These talks have all been given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre and uploaded to the Free Buddhist Audio website.
Padmavajra begins this talk with the chanting of The Karaniya Metta Sutta, in order to invoke 'the blessing power of loving kindness', which according to the sutta needs to be wielded at all times. He explores all of the stages of the metta bhavana (development of loving-kindness practice), as well as showing how metta can lead to wisdom and liberation, at the same time saying: we practice the metta bhavana to love others, Enlightenment is incidental!
In this talk Vadanya explores how we can turn the tables on pointless anxiety and limiting fears, and use these as fuel for our practice. Talk given on Men's Event at Padmaloka, June 2013.
Alokadhara's talk investigates how fear arises in dependence upon the delusion of there being a fixed, separate self and how the spell of that delusion can be broken by a clear seeing into the true nature of the five skandhas.Talk Given on Men's Event at Padmaloka, June 2013.
An exploration of the metaphor of the veil as that which prevents us from seeing how things really are. Kusalamati gives particular emphasis to the veil of the poisons (Kleshavarana), suggesting ways in which we can counteract greed, hatred and delusion through skilful action and practising the precepts. Talk given in May 2013, at Padmaloka Retreat Centre on an East Anglian Men's Event.
In this talk, given during the 2013 Young men's retreat at Padmaloka, Padmavajra describes the qualities of the Dharma Warrior and how Dharma Warriors are fighting in the great battle between the spiritual community and the group - fighting for the liberation of the truly human individual against the forces of mediocrity and uniformity - the battle with Mara who embodies those forces. Padmavajra concludes with David Jones' magnificent evocation of a warrior in his poem 'The Hunt'.
Last talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.9. Applying these five aspects in daily life: We examine every activity of our lives to see how these five aspects are represented and to apply them more fully and deeply.
Seventh talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.8. Spiritual Rebirth: we must find in our ordinary experience something that reflects transcending it. Connecting deeply with this Transcendental Object enables us ultimately to break free from the limited constructions of self.
Sixth talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.7. Spiritual Death: What restricts the flow of Dharma niyama processes after all our karmic efforts is the emotio-cognitive complex of self-grasping. We must die to this illusory self.
Fifth talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.6. Spiritual Receptivity: As we make an effort to cultivate skilful karma, we ourselves are transformed and we develop a new and more sensitive responsiveness to value. This sensitivity is not merely passive or reflective: it has what might be called an 'erotic force'.
A question and answer session punctuating a series of eight talks by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.5. Questions and Answers
Fourth talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.4. Positive emotion: We then work to make all our actions of body, speech and mind as skilful as possible.
Third talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.3. Integration: We begin by taking fully responsibility for our karmic agency.
Second talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives.2. The motive force of Dharma life: We achieve this transcendence of self-clinging by means of the karma and dharma niyama kinds of conditionality.
First talk of a series of 8 talks and one session of Questions and Answers by Subhuti on the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. In these talks, Subhuti delves into the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth, finding in each new and deeper significance. He invites his hearers to apply them deeply in their own lives. 1. The Higher Context: We practise the Dharma so that we can transcend our self-clinging, thereby resolving our own suffering and contributing to the resolution of suffering in the world. This is the fundamental purpose of the Triratna Community.
This talk is the fourth of four talks by Padmavajra on a men's Going for Refuge retreat, December 2012.Padmavajra explores some of the suttas from The Udana collection of the Pali Canon, referring throughout to Sangharakshita's seminar material.This talk is organised using the following structure: The Jatilla ascetics; how you can tell whether a man has insight; the story of Yassoja and his noisy disciples; Dabba of the Mallas; Parinibbana.
A talk given as part of the theme 'Celebrating Sangharakshita' on the Triratna Buddhist Order Men's Order Weekend (UK and Ireland Area) at Padmaloka, May 4 2013
A talk given as part of the theme 'Celebrating Sangharakshita' on the Triratna Buddhist Order Men's Order Weekend (UK and Ireland Area) at Padmaloka, May 4 2013
A talk given as part of the theme 'Celebrating Sangharakshita' on the Triratna Buddhist Order Men's Order Weekend (UK and Ireland Area) at Padmaloka, May 4 2013
A talk given as part of the theme 'Celebrating Sangharakshita' on the Triratna Buddhist Order Men's Order Weekend (UK and Ireland Area) at Padmaloka, May 4 2013
Second talk of the 2013 young men retreat at Padmaloka.How do we work with strong emotions? What are nagas and what treasure can we expect to win by facing them? Bodhinaga answers these questions using personal anecdotes and by exploring the sutta of the Buddha and the Fire Chamber from the Vinaya Pitaka.
A talk full of stories both personal and from Lord of the Rings!Dharmashalin's introductory talk on the Way of the Warrior explores the key issues of meaning in life and if things are worth risking ourselves for. If the answer is YES, then we need to 'step up' into life, stop being a passenger and take up the arms of a spiritual warrior.
This talk is the third of four talks by Padmavajra on a men's Going for Refuge retreat, December 2012.Padmavajra explores some of the suttas from The Udana collection of the Pali Canon, referring throughout to Sangharakshita's seminar material.This talk is organised using the following structure : The meaning of Uposatha; the bhikkhu who refuses to confess and his expulsion from the assembly; the meaning of patimokkha; confession and openess; the Dhamma-Vinaya likened to the great and mighty ocean.
This talk is the second of four talks by Padmavajra on a men's Going for Refuge retreat, December 2012.Padmavajra explores some of the suttas from The Udana collection of the Pali Canon, referring throughout to Sangharakshita's seminar material.This talk is tells the story of Bahiya and continues with a detailed exploration of the different parts of his story.
This talk is the first of four talks by Padmavajra on a men's Going for Refuge retreat, December 2012.Padmavajra explores some of the suttas from The Udana collection of the Pali Canon, referring throughout to Sangharakshita's seminar material.This talk is organised using the following structure : Introduction to The Udana; The Bodhi suttas; The Bliss of Liberation; the three bases of the Buddha's freedom; the metaphor of the shaman.
Eleventh and last talk of Padmaloka's 2012 Winter Retreat. Once again at the Centre of the Mandala, Vairocana, how do we balance the teachings of effort and openness. One way is through the image of the Sun and relaxed being, the practice of the Dharma is simply to come back. Yet of course this requires effort. Another question is the balance between practical and mythical approaches : can we hold both at once? What do we give significance to ? what do we make real ? can we open to a world of richer and deeper meaning ?