West Wight Sangha Audio

Beauty of Energy by Steve Armstrong

2012-03-09T11:24:00.000Z

In this dharma talk, part of a non-residential retreat series on "Qualities of a Beautiful Mind," Steve Armstrong focuses on one of the ten paramis: beauty. Steve discusses how an awakened mind is marked by energy, used to benefit one's own life and the lives of others.

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Dharma Talk at Cambridge Insight Meditation Centre by Jack Engler

2012-03-02T17:59:00.001Z

Jack Engler is one of the pioneers of transpersonal theory, a relatively new way of thinking about human development in which Western psychological theory meets Eastern enlightenment philosophy. He is a practicing psychotherapist who also teaches Theravada Buddhist "mindfulness" meditation and Buddhist psychology. He is also the man who made the by-now famous declaration: "You have to be somebody before you can be nobody." His statement has become a catchphrase in much of the Western Buddhist world and almost a commandment among transpersonal psychologists and theorists.

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Its About Time by Wes Nisker

2012-02-10T10:07:00.000Z

Wes Nisker has studied Buddhist meditation for over three decades with teachers in Asia and America, and for the past 20 years has been leading his own retreats and workshops in Buddhist insight meditation and philosophy at venues internationally. He is an affiliate teacher at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, and does regular workshops at Esalen Institute and other venues.

He is also the founder and co-editor of the international Buddhist journal Inquiring Mind.

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Neuro Dharma by Dr. Cliff Saron

2012-02-03T10:44:00.000Z

Dr. Cliff Saron speaks with us about the limits of science, our paradigms, and the relation between statements made at the population level and what is meaningful for the individual in Buddhist training.
Our meditation is, by its very nature, in our own body and mind. It’s internal, there’s very little for someone to watch on the outside, they can’t do a fly through of our minds to see what’s going on. As it is so very subjective, there is a challenge when science does a study about that practice.

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Wholeheartedly Being Ourselves by Paul Haller

2012-01-27T10:40:00.000Z

Ryushin Paul Haller, City Centre Abbot at the San Francisco Zen Centre, is a dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman and has taught at Zen Center for over 20 years. He teaches throughout the U.S. and Europe and has led mindfulness programs to assist with depression and recovery. Paul has also taught in prisons and has a long involvement with the Zen Hospice Project. He has been practicing yoga for 25 years.
Founder and former Director of Outreach at SFZC, Paul is interested in finding ways of expressing our practice in society, both as compassionate service and making it available to as many people as possible. He became abbot of Zen Center in 2003 and is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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Truth - The End Of Programs by Ajahn Sucitto

2012-01-20T10:55:00.000Z

This talk by Ajahn Sucitto is about the central importance of telling the truth and being "true", in alignment with reality.

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Patience by Ursula Flückiger

2012-01-13T16:16:00.000Z

An in depth talk on Patience, the tenth of the ten Paramis or Perfections.

Ursula Flückiger has been practicing insight meditation since 1980 with teachers such as Ven. Ajahn Sumedho, Joseph Goldstein, Christina Feldman. She feels very inspired by the compassion practices of the Tibetan Mahayana Tradition. She is a trained Hakomi psychotherapist, has been guiding insight meditation retreats since 1990 and is a co-founder of the Meditation Centre Beatenberg.

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Rebirth, Not Reincarnation by Steve Hagen

2011-12-16T12:28:00.000Z

Steve Hagen has been a student of Buddhist thought and practice since 1967. In 1975 he became a student of Dainin Katagiri Roshi in Minneapolis and was ordained in 1979. He has studied with teachers in the U.S., Asia, and Europe, and in 1989 received transmission (endorsement to teach) from Katagiri Roshi. He is currently head teacher at Dharma Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Anicca by Rebecca Bradshaw

2011-12-09T11:16:00.000Z

This talk discusses a deep understanding of impermanence as a pathway into freedom.

Rebecca Bradshaw has been practicing vipassana meditation since 1983, and teaching since 1993. She teaches frequently at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, where she leads the teen and young adult retreats and is a member of the annual Three Month Retreat team. Rebecca is the guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley in Easthampton, MA. She also holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and works as a psychotherapist in the inner city. Her teachings invite exploration of the convergence of love and wisdom.

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Self by Stephen Batchelor

2011-12-04T17:12:00.000Z

Reflection on passages from the suttas of the Pali Canon where the Buddha explores the meaning of "self" (atta).

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Mindfulness, Metta, Mystery by Myo Denis Lahey

2011-11-29T15:33:00.000Z

Although I have put this talk under the "Thursday Talks" heading it was in fact used as the talk for the Soto Zen group's monthly Retreat Day last Friday.

Rev. Myo Denis Lahey (born July 14, 1951) is a Soto Zen priest practicing in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage. Myo is practice leader at Hartford Street Zen Center in San Francisco and at Iron Bell Zendo (now Valley Streams Zen Sangha) in Sacramento, California. A Dharma heir of Tenshin Reb Anderson, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Soto Zen Buddhist Association of North America (SZBA) and is a member of the Association for Soto Zen Buddhism of Japan (ASZB). Raised in an observant Roman Catholic home, Myo was drawn to religion and spirituality at an early age and found Zen Buddhism in his teens. He began sitting in 1969 with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and befriended many San Francisco Zen Center practitioners and teachers, including Issan Dorsey.

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Understanding Sankhara by Tempel Smith

2011-11-04T12:19:00.000Z

Tempel Smith teaches Mindfulness, Insight and Metta meditation with an emphasis on Buddhist psychology and mind-body awareness. He spent a year as a monk in Burma with Sayadaw U Pandita and Pa Auk Sayadaw, and he has completed the four year teacher-training program run by Spirit Rock and Insight Meditation Society.

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Meditation and Mindfulness by Martine Batchelor

2011-10-28T16:50:00.000+01:00

This talk by Martine Batchelor is from a recent retreat at Gaia House entitled "Meditation and study".

Gaia House is a Silent Meditation Retreat Centre – a sanctuary of contemplative calm set amongst the gentle hills and quiet woodlands of South Devon.

The original Gaia House was a former vicarage in Denbury, purchased in 1983. Maurice Ash simultaneously offered to host a Buddhist community in Sharpham House. At that point, Stephen and Martine Batchelor, returning from Korea, came to be part of the community. In time, they became part of the Gaia House teaching team.

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Final Talk at July Sesshin 2011 by Rev. Master Olwen Crookall-Greening

2011-10-21T17:30:00.001+01:00

This talk is by Rev. Master Olwen Crookall-Greening who used to be Prior at Reading Buddhist Priory which was founded by the late Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett in 1990. It is one of a number of temples of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (www.obcon.org) in Great Britain, Europe, Canada and North America. The Priory has had a number of resident monks over the years.

The Priory, to which the Newport Soto Zen group is affiliated, is located in a residential area of Reading and provides a place of peace and calm in the city where people can come to learn about Soto Zen Buddhism and meditation and participate in a regular weekly schedule of events.

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Similes of the Buddha by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

2011-10-07T11:09:00.000+01:00

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana is the founding abbot of the Bhavana Society. Born in rural Sri Lanka, he has been a monk since age 12 and took full ordination at age 20 in 1947. He came to the United States in 1968. “Bhante G” (as he is fondly called by his students) has written a number of books, including the now-classic meditation manual Mindfulness In Plain English and its companion Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness. Bhante G regularly leads retreats on vipassana, mindfulness, metta (Loving-friendliness), concentration, and other topics both at the Bhavana Society and elsewhere.

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Awaken Your Unborn Buddha Mind by Edward Espe Brown

2011-09-23T10:54:00.001+01:00

Kainei Edward Espe Brown (born March 24, 1945) is a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki and a well-known gourmet cook. A Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, Brown is the author of the best-selling Tassajara Bread Book. He regularly leads instructional cooking and baking classes and has been featured in the 2007 documentary film How to Cook Your Life by Doris Dorrie. Brown was ordained a priest by Suzuki-roshi in 1971, and from the mid-1960s on through the 80′s Brown lived at any one of the three San Francisco Zen Center locations—City Center, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm. Currently Brown leads the Peaceful Sea Sangha in California. Brown is a member of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association.

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Freedom - The Third Noble Truth by Gina Sharpe

2011-08-26T11:23:00.002+01:00

Gina Sharpe was born in Jamaica and immigrated to New York at the age of 11. She has an A.B. in Philosophy from Barnard College and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. Before practising law, she worked for the New York City government (the Lindsay Administration), in the motion picture industry (as Assistant to the Producer of feature length films Little Big Man, Paper Lion and Alice’s Restaurant), as well as conducting research in public not-for-profits. As a lawyer, she practised as a corporate litigator and then as a corporate lawyer. She also served as an executive in the fields of venture capital and mergers and acquisitions.

After retiring from the practice of law, she co-founded New York Insight Meditation Centre. She currently serves as the Guiding Teacher. Trained as a retreat teacher in a joint Teacher Training Program of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Insight Meditation Society, she teaches at various venues around the United States including Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Vallecitos Mountain Refuge, Mid America Dharma, Garrison Institute, Asia Society, Tibet House, the New York Open Center, the Katonah Yoga Center and a maximum security prison for women. She has been teaching the Dharma since 1995. She has served on the boards of directors of several not-for-profit and for-profit organizations.

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Unholy Emptiness by Stephen Batchelor

2011-08-05T10:57:00.000+01:00

Bodhidharma, the founder of Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism, was invited to visit the Emperor Wu of Liang, who was a great patron of Buddhism. The Emperor had built many monasteries, and he asked Bodhidharma what merit his generosity had earned. "No merit," said Bodhidharma. Startled, the Emperor asked Bodhidharma the supreme truth of the Dharma. "unholy emptiness" replied Bodhidharma. Finally, the Emperor asked, "Who are you?" "I don't know" said Bodhidharma.

Stephen Batchelor examines "Emptiness" in the context of the Buddha's teaching of the "Four Noble Truths".

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Reflections On The Lions Roar - Parts 1 & 2 by Ajahn Sucitto

2011-07-29T15:22:00.002+01:00

Ajahn Sucitto

Was born in London in 1949. He had his B.A. in English and American Literature at Warwick University in 1971. He went to Thailand in 1975, where he happened across a class in Buddhist meditation in Chiang Mai. After a few days' practice, he decided to make a tentative commitment to the Holy Life. He returned to England in 1978 and he decided to stay and train with Ajahn Sumedho and he was responsible for editing and publishing his talks, as well as other Sangha publications.

Ajahn Sucitto was one of the original groups of who founded Chithurst Monastery Cittavivekha in 1979. He also helped to establish a vihara in Northumberland, Aruna Ratanagiri on 1981. In 1984 he was part of the community that moved from Chithurst to Hertfordshire to start Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, where had the responsibility of supervising the nuns training, as well as other teaching duties. During this time he also began teaching overseas. In 1992 he was asked to take over the function of senior incumbent at Chithurst Monastery where he now resides.

Reflections On The Lions Roar - Part 1

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Reflections On The Lions Roar - Part 2

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Nun's Tea and the First Noble Truth by Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia

2011-07-20T16:14:00.002+01:00

This talk is by Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia which tells of one of her stays in Rocana Vihara, the Nun's Cottage, at Chithurst. She introduced the subject for the "Lay Forum" on our last visit to the monastery.

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How is the Understanding of Cognition-Only Verified by Reb Anderson

2011-06-24T14:37:00.001+01:00

The group found this a challenging talk the theme of which was that we can verify our experience by "eating rice and drinking tea"...... very Zen!

Reb Anderson, Tenshin Roshi is a lineage-holder in the Soto Zen tradition. Born in Mississipi, he grew up in Minnesota and left advanced study in mathematics and Western psychology to come to Zen Center in 1967. He practiced with Suzuki Roshi, who ordained him as a priest in 1970 and gave him the name Tenshin Zenki ("Naturally Real, The Whole Works"). He received dharma transmission in 1983 and served as abbot of San Francisco Zen Center's three training centers (City Center, Green Gulch Farm and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center) from 1986 to 1995. Tenshin Roshi continues to teach at Zen Center, living with his family at Green Gulch Farm.

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Distortions Of Mind by Rodney Smith

2011-06-10T16:19:00.000+01:00

This is the "sister" talk to the one below.

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Secrets Of The Mind by Rodney Smith

2011-05-27T11:05:00.001+01:00

Rodney Smith spent eight years in Buddhist monastic settings, both at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and during several years as a Buddhist monk in Asia. He ordained with Mahasi Sayadaw in Burma, then practiced for three years with Ajahn Buddhadasa in Thailand. He disrobed as a monk in 1983 and, after returning to the West, started working in hospice care and teaching Vipassana throughout the United States.
Rodney has devoted much of his energy to serving the dying—both in direct service positions and, until 2000, within hospice management. Since then Rodney has been a full-time dharma teacher conducting meditation classes and retreats and offering spiritual consultations. He serves as a guiding teacher for IMS and is the founding and guiding teacher for the Seattle Insight Meditation Society. He is author of the books Lessons from the Dying and Stepping Out of Self-Deception. His teaching emphasis is on awakening within the forms of daily lives.

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Mudita by Norman Fischer

2011-05-14T17:09:00.002+01:00

Zoketsu Norman Fischer (c. 1946) is a Jewish-American Soto Zen roshi, poet and Buddhist author practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Having served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995—2000, he has published several works of poetry and books on Buddhism. Fischer founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of sanghas with chapters in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He has authored several essays on interreligious dialogues, and to that end has attended gatherings such as the 1996 Gethsemani Encounter held at The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky (where the Trappist Thomas Merton lived). Fischer has also stayed in touch with his Jewish heritage, occasionally attending services at Beth Sholom synagogue in San Francisco, California and offering instruction in meditation to interested parties there. In addition, he has also served as mentor to teenage boys—all of which is chronicled in his book "Taking Our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up." Fischer also serves on the Board of Directors for the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, California.

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Taking the Refuges as Practice by Steve Armstrong

2011-05-02T16:55:00.000+01:00

Here's a fascinating take on taking the three refuges by Steve Armstrong.

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A True Person of No Status by Stephen Batchelor

2011-04-18T17:14:00.000+01:00

The following is another talk by Stephen Batchelor from a series on Zen meditation given at Gaia House.

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The Two Wings of the Dharma by Kamala Masters

2011-04-18T17:03:00.000+01:00

This talk received a mixed reception. It is by Kamala Masters, she is a co-founder and guiding teacher of the Vipassana Metta Foundation on Maui in the Hawaiian islands and is currently developing Ho'omālamalama, a sanctuary-hermitage for long-term practice.

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Starting All Over Again Part One by Stephen Batchelor

2011-04-18T17:01:00.000+01:00

The first two of this series of three talks by Stephen Batchelor are somewhat longer than is usual for Thursday evening talks but the series was so popular time was made available (we had our tea earlier!)

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Starting All Over Again Part Two by Stephen Batchelor

2011-04-18T16:59:00.000+01:00

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Starting All Over Again Part Three by Stephen Batchelor

2011-04-18T16:57:00.002+01:00

In this talk Stephen Batchelor examines the "middle path" of the Buddha's teaching. Taken from a Zen retreat at Gaia House.

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The Hindrances by Bhante Bodhidhamma

2011-04-18T16:56:00.000+01:00

In the late seventies Bhante Bodhidhamma began to meditate in the Soto Zen tradition with his first Buddhist teacher, Vajira Bailey in Birmingham. In August 1979 he underwent Jukai and committed himself to Buddhism as a Zen Buddhist at Throssel Hole Priory in Northumberland.

During this period he was living in Birmingham where a Burmese monk, Ven. Dr. Rewata Dhamma, had set up a Vihara. He began to visit and out of interest joined a course of meditation in the vipassana technique with Achaan Sumedho, now the Chief Monk of the Thai Forest Tradition based at Amaravati Buddhist Centre near Hemel Hempstead. That experience convinced him that Vipassana was to be the technique that most serviced his needs.

Soon after he met his core teacher, Sayadaw U Janaka of Burma (Myanmar). He is one of the main teachers in the Mahasi Tradition. Bhante went to spend six months with him in Yangon. It had a deep and lasting effect upon him.

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The Hindrances part II

2011-04-18T16:54:00.003+01:00

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Creative Engagement by Martine Batchelor

2011-04-18T16:53:00.001+01:00

MARTINE BATCHELOR was born in France in 1953. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in Korea in 1975. She studied Zen Buddhism under the guidance of the late Master Kusan at Songgwang Sa monastery until 1985. Her Zen training also took her to nunneries in Taiwan and Japan. From 1981 she served as Kusan Sunim's interpreter and accompanied him on lecture tours throughout the United States and Europe. She translated his book 'The Way of Korean Zen' and has written an unpublished manuscript about the life of Korean Zen nuns.

She returned to Europe with her husband, Stephen, in 1985. She was a member of the Sharpham North Community in Devon, England for six years. She worked as a lecturer and spiritual counsellor both at Gaia House and elsewhere in Britain. She has also been involved in interfaith dialogue. Until recently she was a Trustee of the International Sacred Literature Trust.

With her husband she co-leads meditation retreats worldwide. They now live in France.

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The Importance of Problems in Practice by Edward Brown

2011-04-18T16:46:00.005+01:00

Edward Espe Brown is a Soto Zen Buddhist priest. Edward was ordained in 1971 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, who gave him the Dharma name Jusan Kainei, which means "Longevity Mountain, Peaceful Sea." He is famous for also being a chef, co-founder Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, has written many books on "Zen cooking" and in 2007, was the subject of a critically acclaimed feature-length documentary film entitled "How to Cook Your Life", directed by Doris Dörrie. So this talk is a good follow on from Larry Rosenberg's talks on Dogen's instructions to the cook.

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Dogen's Instructions To The Cook - Part I by Larry Rosenberg

2011-04-18T16:43:00.001+01:00

This is the first in a series of talks around the themes raised in Eihei Dogen zenji's famous "Instructions for the Tenzo", the Tenzo being the head cook in a Zen monastery. In this first talk Rosenberg addresses the issues around "just doing your job" as a yogi (student) on retreat.

(the first 30 seconds are silent)

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Dogen's Instructions To The Cook - Part II by Larry Rosenberg

2011-04-18T16:42:00.001+01:00

In this talk Larry Rosenberg continues with the theme of daily life being practice and practice being daily life. When you cook "just" cook, put your whole attention and being into the work of the moment.

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Dogen's Instructions To The Cook - Part III by Larry Rosenberg

2011-04-18T16:40:00.003+01:00

There's a lot of ground covered in this one, good talk.

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Dogen's Instructions To The Cook - Part IV by Larry Rosenberg

2011-04-18T16:39:00.002+01:00

In this final talk of the series Larry Rosenberg offers advice on how to take the practice of the retreat with us back into the "world" of our everyday lives, pointing to the teaching to the cook that it's all the same; the moment is the moment.

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Independence Day, True Independence and Its Wider implications by James Baraz

2011-04-18T16:37:00.000+01:00

A talk given in the lead up to the 4th of July Independence day celebrations. James Baraz speaks of how true independence is freedom from the idea of self and how such freedom brings insight into the essential interdependence of everything.

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Knowing Attachment by Ajahn Santacitta

2011-04-18T16:35:00.002+01:00

Ajahn Santacitta is a senior nun at Aloka Vihara which with the blessing of the Forest Sangha monastic communities in Europe, was established as a branch monastery for training women in the United States.

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The Heart Based on the Brahma Viharas by Ajahn Thitamedha

2011-04-18T16:34:00.000+01:00

This is a talk by Ajahn Thitamedha, the Russian nun who lead the lay forum the first time we visited Chithurst monastery. You need to listen carefully as she has a strong accent but it's well worth it for this beautiful teaching and fresh take on the four Brahma Viharas or "Divine Abidings".

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The Buddhist Atheist, interview with Stephen Batchelor

2011-04-18T16:32:00.001+01:00

In this interview with Vince Horn of Buddhist Geeks, Secular Buddhist teacher Stephen Batchelor explores some of the ideas presented in his newest book, Confession of a Buddhist Atheist. They start off by examining the two Buddhist doctrines of karma and rebirth, using the original teachings of the Buddha, especially the “imponderables” as a touchstone for the conversation. Stephen’s basic claim being that the belief in rebirth doesn’t have sufficient evidence behind it, and it actually takes away from the core practices and teachings of the Buddha.

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Selves and Not-Self, Part I by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

2011-04-18T16:29:00.003+01:00

First in a series of 3 talks: The Buddha viewed perceptions of self and not-self as a form of karma, or action. Thus the question is not, “Do I have a self?” or “What is my true self?” Instead, it is “When is it skilful to perceive a self, and when is it more skilful to series of three talks will explore this last question. Part I explores the issue of why the Buddha refused to take a position on the question of whether or not there is a self.

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Selves and Not-Self, Part II

2011-04-18T16:28:00.001+01:00

Number two in this series of 3 Talks: The Buddha viewed perceptions of self and not-self as a form of karma, or action. Thus the question is not, "Do I have a self?" or "What is my true self?" Instead, it is "When is it skilful to perceive a self, and when is it more skilful to perceive not-self?" This series of three talks will explore this last question. Part II explores ways in which a healthy, mature sense of self is essential to the practice.

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Selves and Not-Self, Part III

2011-04-18T16:27:00.001+01:00

Last in a series of 3 talks: The Buddha viewed perceptions of self and not-self as a form of karma, or action. Thus the question is not, "Do I have a self?" or "What is my true self?" Instead, it is "When is it skillful to perceive a self, and when is it more skilful to perceive not-self?" This series of three talks will explore this last question. Part III explores the function of the perception of not-self as a means to true happiness.

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Direct Teaching Of Zen Master Soen Sa Nim by Larry Rosenberg

2011-04-18T16:25:00.000+01:00

Reflections on some lessons in letting go of a Korean Zen Master, told with depth and wit.

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Golfing With Monkeys by Tara Brach

2011-04-18T16:21:00.000+01:00

The Buddha taught that in any moment that we have an argument with life, we suffer. This talk explores the ways we are conditioned to think life should be different, and how the natural arising of unpleasant experience becomes locked into suffering. An experiential reflection guides us in how to respond, rather than react, to life's challenges...inhabiting a wise heart.

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Your Self Has No Shadow by John Daido Loori

2011-04-18T16:18:00.000+01:00

John Daido Loori, author, artist, Zen Master was the founder and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery in Mount Tremper, New York. Under Daido Loori’s direction, Zen Mountain Monastery has grown to be one of the leading Zen monasteries in America, widely noted for its unique way of integrating art and Zen practice.

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Miscellaneous posts below

2011-04-18T16:17:00.007+01:00

Shintoism and Buddhism

2011-02-17T18:10:00.017Z

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Japanese belief system Shinto.

A religion without gods, scriptures or a founder, Shinto is perhaps better described as a system of belief. Central to it is the idea of kami, spirits or deities associated with places, people and things. Shinto shrines are some of the most prominent features of the landscape in Japan, where over 100 million people - most of the population - count themselves as adherents.

Since its emergence as a distinct religion many centuries ago, Shinto has happily coexisted with Buddhism; in fact, adherents often practise both simultaneously. Although it has changed considerably in the face of political upheaval and international conflict, it remains one of the most significant influences on Japanese culture.

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Aung San Suu Kyi's Second Reith Lecture

2011-02-17T18:09:00.004Z

Burmese President elect, Aung San Suu Kyi, examines what drives people to dissent in the second of the 2011 Reith Lecture series. 'Securing Freedom'.

Reflecting on the history of her own party, the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, examines the meaning of opposition and dissident. She also explains her reasons for following the path of non-violence.

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Aung San Suu Kyi Delivers Reith Lecture

2011-02-17T18:08:00.001Z

Examining the themes of dissent and freedom, Suu Kyi will share the five-lecture series with former MI5 director general Eliza Manningham-Buller, whose talks will mark the 10th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks on America.

Evil and the Self

2011-02-17T18:07:00.002Z

Andrew Marr explores how far empathy, or the lack of it, can explain cruelty. Simon Baron-Cohen proposes turning the focus away from evil or specific personality disorders, and to understand human behaviour by studying the 'empathy circuit' in the brain. Gwen Adshead, a forensic psychotherapist at Broadmoor Hospital and the crime writer Val McDermid question whether this would help in their line of work, and the philosopher Julian Baggini tries to pin down what we mean when we talk about the self.

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We're All in this Together?

2011-02-17T18:06:00.003Z

Keeping it topical, here's a talk on Buddhist economics by Kavyasiddhi.

"All in this together - is it time for a Buddhist economics?"

2010-06-27T11:40:00.002+01:00

From the BBC Radio 4 series "A History of the World in a Hundred Objects", Neil MacGregor tells the story of one of the world's best known figures, the Buddha.

2010-06-27T11:32:00.001+01:00

From the BBC Radio 4 series "A History of the World in a Hundred Objects", "Empire Builders (300 BC - 1 AD) Pillar of Ashoka" - Neil MacGregor on the life and legacy of the great Indian Buddhist ruler Ashoka.

2010-05-01T17:18:00.007+01:00

Here's one of my favourite talks, "The four Noble Truths" by Steve Armstrong

2010-04-30T12:28:00.003+01:00

This one is by another of my favourite speakers, Ajahn Brahm (he of the infamous "Bhikkhuni ordinations"). This one is called "The Buddhist Approach To World Conflict"

2010-04-29T12:04:00.000+01:00

And another, by Ajahn Brahm "Buddhism and Atheism"