Free Buddhist Audio

Today's FBA Podcast, "Beyond Hope and Hopelessness Dancing In the Ruins of Time," takes us into the world seen through the eyes of EcoDharma, a Triratna retreat centre in the Catalan Pyrenees. Guhyapati offers a sober analysis of the environmental problems facing humanity and issues a clarion call for action – including from the Buddhist community.

Recorded at the 2009 Buddhafield Festival.

Visit the EcoDharma website – www.ecodharma.com

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Indra's Net and The Web of Life," Akuppa traces positive lessons to be learned from simply observing and engaging with nature's patterns and processes - and invites us all to prepare to be awestruck as a necessary first step. From the talk: "Buddhism and Ecology" given at the Triratna [Western Buddhist Order] Convention, 2005

In today's FBA Dharmabyte "The Effect of Reflecting on Suffering" Maitreyi looks at pleasure and suffering in the context of samsara - compassionate responses to self and other, and how to loosen the bonds... This Dharmabyte is from the talk "The Defects and Dangers of Samsara," given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005 and is part of the series "The Four Mind-Turning Reflections."

In today's FBA Podcast Suriyavamsa begins "Life for a Limited Time Only" with the inevitability of death and some of our habitual attitudes to death and suffering, reading from contemporary poets. He brings out the Buddhist perspective that life and death are not separate, but parts of the same process.

This talk was given on Parinirvana Day 2010 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

From Padmavajra's wonderful series on The Dhammapada we bring you today's FBA Dharmabyte:"Metta Bhavana: A Most Important Practice." All of the Buddha's core teachings are here - held in heart and mind there's more than enough in the Dhammapada to take us as far in our practice as we can imagine, and then on beyond... From "Changing Hatred Into Love - The Dhammapada Verses 3 to 6," part of the series "The Dhammapada - The Buddha's Way of Truth"

Today's FBA Dharmabyte is from our founder and teacher Sangharakshita: "The Positive Restructuring of Consciousness." In Buddhist practice, the traditional method of choice for effecting positive change in one's life is meditation. Here Sangharakshita takes a closer look, focussing on the 'superconscious states' (characterised in turn by integration, inspiration, permeation, and radiation), the practice of developing universal friendliness, and the distinction between calm and Insight. From the talk: "A Me

Today's FBA Podcast is the first talk in a brilliant series titled "Eight Verses for Training the Mind" by Dharmachari Subhuti. Based on the Tibetan text by Kadampa Geshe Langri Tangpa, Subhuti introduces the verses in the context of the development of Buddhism in Tibet and India. We then have a full treatment of the first verse itself:

"May I always cherish all beings, Withe the resolve to accomplish for them The highest good that is more precious Than any wish-fulfilling jewel."

Talk given at Madhyamaloka, Birmingham, 2004

For the full series: "Eight Verses for Training the Mind."

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Cherishing Living Beings", Subhuti tenderly takes us into the meaning of cherishing - looking after others, caring for them, and engaging in small acts of kindness. From the first talk in the series "Eight Verses for Training the Mind (talk 1)." "May I always cherish all beings, With the resolve to accomplish for them The highest good that is more precious Than any wish-fulfilling jewel." Talk given at Madhyamaloka, Birmingham, 2004 This Dharmabyte excerpt is part of the series

Our Dharmabyte today continues on the theme of Ethics with Parami sharing her thoughts on "Ethics and Compassion." Parami explores this theme of the Buddha's compassionate action and how ultimately it came from beyond self, beyond other - it emerged from his realisation of 'Emptiness'. "Out of Compassion for the World" was given at FWBO [Triratna] International Retreat at Taraloka, May 2008

In today's, FBA Podcast, simply titled "Ethics," Manjuvajra takes a look at the complex area of ethics from a Buddhist perspective. The nature of 'self', the place of feeling and emotion, the role of intention and action – these are fertile grounds for digging deeper into our own ethical practice and considering our lives in the light of the Buddha's teaching of 'non-harm'.

Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2000