We've been inspired to share poems by Bhante Sangharakshita this month. Our FBA Podcast today is an unusual, early, talk from Sankharakshita which will be new to most people. "Sangharakshita – Reading Poems About Friendship" . Bhante was invited by the Croydon Arts Centre, in 1990, to choose, discuss and read poems about friendship. His selection ranges from the Epic of Gilgamesh to 20th century poets and clearly shows Sangharakshitas love of poetry and his desire to share this with other people...
Nov 28, 2015•1 hr 45 min
This week's FBA Podcast features Ratnaghosha in a talk entitled "An Ever Widening Circle" . Given as the key note talk at Sangha Day at the Cambridge Buddhist Center, launching the Year of Spiritual Community for 2014 and laying out a vision for the Sangha.
Nov 21, 2015•55 min
This week's FBA Podcast features Vajratara in a talk entitled "Buddhism and the Modern World" . Given on a retreat for young women training for Ordination, Vajratara describes the topical issues of the time and asks what the Buddhist response is. The refugee crisis, the rise of Jeremy Corbyn, the effects of neo liberal capitalism and environmental denigration; all point to a change in the way we see each other and the world. We live at a time where the world is opening to a new way of living. Th...
Nov 14, 2015•1 hr 7 min
This week's FBA Podcast features Jnanavaca in a talk entitled "Mind Over Matter" . Most people think of science as insisting that only dead matter really exists as a substrate of everything in the universe, and that mind is something that does not have the same reality as matter. However modern physics shows that matter itself is not made up of definite things, and that it may even be influenced by being observed by a conscious mind. Jnanavaca describes evidence from the double slit experiment, ...
Nov 07, 2015•1 hr 3 min
In the final installment of our long-running series on the Six Emphases of Triratna, this week's FBA Podcast features Padmakumara in a talk entitled "What is Triratna Buddhism?" . Padmakumara wraps it all up neatly with his own perspectives on what Triratna's approach to Buddhist principle and practice is.
Oct 31, 2015•45 min
In his typical engaging speaking style, Padmavajra illuminates the Triratna emphasis on spiritual friendship in this week's FBA Podcast , with "Triratna Emphases – Spiritual Friendship" . Wrapping up the last of the Six Emphases of Triratna that we've been featuring over many weeks, Padmavajra gives a through overview of the importance of companions on the Buddhist path....
Oct 24, 2015•1 hr 7 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , Dayabhadra is the distinguished speaker with "Triratna Emphases – The Arts" . Dayabhadra gives us a comprehensive look at the importance of the arts in the spiritual life, one of the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community.
Oct 17, 2015•59 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , Subhuti gives a very comprehensive introduction to one of the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community with "The History of and Value in Team-Based Right Livelihood" . Subhuti gives a rousing talk on some of the history behind team-based Right Livelihood within the Triratna Buddhist Movement. He then goes on to explain why it is so important; because it represents an opportunity to live a 'full' Buddhist life for ourselves and present society with an alternati...
Oct 10, 2015•55 min
This week's FBA Podcast features a talk by Manjuvajra on one of the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community - "The Triratna Emphasis on a Unified Order" . Here, Manjuvajra highlights the fact that involvement and membership of the Triratna Buddhist Order is open to all, irrespective of gender, colour, sexual orientation, lifestyle, or any other personal characteristic....
Oct 03, 2015•30 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , Dhammarati gives an excellent talk on one of the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community with "The Triratna Emphasis on Going for Refuge" . In this talk Dhammarati explores Going for Refuge and its central emphasis in the Triratna Buddhist Order, bringing in the story of his own spiritual journey as an example of finding one's unique response. He also looks to historical sources to identify some of the ways we can deepen our connection practically and experie...
Sep 26, 2015•51 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , Manuvajra discusses critical ecumenicism – one of the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community – with "The Ecumenical Emphasis in Triratna" . In principle, and in contrast with other approaches to contemporary Buddhism, any approach to the Dharma that conduces to a deepening of spiritual practice is valued in the Triratna context with a critical eye towards what constitutes fundamental Buddhism, and what works in practice....
Sep 19, 2015•29 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , Sangharakshita gives a full introduction to the Six Emphases of the Triratna Buddhist Community with "Forty Years On – The Six Emphases of the FWBO" . Marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly the Western Buddhist Order), he has some great reminisences about the early days, and is on top form as he considers the uniting factors of this diverse group of people who are engaged with the project of discovering Buddhism all ...
Sep 12, 2015•39 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , "The Individual and Community" Dhammarati explores the central importance the Triratna Buddhist Order places on communication and connection as a means of personal transformation and the basis from which we influence the world. This gives us the significance of the Triranta Buddhist Order as a community of individuals trying to change themselves and have a positive impact on society making them a nucleus of a new society. Talk given at the Dharmapala College seminar ...
Sep 05, 2015•58 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , "Revering and Relying Upon the Dharma" Subhuti reflects on his recent conversations with Bhante which gave rise to his article: 'Revering and Relying upon the Dharma: Sangharakshita's approach to Right View'. A talk given at the Triratna Buddhist Order Combined European Order Weekend at Wymondham College 21 August 2010....
Aug 29, 2015•1 hr 12 min
This week's FBA Podcast is a tender and moving talk by Paramananda entitled "The Nature of Transformation" . Transformation is basically allowing the protective shell of self to dissipate. This shell only falls away if you come into relationship with your real, impermanent, fragile, vulnerable nature and soften into that or open up to that....
Aug 22, 2015•44 min
This week's FBA Podcast , "Discipleship" by Dhammadinna. This talk was given at the Triratna Buddhist Order December 2014 Women's UK and Ireland Area Order Weekend at Adhisthana on 6 December 2014.
Aug 15, 2015•45 min
This week's FBA Podcast , "The Diamond Sutra" , is a talk given my Sangharakshita in 1969. If one does not want to 'get caught in the grip of reality', one should leave this great text alone! The Perfection of Wisdom Discourse that 'Cuts Like a Diamond'… N.B. Reference for this lecture: Buddhist Wisdom Books, translated by E. Conze. (Allen & Unwin, 1958)...
Aug 08, 2015•1 hr 2 min
This week's FBA Podcast , is brought to us by Padmavajra called "Padmasambhava and the Magic Of Compassion" . Padmavajra is an ideal person to introduce Padmasamabhava, the great Tantric guru of Tibet. He is both a devotee and a good storyteller – a winning combination as we are brought into vivifying contact with the origins and mysteries of this central Vajrayana figure. Please note, there is some audio skipping on this recording for a couple of minutes at around the 45 minute point. Oddly, th...
Aug 01, 2015•1 hr 3 min
This week's FBA Podcast , "Breaking the Bonds of Selfhood Through Serving the Dhamma (with translation in Hindi)" by Parami. Here is a strong, beautiful talk by Parami from the final day of the Triratna Buddhist Order's International Convention 2013 in India, bringing us back to the task in hand as members of the Order and as Buddhists: engaging with breaking the fetters and weakening the hold that self-clinging exerts upon our minds and our ways of seeing things. Parami brings alive the possibi...
Jul 25, 2015•51 min
This week's FBA Podcast , "Yidams" is a talk given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre in 2007 by Padmavajra. As we approach the full moon of July, Buddhists around the world will be celebrating Dharma Day, the marking of the Buddha's first teaching. We decided to fast forward several hundred years after the Buddha's lifetime to introduce a host of Bodhisattva's who emerged to help spread the Dharma throughout the world. Beginning with this full talk, we will follow over the next few weeks with talks, ...
Jul 18, 2015•1 hr 2 min
'The dharma changes lives, it has changed our own and it can change others.' This week's FBA Podcast is a talk by Dharmashalin he called: "Reaching Out – Communicating the Dharma From Our Appreciation, Courage and Conviction." Buddhism is a communication, the Buddha, gained Awakening and shared his experience with others which has led us to be here today. This is the origins of Outreach, taking the Dharma to others. I have started working for the Birmingham Buddhist Centre to do just that, conti...
Jul 11, 2015•47 min
This week's FBA Podcast entitled "Buddhism and the Language of Myth" is part of the series Ritual and Devotion in Buddhism by Sangharakshita. Buddhism is the most rational of religions. But it appeals no less to the heart than to the head, using the language of myth to do so. Examples are four 'myths' from the Buddha's biography, here correlated with four of Jung's archetypes....
Jul 04, 2015•1 hr 15 min
This week's FBA Podcast entitled "Here Be Dragons: Pitfalls, Disasters and Dead-Ends on the Spiritual Quest" by Vessantara. A hugely enjoyable piece – and something a little bit different from the average Dharma talk. For here we have the Buddhist path laid out in terms of Arthurian legend and the Quest for the Holy Grail. Knights, chivalry, adventures and disasters – it's all here. And, of course, true wisdom where the gallant, sometimes errant, hero least expects to find it. Just like in a sto...
Jun 27, 2015•1 hr 14 min
This week's FBA Podcast entitled "The Heroic Ideal in Buddhism" is a 1969 talk by Sangharakshita. Buddhism is sometimes seen as weak or negative. Using examples from the Pali Canon and Mahayana texts, this lecture shows that, on the contrary, heroic and positive qualities are essential in the Buddhist spiritual aspirant's quest for Enlightenment....
Jun 20, 2015•1 hr 3 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , "Walking On Lotuses" , Punyamala offers a personal talk on receptivity on the anniversary of her seven year review as a private preceptor. To learn more about joining the Triratna Buddhist Order, see The Buddhist Centre Online. This talk was given by Punyamala on the Triratna Buddhist Order European Order Gathering at Wymondham College August 26 2012. The theme of the gathering was Spiritual Receptivity....
Jun 13, 2015•55 min
In this week's FBA Podcast , "Parables From the White Lotus Sutra – the Burning House" , Jnanavaca kicks off a new seminar series exploring the myths and parables of the glorious White Lotus Sutra. In this talk he unpacks the wisdom of the parable of the Burning House. Dharma Night at the LBC, April 6th 2015
Jun 06, 2015•56 min
How do we know? This week's FBA Podcast is the first of three rambles from Subhuti, entitled "Knowledge of Reality – Ramble One" . Subhuti draws inspiration from Europe's first Buddhist, Schopenhauer, and India's ancient Yogachara. With immaculate clarity Subhuti takes us deep into the nature of mind and beyond. Talk given at the London Buddhist Centre in October 2014....
May 30, 2015•1 hr 2 min
This week's FBA Podcast , "Sowing Seeds In the Soil of the Mind – The Alaya" by Ratnaprabha. The alaya or storehouse consciousness is the Buddhist equivalent of the unconscious mind. It is like a garden, in which every experience and action sows a seed which may later sprout and create our unfolding life. This talk describes how this relates to the six sense awarenesses, the mind as a sense, and the contaminated mind which reads everything in terms of self and not self. Mindfulness finds a creat...
May 23, 2015•1 hr 4 min
This week's FBA Podcast is a talk from Vadanya entitled "Stirring the Depths." From the depths of ourselves to the depths of the universe, Vadanya reminds us that to be fulfilled we need to live a life in harmony with the nature of reality Using images, mantra, mythic stories to bring us into the depths of our experience, this beautiful talk was given on a men's ordination training retreat at Padmaloka....
May 16, 2015•1 hr 1 min
This week's FBA Podcast is a talk from Parami on "Buddha Day (2012)." Celebrating the Buddha's Enlightenment on the full moon day in May, Parami delivers an inspiring talk marking this occasion at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre.
May 09, 2015•51 min
