenges of the Dharma life. Ratnaguna's breadth of reference is itself a joy:...

What is the Bodhicitta and how do we become receptive to it?  Vajratara talks about the paradox behind the Bodhicitta: how it is an experience beyond any personal attainment, yet it arises in us. How can we hold both perspectives? Using the framework of the '3 myths' of the Dharma life, Vajratara evokes the qualities and attitudes we develop to prepare ourselves for the Bodhicitta. A journey aroun...

In this talk, Sarvananda looks at how our engagement with the arts can help us move from literal mindedness to an imaginative engagement with Buddhist myth and symbol. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre during the 2019 East Anglian Men's Retreat. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration, t wo t...

The Buddha said the world is on fire, fueled by our greed hatred and delusion. Jnanavaca explores how we can raise ourselves to meet the challenges faced by humankind on both an individual and global basis.  Can Metta be cultivated so that in can burn brightly with the brilliant flames of peace? Talk given at London Buddhist Centre , 2019. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter to...

To succeed at anything, we need to think; to go about it in a way that's actually going to work. Vadanya examines different metaphors that help us to bring our reasoning and wisdom into action to make spiritual progress. He highlights the importance of creating the right conditions to grow and flourish, particularly the importance of spiritual friendship. Part 5 in the 'Path to Awakening' Sangha n...

The first of four talks given by  Ratnaguna during the annual Padmaloka Open Retreat. The theme of the retreat was 'For Heroic Spirits Intended...' and was based around the Ratnaguna Samcayagatha-a profound Mahayana Sutra. A new translation by Sraddhapa of the text was used for the first time during the retreat. You can find this text at Sraddhapa's website  where donations can be made to support...

  How do we transcend conflicts and contradictions?  Vilasamani   explores the conundrums of Buddhist practitioners in the Vimalakirti Sutra , and bring some of them up-to-date, in a talk to the West London Buddhist Centre Sangha night.   *** 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!...

Touching on the themes of righteous indignation, spiritual bypassing, empathy, non-violent communication, envy and exploring apology, confession and working with betrayal, Santavajri  poses the question as to whether we can forgive ourselves and move towards unconditional love for all beings. An exploration of verses 4, 5 and 6 of the Eight Verses for Training the Mind. Talk given at the Women's A...

Amalaketu   explores freedom through images and stories from the Chappanakopama Sutta, the discourse on the simile of the 6 animals, and shows how Buddhism is the way to ultimate liberation. Talk given at the East Anglian Mens Retreat, Padmaloka May 2012.   *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration,...

Suryagupta delivers a powerful, passionate account of the figure of the Dakini who represents perfect freedom. London Buddhist Centre 's contemporary series on Sangharakshita's classic 1979 lecture ' The Taste of Freedom '. *** 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 blo...

Padmavajra visited the London Buddhist Centre to give a talk on Sangharakshita's classic 1979 lecture ' The Taste of Freedom '. 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. (from 'The Udana').  Talk given June 2019 *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmaby...

Sanghadevi offers this substantial and inspiring talk on the praises of Pingiya, from the chapter entitled The Way to the Beyond from the Sutta Nipata. This is the final talk in a series entitled The Buddha in the Pali Canon given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre (UK) 2015. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma...

Here we have Akuppa exploreing how someone practising the Dharma might respond if they found themselves in 'Hell and Other Ordinary Places' - including prison and public buses! One of a series of talks on the theme of 'A Force for Good in the World', given in the Dharma Parlour at the 2010 Buddhafield Festival in Somerset, UK. There are also very worth sharing: Shambala Warrior verses written by A...

How can Buddhists respond to the climate emergency? Vishvapani u ses the Parable of the Burning House from the Lotus Sutra to suggest our responsibilities' and finds the values we need to guide us in the Five Precepts. G iven at Cardiff Buddhist Centre on Dharma Day, July 2019. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today.  Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces o...

Partisan politics, hurricanes and earthquakes, mass shootings, nuclear threats … our world at times feels like a living nightmare. How do we as Buddhists respond, individually and as a sangha? And how do we keep our sanity? "Practice During Times of Chaos and Uncertainty" given by Sunada on Sangha Day at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, Newmarket, NH, November 2017. *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! B...

It's often very difficult to keep up with the challenges of a Buddhist practice. If we are truly to make progress in our Buddhist practice, we have to take into account our surroundings, our environment, where we live, where we work, where we socialize. Transforming our own lives and minds is at the core of our practice, but to do that effectively we also need to look at transforming, remaking, re...

Subhuti shares his reflections on Urgyen Sangharakshita in the days following his death and funeral ceremony. He explores the double response to Sangharakshita as an effective Dharma teacher and former of Sangha alongside the various difficulties and paradoxes in his life. The two last papers Sangharakshita wrote, completed just over two weeks before he died, examine the three main paths of Buddhi...

Here is a talk by Punyamala on Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche, (1910-1991) one of Sangharakshita's main eight teachers. Forced to flee Tibet in 1959, Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche was a n accomplished meditation teacher, scholar and holder of the Nyingma lineage, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism. Punyamala offers a brief history of his life, his connection with Sangharakshita and a set of reflections on h...

Here's a forthright and passionate talk by Vajratara , taking as its starting point the great contemporary Tibetan teacher (sometimes also written ' Chatral Sangye Dorje ') and his relationship to practice in Triratna, rooted in 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 Vajr...

A lovely talk given by Nagabodhi on Triratna Day at Aryaloka Buddhist Center , with an introduction by Dayalocana. Here, Nagabodhi recounts his favorite memories of his time with Dhardo Rinpoche in Kalimpong, expresses his feelings about the strengthening power of stupa building for centers, and ties it all together with a reminder of the central role of sangha in the Triratna Community. Lovely in...

Part 5 in the Faces of Enlightenment Sangha night series at the Sheffield Buddhist Centre . Bodhinaga gives a talk on the Buddha Amitabha and the Metta Bhavana loving-kindness meditation. Recorded at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 21/05/19 *** Help keep FBA free for everyone! Become a supporter today. Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast - bite-size pieces of Dharma inspiration, three times a week! Fo...

Our FBA Podcast this week is entitled Forgiveness and Happiness. Santavajri explores verses 4, 5 and 6 of the Eight Verses for Training the Mind. She begins with her realisation that a motivator for her spiritual practice has been a quest for happiness. Touching on the themes of righteous indignation, spiritual bypassing, empathy, non-violent communication, envy, and exploring apology, confession...

Here Padmavajra speaks about the stages of spiritual death and rebirth. How to prepare for them, how they can be seen in all the stages of the path, as well as where they lead. Talk given on a Kula Gathering at Padmaloka, 2012. Subscribe to the FBA Podcast!

Check out this week's FBA Podcast :  What's Race, Gender, Sexuality and Skin Color Got to Do with Non-Self by Vimalasara. A timely and thought-provoking talk given at a People of Color (POC) day-long retreat at San Francisco's East Bay Meditation Center 2019. The East Bay Meditation Center hosts teachers from all lineages to teach the Dharma to their POC, LGBTQI2, Differently Abled and Scent Free...