The interview ends with a short body awareness meditation.

This programme is part of ALL FM’s New Year look at personal well-being and development.

Fiona Ledgard, The Anything Goes Breakfast Show, ALL FM (96.9), broadcast January 2012

A talk in the series Buddhism and the Big Questions, given by Dayanandi at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 26th November 2011

How can we make a difference when there is so much suffering? Is it even worth trying?

Where does fantasy end and imagination begin?

Can imagination help us grow as a person?
What is imagination and what is mere fantasy and distraction?
What is the place of creatively in spiritual life?

This talk was given by Dayanandi during the Padmasambhava Day Festival at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 6th October 2011.

Why Pagan Shaman Buddha?

On the Buddha’s farewell tour he spoke everywhere of ethics, meditation and wisdom:

• Ethics: natural morality, our harmonious relationship to the earth — hence paganism
• Meditation: the exploration and transformation of consciousness — hence shamanism
• Wisdom: insight into the true nature of reality, things as they really are — hence Buddha, the One who is Awake

From Pride to Enlightenment! How does your sexuality relate to your sense of self?

It’s important to cultivate a positive attitude to ourselves, but how might identity stop us achieving our greatest potential in life? And how does all this relate to a great but little-known peaceful revolution taking place in India today?

A talk given by Munisha at the Manchester Buddhist Centre on 27th August 2011 in the series Buddhism and the Big Questions.

What is peace? And what does peace mean for Buddhists? Is it just the absence of war and con­flict; guns and scream­ing?

Or is it also the deep silence that arises when the mind and heart are in har­mony — a pos­it­ive state of mind that can be cul­tiv­ated both per­son­ally and col­lect­ively, where good and evil don’t exist as concepts?

What is a Buddhist atti­tude to nature? Does our rela­tion­ship with nature mat­ter for the spir­itual life?

We live in a time of threat to the eco-system. How can human beings live with more love and appre­ci­ation of the nat­ural world? What does Buddhism have to offer?

Buddhism and the Big Questions

This is a personal and inspir­ing talk in a series address­ing the rel­ev­ance of the Buddha’s teach­ings to con­tempor­ary issues. Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 25th June 2011

Based on her exper­i­ence of teach­ing both ‘hard core’ Buddhism on the one hand and sec­u­lar mind­ful­ness on the other in vari­ous coun­tries and cul­tural con­texts, Vidyamala explores two oppos­ite pos­i­tions that can be taken in response to this ques­tion

One can be ‘lib­eral’ and try to change Buddhism to align with pop­u­lar val­ues in soci­ety, or ‘con­ser­vat­ive’ and try to change soci­ety to align with tra­di­tional Buddhist values.

What is the nature of Reality? And can the answer give mean­ing to human exist­ence?

The sci­ences have made spec­tac­u­lar advances in our under­stand­ing of the uni­verse and the phe­nom­ena within it, but is there a broader real­ity that can sat­isfy the deep­est long­ings of the human heart for mean­ing and purpose?

Buddhism answers with a vig­or­ous Yes.

In this talk Mahasraddha con­siders the cur­rent sci­entific views of real­ity but warns of the dangers of adapt­ing a purely sci­entific view.

With society’s emphasis on formal edu­ca­tion, are we miss­ing the point of how we really learn in life? And what does Buddhism have to say about the value of our own experience?

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 26th March 2011 as part of a monthly series of free public talks on Buddhism and contem­porary issues

About Mahabodhi

Mahabodhi has been a mem­ber of the Tri­r­atna Buddhist Order for twelve years. He teaches Buddhism and med­it­a­tion at the Manchester Buddhist Centre and is writ­ing a book on mindfulness.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 18th April 2011 as the last in a series exploring the Five Great Stages of spiritual experience that develop and unfold as we progress on the Path to Enlight­enment.

Sangharakshita’s summary of the stages as five simple precepts

1. Keep up the effort to be mindful and aware and as together as possible, as integrated as possible
2. Remain in as positive a mental state as you possibly can
3. Do not lose sight of your ultimate goal at any time
4. Try to apply this to practice at every level whatever you’ve realised or discovered or seen on the highest level of your being at any time
5. Do your best for other people, do what you can to help people

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 11th April 2011 as part of a series exploring “The Five Great Stages” of spiritual experience that develop and unfold as we progress on the Path to Enlight­enment.

This series of talks explores “The Five Great Stages” of spiritual experience that develop and unfold as we progress on the Path to Enlighten­ment

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 4th April 2011

This talk is about the second stage, opening the heart and the importance of making an engagement with our emotions in order to learn to be more emotionally positive.

It includes readings of poetry and prose by Munisha.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 14th March 2011.

In this talk Day­anandi cov­ers the first of the five stages — integ­ra­tion and whole­ness. Integration takes place in both horizontal and vertical directions.

This and sub­sequent talks explore the par­tic­u­lar char­ac­ter and qual­ites of each stage, show­ing how each evolves out of the pre­vi­ous one and is the found­a­tion for later stages of the Path.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 7th March 2011

In this talk Day­anandi gives an over­view of the whole Path, and how it has arisen in the Buddhist tradition.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 28th February 2011

Sangharakshita’s summary of the stages as five simple precepts

1. Keep up the effort to be mindful and aware and as together as possible, as integrated as possible
2. Remain in as positive a mental state as you possibly can
3. Do not lose sight of your ultimate goal at any time
4. Try to apply this to practice at every level whatever you’ve realised or discovered or seen on the highest level of your being at any time
5. Do your best for other people, do what you can to help people

The Buddha repeatedly said that the only reason he taught was to alle­vi­ate suf­fer­ing, and he in fact enu­mer­ated three levels of happiness. This teach­ing is no longer simply an issue of per­sonal growth — it has become vital to the future of our planet.

Talk given by Ratnaguna at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 26th February 2011 in a series of free public talks, Buddhism and the Big Questions.

Twenty minutes of questions and answers at the end of the audio but not on the video.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 24th January 2011, introduced by Mahabodhi and ending with fifteen minutes questions and answers.

Vishvapani is a well known figure in the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a regular contributer on the BBC’s Thought for the Day.

Gautama Buddha is published by Quercus at £25 and is available in the Centre’s shop

How can we see Parinirvana Day as a celebration?

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on Paranirvana Day, 12th February 2011

More about Parinirvana Day and other Buddhist festivals

In the first in a series of public talks, delivered at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 29th January 2011, Kavyasiddhi explores the idea that:

• 2,500 years ago the Buddha said that we are all connected
• In 2010 David Cameron addressed the pain of financial cuts by saying “We are all in this together”

Are the Buddha and David Cameron saying the same thing?

The Buddha also said suffering is caused by greed, hatred and ignorance. Can that help us face today’s challenges?

Ends with a few minutes of questions and answers

Third in a Sangha night series tak­ing a brief, slightly ran­dom tour of the Buddhist scriptures

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 15th November 2010

I’ve tried to show how important reflection is if you want to better understand yourself, other people and the world at large; how it can go some way to alleviating suffering; how enjoyable it can be, as well as sometimes challenging.

I’ve given a few pointers on how to reflect, or how to develop and deepen your reflections; and I’ve tried to encourage you to take yourself seriously as a thinker.

Talk given at the book launch at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 25th October 2010

Published by Windhorse in paperback at £11.99 in October 2010, The Art of Reflection is avail­able from the Buddhist Centre shop

As well as speaking on Buddhism as a force for good in the world, Vajragupta was launching his book, The Triratna Story, the tale of the founding and evolution of the Triratna Buddhist Community.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 18th October 2010

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 27th September 2010

Based on Ray’s book, Buddhist Saints in India, this is a framework to consider the spiritual benefits and challenges of three roles or lifestyles within Buddhism:

• the solitary retreatant
• the sangha builder who works within the Buddhist institutions
• the lay practitioner or social activist whose commitments take them to work out in the world

According to Ray, each plays a crucial role in the health of the Sangha. After exploring the different lifestyles, Mahabodhi talks about his experiences as the ‘retreatant’ writer.

Talk given on 6th September 2010 at the Manchester Buddhist Centre as part of a sangha night series.

Ratnaguna spent time around the first North London Buddhist Centre during this period and gives his account of the “spirit of the age”. The talk followed the showing of a film by Suryaprabha on the history of the FWBO covering that period.

The talk was given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 26th April 2010.

Sona spent time around the first North London Buddhist Centre during this period and gives his account of the “spirit of the age”. The talk followed the showing of a film by Suryaprabha on the history of the FWBO covering that period.

The talk was given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 19th April 2010.

On Parinirvana Day, one of the four main festivals of the Buddhist year, we commemorate the Buddha’s death.

More about Parinirvana Day

Includes a summary of the structure of the Puja

Includes Ratnaguna rejoicing in Buddhashanti’s merits, and questions and answers

In this talk Suryaka explores the range of possible responses we can have to Buddhism, from contentment with worldly life, to intellectual agreement with Buddhism, or to the wholesale devotion exemplified by Shantideva.

The Sevenfold Puja is the devotional ceremony used at the Centre and within the FWBO, and the Bodhicaryavatara is the text upon which it is based

A talk and a book launch is preceded by a twenty minute meditation

On the full-moon day of July, precisely two months after his Enlightenment at Bodhgaya, the Buddha delivered his first discourse to the group of five ascetics who had been his disciples. This is often called the First Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma.

The Mahayana is often described as the Great Way, a Buddhist Movement that is said to have re-vitalised Buddhism.

Nagapriya lectures on Mahayana Buddhism at Manchester University and has just finished writing his book Visions of Mahayana Buddhism: Awakening the Universe to Wisdom and Compassion. He is also the author of the very popular Exploring Karma and Rebirth.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre in summer 2009.

The Mahayana is often described as the Great Way, a Buddhist movement said to have revitalised Buddhism

Nagapriya lectures on Mahayana Buddhism at Manchester University and is the author of Visions of Mahayana Buddhism: Awakening the Universe to Wisdom and Compassion

The Mahayana is often described as the Great Way, a Buddhist Movement that is said to have re-vitalised Buddhism.

Nagapriya lectures on Mahayana Buddhism at Manchester University and is the author of Visions of Mahayana Buddhism: Awakening the Universe to Wisdom and Compassion

The Mahayana is often described as the Great Way, a Buddhist movement said to have revitalised Buddhism

Nagapriya lectures on Mahayana Buddhism at Manchester University and is the author of Visions of Mahayana Buddhism: Awakening the Universe to Wisdom and Compassion

Handout for this talk:

The Mahayana is often described as the Great Way, a Buddhist movement that is said to have revitalised Buddhism.

Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 1st June 2009.

Nagapriya lectures on Mahayana Buddhism at Manchester University and is the author of Visions of Mahayana Buddhism: Awakening the Universe to Wisdom and Compassion

Handout to download:

Siddhisambhava gave this talk at the Manchester Buddhist Centre on Monday 16th February 2009

FWBO — Friends of the Western Buddhist Order — is now known as the Triratna Buddhist Community

With introduction by Ratnaguna

More on Shinran can be found at www.shindharmanet.com

Slides to accompany the talk:

Includes approximately thirty minutes of questions and answers at the end of the talk

Course notes can be found at www.mahabodhi.org.uk

Course notes can be found at www.mahabodhi.org.uk

Course notes can be found at www.mahabodhi.org.uk

Course notes can be found at www.mahabodhi.org.uk

Course notes can be found at www.mahabodhi.org.uk

This talk includes all the meditation periods led by Tejananda during the evening.

Slides that go with the talk:

Download pdf of slides for Buddhism and Consciousness week 4

Given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 16th April 2007

Slides that go with the talk:

Download pdf of slides for Buddhism and Consciousness week 3

Mahasraddha and Chris Effendowicz discuss the different approaches to consciousness in Buddhism and Western philosophy. Given at Manchester Buddhist Centre on 2nd April 2007

View slides from this talk:

Download pdf of slides for Buddhism, Philosophy and Consciousness week 2

Slides that go with the talk:

Download pdf of slides for Science and Consciousness week 1

Includes thirty minutes of questions and answers

Follows a talk entitled Drop Everything

Includes thirty minutes of questions and answers

Next in the series is Nothing to Drop

Slides to go with the talk:

Slides accompanying the talk:

The FWBO — Friends of the Western Buddhist Order — is now the Triratna Buddhist Community

The FWBO — Friends of the Western Buddhist Order — is now the Triratna Buddhist Community