Free Buddhist Audio

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."

In this week's FBA Podcast, we bring you a classic talk by Sangharakshita: "Art & The Spiritual Life." "Art is the organisation of sensuous impressions that express the artist's sensibility and communicate to his audience a sense of values that can transform their lives." Using his own definition, Sangharakshita investigates the relevance of art and the artist to higher evolution. Talk given in 1969 as part of the series "The Higher Evolution."

In this week's FBA Podcast, "Ashvaghosha: India's Great Buddhist Poet" Dhivan introduces Ashvaghosha, the Buddhist poet of 2nd c. AD India. Two of his works survive: a poetic re-telling of the Buddha's life-story ('The Buddhacarita' or 'Acts of the Buddha'), and 'Handsome Nanda', about the conversion of the Buddha's sensuous and wife-loving cousin to the Dharma. Here Dhivan shares some of his own translations of Ashvaghosha from Sanskrit and Pali sources, in this accessible and humorous introduction to some fine Buddhist poetry. This talk given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 20 August 2009, on the occasion of the launch of Urthona magazine, issue 26.