Free Buddhist Audio

In early 2020, only weeks preceding the full onslaught of the pandemic, Vajrin survived a catastrophic fall from a bike deep within New Zealand bush. Paralysed from the chest down and stranded in Auckland for months of lockdown, he called upon the Dharma. Despite four decades of practice, it didn't seem to help. Or did it? …in ways he hadn't predicted. This talk was given at Bristol Buddhist Centr...

Suryagupta shares personal reflections on death and dying, discovering patterns in the human condition, and relates this to the life of the Buddha. This talk was given as a part of the London Buddhist Centre 's Winter Retreat 2023, part of the series The Noble Quest , 2023. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, qual...

In this talk, Sanghagita takes us on a journey into the cremation ground. A fearful place filled with demons and powerful natural forces, and also the place where we can discover true freedom. Talk given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2023. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000...

Maitrisiddhi explores Shinjin as faith, bodhicitta and wisdom. What happens when the conditioned mind lets up for a bit? Experiences of beauty, openness, love, desire to go for refuge and devotion naturally arise; we experience contact with 'amida', the quality of limitlessness. Are those experiences 'ours' – or something else? This talk was given at Taraloka Retreat Centre , 2024. *** Subscribe t...

Mahamani provides an overview of the Three Myths of the spiritual life: self-development, self-surrender, and self-discovery. These offer us three paradigm-shifts – three world-views - that can open us into radical freedom. What, for us, allows the open dimension of being to arise? The Three Myths invite us to trust and have deeper confidence in different ways of experiencing meditation. From the...

A delightful, uplifting and heartfelt talk from Saraha offering three pieces of sage advice for the spiritual life. Not to be missed. This talk was given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dha...

Saccanama explores the pre-Buddhist responses to goodness, truth and beauty that are the roots of faith; Jung's 4 factors of consciousness; 'faith is innate, doubt acquired'. Recorded at the Swedish Summer Retreat at Dharmagiri as part of the series 'To Place the Heart Upon' - Exploring Faith in Buddhism , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | O...

Ratnaghosha looks at the parable of the Jewel in the Garment from the White Lotus Sutra and explores jewel symbolism elsewhere in the Lotus Sutra and in Buddhism more broadly. This talk was given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2024. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 down...

The plant just needs to grow, it doesn't need to know what kind of plant it is. We need to make an effort to grow, we need to apply the teachings of the Dharma, to give, be kind, communicate openly and warmly. Although simple practices, these practices can really change us profoundly. Here Amoghavajra introduces the Parable of the Rain Cloud from the White Lotus Sutra. This talk was given at Padma...

A father, now wealthy, spots his long-lost son in the streets. He gradually befriends him until he has the self-confidence to take on his inheritance. Akashadevi introduces the parable from the Lotus Sutra which yields fascinating lessons in accepting the riches of our deepest nature. A talk for the West London Buddhist Centre , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Po...

Saddhaloka riffs on everything fiery - flames abound, smoke fills the air, the Buddha gets almost apocalyptic in his vision of things. Luminous stuff. This is the first in a two-part series The Burning House - an Image from the White Lotus Sutra referencing Chapter 3 of the 'Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law' given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2002. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist...

The Enlightenment of the Buddha was an irreversible breakthrough into a new kind of consciousness for the world. All our practice flows from this endless stream of wisdom and compassion, flowing throughout the history of humanity. Dhammarati explores this momentous event, and its implications for us today. This talk was given on Buddha Day Festival at the London Buddhist Centre , 2022. *** Subscri...

Jnanasiddhi gave an inspiring and practical talk sharing her extensive understanding and experience of peace making. She illustrated different approaches of peacemaking in relation to the five aspects of the spiritual path. And focused on how we can create the conditions within ourselves - through our practice - to contribute to harmony with others. Talk given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre,m , 202...

A fresh and engaging re-telling of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for Awakening. In particular, Vajragupta focuses on the moment of crisis when Gautama realises that the ascetic practices, and everything else he has tried, have got him no nearer Enlightenment. Sometimes it is in a moment of crisis that the ordinary mind gives up; it cracks and new light shines through. In Gautama's case, he suddenly r...

The Karaniya Metta Sutta ends with liberation from the wheel of samsara. But the spiritual life doesn't end there. Bodhinaga explores the goal of Buddhism in terms of metta and compassionate activity. This talk was given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2024. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk,...

Taking the line 'May the flames that transmute samsara into nirvana' from the familiar Triratna Dedication ceremony as his starting point, Jnanadhara explores the transformative power of mindfulness. What exactly are those flames? How does mindfulness help us 'transform, transmute, transfigure' in the words of Bhante Sangharakshita? Taking a deep dive into the Tantric symbolism of Padmasambhava an...

In this talk Padmavajra explores 'the way of the ecstatic wanderers', the Mahasiddhas who are the early Buddhist Tantric adepts. He tells some stories, including stories about Sangharakshita and his encounters with a one-eyed Tantric in South India. He also evokes 'the mysterious home of the dakini' which takes us to the Land of the Five Jnanas. Finally, he makes a plea to take the magic power of...

Here we have a talk given by Balajit in celebration of Padmasambhava Day at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre , 2022. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-...

Vajratara provides an inspiring and thorough introduction to Padmasambhava's consort and great disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal. This talk was given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2008. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcas...

How do we prepare ourselves to receive teachings? How do we prepare ourselves to meet reality? Maitrisingha explores the importance of humility, courage and spiritual friendship. This talk was given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2023. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 d...

Ksantikara delves us deeper into the mandala of the five Buddhas by. evoking the mystery, power and courage of the deep-green Buddha Amoghasiddhi. Ksantikara extols us to be brave enough to encounter the depths of our being. And from the depths to gather the power to act, to move towards enlightenment and set ourselves free. Given at London Buddhist Centre as part of the series The Symbolic World...

Padmasagara gives a talk on the Buddha Amitabha, Avalokitesvara and the Bodhisattva vow. He shares three stories, each of them drawing out the boundless radiant love of Amitabha and the inconceivable nature of true compassion. Given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2019, as part of the series Faces of Enlightenment . *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify...

Allow life to flourish in the realm of Ratnasambhava. Garavavati explores the symbols, wisdom and transformational power of the yellow Buddha in the southern realm of the Five Buddha Mandala. This talk was given on London Buddhist Centre's Winter Retreat, 2022. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma ta...

Akshobhya: Transforming Hatred Into the Mirror-Like Wisdom Under hatred lies fear, under fear there is compassion. Vajrapriya shares something of the symbolism of Akshobhya and talks about how we bring the mirror-like wisdom into our daily lives. This talk was given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google...

A clear and passionate talk, looking at bodhicitta and its twin aspects of love and letting go: wisdom and compassion. Maitrisiddhi explores the role of paradox and how we need to 'hold two necessary ideas together' without polarising between them. Given at Taraloka Retreat Centre as part of the Taraloka & Tiratanaloka online Great Gathering weekend, for women training for ordination and Order Mem...