Free Buddhist Audio

This week’s FBA Podcast, by Sanghamani, and given during the Buddhafield East “Buddhism and the Natural World” retreat, is entitled “May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers”. Sanghamani draws inspiration from the use of images in nature linked to the Buddhas Enlightenment, Maras assault, and calling the earth goddess to witness and how we can use them to help us contact our own fearlessness and confidence. She encourages us to see our weeds as wildflowers and use metta to plant new seeds in order to create our own Buddhafields. She also speaks personally about the Buddhafields as places that offer the perfect conditions for spiritual growth. Listen out for and be patient with the creaking mast of the Rainbow Tent ship!

This week’s FBA Podcast, by Sangharakshita explores the Sutra of Golden Light and is entitled “Nature, Man and Enlightenment.”. We seek happiness, but often we find that our desires and aspirations are in conflict. This struggle and its resolution are symbolically portrayed in the sutra by the figures of the Monk and Drdha, the Earth-Goddess. Talk given in 1976.

In the face of global climate crisis what can we do? How can we change the ways we think and respond to the seemingly insurmountable problems the planet faces? This week’s FBA Podcast, by Akuppa, explores the relationships and connections between “Buddhism and Ecology.” Akuppa’s thoughtful introduction to the worlds of scientific and deep ecology asks us the hard questions and offers some hope for possible answers. Drawing on the work of Joanna Macy and others, he traces positive lessons to be learned from simply observing and engaging with nature’s patterns and processes – and invites us all to prepare to be awestruck as a necessary first step. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention, 2005

Inspiration is present because of how we live – it is not something that comes from inside of us or outside of us. This week’s FBA Podcast, by Vidhuma, looks at: “Maintaining Inspiration.” In his usual humble, poetic, and beautifully spoken way, Vidhuma weaves his way through The Three Refuges, bringing in his favorite American poets and writers, including Walt Whitman, as he explores the theme of the convention: The Heart of the Order. Talk given at the North American Order Convention, 2010

This week’s FBA Podcast, “Going for Refuge,” by Viveka, is a personable and wide-ranging look at one of the most important aspects of Buddhist practice, whose significance is upheld in every tradition. What is it to look to the ‘Three Jewels’ as a response to our dissatisfaction? A thoughtful exploration, taking in traditional Dharma approaches and contemporary counter-cultural art forms and ways of living… Talk given at San Francsisco Buddhist Center, 2006

To appreciate the significance of the 25th Anniversary of the Triratna’s sole retreat center in America, Nagabodhi takes us back 2500 years to the time of the Buddha through the early years of the movement right up to the present day and onwards into the future. This week’s FBA Podcast, “Reflections on Aryaloka” is an inspiring and well thought out talk including stories about Sangharakshita and Aryaloka’s early pioneers. Nagabodhi offers one man’s perspective on bringing Buddhism to the West: A story of heroism, gratitude and love for the Dharma. Talk given at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, New Hampshire USA, August 2010

In this week’s FBA Podcast,“Love, Sangha and Amitabha”, Amitasuri introduces us to Amitabha: Buddha of love and compassion, looking at the love and sangha aspects of the red Buddha of the western realm. From this perspective Amitasuri reflects on our relationships and the preciousness of human life. She considers whether, with body speech and mind, there can be any more appropriate response to connecting with ourselves and each other than with love and compassion.

In this week’s FBA Podcast “The Tale of Maha-Kassapa” Amoghavajra asks us, what is it that gladdens your heart? Taking us back 2,500 years to the Kingdom of Magadha in Northern India to the birth of a boy called Kassapa, Amoghavajra tells the story of how he grows up happily and as he gets older he becomes less and less worldly. Kassapa marries Bhadda who has equally renunciant tendancies. They both go forth together. Kassapa meets the Buddha, becomes his disciple and gains Enlightenment. He is known as a superb meditator and was foremost among the bhikkus for practising austerities. According to Amoghavajra’s story, one of the teachings that the Buddha gave to Kassapa was to attend to whatever gladdens the heart.

Be prepared for the odd surprise in our FBA Podcast today where Dhivan asks: “What Do We Really Know About the Buddha?” A lovely talk here from the excellent Dhivan. As he sifts the information that’s come down to us, we meet several different versions of a human being as he blurs with the archetypal presence he has also come to represent. Yet whichever manifestation we prefer, more than anything this talk brings us face to face with the rich and moving legacy of a brilliant and truly compassionate individual, changing the world he took part in, stepping out of history “with the walk of a lion, the walk of a swan.” Talk given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2008

Our FBA Podcast today is a wonderfully entertaining talk on Perfect Vision titled: “Welsh Bats, A Vajrasattva Drugs Mule and Spanish Insight.” Here Vajrin tells a story of a wide ranging journey, including his early days at the Bristol Buddhist Centre in Long Ashton; his time as a junior doctor working in Africa; travels through India and Tibet; a visit to an Everest base camp and finally to ordination at a retreat centre high in the Spanish sierras. Along the way he manages to acquire a splendid Vajrasattva rupa and overcoming considerable obstacles, brings it home, thereby establishing a life-long association with this powerful bodhisattva of purification.

In this week’s FBA Podcast, Manjuvajraa offers us insight into “Spontaneous Universal Compassion.” The last of eight talks in the series ‘Evolution and the meaning of life’, here Manjuvajra shows us the next evolutionary step – purifying the mind.

In this week’s FBA Podcast, Ratnaprabha gives us: “How To Have Fun” – A Look at the Buddhist path in terms of happiness, engagement, interest and delight. A new take on the positive nidanas. Talk given at the West London Buddhist Centre

In this week’s FBA Podcast, “The Power of Empathy,” Vajrasara explores metta (loving kindness), the subtle art of listening, and Kuan Yin, the mysterious white lady of Compassion. 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

In this week’s FBA Podcast, “Empty Cave: Reflections on Life, Practice and Enlightenment,” Saraha takes us on a journey into the snowy mountains of the Pyrenees where he engaged in a solitary meditation retreat. He found ‘nothing but the sound of a man breathing’ and hope and direction through emptiness, beauty and the Buddha’s assertion that mindfulness is the way to freedom. Talk given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, October 2012.

In this week’s FBA Podcast, Padmavajra takes us on an amazing journey into: “The Tiger’s Cave.” This is the first in an excellent 8-talk sequence by Padmavajra on Zen Buddhism. The series is full of colourful stories and challenging insights from the lives of the great Masters of China and Japan. This talk introduces the basics and brings us face to face with the Great Emptiness at the heart of practice. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004 This talk is part of the series “Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters.”

In this week’s FBA Podcast, “Magic For the Modern World,” Candradasa takes a personal look at aspects of magic in the East and West, considering its place in Buddhist history and practice and also its meeting with Christianity at the time of the Renaissance. What emerges is a picture of how magic defined in various ways can be a powerful metaphor for the everyday work of Buddhist meditation and ethical practice – with the enchantment of love and wisdom fused the only one we need. The Buddha is the Master of Enchantments and his path – a magical training with him – is available to all. The truly marvelous awaits… Talk given in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, October 2012. This talk is part of the series “Religion Without God.”

In this week’s FBA Podcast, “The Blissful Mind,” Vajradevi explores bliss, happiness, joy and their relationship to the Buddhist path. What stops us feeling happy more of the time? Is there a difference between freedom of desire and freedom from desire? Last of a series of four talks entitled ‘The Powers of the Mind’ given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre in April 2011.

In this week’s FBA Podcast, Vadanya delivers an engaging and rich talk titled: “The Great Hidden Treasures of Padmasambhava.”