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Dharmachakra

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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787 episodes
Updated Saturday

Episodes787

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Nov 28, 2015 · 1 hr 45 min
Sangharakshita – Reading Poems About Friendship
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. The tape begins with an introduction by Dharmaruci, includes the Pearl Fishers friendship duet sung by Jussi Bjorling and Robert Merril and concludes with a personal reflection on Sangharakshita by Nagabhodi, as a book launch for A Taste of Freedom. Croydon has been home to FWBO or Triratna Buddhist communities and centres since 1968. Many early talks by well known speakers were recorded, both at Aryatara, since 1979, and at the new Croydon Centre from 1981. These are now being transferred from their crumbling cassettes to digital format, as part of the Croydon Digital Archive Project, and are being made available to everyone. The tape quality reflects its age, the sound is slightly distorted, but clear, during the readings and more distorted during the duet.
Nov 21, 2015 · 55 min
An Ever Widening Circle
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 14, 2015 · 1 hr 7 min
Buddhism and the Modern World
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. This new way of living is indicated both by the Buddha and, in modern times, by Sangharakshita.
Nov 7, 2015 · 1 hr 2 min
Mind Over Matter
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, and draws lessons for seeing through the illusion of personal separateness and discovering the imperative of kindness.
Oct 31, 2015 · 44 min
What is Triratna Buddhism?
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 24, 2015 · 1 hr 6 min
Triratna Emphases – Spiritual Friendship
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 17, 2015 · 58 min
Triratna Emphases – The Arts
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 10, 2015 · 54 min
The History of and Value in Team-Based Right Livelihood
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 alternative to consumerism and the myth of progress through buying a bigger TV.
Oct 3, 2015 · 29 min
The Triratna Emphasis on a Unified Order
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.
Sep 26, 2015 · 51 min
The Triratna Emphasis On Going For Refuge
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 experientially. Talk given on the Men's Going for Refuge Retreat at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, 2013
Sep 19, 2015 · 28 min
The Ecumenical Emphasis in Triratna
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 12, 2015 · 38 min
Forty Years On – The Six Emphases of the FWBO
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 over again for the modern world.
Sep 5, 2015 · 57 min
The Individual and Community
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 on the New Society, 2010.
Aug 29, 2015 · 1 hr 11 min
Revering and Relying Upon the Dharma
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 22, 2015 · 44 min
The Nature of Transformation
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 15, 2015 · 45 min
Discipleship
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 8, 2015 · 1 hr 2 min
The Diamond Sutra
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 1, 2015 · 1 hr 2 min
Padmasambhava and the Magic Of Compassion
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, the sense can still be followed. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2006
Jul 25, 2015 · 51 min
Breaking the Bonds of Selfhood Through Serving the Dhamma (with translation in Hindi)
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 possibilities in notions about how collective practice manifests (Order chapters, the Bodhisattva Ideal at ordination, 'sanghakaya') but grounds the whole thing movingly in her evident love of the Order and her inspiration at being gathered with so many sisters and brothers under one sky. Talk given at Bodh Gaya, International Order Convention, February, 2013.
Jul 18, 2015 · 1 hr 2 min
Yidams
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, mantras and more in our Dharmabytes Podcast to introduce Tara, Manjusri, Vajrapani, Ksitigarbha, Avalokitesvara and Padmasambhava.