On a warm spring day, under the overhanging branches of the Sycamore tree in the Buddhist Centre garden, Parami richly evokes Gautama's quest, realisation, and their relevance for today's world. This talk was given on Buddha Day at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2010. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our...

Nagasiddhi traces the period after the Buddha’s going forth: as he masters meditation then turns towards extreme asceticism in his quest to overcome dukkha. Having taken himself to the brink of death, the Buddha-to-be finally realises that he must find his own ‘middle way’ to liberation. This talk is part of the series In the Footsteps of the Buddha given during a Buddhist Centre Online home retreat, 2021. This magical week-long retreat explores the images, myths and symbols of the...

Amitasuri explores what can happen when faced with well-being, illness, ageing and death, and looks at how the Dharma might influence our response. Amitasuri takes her Dharma practice to her work as a Buddhist Hospital Chaplain, where she supports health and well-being through pastoral, religious and spiritual care for staff, patients and their families in a number of hospitals in Greater Manchester. This talk was given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2015. *** Subscribe to our Free...

After an account of the Buddha's life, Sangharakshita asks how, if at all, such a man can be defined or categorised. This talk was given in 1968 as part of the series Introducing the Three Jewels of Buddhism *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google...

Kalyanaprabha shares some of her own recollections of Bhante Sangharakshita going back to their first encounter in 1984, stories both humorous and serious, evoking some of his unique qualities. Drawing on an unpublished fragment, ‘What I learned from my gurus’, she reminds us of some of the fundamental aspects of his teaching. This talk was given as part of a series entitled Triratna Day Weekend: Is a Guru Necessary? Given at Adhisthana for the Triratna Day celebrations, 2023. *** ...

Ksantikara revisits Sangharakshita's classic 1970 lecture. In this energetic and playful talk Ksantikara adds his own reflections to Sangharakshita's original list of what a Guru is not (not the head of a religious group, not a teacher, not a father/mother substitute, not a problem solver) and explores the important of having people in our life to look up to and be in contact with. Ksantikara implores us to find a situation of Kalayana Mitrata (beautiful friendship) and to stay receptive to...

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. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk,...

Here is a recently re-discovered little lost delight - Sangharakshita and Subhuti launching each other's books and clearly enjoying themselves. Sangharakshita's in fine humour - and it's great to hear him read and quote from the bible! Is that a twinkle in his voice?  Talk given at Triratna [FWBO] Day celebrations in 2001. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week....

Subhadramati explores integration as a process of meeting Mara in her life and in scenes in the life of the Buddha, and the fulfillment of integration during the Buddha's last days of exquisite love. This talk was given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2018. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On...

In this talk Alokadhara explores these beautiful verses which evoke the Buddha, his qualities and the profundity of his teaching. This talk was given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2014. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized...

In an excellent and thorough introduction to the Jataka tales, Akashadevi explains the value of stories of the Buddha's past lives and how they originated. She tells the stories of the Hare in the Moon and the Monkey King. This talk was given at the West London Buddhist Centre, 2017. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to...

In a striking and inspiring talk, Paramananda tells the life story of the Buddha's disciple Kasyapa: the Buddha uniquely said that Kasyapa would have gained enlightenment even without his help. The crescendo is a mysterious transmission when the Buddha held up a lotus and Kasyapa smiled, regarded by Zen Buddhists as the start of their lineage. Paramananda discusses what 'transmission' could mean for us. This talk was given at West London Buddhist Centre, 2017. *** Subscribe to our...

The most human thing to do is to keep being kind. Generosity helps you build connection and community. Danapriya explores the themes of generosity and abundance. Talk given at East Kent Buddhist Group, 2008. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google...

This talk is a commentary on, and a homage to, Sangharakshita's talk 'Buddhism, World Peace and Nuclear War'. This seminal talk applies not only to nuclear war, but any major difficulty the world faces. In this talk, Vajratara explores Sangharakshita's analysis of the problems we are facing as a society and the real solutions. Should we, as Buddhists, have a Buddhist response to any particular conflict? Is a better world possible, or should we resign ourselves to endless cycles of greed,...

In this talk Subhuti sets out a vision of the 'Power of the Dhamma' as a force within the nature of reality that leads to growth and development. This is the Dhamma Niyama, to reify it is a mistake, but to deny it leaves us with an impoverished sense of the nature of things. The new society is about allowing this order of things to manifest within us and on that basis have a transformative effect on society. This talk was given at Dharmapala College, 2010. *** Subscribe to our Free...

War, destruction and conflict are on the increase in the world, as are conflicted and destructive individual lives. How do we live in a way that brings about a less conflicted world and a more creative, integrated way of being? Suryagupta explores this complex topic at London Buddhist Centre, 2016. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and...

Jnanasiddhi gave an inspiring and practical talk sharing her extensive understanding and experience of peace making. She illustrated different approaches of peacemaking in relation to the five aspects of the spiritual path. And focused on how we can create the conditions within ourselves - through our practice - to contribute to harmony with others. This talk was given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify...

Padmasagara explores the glimpses of the Buddha's liberating vision found in the Ariyapariyesana sutta, focusing on the Buddha's description of Reality in terms of pratitya samutpada (conditionality) and his response to Brahma Sahampati's request to teach the Dhamma. The talk also explores how we can begin to realise this vision for ourselves by responding to the Buddha's exhortation: 'let those who have ears release their faith'. This talk was given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2019. ...

In this talk, Vajratara takes us on a vivid journey starting with the Buddha's exploration of what is the noble quest, moving into personal examples of the ignoble and noble quests in her own life. Vajratara invites us to look at our own motivation, our own noble quest, how to establish a culture of the noble quest in such a way that invites more people to join us on that journey, both through our own practice and ways that our institutions can and have supported individuals'...

Dharmashalin gives the first of a two-part talk on the first two of the 4 Noble Truths, evoking the miraculous communication of the Buddha’s dharma. Talk given as part of Dharma Day 2023 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre and marking the 25th anniversary of the opening of the current centre. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and...

Vajradevi ends a series of talks on the Satipatthana Sutta, looking at the Four Noble Truths, and focusing on the first two. Talk given at Shrewsbury Triratna Buddhist Centre, 2018. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting! Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration...

Tantric Buddhism is concerned with the direct experience of who we are and what we can become. Its aim is to help us realize our potential by transforming the energy locked in by old habits, fears, and views. This experience cannot be mediated by concepts; it needs to be evoked with the help of symbols. Subhadramati gave this talk at London Buddhist Centre, 2020. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated,...

Don’t listen to this talk if you want a straightforward explanation of what a dakini may or may not be. In fact, what is prompting you to listen to a talk on the dakini in the first place? Vidyadaka talks around the theme in this rousing exploration of the dakini, the gestalt and the artist. Given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2022, as part of the series The Secret Refuges. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A...

Padmavajra evokes the spirit of Tantric Buddhism, which transforms the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha from abstract ideals into living qualities of our present experience. He explores the guru, the yidam and the dakini as Tantric embodiments of Enlightenment here and now, sharing stories from his own experience of practice. Talk given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 2019, as part of the series Tantra Now! *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On...

The Buddha lived 2,500 years ago, so how can we meet him and open ourselves to the inspiration and resources that come from him?  Through imagination we can cultivate the capacity to meet the Buddha on an archetypal level.  This can have a powerful effect, karmically speaking.  We all have - and use - our imagination all the time, even if we don't realise it!  We just need to learn how to 'use it' rather than having it 'use us' in a reactive way, i.e. instead of letting it be 'captured' by...