Padmavajra:
Top Talks
Ordained at 19, Padmavajra has been a member of the Ordination team at Padmaloka for over 30 years, and is a preceptor and kalyana mitra to many. He is also a prolific giver of talks, and has a great amount of teaching experience.
01
Introducing the Great Love (2004)
This is the first in a five part series by Padmavajra on all aspects of the Metta Bhavana practice and 'The Great Love' in Buddhist discourse and practice - from metta (loving kindness) itself to Bodhichitta. His starting point here is to source notions of love in traditional teaching from the Pali Canon and in the great Mahayana sutras. A refreshing take on metta and how to cultivate it in your life.
02
The Sound of Reality (2005)
This richly rewarding talk explores the place and function of sound in Buddhist practice and history, as well as within Padmavajra's own spiritual life. A wide-ranging cultural journey is made from John Coltrane to Sufi Qawwali, from mantra to Zen poetry, taking in Andre Gide, Renaissanace Neoplatonism and the ancient Pali Verses en route
03
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The Essential Revolution - Dhammapada Verses 1 & 2 (2007)
The first talk in Padmavjara's wonderful series on the Dhammapada, the most popular of early Buddhist texts. All of the Buddha's core teachings are here - held in heart and mind there's more than enough in the Dhammapada to take us as far in our practice as we can imagine, and then on beyond...
Further recommendations
The Liar, the King, and the Flawed Yogin (2007)
"Talk four of the eight-part series, The Crazy Wisdom of the Mahasiddhas." Padmavajra explores how any form or situation can be a source of liberation when understanding emptiness. Through the stories of Thaganapa the Liar, Ajogi the Wastrel, Kankana the King, and Khana, he reveals the path of the flawed yogin.
The Fragrance of the Unseen
Talk 2 of 2 exploring Bhante's poetry, Padmavajra explores the poem The Unseen Flower. In the course of his talk Padmavajra explores in some detail the symbolism of perfume, emptiness, compassion and finally arriving at some reflections on Bhante's long poem The Veil of Stars.
Ariyapariyesana Sutta Seminar
During the first Great Gathering of 2016 at Padmaloka, 'The Buddha's Noble Quest', Padmavajra led three inspiring seminars on the Ariyapariyesana Sutta. The sutta contains one of the oldest versions of the life of the Buddha, given by the Buddha himself. It was the first text on which Sangharakshita led a seminar on the first retreat held at Padmaloka.
"The More They Beat Us, The Louder We Sang" -The Perfection of Patience
"Serenity, freedom from disease, joy, and long life—these the patient person receives while in cyclic existence." Padmavajra’s sixth talk on the Bodhicaryavatara explores Shantideva’s deep examination of patience, its power against anger, and how to cultivate it amid suffering, especially towards those who harm us or our loved ones.