Free Buddhist Audio

Today’s FBA Podcast, “The Jewel in the Lotus,” by Sraddhagita, is a beautiful down-to-earth exploration of the great central images of Mahayana Buddhism, usually associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshavara. This talk was given in 2007.

Today’s FBA Podcast, “A Personal Talk On the Bodhisattva Ideal” is just that – a moving and personal talk, by Vidyamala, given at the 25-year jubilee retreat (of FWBO activities in Stockholm) in a beautiful setting in the archipelago north of Stockholm, Sweden, September 2005.

How do the Bodhisattvas enter the Dharma door of non-duality?Today’s FBA Podcast, “The Way of Non-Duality” explores this as one of the main themes in the Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra. Sangharakshita explains some of the dualities listed in the Sutra, gives some examples of his own (with tips on how to transcend them), and concludes with Vimalakirti’s ‘thunder-like silence’. Talk given in 1979 as part of the series “The Inconceivable Emancipation – Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha.“

Ratnaguna brings a fresh, clear-minded look at the Vimalakirti Nirdesa sutra in today’s FBA Podcast, where he asks: “Who Is Vimalakirti?” Exploring current writings and the thinking of Sangharakshita he offers a number of possibilities: Vimalakirti is a community of practitioners; he is the bodhisattva principle; the spiritual imperative; and both an inspiration and a rebuke. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2009

In today’s FBA Podcast, Sangharakshita goes to Buddhafield! ” A first for him, and a first for the fabulous Buddhafield Festival that takes place each year at the height of the English summer. This talk, “Entering the Sangha” was given in a tent in Devon – and the sounds of this great Dharma celebration are everywhere around as Sangharakshita marks his entry to the ‘Dharma Parlour’ with a rolling set of thoughts and reminiscences and encouragements to practice. We move from India at the time of the peaceful revolution of ‘untouchable’ caste Hindus, to the famed hot-tubs of the festival itself. And we are introduced to the first ‘three fetters’ from the Buddha’s teaching, the breaking of which will set us free. This is classic Sangharakshita – plenty to challenge and plenty to talk about around the fire afterwards. With an excellent and thoughtful introduction by Kamalashila. Talk given at the Buddhafield Festival, Devon 2007

This week’s FBA Podcast is one of our Dharma Tape Detectives findings from the FBA Archives. “In Harmony with Friends and Brethren” by Srivati. What does it mean to be part of a Sangha? What does true harmony mean alongside the inevitability of conflict? Srivati addresses these questions with help from the monks at Kosambi, the six memorable qualities of a Bikkhu, and the seven knowledges of the stream entrant.

In today’s FBA Podcast, “The Defects and Dangers of Samsara,” Dharmacharini Maitreyi looks at pleasure and suffering in the context of samsara – compassionate responses to self and other, and how to loosen the bonds… Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005 as part of the series “The Four Mind-Turning Reflections.”

This week’s FBA Podcast , “Tibetan Book the Dead: Talk 1 – The Six Bardos“, is an extraordinary talk by Padmavajra exploring the great text that reveals the realms between death and new life, where anything is possible in the Bardo – the ‘intermediate state’. From the first talk in the series “Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol).” Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, winter retreat, 2005

Today, on the full moon of May, we celebrate the Buddha’s Awakening, his full and perfect Enlightenment. Our FBA Podcast is a passionate look at our true nature and our deepest yearnings. “The Ideal of Human Enlightenment“, by Sangharakshita, was given in 1975 and is as relevant now as it was then.

In this week’s FBA Podcast,”Enlightenment as Heart, Life as Whole,” Saddhanandi takes us through a set of very thought-provoking reflections. She is forthright about the difficulties and joys of cultivating faith in the Dharma and makes very plain the consequences we can expect in our life as and when that faith arises. The talk is peppered with examples from her own practice. The audience clearly appreciates her sense of humour – which is often at her own expense. The event was recorded in a very large marquee on a rainy day and despite that the sound quality is still OK! Given at Taraloka, May 2005. The companion talk to this one is Vajradarshini’s “We Have a Huge Barrel of Wine, But No Cups”