Free Buddhist Audio

“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”- The Udana. Today’s FBA Podcast, “The Taste of Freedom: is a brilliant and rousing tour-de-force on transcendental freedom, one of Sangharakshita’s best-loved lectures. Talk given in 1979.

Today’s FBA Podcast “Talks of a Free Spirit – 45 Years of the Buddha’s Life” explores the life and teachings of the Buddha as they’ve come down through the stories of the tradition. Vajrasara has a veritable genius for making clear the relevances for contemporary society, and this talk is a most engaging example as she takes her own favourite tales and draws out the beautiful challenges of it all.

Today’s FBA Podcast “Doubt as Path” is a good and useful talk on the dangers of certainty in the spiritual life – individually and within a community. Amaraketu draws on his own experience of zen and of painting in order to evoke a sense of what it might be like to live and practice not knowing. Everything is just beginning… Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2005.

Today’s FBA Podcast is titled “Life with Full Attention”. In this half-hour talk, Maitreyabandhu (a teacher at the London Buddhist Centre) gives you a witty, practical, real-life look at how mindfulness makes us more alive and free. His book ‘Life With Full Attention’ will be published by Windhorse Publications in July 2009. Click here for more talks from the 2009 International Urban Retreat. For more information on this years Urban Retreat see: www.theurbanretreat.org

In today’s FBA Podcast, Mahabodhi kicks off a series of talks on the theme of ‘Work As Spiritual Practice’ with “Work As Spiritual Practice: Introducing Reginald Ray’s Threefold Model”. Based on Ray’s book, ‘Buddhist Saints in India’, this is a framework for considering the spiritual benefits and challenges of three roles or life styles within Buddhism: The solitary retreatant, the sangha builder who works within Buddhist institutions, the lay practitioner or social activist whose commitments take them to work out in the world. According to Ray, each plays a crucial role in the health of the Sangha. After exploring the different life styles, Mahabodhi talks about his experiences as the ‘retreatant’ writer. A talk in a series addressing the relevance of Buddha’s teaching to contemporary issues at the Manchester Buddhist Centre 2011.

Today’s FBA Podcast, is a magical exploration by Vajragupta titled: “We Live In a Beautiful World: Buddhism and Nature”. Sharing his very personal experiences on solitary retreats, Vajragupta asks, “How can human beings live with more love and appreciation of the natural world? What does Buddhism have to offer?” A talk in a series addressing the relevance of Buddha’s teaching to contemporary issues at the Manchester Buddhist Centre 2011.

Today’s Podcast “Compassionate Koans – The Heart of the Matter does in fact take us to the heart of the matter! An excellent, personal set of reflections by Vijayamala on the relationship between our longing and our pain. The Buddhist tradition posits compassion as the best response, but it isn’t always clear how that works. No answers here – but a few leads and some thoughtful tales from life and from a longstanding practice of meditation. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Women’s Convention, 2005

Today’s FBA Podcast takes us back to the 1969 wholly inspiring Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal series by Sangharakshita. “Masculinity and Femininity in the Spiritual Life”is the fifth talk in the series. Here, the third and fourth Perfections are kshanti (forbearance, tolerance or spiritual receptivity) and virya (energy in pursuit of the good). So the Bodhisattva integrates ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ qualities in a perfect union. Talk given in 1969.

In today’s FBA Podcast, “Learning from Tibetan Buddhism – A Personal Account” Vessantara shares from his many years of engagement with Tibetan Buddhist approaches to meditation and general Buddhist practice. He carefully weighs up the different aspects of exploring a tradition outside of your own, and evokes Tibetan Buddhism itself through the story of his initiation into the Vajrayogini sadhana. A lovely, thoughtful talk that pays tribute to the effect of one ancient form of Dharma in a modern practitioner’s own life. There is also a thorough discussion of visualization meditation, and a moving celebration of the teachers who have helped him on the path. Given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention 2005.

Today’s FBA Podcast, is a brilliant retrospective on our Triratna Community developments titled: “Being Radical – 40 Years of the New Society” by Vajragupta. Do we still believe in the ability of the Dharma to transform self and society? Do we still want to make a distinctive Dharmic contribution to building a better world? Are we willing to accept that challenge? And are we willing to sometimes challenge the views and values of the society around us? This was the fourth talk given at Dharmapala college’s New society seminar in April 2010.