Interviews with Sangharakshita
6 conversations
1. What is Buddhism? - with Padmasuri. Enlightenment; God; is Buddhism a religion, a philosophy or a way of life?; the variety of Buddhist schools; essential teachings; altruism; what a Buddhist believes; how one becomes a Buddhist; monks, nuns and the lay community; suffering; what happens after death ... (60 mins)
2. The Buddha - with Suvajra. The discovery of the Buddha, the difference between the Buddha and God, worship, human perfection, faith, the character of the Buddha, the Buddha's teachers, the India of the Buddha, supernormal faculties, humour, what the Buddha would have criticised about Buddhism today, gaining Enlightenment today, stream entry, art ... (60 mins)
3. Buddhist Meditation - with Ratnaguna. Why Buddhist meditation is different, 'how things really are', how to gain Insight, who can meditate, why some people find it difficult, the hindrances to meditation, is it harder to meditate today?, meditation in the city, how much one needs to meditate, escapism, the mindfulness of breathing and the metta bhavana practices, more 'powerful' practices, how to learn, dangers, fear, the importance of ethics ... (60 mins)
4. Buddhism in the Modern World - with Dhammaloka. Christianity versus Buddhism, materialism, Buddhism in the Eastern Society, the importance of Buddhism in the West, Buddhism and modern science, the environment, the simple life, changing ones lifestyle, right livelihood, affecting society, western art, unhelpful contemporary influences ... (60 mins)
5. Buddhist Morality - with Subhuti. The alleged demise of morality, karma, Buddhist ethics, conventional and natural morality, the precepts, non-violence, spiritual friendship, sex, guilt, unskilful and skilful actions, the teacher's behaviour, using precepts, the value of rules, breaking the law ... (60 mins)
6. The FWBO - with Nagabodhi. Buddhism in England before the FWBO, how Buddhism was going astray, what the FWBO had to be, leaving Kalimpong, setting up the FWBO, his teacher's advice, the FWBO and the three yanas, the early days, Going for Refuge, spiritual friendship, commitment and lifestyle, rules in the FWBO, the new society, his vision for the future, new directions, his successor ... (60 mins)
Desert Island Discs
Which eight pieces of music would one choose to take if one was stranded on a desert island? This is the challenge of 'Desert Island Discs'. In this interview, organised at the Croydon Buddhist Centre to raise funds for Aranya, Sangharakshita takes up this challenge. In an intimate and entertaining manner he talks about many incidents from his life, ranging from his early years through to his life in India, and throughout the conversation he reveals, one by one, the music he would take with him. (66 min)
Questions & Answers at Kuhhude
The highlights of five hours of questions and answers with Sangharakshita held in April 1991 at Kuhhude, the retreat centre of FWBO Germany. Answers include the doctrinal, the practical and the autobiographical. (52 mins)
Summer Camp Q & A
Sangharakshita answers questions put to him by members of the American women's sangha during his 1993 American Tour.
With a mixture of anecdote, autobiography and doctrine Sangharakshita explores the early beginning of the FWBO and its gradual evolution into an important Buddhist movement of the West. (40 mins)
An Audience with Sangharakshita
At Croydon Buddhist Centre in December 2004, on his first public appearance since a period of illness, Sangharakshita answered questions on a diverse range of topics.
Communicating from his own perspective on life, thoughtful and inspiring, Sangharakshita covers the relationship between teacher and pupil, the early years of the FWBO, collective karma, altruistic activity as an insight practice, the happiest and saddest moments of his life, and many other questions.