Free Buddhist Audio

"Great Compassion Penetrates into the Marrow of the Bones" – A stirring and penetrating talk by Dhammadinna around the image that a Bodhisattva's compassion runs as deep as their very bones. Nagarjuna, Milarepa and others add their voices as Dhammadinna makes an emotionally resonant but clear-eyed attempt to lay out the ground of a practice that is moving towards the development of Bodhichitta. Why bother? she asks us, and shows how open-heartedness can respond realistically and well to suffering in our own lives and in the lives of others. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention, 2009

In this talk, "Out of Compassion for the World", Parami explores the theme of the Buddha's compassionate action and how ultimately it came from beyond self, beyond other – it emerged from his realisation of 'Emptiness'. The Buddha realised full well how hard it was going to be to communicate what he had discovered to other people – to us. He knew that the grip of greed, hatred and delusion is very strong. He could imagine how vexatious it might be to teach. Fortunately for us, he could also see our potential. And so out of compassion he taught. Talk given at FWBO International Retreat at Taraloka, May 08

In this talk "Loving What Is" Vajrapriya shares his own nitty gritty practice of dealing with hatred, clearing the way for a more mettaful response. "Metta is what arises when you realize that being human isn't easy." With an introduction by Jnanavaca. To read about some of our volunteers who helped make this talk available, please see our post on Triratna News.

In this talk, "Demon of Choice" Aryadhara works with a team from the Young People's Group in Cambridge (England) to give a series of short talks under the theme "Taming the Demons of the Modern World" in celebrating Padmasambhava, the Great Guru of Tibet. Choice is something we all have – we have the choice to act the way we act, the choice in the way we live our lives, which is very positive. The Demon of Choice is more about consumerism which can alienate us from our deeper selves. This type of choice keeps us in a superficial state of alienation preventing us from asking deeper questions such as what gives our lives meaning? Transforming the Demon of Choice involves overcoming doubt, the practice of renunciation, and living simply.

In "What Do We Really Know About the Buddha?" Dhivan delivers a lovely talk with the odd surprise as he considers the relationship between what we think we may know about the Buddha, and what the historical evidence suggests. As Dhivan 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."

In this talk Subhuti gives a concise and inspiring account of the Honeyball Sutta. Starting with some background to his work in Hungary amongst the oppressed Gypsies there, he presents the Buddha's understanding on the basis for civil, in fact all kinds of, strife. The Buddha's analysis takes the form of a nidana chain beginning with actual experience, that when we begin to proliferate or move away from facts to interpretations inevitably leads us into a secondary reality that easily leads to conflict with others, who have different versions of reality. A brilliant talk, covering ground rapidly but concisely bring together the Buddha's wisdom both in terms of transforming society and how we work within meditation, in fact we need to employ the same tools in both situations.

In this talk Jinananda gives us some practical tips on good communication and healthy relationships. He brings in the Buddha's words from the Sigalaka Sutta to illustrate some of the ways relationships were managed in the Buddha's time. Pointing out that different kinds of relationships require different sets of duties and dynamic ways of relating, he notes that we should be mindful of how we are fulfilling those relationships from our own end. Jinananda discusses the fact that even Buddhists, who are supposedly always kind and helpful, are not always so, even in stories from the Pali Canon. He reminds us, however, that this is normal, and that relating skilfully to each other is a truly immense challenge – difficult for even the most experienced Buddhists and not to be taken lightly. Talk given at the West London Buddhist Center

In this talk Saddhanandi draws on over 25 years of experience living and practicing in spiritual communities as she explores the conditions that she trusts give rise to Wisdom Beings. We live in a culture that encourages us to look out for the individual – just look after yourself and never mind about others. Collective practice, the practice of community, has a dynamic alchemy all of its own – like a coral reef lots of creatures live in it, and it is very susceptible to pollution. The development of the Individual is the development of the Sangha, and the development of the Sangha is the development of the Individual. Saddhanandi is the Chair of Taraloka Retreat Centre in England. This talk was given during the Triratna International Sangha Retreat hosted by Taraloka and Buddhafield in May 2010.

In this talk 'Ksanti (Patience)', Satyaraja beautifully explores how friendship is probably the main way we exemplify the altruistic dimension of the spiritual life. Ksanti, often translated as Patience, is one of the Six Perfections practiced by the Bodhisattva, one in whom the Bodhicitta, the Awakened Heart, has arisen. Patience is explored here in three aspects: with ourselves, with other people, and in spiritual receptivity. One needs to learn patience when working with other people to help build a spiritual community. Not in the sense of endurance, ksanti in its true form is an aspect of metta, of love. Loving people for who they actually are, not who we would like them to be. Friendship really starts when you meet bits in others you don't like and you keep going, deepening your connection. Talk given at the Stockholm Buddhist Centre in February 2010.

Nagabodhi's account of his visits to see Dhardo Rimpoche, the great Tibetan teacher based in Kalimpong, is by turns moving, funny and revealing. The story of a remarkable man – someone who embodied the spirt of the Bodhisattva – who continues to inspire practitioners the world over years after his death. A rare opportunity to hear from someone who spent time with Rimpoche at his famous school, whose motto says it all: "Cherish the Doctrine, Live United, Radiate Love"… Talk given at Windhorse:Evolution, Cambridge, UK