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Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: The Longing For Liberation

By Centre Team on Sat, 20 Jan, 2024 - 11:00

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 us to look at our own motivation, our own noble quest, how to establish a culture of the noble quest in such a way that invites more people to join us on that journey, both through our own practice and...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: The Dragon, The Tiger and The Wish-fulfilling Jewel

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 11 Sep, 2021 - 06:00

Do we reflect on the Bodhicitta? Is it optional, a mystical goal we can take or leave? How does it become a motivating force in our lives?

Sangharakshita has described the Bodhicitta as a myth or symbol that galvanises our energies, something that makes sense of our lives, something emotionally moving that stirs us on a deep level. How are we to connect with that myth? Vajratara takes us on a journey of a deepening engagement with the Bodhicitta, evoking...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: Surrendering to a Greater Beauty

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 12 Dec, 2020 - 06:00

Starting with a story from the Rastrapalapariprccha-Sutra, Vajratara draws out the significance of Sangharakshita’s paper on the Fourth Laksana. This is the path of beauty, from contemplation of ugliness to the gateway of liberation called ‘the beautiful’. To be on the path of beauty, we don’t merely enjoy beauty, we have to surrender ourselves to that beauty.

Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2019.

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Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Ethics in their Ultimate Sense

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 22 Oct, 2020 - 06:05

Seeing all beings with the potential for Buddhahood, we are moved to encourage and support that natural momentum towards growth and development. Every act of generosity, loving kindness, no matter how small, is acting in harmony with Reality and the growth of all beings. Vajratara gives us an inspiring glimpse into ethics in their ultimate sense which take their expression in the Bodhicitta.

From a talk entitled The Lady of Tibet Yeshe Tsogyal given by Vajratara at Sangha...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Entering Each Other’s Worlds

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 11 May, 2020 - 14:00

Another cracking talk from Vajratara exploring Metta as a path to insight.

What happens when Metta passes through the fires of sunyata? Insight isn’t a cold, detached featureless state. Insight has it’s own positive character – increasing awareness of others and spontaneous compassionate activity.

From the talk entitled Metta and the Path of Insight given on a Young Womens’ Weekend at Taraloka, 2013.

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Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: Spiritual Friendship and the Tantric Rites

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 21 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Vajratara introduces the theme of spiritual friendship or kalyana mitrata. What is spiritual friendship? How is it distinguished from ordinary friendship? How can we make friends? What is the difference between vertical and horizontal friendship? Using stories, personal anecdotes and images she introduces the overall theme to prepare for more talks in this series, which focusses on the tantric rites and friendship.

This talk is part of the series Spiritual Friendship and the Tantric Rites, given at a ...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: Working With Adversity

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 11 Jan, 2020 - 14:00

When things go wrong in our life we can see them as an obstacle to an ideal spiritual life feel we should be leading. But there’s another way of looking at difficulties, and instead of trying to get rid of difficulties, we could be welcoming them as opportunities. 

Vajratara  draws on the Tibetan Mind Training tradition, as well as the Pali Suttas to examine how we can make adversity our teacher and the ground in which wisdom...

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Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: The Myth of the Bodhicitta

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 26 Oct, 2019 - 14:00

What is the Bodhicitta and how do we become receptive to it? Vajratara talks about the paradox behind the Bodhicitta: how it is an experience beyond any personal attainment, yet it arises in us. How can we hold both perspectives?

Using the framework of the ‘3 myths’ of the Dharma life, Vajratara evokes the qualities and attitudes we develop to prepare ourselves for the Bodhicitta. A journey around the Suttas and Sutras, stories and poetry, evoking the development of the Bodhicitta.

Talk given...

Buddhist Centre Features
Buddhist Centre Features

Podcast - The Wonderful Problem

By Sadayasihi on Tue, 18 Dec, 2018 - 15:27

What we have is a very wonderful problem and the wonderful problem is that so many people are seeing the value of Buddhism in India and they are wanting to embrace Buddhism and the Buddhist path - and they are wanting to do that in their hundreds. But, of course, as we know, Buddhism is a path of practice. It requires careful study and training…it requires spiritual friendship. So who is going to meet these people?

Vajratara is the Chair of the...