Free Buddhist Audio

By Dharmachakra

What's Free Buddhist Audio about?

Free Buddhist Audio has been serving free recordings of high quality, full-length Dharma talks since 2006. Over 3 million downloads and counting... Get our free weekly Dharma talk podcast with inspiring speakers on Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness.

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Free Buddhist Audio episodes:

04.19.2024
Is A Guru Necessary (Revisited)
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...
04.13.2024
Breaking the Bonds of Selfhood Through Serving the Dhamma
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...
04.09.2024
Launch of The Buddhist Vision and the Dhammapada
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...
03.30.2024
Lion's Roar - Why Integration = Love
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...
03.23.2024
Celebrating the Buddha: Pingiya's Praises to the Way to the Beyond
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...
03.16.2024
The Jataka Stories
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...
03.09.2024
Kasyapa and the Flower
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...
03.02.2024
Let Your Inner Riches Shine
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. ...
02.24.2024
An Example of Sanity and Compassion in the World
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...
02.17.2024
Challenges of the New Society
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...
02.12.2024
On War
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...
02.03.2024
The Transforming Power of Conflict
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...
01.27.2024
The Buddha's Liberating Vision
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....
01.20.2024
The Longing For Liberation
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...
01.13.2024
In the Footsteps of the Buddha - A Noble Path
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...
01.06.2024
Four Noble Truths - Satipatthana Sutta
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...
12.30.2023
The Dakini and the Skull Garland
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...
12.23.2023
The Elusive Dakini
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?...
12.16.2023
The Buddha Here and Now
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...
12.09.2023
Meeting the Buddha Through Imagination
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. ...
12.02.2023
Creative Spaces and Sacred Spaces: Contexts For Transformation
Within the arena of the visual arts, the studios where renowned artists create their works have become the subject of intense interest and scrutiny. In Buddhism, there is a tradition of creating inspiring and beautiful spaces for spiritual practice....
11.25.2023
10 Points For An Awakening Sangha
Sangha is not just a cosy group of people, it is a context for transformation on the path to Awakening. Singhamati explores 10 points on how we can transform through the practice of sangha. Given in the...
11.18.2023
Meeting Spiritual Friends
Speaking personally about stepping onto the Buddhist path, Padmavajra shares stories of spiritual friendship in the context of his own life and reflected in the work of Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation. The work, inspired by...
11.11.2023
The Sevenfold Puja: Salutation
Here Suryaka offers reflections on the third verse of Triratna’s Sevenfold Puja, Salutation, by exploring the range of possible responses we can have to Buddhism, from contentment with worldly life, to intellectual agreement with Buddhism, or to...
11.04.2023
The Buddha Vandana - Revering the Highest Ideal
What is the central focus of our lives? Vajrashura shares a story from the Buddhist tradition where the monk Mahanama asks the Buddha; “What dwelling places (of the mind) shall we live in?” This talk was given...
10.28.2023
A Deeper Rhythm
Vishvapani explores the dynamic vision of Urgyen Sangharakshita in setting up a new Buddhist movement in the West, and asks how we might relate to him now. His central reference point in this provocative and moving talk is...
10.21.2023
Breaking Through Psychological Conditioning
In this talk Suddhaka, based on Sangharakshita's 1969 talk 'Breaking through to Buddhahood', shares some of his experience as an Order Member to illustrate how we might move beyond our unhelpful psychological conditioning. This talk was given as...
10.14.2023
Answering the Call
If we ignore the call of our higher potential, it often clamors louder! In this personal talk, Suryagupta, with characteristic ease and intelligence relates Sangharakshita’s Five Great Stages of the Path to her own journey so far. This...
10.07.2023
The Alchemy of Meditation - Desire
How do we keep our meditation alive and fresh - especially over the long-term? Can we get lost and bogged down in our meditation and lose connection with creativity, play, and freshness? How do we go deeper? Responding...
09.30.2023
Doubt as Hindrance
This is a great introduction to the basic Buddhist methods of working with doubts based on unhelpful confusion, in meditation and in general practice. Padmadaka explores the relationship between doubt and suffering, and highlights the ways...
09.23.2023
The Discourse On the Not-Self Characteristic
Dhivan discusses the Discourse on the Not-Self Characteristic or Anattalakkhana Sutta (also known as the Discourse to the Group of Five or Pañcavaggiya Sutta), believed to be the second discourse given by the Buddha. This talk was given...
09.15.2023
Breaking the Fetter of Superficiality
Superficiality is acting from the surface of ourselves without thoroughness or care. We act from the intellect but not from our emotional depths. In this talk Akashamitra looks at how superficiality arises from an internally divided state...
09.09.2023
Entering the Sangha
Sangharakshita goes to Buddhafield! A first for him, and a first for the fabulous Buddhafield Festival that takes place each year at the height of the English summer. This talk was given in a tent in Devon -...
09.02.2023
Breaking the Chains
Devotion and prayer, ritual and freedom, engagement and tradition, Bodhidasa explores the fascinating meanings behind our common traditions in modern Buddhism - from tea and tim-tams to puja, chanting and offering. Sourcing the Pali canon, Bodhidasa...
08.26.2023
Shraddha
Kamalashila describes the types of Shraddha (confidence, faith or esteem), and their place in Buddhist practice. Talk for Sangha Night at the West London Buddhist Centre, 2016. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: ...
08.19.2023
Enlightenment as Experience and Non Experience
Saddhanandi riffs off a talk that Sangharakshita gave to the Buddhist Society in 1975 entitled 'Enlightenment as Experience and Non-Experience'. She reflects on the content as well as the context, just what was happening with these early lectures...
08.12.2023
What Is Nirvana and Do We Really Want to Get There
Vajragupta (m) explores the power of ideas to shape us, our lives and world, and even human history. As Buddhism comes to the West, is it taken on in a way that seems to fit with certain prevailing ideas...
08.05.2023
From Suffering to Shraddha
Vidyapala draws on various Pali suttas, and the Buddha's own life, to suggest ways we might move from suffering to faith in this talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: ...
07.29.2023
A Body of Practice
Drawing upon the myths in the life of the Buddha Satyapara explores the role the body plays when we take up Buddhist practice. She describes the Buddha as a child under a rose apple tree being deeply...
07.25.2023
Energy For Enlightenment
Bodhivajra talks about Enlightenment in a direct and very down-to-earth way, making the whole notion of Enlightenment more accessible, approachable, and relevant. Norwich Buddhist Centre, May 2015. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: ...
07.15.2023
Akasadatesvari and the Centre of the Mandala
Space, white light and the wisdom of the Dharmadhatu: Maitrivajri explores the qualities of Akasadatesvari. This talk was given on a retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre on the Mandala of the Five Female Buddhas,...
07.08.2023
Vairocana & the Sunlight of the Enlightened Mind
Suryagupta concludes the five Buddha mandala with a talk on the historical Buddha and on Vairocana. In this talk Suryagupta weaves the story of the historical Buddha with themes from her own life and in doing so encourages...
07.01.2023
Energy and the Symbolism of the Stupa
Dharmashalin explores the stupa, the different elements (earth, water, air, fire and space) and how we can work with them in our Dharma life. Dharmashalin gives several useful, funny and down-to-earth examples to help us pick the low...
06.24.2023
Withdrawal and Engagement On Bodhisattva Path
Through the lense of Upaya 'the skilful means' of the Bodhisattva, Parami explores the seemingly contradictory themes of withdrawal and engagement on the Bodhisattva path. She demonstrates how they are synthesised by drawing on the last...
06.17.2023
The Skilful Means of Vimalakirti
What is a Pure Land? And how do you create one? What is the true meaning of the Buddhas skilful means. With characteristic aplomb Padmavajra unpacks the esoteric teachings of one of Buddhism's greatest Sutras. ...
06.10.2023
Sutra of Golden Light: What Is a Mahayana Sutra?
Kalyanaprabha introduces us to the world of the Mahayana. Through the Sutra of the Golden Light, we discover what a sutra is and even why it is relevant to us today. This talk was given at Birmingham...
06.03.2023
Symbols of Life and Growth
The Parables of the Rain Cloud, and the Parable of the Sun and Moon both tell us that spiritual development is an organic process of growth, and that the Dharma nourishes all impartially, though people follow different patterns...
05.27.2023
Order Approaches to Insight
Vijayamala addresses the 2022 UK & IE Triratna Buddhist Order convention, exploring what breaking through and seeing the nature of reality means for us as an Order. The Buddha went forth to seek an end to suffering, to...
05.20.2023
Exploring Insight: Sadhana and the Goal of Life
Maitreyabandhu explores the path to insight in the context of Triratna's system of practice. He does this by exploring the three myths of self-development, self-surrender and self-discovery, as well as spiritual death and spiritual rebirth in the dharma...
05.15.2023
Allowing Things to Resolve
Nagesvara describes samadhi as collectedness, integration of our energies, wholeness, openness, rather than concentration as primary. Excerpted from the talk What Is Samadhi?, part 5 of a series from the 2021 Buddhafield online retreat ...

What's Free Buddhist Audio about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Free Buddhist Audio episodes:

Is A Guru Necessary (Revisited)

Breaking the Bonds of Selfhood Through Serving the Dhamma

Launch of The Buddhist Vision and the Dhammapada

Lion's Roar - Why Integration = Love

Celebrating the Buddha: Pingiya's Praises to the Way to the Beyond

The Jataka Stories

Kasyapa and the Flower

Let Your Inner Riches Shine

An Example of Sanity and Compassion in the World

Challenges of the New Society

On War

The Transforming Power of Conflict

The Buddha's Liberating Vision

The Longing For Liberation

In the Footsteps of the Buddha - A Noble Path

Four Noble Truths - Satipatthana Sutta

The Dakini and the Skull Garland

The Elusive Dakini

The Buddha Here and Now

Meeting the Buddha Through Imagination

Creative Spaces and Sacred Spaces: Contexts For Transformation

10 Points For An Awakening Sangha

Meeting Spiritual Friends

The Sevenfold Puja: Salutation

The Buddha Vandana - Revering the Highest Ideal

A Deeper Rhythm

Breaking Through Psychological Conditioning

Answering the Call

The Alchemy of Meditation - Desire

Doubt as Hindrance

The Discourse On the Not-Self Characteristic

Breaking the Fetter of Superficiality

Entering the Sangha

Breaking the Chains

Shraddha

Enlightenment as Experience and Non Experience

What Is Nirvana and Do We Really Want to Get There

From Suffering to Shraddha

A Body of Practice

Energy For Enlightenment

Akasadatesvari and the Centre of the Mandala

Vairocana & the Sunlight of the Enlightened Mind

Energy and the Symbolism of the Stupa

Withdrawal and Engagement On Bodhisattva Path

The Skilful Means of Vimalakirti

Sutra of Golden Light: What Is a Mahayana Sutra?

Symbols of Life and Growth

Order Approaches to Insight

Exploring Insight: Sadhana and the Goal of Life

Allowing Things to Resolve