  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 of development.  Sangharakshita  delivered this talk as part of the series  Parables, Myths and Symbols of Mahayana Buddhism in the White Lotus Sutra, 1971.  *** 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 three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud   

Symbols of Life and Growth

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. 

Tune in, be inspired!

Religion & Spirituality

Other

Spirituality

Christianity

Buddhism

Hinduism

Judaism

Islam

 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 Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

Who is the Buddha?

 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 Drawing on an unpublished fragment, ‘What I learned from my gurus’, she reminds us of some of the fundamental aspects of his teaching.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.  *** 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 three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud  

Bhante, His "Gurus" and Us

 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 those more evolved than us. This talk was given at  Adhisthana  as part of the series  Triratna Day Weekend: Is a Guru Necessary?  2023.  *** 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 three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud  

Is A Guru Necessary (Revisited)

 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, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting!Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify |  On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud  

Breaking the Bonds of Selfhood Through Serving the Dhamma

  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. 3,000,000 downloads and counting!Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify |  On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service! Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now! Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud    

Symbols of Life and Growth

Download our free app to listen on your phone