Audiobooks by Nicolas Soames

The Lotus Sutra: The White Lotus Sutra of the True Dharma

The Lotus Sutra is one of the most important Mahayana texts and the most widely read, chanted and revered, particularly in Asian Buddhist countries, notably China and Japan. It is the root text, so to speak, of the ‘Pure Land' schools, which often regard it as the principal Buddhist sutra, the study and practice of which projects the participant along the path to nirvana. It is certainly a remarkable document, replete with the Mahayana characteristics of fantastical images, extraordinary appearances, magical happenings, views of time and space which are galactic in size and pronouncements which are definite, unequivocal, practical in some areas and dependent upon a faith commitment in others. First and foremost, it proclaims the one yana or vehicle of the Mahayana teaching as preeminent over other teachings, especially those following the paths of the sravakayana (the hearers - the bhikshus) and the pratyekabuddhas (those attaining enlightenment through a solitary path) but also the lay men and lay women. These are the ‘four classes of assembly' who, according the Lotus Sutra, have been following the ‘preliminary' teachings presented by the Buddha Sakyamuni as an ‘expedient' (skilful means). The Lotus Sutra sees the Buddha, teaching from the Gridhrakuta, the Vulture Peak, the full teaching of the Mahayana which leads unerringly (if over aeons in larger numbers than the sands of the Ganges!) to nirvana. Contained within the 27 chapters are many of the principal Buddhist teachings seen in all the schools across the world: the four noble truths, the 12 nidana chain, the six paramitas or perfections; again and again the qualities of mindfulness, diligence, patience and spiritual vigour or energy are propounded - without these, nirvana is not attainable. In short, the path to enlightenment is not for the faint-hearted. Around these core teachings are magical stories of numerous Buddhas from different time eras appearing to support the teaching of Sakyamuni; bodhisattvas appearing from cracks in the ground; the Buddha Prabhutaratna, a Buddha of the far past, appearing in a jewelled stupa; celestial chariots flitting around the sky; and the familiar bodhisattvas of Manjusri, Maitreya, Bhaishajyaraja and many others all have a place in this ultimate cosmic drama. The Lotus Sutra is an extraordinary vision, far from the more practical, straightforward texts of the Pali Canon. For those not accustomed to extreme Mahayana images it can appear very strange indeed. But for those prepared to go with it, it is remarkably absorbing, with a particular charisma and, without belittling it, even charm. That said, it has not been without controversy in the Pure Land tradition, and its often-repeated insistence on its efficacy by some practitioners over the years has occasionally led it into controversial areas. Nevertheless, it is a pinnacle of world Buddhist literature. The Lotus Sutra was originally a Sanskrit text, Saddharma Pundarika, which is translated variously - here, it is The White Lotus Sutra of the True Dharma, though it is generally known by its short version. Its popularity in the East is based on a fifth-century translation by the respected Chinese translator Kumarajiva, and most of the recent English translations have come from this Chinese source. However, the first Western translations (from a Sanskrit text originating from Nepal) were by Eugène Burnouf into French in the 1852; and then, using the same source, by the Dutch tr

Hendrik Kern, Nicolas Soames (Author), Taradasa (Narrator)

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The Essential Englishman: A Celebration

There is no watertight excuse for this book. It strolls impertinently over ground that has been carefully mapped by the qualified authorities and elegantly appreciated by many devoted amateurs. Its purview is ludicrously broad - nothing less than an exhibition of the Englishman in his more characteristic manifestations through the ages. It is, wriggle out of it as we would, a hopelessly, damnably patriotic book. However, it is our opinion that the evils of nationalism, cultural hostility, race hatred and fear of social change are best countered by an open regard for the values of one's own society and a cheerful celebration of its virtues - and, on this basis, an honest recognition of its failures and weaknesses. The Essential Englishman is a fascinating portrait that seeks to define at least some of the Englishman's attitudes, to celebrate his successes, admire his strengths, to glance with understanding at his weaknesses and also to reflect the way that others see him. Recent dramatic political changes make it even more timely for the millennial Englishman to be able to gain, through looking back at history, a quirky if affectionate view at who and what he is. The picture that emerges is rich in contradictions. The archetypal Englishman, it seems, adores animals yet has a passion for fox hunting; he has founded empires but has an inherent mistrust for anything foreign; he is suspicious of government yet trusts his (unwritten) Constitution implicitly. And while the English possess a profound scepticism about the value of creative endeavour, England has consistently given the world some of its greatest poets, writers, musicians and artists. Authors Duncan Steen and Nicolas Soames have called evidence for the defence (and occasionally for the prosecution) from more than a thousand years of English literature, history and historical anecdote while witnesses range from Shakespeare to Bernard Shaw, from Dr Johnson to D. H. Lawrence - and a range of foreigners who are bemused yet often view their subjects with a whimsical goodwill. By turns hilarious, sad, heroic, eccentric, maddening and oddly inspiring, here is the true Englishman - at school, in love, in battle, at prayer, at sport, abroad, or at home in the country. This entertaining and informative book is essential listening for everyone in or out of England, and especially as it forges a new identity within the geographic (if not political) environs of Europe.

Duncan Steen, Nicolas Soames (Author), Nicholas Boulton (Narrator)

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Famous People in History, Vol. 2

There is a need for accessible short biographies of key people for younger listeners. Following the success of Famous People, Volume I, Nicolas Soames presents another varied group of men and women who have changed the course of history. This is the second volume of popular histories of famous people.

Nicolas Soames (Author), Daniel Philpott, Garrick Hagon, Laura Brattan, Nicolas Soames (Narrator)

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Famous People in History, Vol. 1

Here are the stories of nine people whose energy, imagination, courage and determination changed the world. From Christopher Columbus, who set off into unknown seas in a small ship in the fifteenth century, to a young girl, Anne Frank, caught in the turmoil of the twentieth, who wrote a remarkable diary while in hiding in Amsterdam during the Second World War. Their personalities and their achievements make them heroes and heroines for our time also.

Nicolas Soames (Author), Katinka Wolf, Nicolas Soames, Trevor Nichols (Narrator)

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