Free Buddhist Audio

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!

Buddhism and William Blake 10/10/2026

Buddhism and William Blake In this interview with Satyalila, shares the remarkable story of the unfolding of his Dharma Life from a fascination with the English poet, painter and visionary William Blake in the late 1970s and early 80s and how this led him to a deep immersion in the Vajrayana approach to Buddhism. Following on from Bhante, in 'Buddhism and William Blake' he elucidates the common basis between the symbolic worlds of Blake and the Vajrayana. Recorded at a retreat on WIlliam Blake, , 2017. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42809095

The Three Levels of the Spiritual Imagination 10/03/2026

The Three Levels of the Spiritual Imagination Within the context of the three ascending Levels of the Spiritual Imagination (Empathy, Beauty and Imagining the Buddha), explores devotion and ritual in terms of body, speech and mind, and of the journey to the transcendental. She includes the Sevenfold Puja and our more personal experiences of devotion. This talk was given as part of the at for women training for ordination, 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42809045

The Mysterious Home of the Dakini 09/26/2026

The Mysterious Home of the Dakini In this talk explores the the eight consciousnesses of the Yogacara, the eight great cremation grounds and the 'mysterious home of the dakini'. The talk was given during the men's Great Gathering at , 2020. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42730775

The True Nature of Devotion In Our Lives 09/19/2026

The True Nature of Devotion In Our Lives In this talk explores what it was like to meet the Buddha, the fully Enlightened human being. She then discusses 'garava' as devotion for the whole richness of our Dharma Lives, including positive emotions for all beings. This talk was given on an Order weekend at , 2022. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42730705

How Flowers Teach the Way to Enlightenment 09/12/2026

How Flowers Teach the Way to Enlightenment The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. unpacks some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’ This talk was given at , as part of the series , 2022. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42730620

Initiation From the Naga King 09/05/2026

Initiation From the Naga King After the Buddha's Enlightenment, the Buddha sat in a grove of trees, absorbing what had happened, his experience unfolding in all directions. A great storm arose, and a huge Cobra came and wrapped its coils around him, protecting him from the rain and wind. What does this story hold for us in our Dharma lives, particularly meditation? looks in depth at the symbolism of the Naga King and his protection of the Buddha, exploring the forces of the unconscious and the symbolism of energy centres in the body. Talk given at for those training for ordination, 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42729255

How to Change Your Mind, Meditative States and Indirect Methods 08/29/2026

How to Change Your Mind, Meditative States and Indirect Methods In this talk, explores "How to Change Your Mind" by looking at meditative states and the "indirect methods" that support them. He unpacks the stages of internal development and how we can use everyday activities like ethics, ritual, devotion, the arts, and service to support our spiritual growth. This talk was given at , 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42311825

Me, the Buddhist Centre, and the State of the World 08/22/2026

Me, the Buddhist Centre, and the State of the World We live in a time ridden by crisis and difficulty. How should Buddhist's respond? This is a personal and very honest talk from , looking squarely at the challenges, and owning his own doubts and fears. There are no easy answers, but some suggestions of where to begin. One suggestion is that we look to the example of the Buddha, who also lived in very turbulent, troubled times. This is a challenging but ultimately inspiring talk, about Buddhism and Triratna in the world today. It was given at , 2025. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42311660

A Vision of Human Existence 08/15/2026

A Vision of Human Existence Revisiting the original series by Sangharakshita, entitled , given in 1976, slightly rearranges the sequence of the talks. He begins with a verse from the Udana and proceeds to outline the cyclic and progressive trends in conditionality. discusses the importance of faith/shraddha and an exploration of the functioning of carving/trsna and attachment/upadana. It finishes with a quote from the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead’. This talk was given at and is part of the series , 2026. The original series by Sangharakshita is now digitally remastered! Support the Digital Legacy project by Dharmachakra: *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42311530

Sangharakshita: The Mystic and the Poet 08/08/2026

Sangharakshita: The Mystic and the Poet explores the mythic and spiritual dimension of Bhante Sangharakshita’s life and what the emotional significance of Going for Refuge. Through stories, poetry, and the image of the refuge tree, she reflects on his love for the Three Jewels, his connection to his teachers, and his dedication to the Bodhisattva ideal. Talk given at as part of a series celebrating Sangharakshita's 100th birthday, 2025. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42239960

How Do You Navigate Yourself On the Buddhist Path 08/01/2026

How Do You Navigate Yourself On the Buddhist Path How do you navigate yourself on the Buddhist Path? How do you choose the right direction of travel if you don’t know where you’re going or what the Goal is? If the Goal is Enlightenment, do you understand what the Buddha means by Enlightenment? Or is your understanding of it a bit vague and muddled? The Buddha is specific. will be looking at this whole area. This talk was given at , 2025. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42239780

The Story of Bahia 07/25/2026

The Story of Bahia Back in the Buddha’s time, it’s thought that there were lots of people who were looking for meaning, going from teacher to teacher. Sometimes they were householders, sometimes royalty, but they were all shopping around - shopping for wisdom. The Buddha met many people like this. He also met people who’d achieved quite a bit by following other teachers, or those who had themselves become teachers. There were those who worshiped fire and those who practised austerities. There were nihilists and eternalists. And then there was Bahiya – Bahiya of the Bark Garment, as he was known. Here, Jayagupta reads his own story, 'Looking for Bahia' in which he reflects on his own quest for meaning, using that as a context for retelling and reflecting on the life and death of Bahiya and the simple teaching that he received from the Buddha. This talk was given at , 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42180310

Dying Into Freedom: Spiritual Death In the Triratna System of Practice 07/18/2026

Dying Into Freedom: Spiritual Death In the Triratna System of Practice As part of the series on Personal Development (system of practice) helps us understand how important spiritual death is in our lives. She explores the small moments of letting go which help us to break through ego clinging, allowing freedom and creativity to emerge. This talk was given at , 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42100665

The Cremation Ground is Everywhere 07/15/2026

The Cremation Ground is Everywhere explores the symbolism of Padmasambhava's famous exile in the eight great cremation grounds. And explores the important teaching that (aṣṭa vijñānakāyāḥ) of the Yogacara are regarded in Tantric Buddhism as the eight great cremation grounds. So, we are always in the realm of decay and death. Yet the cremation ground is also the place of initiation, and in this masterful and fascinating talk, remembering his own teacher Sangharakshita's period of "exile" from respectable Buddhist circles in the 1960s in London, Padmavajra explores a significant series of initiations that Padmasambhava received during a crucial period in his life and mythic story. This talk was given at , on the men's Spring Great Gathering, 2026. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/42100460

The Lineage of Practice 07/04/2026

The Lineage of Practice In this imaginative talk, which begins with an evocation of how unbelievably fortunate we are to be able to practice together in community, speaks to one of the four lineages of our sangha as drawn out by Urgyen Sangharakshita, Triratna's founder. He evokes the lineage of practice as a continuous chain of human inspiration and curiosity – from ancient peoples around the fire, to Siddhartha on the cusp of personal failure under the bodhi tree, to Sangharakshita in India, and finally to the current generation of practitioners who must embody and transmit the Dharma. This talk was given in March 2026 as part of the 'Live United' retreat, bringing together members of the Order holding positions of responsibility in Canada and the U.S. with visiting guests from Europe who also hold major responsibilities in Triratna. , 2026. *** Subscribe to the FBA podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41907195

May Our Communication With One Another Be Sangha 06/27/2026

May Our Communication With One Another Be Sangha explores the profound lines from Sangharakshita's Dedication Ceremony: "Here seated, here practising My our mind become Buddha, May our thought become Dharma May our communication with one another be Sangha" Recorded at the Autumn Going for Refuge weekend retreat at , 2024. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41491720

Wisdom's Gathering: the Difference That Makes a Difference 06/20/2026

Wisdom's Gathering: the Difference That Makes a Difference speaks about Sangha as Dharma practice and how spiritual community and friendship with the admirable are part of our heritage in Triratna. A talk given on the International Gathering at Adhisthana, 2017. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41424610

A Blueprint for a New World 06/13/2026

A Blueprint for a New World Is it possible to create a society in which all social, economic, and political arrangements will support the development of true individuality? In this lecture, discusses a number of principles essential to the successful transformation of our current society. This talk is part of the series , given in 1976 and in 2026. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41423695

"This Is Truth! This Is Not Truth!": Beyond Outrage 06/06/2026

"This Is Truth! This Is Not Truth!": Beyond Outrage The Dharma meets androcentricity and culture wars. explores how we can relate to views on gender without polarising. She asks, how do we bring the Dharma to bear on our and others' deeply-held views? And how do we hold some of Sangharakshita's conditioned views? Honest, nuanced, sensitive. This talk was given at , as part of the series entitled , 2026. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. | | /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41423660

Awakening As Gratitude 05/30/2026

Awakening As Gratitude There's a story about the Buddha bowing to the tree under which he has just gained Enlightenment. Inspired by this this story, Vajragupta sees the whole path to Awakening in terms of gratitude. The grasping mind cannot feel grateful. But the Awakened know and feel just how deeply they are supported and enabled by other people, other life, and conditions in the world around them. uses poetry and anecdotes to give four suggestions for "turning our lives into gratitude". He sees the practice of gratitude as a wisdom or insight practice. From the mind-set and perspective of gratitude, the world becomes larger, more beautiful and abundant, and we naturally wish to give back. This talk was given at , 2025. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40771735

Absorption - After the Enlightenment 05/23/2026

Absorption - After the Enlightenment How do you get used to being Enlightened? What happened to the Buddha in the weeks after his breakthrough experience? explores these questions in two ways - using the framework of our System of Meditation to shed light on the process that unfolded in the Bodhisattva's mind and body as Enlightenment dawned; and connecting us imaginatively with the symbolism and image of Muchalinda, the great serpent, coiling his body protectively round the meditating Buddha. This talk was given on the ’s International Retreat, 2008. Kamalashila passed away in October 2024, to learn more about him and his contributions to Triratna, visit *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40771725

Our Biggest Hindrance 05/19/2026

Our Biggest Hindrance When we Go for Refuge, we can only Go for Refuge to that which is lokuttara - 'beyond the world'. In the third talk in this series, speaks of the need for a total orientation of our being towards Enlightenment through setting up conditions (pratitya samutpada), and the development of the Five Spiritual Faculties. Excerpted from the talk entitled given at , 2021. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/41348925

Enlightenment As Experience and Non-Experience 05/16/2026

Enlightenment As Experience and Non-Experience Here, speaks about the nature of enlightenment, as experience and as non-experience, based on Bhante's lecture of the same name, given to the Buddhist Society in 1975. Given on retreat at , 2022. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40771705

Vajrasana, the Tree of Life and the Revolution of Consciousness 05/09/2026

Vajrasana, the Tree of Life and the Revolution of Consciousness reflects on the Buddha’s resolve to sit on the vajrasana beneath the Bodhi tree until he broke through conditioned existence and awoke. The talk explores vajrasana as the “diamond throne,” drawing on an audio excerpt from Sangharakshita to unfold its meaning as the central point of the cosmos: the spiritual axis where the Buddha awakens, and where the symbolism of the vajra, the tree of life, and the Bodhi tree all meet. From there, the talk evokes Buddhist cosmology, the six elements, and the emergence of life and consciousness as part of a vast evolutionary movement that culminates in the possibility of awakening. The second half of the talk reflects on what this awakening reveals about selfhood, individuality, and reality itself. Talk given at , 2025. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40771675

Encountering Mara - Enlightenment Under Attack! 05/02/2026

Encountering Mara - Enlightenment Under Attack! Have we got what it takes to wake up? follows Siddhartha Gautama’s extraordinary quest to its turning point. In him we meet a seeker who turns down power, prestige and leadership, turning his back on the received wisdom of harsh asceticism, choosing instead something far more radical: to meditate alone in the comfortable shade of a beautiful tree. Here he meets Māra: tempter, accuser, embodiment of fear, desire, and doubt, unleashing everything he has to prevent Siddhartha’s awakening. This talk was given at 2026. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40771645

Steering For the Deep: The Awareness Aspect 04/25/2026

Steering For the Deep: The Awareness Aspect explores Sangharakshita's idea that fundamentally there is one spiritual experience, which has different aspects that we can unfold. Here he guides on how to contact and influence deeper levels of mind, culminating in the turning about of the basis, the transformation of the deepest level of mind. This talk was given at , 2016, as part of the series . *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40679905

The Power of Stories 04/18/2026

The Power of Stories In this talk, discusses the language of the depths, which refers to communication beyond the surface level of experience. She begins by exploring the power of stories. Part of the series given at , 2024. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40664535

The Electric Charge of Communication 04/11/2026

The Electric Charge of Communication As part of Adhisthana’s 2023 Triratna Day celebrations, speaks to us about the ‘existential communication’ that can arise between a more, and a less, experienced practitioner. A communication that can take you to the limits of your own being and encourage you to stretch beyond them. Part of the series Given at , 2023. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40664435

How to Communicate Well 04/04/2026

How to Communicate Well presents traditional Buddhist advice on communicating well, in particular the images that the Buddha used to teaches own seven-year-old son about the importance of truthfulness, and the poetry of Vangisa, encouraged by the Buddha to turn his love of communication into verses. A talk to the, 2017. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/40664330

Reason and Emotion in the Spiritual Life 03/28/2026

Reason and Emotion in the Spiritual Life We all need to find emotional equivalents to our intellectual understandings if our spiritual practice is to progress. outlines the positive emotions stressed in Buddhism, and concludes with a brief explanation of the stages of the Sevenfold Puja. Talk given as part of the series , 1968. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube: /episode/index/show/dharmachakra/id/39993120

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