Free Buddhist Audio

In this week’s FBA Podcast we hear another take on a famous Bodhisattva: “Vajrasattva: Not About Purity” by Jnanavaca given on Vajrasattva Festival Day at London Buddhist Centre on June 2009.

In this week’s FBA Podcast “Vajrapani The Dharma Protector,” Vadanya introduces us to this Bodhisattva of Energy given as part of a series of talks on Stories and Symbols at Sheffield Buddhist Centre on 3rd July 2007.

The fires that can consume our old selves also release a new potential, the image of the phoenix evokes this transformation. In this week’s FBA Podcast “Amitabha and the Phoenix,” Vessantara explores Amitabha’s emphasis on meditation and his wisdom of discrimination. Amitabha is also associated with spiritual death. How do all these associations come together? One point of connection is the Bodhicitta. The reorientation of self and a letting go which allows for something vaster and more beautiful to inform our lives. In the first place, this might be expressed through being more empathic and compassionate to others.

This week’s FBA Podcast “Gazing at the Setting Sun – Amitabha and the Ordination Myth” is a previously unreleased talk by Dhammadinna looking at the process of joining the Triratna (Western) Buddhist Order in the sunset light of Amitabha, the red Buddha of the West. Talk given in 2000 at the National Order Weekend.

This week’s FBA Podcast “Mindfulness As the Great Love (White Tara)” is a talk given by Vajratara at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre (28th August 2007), about the symbolism of White Tara, as part of a series on Stories and Symbols.

In this week’s FBA Podcast “Dwelling In the Presence of the Buddha” Subhuti considers the significance of Sangha day falling on the cusp of winter, and the importance of the seasons in human life. He recalls the genesis of Sangha day from the time of the Buddha, and considers it’s relevance for us here in the 21st century. Ultimately Subhuti focus on the Sangha jewels itself; its vital importance for the individual practitioner and as a real sign of hope for this world.

This week’s FBA Podcast by Ratnaprabha explores“How Genuine Sangha Can Be Created”.

This week’s FBA Podcast, is by Vidyamala titled “Can Buddhism Survive and Thrive In a Secular World?”. Based on her experience of teaching both ‘hard core’ Buddhism on the one hand and secular mindfulness on the other in various countries and cultural contexts, Vidyamala explores two opposite positions that can be taken in response to this question. One can be ‘liberal’ and try to change Buddhism to align with popular values in society, or ‘conservative’ and try to change society to align with traditional Buddhist values. Is there a middle way between these two extremes, where Buddhism is dynamic, accessible and attractive and yet remains true to the uncompromising and radical teachings of the Buddha? Talk given at Manchester Buddhism Centre on 28th May 2011, as part of a series of free public talks entitled ‘Buddhism and the Big Question’.

In this week’s FBA Podcast, we bring you“The Messengers of the Dharma” by Vajragupta. He offers us a very accurate look at our Order from the perspective of the first three fetters.

This week’s FBA Podcast, “Padmasambhava: The Lost Talk”, previously unreleased and, rather famously, given off-the-cuff at the London Buddhist Centre, Sangharakshita gives us this enjoyable and stirring evocation of the great Tantric Guru of Tibet. Talk given in 1979.