Dharmabytes From Free Buddhist Audio

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Transforming the World, Khemasuri explores the message of Transforming the World in The Sutra of Golden Light at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre 2008. Talk given on 17th June 2008 as part of a series on Great Buddhist Texts.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Buddhism and Culture, Sangharakshita illustrates how it is only possible to change the world fundamentally when we are receptive to the influence of higher spiritual dimensions. From the talk of the same name, Buddhism and Culture, given in 1976 as part of the series Transformation of Life and World in the Sutra of Golden Light.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Gathering Wisdom, we hear from Vidyadevi during the opening of the new Sangharakshita Library at Adhisthana. Sangharakshita, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order, has long dreamed of starting a new library to house his collection of 11,000 books on Buddhism, the Dharma and literature (including extensive reference and poetry collections). Vidyadevi, one of the people who helped make it happen, introduces the new library as it finally opens its doors. Her passion for this project and her love of books is both infectious and challenging as she speaks about a library with its eyes as firmly on the future as on the past. The full talk, Gathering Wisdom While We May and#8211; The Opening of the Sangharakshita Library includes a great introduction and conclusion by Vajragupta on the genesis and future of the Sangharakshita Library.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Two Routes to Samatha, Viveka describes the many mindfulness practices and two routes to samatha. From the talk Mindfulness as Sadhana given at the Triratna Buddhist Order Convention 2005.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Stories to Orientate our Psyche, Ratnaghosha shares how stories are the primary way in which the imagination orients our psyche. Listen to Ratnaghosha’s telling of this most famous story in the life of the Buddha and#8211; his going forth. This talk was given to launch the new Sangha Night at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Going Forth as Skilled Action, Maitreyabandhu adds a liveliness and concreteness to the theme of going forth. From the talk Positive Emotion and#8211; Skilled Action given during a 4-day retreat in May 2013, at Dharmagiri retreatcenter, Sweden. Maitryeabandhu gave four seminars on and#8216;The five great stages of spiritual lifeand#8217;, as it is viewed and practiced within the Triratna Buddhist community. He draws substantially on the writing and teaching that Sangharakshita and Subhuti has produced in recent years.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is titled: Understanding Anatta. Tackling such terms as self, I, individual, and ego, reveals that each can have both a positive and a negative connotation. What is the self, and how can we cultivate true Individuality? Talk given in 1970. From the talk Individuality, True and False, by Sangharakshita, part of the series Aspects of the Higher Evolution of the Individual.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is titled: Radically Renouncing Blame, an excerpt from the full talk by the same name. As part of our Saturday Sangha mornings, Vijayasri presented an inspiring talk which looks at the Radical aspects of practice which form the Croydon Buddhist Centreand#8217;s new vision.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is titled: Experiencing Suffering. Stay in the gap with our difficult emotions to be with one’s suffering and#8211; this is the place of the spiritual warrior. From the talk and#8220;The Defects and Dangers of Samsaraand#8221;, by Maitreyi, the final talk in a five-part series from Tiratanalokaand#8217;s retreat on the and#8216;Four Mind Turningsand#8217; of the Tibetan tradition.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is titled: The Story of Self. From the talk and#8220;Suffering and Joy and#8211; Compost For Loveand#8221; by Dayajoti, given during the setup for Buddhafield Festival 2013 (theme and#8216;Fire in the Heartand#8217;) on the Four Brahma Viharas. Includes a reading of the Mallikaa Sutta.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Building the Buddha Landand#8221; by Sangharakshita. In this excerpt he answers the question, and#8220;How Is the Buddha Land Relevant to Us?and#8221;, using the sphere of creativity and the arts as an example. Part of the series and#8220;The Inconceivable Emancipation and#8211; Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdeshaand#8221; given in 1979.

Jvalamalini brings us todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, an excerpt from her talk and#8220;At Home In the Cosmos; Myth, Magic and Usand#8221;. She explains that we can start effectively reading the Mahayana sutras by first becoming and#8220;At Home with Mythand#8221; as a way of accessing aspects of spiritual experience that are unreachable through logic alone.

Sangharakshita answers the question, and#8220;What is a Buddha Land? in todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte. From the talk and#8220;Building the Buddhalandand#8221; and part of the excellent series and#8220;The Inconceivable Emancipation and#8211; Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdeshaand#8221; given by Sangharakshita in 1979.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Pure and Impure Buddhalands and#8211; This Very Place, the Lotus Paradiseand#8221; by Taranita. He begins the talk by and#8220;Reading the Sukhavativyuha Sutraand#8221;, a text that expounds on the grandeur and wealth of riches available in the Pure Land. Taranita addresses the practical skepticism that often comes up in the face of the flowery language of the sutra, and suggests we look at it symbolically and mythically. Talk given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2015

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, is from the rather fabulous talk and#8220;Death and the Buddhistand#8221; by Danavira. Weand#8217;ve titled this and#8220;Death Has 10,000 Doorsand#8221;. Danavira is one of the best speakers we know and#8211; he is very funny, can do poetic and profound, tends to the chaotic in his style, and has a particular genius for this kind of thing; this kind of thing being talking about death. The whole talk is a kind of respectful joyride through the hardest subject of all and#8211; sit back and enjoy a thoroughly adult treat thatand#8217;s likely to blow the heart wide open. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, Menand#8217;s Event 2000

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Finite Nature of Lifeand#8221; is from Paramananda. Beginning the talk with a poem, he explores the importance of coming into relation with suffering, especially regarding our own and othersand#8217; death. If we do not take on the finite nature of our lives, we cannot practise effectively.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte,and#8220;One Big Mistakeand#8221; Padmakumara gives us much to consider in the areas of existential suffering, incompleteness, and the wrong view that external things can be relied on for happiness. From the talk and#8220;I Read the News Today, Oh Boyand#8221; and#8211; A talk on real practice in the sometimes painfully real worldand#8230;

Sangharakshita rouses us with todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, entitled and#8220;Making the Best Use of Our Time and#8211; Practice the Dharma!and#8221;. From the 1996 talk and#8220;Intellect, Emotion, and Willand#8221; given at the opening of the Manchester Buddhist Centre.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Sangha as Bodhicitta Practiceand#8221;, Vajratara suggests that of the Bodhicitta practises we might take up and#8211; the puja or the various reflections on the suffering of beings and#8211; the most useful and effective Bodhichitta practice is the practice of sangha, of spiritual community. Now thereand#8217;s a thought! From the talk, and#8220;Generating Bodhi Mindand#8221; given at Taraloka, May 2009.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Our Reaction to Sufferingand#8221;, Kulaprabha offers quite personal reflections on our responses to suffering. From the talk and#8220;Contemplating the Suffering of Beingsand#8221; given at Taraloka.