Free Buddhist Audio

In today's FBA Podcast, we give you "The Buddha's Vision", the last talk in the "Gautama Buddha" series launching Vishvapani's new book "Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One". (Quercus, 2011) When the Buddha finally sat down under the Bodhi tree and saw deeply into the nature of things, what had brought him to that point? And what happened next? In his final take on the Buddha's journey of the heart and mind, Vishvapani focuses in on the Buddha's experience before, during and after Enlightenment, bringing his nuanced, perceptive reading to the words the Buddha himself is said to have employed in order to best evoke his experiences as he struggled to give voice to them. A fitting conclusion to a wonderfully insightful series. Includes an adroit discussion of the issues around imagination and historical evidence, and how we can usefully approach the Pali texts as literature. Talk given in Bristol, February 2011. This talk is part of the series Gautama Buddha.

In today's FBA Podcast, we give you the fourth talk in the "Gautama Buddha" series titled: "The Buddha and Society", from the launch of Vishvapani's new book "Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One". (Quercus, 2011) The Buddha as a radical, as a holy man, as pragmatist, as tamer of demons, as visionary – in this wide-ranging, riveting talk Vishvapani gives us all these and more, and all in relation to the society Gautama took part in. Some provocative words and questions from the Buddha and from our speaker as we try to get to grips with a world vastly different from our own. What was the Buddha's social vision, and what can we learn from it? This is essential listening and holds some surprising insights into the life and times of a great sage in and out of his own culture and history. Talk given in Birmingham, February 2011.

In today's FBA Podcast, Vishvapani delivers "The Buddha's Personality", the third talk in his dynamic new series from the launch of the book "Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One". (Quercus, 2011) Great artists have tried and failed to grasp the essence of the Buddha's character. Beyond the narrative and the drama, what was the Buddha actually like? And what can be gleaned from the diverse sources that tell us about him? In this reflective talk Vishavapani looks behind the veils of history, legend and the texts themselves to conjur a vivid, felt image of the Buddha's personality. In a series of beautifully observed close-up drawings from the Pali Canon we are left with a portrait of spiritual genius that is both enigmatically distant and thoroughly human. Vishvapani is a well known figure in the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a regular contributer on the BBC's 'Thought for the Day'. Talk given at the London Buddhist Centre, February 2011.

Today's FBA Podcast, is the second talk in a major new series of talks by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). In "Imagining Gautama", originally subtitled, 'Approaching The Buddha As An Historical And As A Mythic Figure', Vishvapani traces his own relationship to the Buddha, from early family connections arising out of the turmoil of war to his experience of writing the book itself. In doing so he explores the tricky work of trying to engage with the imagination constrained and disciplined by the historical evidence. What emerges from his work with the Pali texts is a portrait of the Buddha and his world where it's impossible to miss the vital sense of a man questing for a coherent vision of reality. Features a question-and-answer session. Talk given at the Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 2011. Check out our blog for more on this fascinating series.

In today's FBA Podcast, we present: "Searching for the Buddha", the first in a major new series of talks by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). Vishvapani is a well known figure in the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a regular contributor on the BBC's 'Thought for the Day'. In this talk we meet the Buddha set firmly in his own historical context, with space too for the legendary and particular reference to the natural world. Vishvapani explores the presence of nature in the Pali suttas, exploring its significance in the texts, in our own contemporary mental landscapes and in the imaginative life of a country and its people. Ancient India comes alive as we wander with the Buddha, facing his fears amongst the ghosts of the jungle. There is much that is important for reflection here – the Dharma made fascinating by dint of the author's depth of engagement with Buddhist practice and the sheer breadth of his cultural reference. Features an extended question-and-answer session (NB, poor sound quality on the questions themselves). Talk given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre, January 2011.

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, Punyamala delivers a rich, comprehensive talk: From Enchantment to True Delight – Reflections On Stream Entry. Here, she sets out the path from effective to Real Going For Refuge using the framework of breaking the first three fetters and gaining Stream-entry. Punyamala confidently asserts that Stream-entry is attainable in this lifetime. Using Sangharakshita's terms for these fetters – habit, superficiality and vagueness – she gives clear, practical guidance, in a gently encouraging way, about how to weaken the fetters and develop spiritually. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention, 2009

In today's FBA Podcast, "This Way Up – Living the Spiral Path" Saraha delivers a beautiful and engaging talk seeped in the Pali Canon. Leading with the Vatthupama, Simile of the Cloth, Sutta, Saraha gives us a very detailed look into the stages of spiritual development as described in the Lokuttara Paticcasamuppada Sutta – The Spiral Path.

Today's FBA Podcast, "Why Read the Sutta Nipata?", by Suriyavamsa, is a thorough and engaging exploration of the why and what of suttas, how they were traditionally passed on through the ages and Kukai's description of how a sutta works on the rational, imaginative and cosmic-mythological levels. Includes beautiful readings on the themes of: skillful speech, grief and fearing death, humility, pleasure, avoiding arguments and worldly desire, finishing with the much loved 'Pingiya's Praises of the Way to the Beyond.'

In the talk On the Hymn to Perfect Wisdom' Kulaprabha beautifully explores these verses of devotion from 'The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines' and they apply to us, in our lives, in our world.