Free Buddhist Audio

The teachings that Ratnaguna explores in this talk are all from the Sutta Nipata â€" one of the earliest of Buddhist texts. His sub-title is the rather intriguing: 'The Dharma before Buddhism'. You might say that when it comes to the Sutta Nipata, the Buddha is very clearly telling it like it is. Well, so does Ratnaguna! In the opening remarks (which, unfortunately, were not recorded) he likens these suttas in their profound scope and effect to the simpicity and purity of Bach's violin sonatas and cello suites. Given on the FWBO International Retreat at Taraloka, May 2008

Exploring the challenges of parenting as a spiritual practice, balancing family life and spirituality, the practice of 'five portions a day' for broader awareness, the concept of Shanti in embracing difficult experiences, surrendering in parenthood, transforming ourselves and the world through actions, teaching spirituality to children in creating sacred environments.

A lovely talk this month, from the excellent Dhivan. Be prepared for 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". Talk given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2008 To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

Happy Holidays, Everyone! So, this is as close as we could get to a Christmas edition… You know, 'Buddha Nature – easily confused for 'incarnation', all that… No? Oh, well, what this most definitely is is an absolute cracker of a talk from Sagaramati. A brilliant, scholarly-but-accessible, look at the origins and development of the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha Nature) school of Buddhist thought through the lense of early Buddhist scripture. Many misunderstandings are addressed as Sagaramati (aka. Professor Robert Morrison), with his usual wry, testy humour, takes us back to basics in considering just how – if at all – Tathagatagarbha doctrine is in harmony with Buddhist tradition. And he surprises himself in the process, evoking a path of practice rooted in kindness and a vision of ever-present possibility for all of us. Talk given in 2004. To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

Ok, buckle up. 'Padmasambhava' by Danavira is, as we've come to expect from the man, a rollicking ride of a talk. Actually, 'talk' doesn't really do it justice: try incantation, wrong-footing evocation, dramatic monologue and enactment through storytelling, with a good dose of chanting and singing thrown in – some planned, some spontaneous. Sprinkle in a healthy quotient of hilarity and excitement and you've pretty much got yourself a knock-out, world-spinning excursion into the magical realism of the Great Guru, the Second Buddha, the Master of Enchantments. Be shaken by this. Be beguiled… Please note: In this talk Danavira uses and adapts verses from the excellent 'Self-Liberation Through Seeing With Naked Awareness' by John Reynolds (Station Hill Press 1989) Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2001 To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

Over here, Clemenza! Ever wanted to know about 'General Systems Theory' – one of those subjects you always hear vague things about yet never quite know what it actually is? Ever wondered why we seem to love a good gangster? Well, then this is for you! To tell the truth, we would have picked this anyway for the podcast because the title was just so good! But it happens to be an excellent and very full short talk by Khemasuri on a growing area of contemporary Buddhist philosophical thought. This one requires a bit of concentration – but it pays off with her passionately argued case for embracing personal responsibility and community engagement as a way of effecting social change in our troubled world. Just like "going to the mattresses". But in a good way… Talk given at the Buddhafield Festival, Devon, 2007 Contents 01 'Evolution or extinction' by Sangharakshita (1971) – this talk as a response; the Buddha's basic teaching and experience; conceptual constructions of a specific time and culture – 'pratitya samutpada' ('dependent arising') and 'general systems theory' 02 The difference between causality and conditionality; Cartesian thinking – from the holistic to the mechanistic; conditionality through the whole of human culture and experience; properties of all systems; feedback mechanisms; systems evolving in complexity – evolution and change; points of instability – the possibillity of collapse; non-predictability and synergy 03 Repercussions for how we act; the Cartesian model of the world and its effect on behaviour; systems theory, actions and consequences; means and ends as the same thing 04 Social networks, systems and change; 'event-triggering process' – shocks to the system and creative response; change with a community of individuals; the properties of a living community 05 What the Mafia can teach us about supporting change; Fritjof Capra's ideas on the criminal underworld's success; what the Mafia does well as a community; towards an ethical underworld 06 What we can do individually and collectively; the revolutionary nature of the 'metta bhavana' meditation ('development of loving kindness'); actions and consequences again; taking risks; different ways of doing community; collective change is not comfortable – the validity of strong emotions 07 The importance of passing on knowledge and promoting another vision of the world; diversity; don't leave your values and principles at home; acting from the heart; the 'infinite game'; profound personal feedback from your efforts To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

This is another great talk from the 'Dharma Warriors' series given at the Buddhafield Festival 2006. Karunagita is the author of 'Growing as a Parent – What Buddhism Has to Offer', and here she presents some of that material to an audience of summer loving practitioners under the blue skies of Devon. Settle back and enjoy the sound of drums, kids' voices, and Karunagita's perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of raising a child as part of your practice of the Dharma. She encourages us to see and accept the gifts of love, letting go and awareness (of our limitations and of our mortality) that are inherent in the life of any parent – and we catch a hint of the growth and wisdom that are possible for the heart as it opens to meet its experience in the most fundamental relationship of all. Talk given at the Buddhafield Festival, Devon 2006 To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

A short but sweet talk from San Francisco's very own Suvarnaprabha, in which she explores the Buddhist vision of compassion through her own experience of meditation and contact with inmates within the U.S. prison system. Moving stuff. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order convention, 2005 Contents 01 Survanaprabha – poem by Jimmy Santiago Baca; a personal interest in violence 02 Violence as resistance in meditation; compassion as not resisting experience 03 Prisoners talking about self-perpetuating violence 04 The vastness of compassion; the difficulty of talking about shunyata and compassion 05 An anecdote about selflessness; quote from Shunryu Suzuki To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

Time for another talk from Vajradarshini. More poetry, more Rumi, more listening joy. Actually, we just liked the title so much we had to go for it this month – but, in fact, it's another splendid journey around the idea of Enlightenment, using the languages of surrender and discipline from the Sufi context. It's as heady as a sumptuous wine, but also sobering and down to earth, whether we're "following a railing in the dark" or walking lost "inside the red world". Drink up! Talk given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2005 Contents 01 Starting with a poem by Rumi – not a 'sensible' talk 02 'Enlightenment'; following a railing in the dark; wine in Rumi's poetry; the Dharma as studying the self; surrender and discipline 03 The Tavern – pushing off for Truth; 'managing' samsara and settling down 04 Fermentation; being cooked – slowly 05 How we are cups; two ways we limit ourselves – i. literalism; a quote from Aloka – abandoning ideas of what the 'path' is 06 Sangharakshita on literalism and craving; effective Going for Refuge and giving up limited ideas; the antidote to beauty 07 ii. Utilitarianism; Sangharakshita's idea of the Greater Mandala of Uselessness; literal takes on aesthetics; breaking the cups 08 Pushing off into truth; kinds of connection with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; Reality and form and emptiness; visualistaion practice and life – things arising and disolving 09 'Fana' and 'baka' in Rumi's poetry – two streamings across the doorsill; Shams-e-Tabrizi – Rumi's teacher 10 The importance of reflecting on form and emptiness; the eight-point mind training – taking all obstacles with you on the path; the Bodhisattva Ideal from the perspective of emptiness; spiritual practice in a world neither real nor illusory 11 Pema Chodron on how to avoid burn-out; shunyata and unrealistic ideals; a quote by Dennis Potter near to death; the trivial and the important; birdsong 12 Hsuan-Tsang's 'trusting mind'; introducing the dirt we buy to the dirt we already have To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.

Here is the second part of Paramabandhu's excellent exploration of the lessons Buddhist techniques around meditation and mindfulness training can bring to the field of mental health – especially to problems with depression and addiction. Drawing on many years of experience as a consultant psychiatrist and Dharma teacher, here he takes questions on his previous talk and elaborates on the general theme. There's a wide range of material opened up – and considerable detail about how we can actually go about applying these techniques to whatever challenges we face in your own lives. Essential listening. Please note – the questions in this recording were made at very low levels. We've amplified and clarified where possible – but the general sound quality drops noticeably at these points. However, they are all now audible and, in almost all instances, questions are repeated by Paramabandhu before he answers. Talk given at San Francisco Buddhist Center, 2006 Contents 01 Question-and-answer session – two books to reference on mindfulness; working with depression – discrepancy monitor and rumination 02 Knowing what you can and cannot change – considered action 03 Difficulty doing mindfulness work when actively depressed; noticing subtle shades of pleasant and unpleasant 04 Can mindfulness initiate depression? Stepping out of patterns of thinking; difference between rumination and 'staying with'; body awareness 05 Over-active mind; 12 step program – something to actually do; expectations and suffering; having your experience – the truth as sometimes uncomfortable 06 Letting go of what you don't have; relationship break-up; staying with unpleasant experience and not compounding it – the Buddha in the 'Dart Sutta' 07 Not identifying with one feeling; sexual addiction; recovery from addiction and mindfulness practice 08 Rumination in the body; working with internal sensations; using metaphors to work with your mind 09 Psoriasis and mindfulness 10 What is meditation? A brief introduction and exercise – the 'Three Minute Breathing Space' To help us keep this free, please think about making a donation.