Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio (Dharmachakra)

Padmavajra brings us into contact with the depths of the Diamond Sutra in todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, with this segment entitled and#8220;The Buddhaand#8217;s Parinirvanaand#8221;. Drawing on the story of the Buddhaand#8217;s final days, he illustrates the principle of practicing perfect generosity by giving of oneself freely and unsupported.

From the talk and#8220;The Diamond Sutra and#8211; Taking Mind to its Limits: Talk 3and#8243;, part of the series and#8220;The Diamond Sutra and#8211; Taking Mind to its Limitsand#8221;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte gives a short introduction by Sangharakshita to the Pali Canon in and#8221;A Passage from the Mahaparinibbana Suttaand#8221; and#8211; one of the earliest and most well-known Buddhist texts.

From the talk and#8220;The Disappearing Buddhaand#8221;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte features Dhammarati on the topic of Going for Refuge. In Mind and the Nature of Commitment he talks about setting the mind to purified intention and making correction after failure and#8211; crucial aspects in cultivating a committed Buddhist practice.

From the talk and#8220;A System of Trainingand#8221;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte speaks here on the challenge of building a Buddhist movement. In What is a Committed Buddhist? he discusses the need for Buddhist movements to be run only by committed Buddhists and who actually practice the Buddhaand#8217;s teachings, not by those who merely have an intellectual interest. But how can one know who is a committed Buddhist?

From the talk and#8220;Commitment and Spiritual Communityand#8221;, part of a series entitled and#8220;A New Buddhist Movement and#8211; the Meaning of the FWBOand#8221;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte explores four reasons Why We Fear Death drawn by Kulaprabha from the Abhaya Sutta in the Pali Canon. Itand#8217;s a lovely segment from a larger talk looking at the roots of fear, how it relates to change and transformation in spiritual practice, and how we can live more fearlessly.

From the talk System of Meditation Retreats and#8211; Spiritual Death, Fear and Fearlessness.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Fear, Terror, and Heroic Virtues is an exploration of the cremation ground as a symbol of transformation. Are we ready to face our own death, and the total transformation it symbolises? From the talk “The Symbolism of the Cremation Ground and the Celestial Maidens” by Sangharakshita given in 1971.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Kusala Karma = Skillful Action Vajragupta explores the meaning of kusula karma, that being skillful action. It’s not about being right, it’s about what’s human, what’s kind, what’s mindful.

From the talk Positive Emotion given at Croydon Buddhist Centre in January 2016 in a study group on The Journey and The Guide by Maitreyabandhu.

The five precepts are an expression of position emotion and#8211; they are like poetry in motion. Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Precepts as Poetry is an excerpt is from the talk Generosity As A Foundation Of Positive Emotion. Vijayasri considers how having generosity at the centre of a mandala, based on the positive precepts, can help us to develop positive emotion.

This talk was given at Croydon Buddhist Centre in February 2016 as part of the Dharma study group on The Journey and The Guide by Maitreyabandhu

When you are relaxed, it’s much easier to love. In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, A New Way to Metta Ratnaguna introduces a new way to approach the Metta Bhavana, the development of loving kindness. This excerpt is from the talk Metta Bhavana: Letting Kindness Happen given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre in February 2012. Ratnaguna introduces a new way to approach the Metta Bhavana,the development of loving kindness. This excerpt is from the talk Metta Bhavana Letting Kindness Happen given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre in February 2012.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is a short excerpt from Metta and#8211; a Thread That Connects by Singhamati. This talk was given on a Young Womensand#8217; Weekend at Taraloka. Itand#8217;s a personal and poetic talk exploring Metta as a thread that connects us to ourselves, others, the world and reality.

Parami comes out strong in todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Ethics and Compassion. The Buddha realised full well how hard it was going to be to communicate what he had discovered to other people and#8211; to us. He knew that the grip of greed, hatred and delusion is very strong. He could imagine how vexatious it might be to teach. Fortunately for us, he could also see our potential. And so out of compassion he taught. Parami explores this theme of the Buddhaand#8217;s compassionate action and how ultimately it came from beyond self, beyond other and#8211; it emerged from his realisation of and#8216;Emptinessand#8217;.

From the talk Out of Compassion for the World by Parami given at Triratna (FWBO) International Retreat at Taraloka, May 08

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, The Spiritual Community of Individuals Sangharakshita describes his understanding of true sangha. In creating a spiritual community people need to eschew completely the use of the and#8216;power modeand#8217; in interacting with each other. This contrasts strongly with ordinary and#8216;groupsand#8217;, where relationships are often based on authority, sometimes the authority of a personal God.
Talk given in 1979.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is a little gem from an infectiously delightful talk by Sanghaketu on the subject of joyful resonance with others (mudita) as part of the 2015 Rainy Season Retreat on the Brahma Viharas. In Coming Back to Gladness he really gets into his subject here! And his sense and experience of gladness comes across beautifully through laughter and reflection on the boon of good friends. From the talk A Personal Take On Mudita by Sanghaketu given in March 2015.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is entitled Joy and Compassion, an excerpt from Suffering and Joy and#8211; Compost For Love by Dayajoti. This talk was given during the setup for Buddhafield Festival 2013 (theme and#8216;Fire in the Heartand#8217;) on the Four Brahma Viharas.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, All Conditioned Thingsand#8230; is an excerpt from the talk Seeing with Insight and#8211; Dhammapada Verses 277 to 279 by Padmavajra. All of the Buddhaand#8217;s core teachings are here and#8211; held in heart and mind thereand#8217;s more than enough in the Dhammapada to take us as far in our practice as we can imagine, and then on beyondand#8230;
Talk recorded at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2007
This talk is part of the series The Dhammapada and#8211; the Buddhaand#8217;s Way of Truth.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, we hear from Parami, our international Order Convenor, about how dukkha is not living in harmony with truth of conditioned existence and how it is metta that is the volitional response to interconnectedness. Living in Harmony With Truthis an excerpt from the talk Living in Harmony With Truth is from the talk and#8220;The Awakening Heart,and#8221; the first talk in the series of the same name. It touches on aspects of Sangharakshitaand#8217;s and#8216;system of meditationand#8217;, and most specifically the area of positive emotion. Parami is an ideal guide for this sort of material, steeped as she is in study and practice engaged with in the light of the and#8216;Bodhichittaand#8217;, and the Bodhisattva Ideal itself.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Podcast Nothing Is Standing Still Sangharakshita describes the characteristic of anitta as the whole universe is one vast set of processes, all interrelated. From the talk, and#8220;The Texture of Reality,and#8221; given in 1966, a lecture dealing with the three marks (lakshanas) of conditioned existence and their transcendence via the three liberations (vimokshas).

In todayand#8217;s FBA Podcast we hear more vintage Sangharakshita in Understanding Anatta (and#8216;No Self’). Everything we know about the self is in constant change and flux. You cannot understand what is meant by anatta until you know this truth. From the talk and#8220;Individuality, True and Falseand#8221; that tackles 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.

Dayajoti gives us todayand#8217;s FBA Podcast entitled Dukkha to Compassion. From the talk entitled, and#8220;Bodies of Earth and#8211; Beyond Me and Mine and#8211; Dukkhaand#8221; given on a two-week womenand#8217;s retreat at Eco-Dharma in May of 2012.

Sangharakshita reflects on William Blakeand#8217;s concept of the and#8220;devouringand#8221; aspect of mind and how it relates to the chain of conditionality in todayand#8217;s FBA Podcast entitled Blakeand#8217;s Idea of the and#8216;Devouringand#8217; Aspect of Mind. From the talk entitled, and#8220;Fields of Creativityand#8221; given in 2001.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast from Vajrapriya entitled To Make the Imperfect Perfect is Enough to Love it, he discusses the fact of suffering or dukkha as part of being human. What are we to do? We can love what is, and in doing so make the imperfect perfect. From the talk entitled, and#8220;Loving What Isand#8221; given in January 2008.

Drawing out concepts from the Dhammapadaand#8217;s verses, Padmavajra explores the qualities of faith (or shraddha) in this Dharmabyte podcast entitled and#8220;Shraddha and#8211; A Curious Intuitionand#8221;. From the talk and#8220;Changing Hatred into Love and#8211; Dhammapada Verses 3 to 6and#8243; given in 2007, and part of a larger series and#8220;The Dhammapada and#8211; The Buddhaand#8217;s Way of Truthand#8221;.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast entitled and#8220;Metta as Quite Ordinary and Everydayand#8221;, Jvalamalini gives a very personal and helpful take on the metta bhavana (loving kindness) practice, recounting her history with it and the kinds of areas she has worked with over the years in order to learn to love herself and others as deeply as she can, specifically here how metta is very simple, practical and not necessarily out of the ordinary.

From the talk and#8220;A Personal Take On Metta Practiceand#8221; given as part of the 2015 Rainy Season Retreat on the Brahma Viharas.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast Sangharakshita reminds us that real transformation begins with the dawn of insight or clear vision. In this excerpt entitled and#8220;The Process of Transformationand#8221; Sangharakshita describes the opening of the Dharma Eye in terms of seeing things as they really are and#8211; upturning the four topsy turvy views.

From the talk The Transcendental Eightfold Path given in 1994 as part of the series Two Lectures to a Conference on the Nature of Reality – Buddhism as Transformation.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast, Parami gives us and#8220;and#8216;Knowingand#8217; as a Lived Experienceand#8221; from the talk Living In The Greater Mandala.
A bodhisattva is a being intent upon awakening for the sake of all beings. Most of us, most of the time, are not as awake as we could be. We create suffering by trying to fit reality into our picture of how we think things should be and#8211; the bodhisattva helps us see how unhelpful this is. This was the introductory talk for the 2015 Triratna International Urban Retreat.

Our FBA Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled and#8220;Awareness of Selfand#8221; by Sangharakshita. Forgetfulness and distraction are the rule in ordinary life, but awareness and a and#8216;fullness of mindand#8217; is at the heart of human growth and development. Sangharakshita distinguishes four dimensions of awareness, each with its own qualities: awareness of things, self, others, and reality.
From the talk Levels of Awareness: Right Mindfulness given in 1968 as part of the series The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast, and#8220;What is Metta?and#8221; Dayajoti and Saddhanandi talk about Metta as an ungraspable co-arising, inseparable from mindfulness, which expresses itself in different ways. What is Metta, What is Insight is the final talk in a series from a 12 day meditation retreat on metta as a path to insight from May 2015.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast, and#8220;What is Insight?and#8221; Dayajoti and Saddhanandi talk about Metta as an ungraspable co-arising, inseparable from mindfulness, which expresses itself in different ways. What is Metta, What is Insight is the final talk in a series from a 12 day meditation retreat on metta as a path to insight from May 2015.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast Vadanya gives us and#8220;Tangled Up in Sorrowand#8221;, an excerpt from the talk Wisdom In The World. It’s through not knowing the truth about the way things are that we create all sorts of destruction, unhappiness and sorrow for ourselves and those around us.

Todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast is called and#8220;The Tree is Teaching Usand#8221; by Suchitta. The birth of a tree is no different from our own and#8211; dependent on conditions and the elements. Every part of the body changes according to it’s nature, no different from the tree.
From the talk The Defects of Samsara and Cultivating the Desire For Enlightenment.

Weand#8217;ve titled todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte podcast and#8220;A Darkness Was Ripped From My Eyesand#8221;, a line from the poem, Singapore, by Mary Oliver, recited with commentary offered by Ratnaguna. As our eyes open to the lives of others, we try to run away from what we do not like. We think there is nothing we can do, or is there?

From the talk, The Tender Gravity of Kindness, by Ratnaguna, a commentary on two poems: Singapore by Mary Oliver and Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye. Talk given by Ratnaguna on Sangha Night at Stockholm Buddhist Center the 26th of October 2015.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast, and#8220;A Conversation About Poetry and#8220;, from Maitreyabandhuand#8217;s Book Launch of his two new books: The Journey and the Guide; and Yarn, a new collection of poems. In conversation with Visuddhimati, he discusses his life, his writing, and stresses the importance of making time to do nothing.

At the North London Buddhist Centre, 28th September 2015.

Weand#8217;ve titled todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte podcast, and#8220;Fluidity in Our Nature: The Seaand#8221;. In this gentle talk, Arthabandhu gives us the image of the sea and the raft. We hold onto our raft, but this brings suffering and#8211; can we let go, enter the sea and become spiritually reborn? This is the question Arthabandhu asks us.
Spiritual death does not only mean esoteric meditation practices, it means confronting the vagaries and difficulties of life with honesty and courage and seeing what we can learn from them. By opening up to new experiences life becomes more vivid and enjoyable and#8211; if we can just face the fear.
From the talk, The Sea As Spiritual Death, given at Young Men Retreat, Padmaloka 2012.

Todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast is a short talk by Nityabodha
given as part of the LBCand#8217;s Urban Retreat in June 2009 entitled and#8220;Glimpses of Visionand#8221;.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast entitled, and#8220;Breaking Through with Awarenessand#8221;, we are reminded that awareness is the great dissolver of negative emotions. At times in the spiritual life we may need considerable energy to overcome obstacles, such as negative emotions, psychological conditionings, rational thinking, and even the sense of and#8216;timeand#8217; itself. How, when, and where can we break through?
From the talk Breaking Through into Buddhahood
by Sangharakshita given in 1969.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast entitled, and#8220;Karma with a Twistand#8221;, Subhuti clearly describes how unwholesome mental states influence how we interpret our experience. This is why we begin with sila (ethics) on the path. From the talk, Rambles Around the Yogachara: Talk 1, part of the series Rambles Around the Yogachara by Subhuti. the Yogachara school of Buddhist philosophy, which provides a comprehensive psychological overview of the workings of and#8216;consciousnessand#8217;. This talk introduces the whole (complex!) subject with an admirable easy humour, leading us through the mazy twists and turns of the mind. We wonand#8217;t even try to sum it up here and#8211; listen and marvel in an appropriately bewildered kind of wayand#8230;
Please note, theses and#8216;ramblesand#8217; were given without notes and may contain quotational misrememberings and inevitable slips of the tongue!
Talk given at London Buddhist Centre, 2003

Todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast is aptly namedand#8220;It’s Not Fair!and#8221; by Kalyanaprabha. Lifeand#8217;s unfair, what can we do about it? We can practice the Dharma and follow the Buddhaand#8217;s teachings. Kalyanaprabhaand#8217;s sober yet uplifting talk encourages us to do just that. Excerpt from the talk: What to Do In An Unfair World.

Fear is the great modern disease. Helping to create the conditions of fearlessness is one of the greatest gifts we can give. Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte podcast is entitledand#8220;The Gift of Fearlessnessand#8221; by Sangharakshita from the talk Altruism and Individualism in the Spiritual Life Talk given in 1969 as part of the series Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal.

Fear is the great modern disease. Helping to create the conditions of fearlessness is one of the greatest gifts we can give. Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte podcast is entitledand#8220;Knowing the Dangers, Seeking the Nobleand#8221; by Dhivan. Here, Dhivan draws out some of the continuing significance of the story of the noble quest, as a kind of blueprint for the model of the Dharma life as heroic self-development. From the talk The Buddhas Noble Quest given at a Sangha evening at Bristol Buddhist Centre.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte podcast Vajratara delivers and#8220;Mindfulness Really is The Wayand#8221;, a short excerpt from the talk, Insight In The Everyday. Satipatana is a practice of bringing awareness to what is going on in your experience. A dynamic process that is continuous and ultimately the key to Insight. More than just focusing on our present experience, it’s also being aware of the significance of each moment.

Talk given at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre on 11th December 2007, as part of a series on stories and symbols.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast Ratnaghosha brings usand#8220;Experience, Then Understandingand#8221;, a short excerpt from the talk entitled The Goal, the sixth talk given on the European Triratna Menand#8217;s Convention at Adhisthana on 19 August 2014.

The Menand#8217;s Convention, the first to be held at Adhisthana, was based on Milarepaand#8217;s final exhortation from and#8220;The Shepherdand#8217;s Search for Mindand#8221;, which provides a complete path, effortlessly combining devotion and meditation.

Day 5:
He sees how wrong were the fears and hopes of his own mind.
Without arrival, he reaches the place of Buddha;
Without seeing, he visions the dharmakaya;
Without effort, he does all things naturally.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today entitled and#8220;Developing Real Individualityand#8221; is about going forth from the group, and helping others to do so too. From the talk The Individual, the Group, and the Community by Sangharakshita (1971)

A Spiritual Community consists of Individuals; a group does not consist of Individuals. What is individuality? How can an ordinary group support our efforts to transcend the group?

In our Dharmabyte podcast today, Opening Up and#038; Letting Goand#8221;, Yashobodhi talks about her personal connection to the tonglen practice and the seven point mind training and about practising tonglen in the moment.

In our Dharmabyte podcast today, Daring to Look In the Mirrorand#8221;, Satyalila offers a talk for theme of the European Womenand#8217;s Convention which was and#8220;The Bodhisattvaand#8217;s Reply: Triratna Paths to Insight.and#8221;
August 27 2014, Adhisthana.

In our Dharmabyte podcast today, A Prayer to the Moonand#8221;, Paramananda shares a David White poem about the moon as a means of expressing consciousness that is inspired by longing for something greater than us.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today, and#8216;Visionand#8217; and and#8216;Viewand#8217;, is an excerpt from A Vision of Human Existence given by Sangharakshita in 1976. In sanskrit or pali, there’s no word that corresponds with the word ‘philosophy.’ There is one word that is sometimes translated as philosophy, the word darshana, which means ‘to see, a sight, a view, a vision.’ Dharsana represents direct experience, not something mediated by concepts. In Buddhism, the term is ‘drsti’ and#8211; which means a sight, a view, a perspective.
This talk is part of the series Buddhism for Today and Tomorrow.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today, The Sea As Spiritual Death, is an excerpt from a talk of the same name by Arthabandhu.
Image of the sea and the raft, we hold onto our raft, but this brings suffering and#8211; can we let go, enter the sea and become spiritually reborn? This is the question Arthabandhu asks us.
Spiritual death does not only mean esoteric meditation practices, it means confronting the vagaries and difficulties of life with honesty and courage and seeing what we can learn from them. By opening up to new experiences life becomes more vivid and enjoyable and#8211; if we can just face the fear.
Talk given at Young Men Retreat, Padmaloka 2012.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is brought to you by Dayajoti. Twentieth Century Bodhisattva is an excerpt from the introduction to Buddhist Action Month 2016 in Bristol, England. She focused on three aspects of transforming the world: direct action; creating alternatives; and a shift in consciousness.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is an excerpt from The Bodhisattva Vision. Visuddhimati launches the Triratna Urban Retreat on the theme of the greater mandala of uselessness and#8211; a teaching Sangharakshita has given us in 1976 derived from the Ratnagunasamcayagatha Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. From the talk entitled The Bodhisattva Vision.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is an excerpt from retreat! Dayajoti speaks from a Metta as a Path to Insight Retreat (2015) on Metta As Dependent Arising. From a talk of the same title.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is from our Triratna Buddhist Community founder, Sangharakshita, entitled: Emotion in the Spiritual Life. The central problem of spiritual life is the mobilisation of our emotional energies, so that what we know can be put into practice. Energies may be blocked, wasted or too coarse, and the Buddhist puja takes us through a series of devotional moods to help liberate them.
The full talk, Poetry and Devotion in Buddhism: the Sevenfold Puja is part of the series Ritual and Devotion in Buddhism.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is from our Triratna Buddhist Community founder, Sangharakshita, entitled: Broken Images, an excerpt from the talk The Journey to Il Convento. The journey symbolises a pilgrimage through the ruins and broken images of Christian civilisation and culture, progressing through a world of archetypal forms, and potentially taking us to the very threshold of Enlightenment.
N.B. A few words missing.
Talk given in 1984.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is called Living Sangha Abhayanandi, an excerpt from a talk of the same name. Imagine being part of a community marked by autonomy and connection, abundant with supportive love and friendship.
The Buddha famously said that fellowship is the whole of the spiritual life. Is that really true?! Abhayanandi has been following this teaching notably by living in a residential Buddhist community and working in a team-based right-livlihood business. Hear her inspirational and hard-won reflections on Living Sanghaand#8230;

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is brought to you by Maitreyabandhu, called:I want to be happy. You want to be happy. We yearn to be happy, yet we don’t know where to find happiness. The central problem of human life and#8211; we try all sorts of things, it’s like a koan we are all born with.
From the talk The Happiness Problem by Maitreyabandhu given as part of the LBCand#8217;s Urban Retreat in June 2009.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is called Patience by Bodhilila. A clear, practical and accessible talk on the third of the Bodhisattva perfections, Ksanti (patience or forbearance). Given at the West London Buddhist Centre Sangha evening, March 2012.

Todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast is delivered by Subhuti entitled The Importance of Intention In the Stage of Positive Emotion. This excerpt from the talk of the same name was given during a retreat on the system of meditation. Subhuti emphasises the importance of intention in the metta bhavana; it is not a practice about feeling good, but transforming our responses; a karmic action which then has a result of feeling happier and more positive.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is called Going Beyond Self in Sangha an excerpt from the talk Being and Building a Sangha Heart. In 2017 Birmingham Buddhist Centre is turning their energies towards being and building a vibrant Sangha heart for their community. This short talk, given by Singhamati Chair of the Birmingham Buddhist Centre at the launch of this project, explores how the practice of Sangha is essential for insight on the journey towards Enlightenment.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is an excerpt called Choosing Our Path from a delightful talk from Vajragupta drawing a lot of significance from a simple image for the connection between Sangha and Commitment by Vajragupta.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is an excerpt called Listeners of the Truth by Ratnaguna. Sanghanussati means and#8216;recollection of the Sanghaand#8217; and Ratnaguna looks at the Sangha section of the Tiratana Vandana in Sanghanussati and#8211; Recollection of the Sangha given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre on 21st April 2009.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is brought to us by Karunadevi from a talk entitled The Individual, the Group and the Spiritual Community that weand#8217;ve called:In Relationship to Others. Can we retain our individuality while practicing with other people? Are we true individuals, or are we rebels, and are the two really that different? Karunadevi explores the dangers and benefits of practicing within a sangha using the Buddhaand#8217;s teaching on the mental fetters and various commentaries by Sangahrakshita.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled Sangharakshita and#8211; Early Self-Educationby Vajrapriya. An excerpt from the talk, Sangharakshita: Early Life, Vajrapriya covers the period from his birth up until his arrival in Kalimpong, including his extraordinary wandering days in India.
This talk is part of the series Sangharakshitaand#8217;s life story.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled Sangharakshitaand#8217;s Going Forthby Ashvajit. In this excerpt from the talk, Sangharakshitaand#8217;s Life In Kalimpong, Ashvajit evokes Sangharakshitaand#8217;s time in Kalimpong, his setting up of his first Buddhist organisation, and describes some of the wide variety of people that he met.
This talk is part of the series Sangharakshitaand#8217;s life story.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled 12 Minutes On Intention In Meditationby Bodhilila. A very concise introduction to whether you need a specific intention in a meditation session, and if you do, how to set it up. A talk at West London Buddhist Centre Sangha night, as part of a meditation workshop.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled Going Beyond the Cushionby Amaragita.

Amaragita explodes and expands notions around the practice of paying attention via awareness of the breath, using the deceptively simple exercise of taking just five breaths through the day.

From the talk Meditation Workshop and#8211; Five Breaths
a companion to another talk, The Possibility of Practice and her guided Meditation on the Three Bodies (physical, emotional, and mental) this workshop is indispensable.
Workshop recorded on the Mothers Retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2015.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is the reading of the poem Kindness, by Naomi Shihab Nye (1952) followed by the back story to the poem. Kindness: A Poem andamp; A Story, by Ratnaguna, is a commentary on two poems: Singapore by Mary Oliver and Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye. In this excerpt we hear of the latter poem. The full talk, The Tender Gravity of Kindness, was by Ratnaguna on Sangha Night at Stockholm Buddhist Center the 26th of October 2015.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled The Integrating Practice of Compassion, by Munisha. Balancing care for self and other is a practice of integration, an aspect of that practice is to distinguish between self-compassion and self-esteem. From the talk, Self Compassion For the Sake of All Beings, in English to a Swedish audience, 5th March 2016, Dhammagiri Retreat Center, Sweden.

Our Dharmabyte podcast today is entitled Inspiring Confidence, an excerpt from the talk entitled Sanghakaya and the Heart’s Release about the Sangha Jewel and itand#8217;s place in the spiritual life, given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre on Triratna Night, 14 December 2015.

Maitreyi says, “I had something of an epiphany on first hearing the term Sanghakaya in a talk by Subhuti in India. It seemed to give expression to a whole direction and momentum of my life and practice, while simultaneously both deepening and opening out the mystery of the enlightened mind, expanding beyond any sense of individual consciousness or attainment.”

In our Dharmabyte podcast today, Hear the Call to Give, Vidyamala reminds us of the Buddhaand#8217;s words that at the very least we can give. Our Bodhisattva journey, giving is the first paramita, the first training, because it is the complete opposite of grasping. Anyone can have a moment of open-handedness! Excerpt from the talk From Pinball Machine to River, a talk given on the Manchester Buddhist Centre Sangha Retreat at Adhisthana on 21 May 2016.

In todayand#8217;s Dharmabyte podcast, Anatomy of the Breath, Padmadarshini gives us a really good working context to help our meditation practice. Best to lie down comfortably as you listen to her description of the anatomical and physiological processes involved in breathing. Sheand#8217;s a yoga teacher as well as a meditation teacher and she draws on both those sets of skills to give this talk. And as you lie there, sheand#8217;ll help you tune into your own own body with some very simple exercises and suggestions. Expect to come away with some very practical tips on how to become more aware of your breathing body.
This is an excerpt of the full talk of the same name given on and#8220;One Moment at a Timeand#8221; retreat at Taraloka and is a companion talk to the body scan meditation led by Vidyamala. (The sound quality is a little bit and#8216;fuzzyand#8217; in parts but the content more than makes up for that.

Our FBA Dharmabyte podcast today is called The Complete Embodiment of Love by Subhadramati. We can see how the Buddha is the embodiment of love in the stories of the Pali Canon. He is completely responsive in an appropriate way to the situation and people at hand.

From the talk entitled, Who is the Buddha, given on the LBC Winter Retreat, 2015.

Our FBA Dharmabyte podcast today is called A Network of Relationships by Abhayanandi. The Buddha famously said that fellowship is the whole of the spiritual life. Is that really true?! Abhayanandi has been following this teaching notably by living in a residential Buddhist community and working in a team-based right-livlihood business. Hear her inspirational and hard-won reflections on Living Sanghaand#8230;
From the talk entitled and#8220;Living Sangha.and#8221;

Our FBA Dharmabyte podcast today is called Tethered to Fiction by Arthabandhu. Spiritual death does not only mean esoteric meditation practices, it means confronting the vagaries and difficulties of life with honesty and courage and seeing what we can learn from them. By opening up to new experiences life becomes more vivid and enjoyable and#8211; if we can just face the fear.
From the talk, The Sea As Spiritual Death, given at Young Men Retreat, Padmaloka 2012.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Enlightenment as a Real Possibility, Ratnaguna describes the process of transformation in the context of the Five Aspects of the Spiritual Path and#8211; integration, positive emotion, spiritual receptivity, spiritual death, and spiritual rebirth. From the talk The Underlying Pattern of the Spiritual Life given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre on 14th April 2012.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Reflecting on Old Age and Death, Sangharakshita takes us through a personal ramble through the history of letters and letter writing.
As usual the range of Sangharakshitaand#8217;s reflections in this is hugely impressive and#8211; taking in late mediaeval and 18th C. letter culture, provocative takes on Christianity, the Romantic poets and even the economy! Itand#8217;s an education and a genuine, poignant pleasure to hear him evoke a vanishing art, pass on old pieces of knowledge and lore, and remember so vividly a friend now gone with whom he shared, in Keatsand#8217; phrase, and#8216;a mingling of soulsand#8217;.

From the talk Mingling Souls and#8211; Launching Dear Dinoo, Letters to a Friend given in Birmingham, December 2011.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Describing Nirvana by Sangharakshita. Attitudes connected with goal-seeking are at the root of misunderstandings about the nature of Nirvana, which many consider to be Buddhismand#8217;s and#8216;goaland#8217;. Sangharakshita challenges us to investigate our real motives for wanting to know what Nirvana is.
The full talk, entitled simply, and#8220;Nirvanaand#8221; was given in 1966 and is part of the series Introducing Buddhism.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Depth of Connection Nagabodhi shares memories of being in Croydon during the 1970and#8242;s. He describes the beautiful symmetry of the fact that he opened the first shrine room in the Croydon Centre and is now here to open the newly rebuilt shrine room in 2017.

Nagabodhi considers the many eras of Croydonand#8217;s history and shares the idea that a new shrine room is the seed of incalculable journeys for the future.

This is an excerpt from the talk A Sangha Doesnand#8217;t Happen In Space given on 13th May 2017 at the Croydon Buddhist Centre. There is some external noise, in places, on the recording.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Reaching Across Differences Saravantu talks about one of Triratnaand#8217;s emphases and#8211; a unified Order and#8211; by looking inwards. If we turn away from elements of our own character, we will find ourselves turning away from others. A unified Order needs us to be able to turn towards all aspects of ourselves.
This is an excerpt from the practical talk entitled An Inclusive Order -Turning Away, Turning Towards, Meeting the Shadows In Ourselves and Others.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called The Dharma Jewel by Sangharakshita. Dharma is the experience of reality, and also the expression of that experience in the form of the Buddhaand#8217;s teaching, especially the law of conditionality. It is the raft that carries you to Enlightenment, the further shore; it is whatever helps you to develop spiritually.
This is an excerpt from the talk entitled The Meaning of the Dharma given in 1968 as part of the series Introducing the Three Jewels of Buddhism.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is another excerpt from a 1968 talk by Sangharakshita called Why does the Dharma exist?. Dharma is the experience of reality, and also the expression of that experience in the form of the Buddhaand#8217;s teaching, especially the law of conditionality. It is the raft that carries you to Enlightenment, the further shore; it is whatever helps you to develop spiritually.
Excerpted from the talk entitled The Meaning of the Dharma given in 1968 as part of the series Introducing the Three Jewels of Buddhism.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an excerpt from a 1971 talk by Sangharakshita called A Mirror in the Wheel. The Wheel of Life, described here in all its wealth of detail, is not really a painting but a mirror, giving one successively more profound insights into yourself, and revealing the next step in escaping the endless round. From the talk The Symbolism of the Tibetan Wheel of Life from the series https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?ser=X13

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is entitled Our Habitual Mind is Unaware by Ratnadhya, excerpted from Mind the Gap and#8211; Creating the Creative Space. Given at an introductory meditation weekend retreat in Worcestershire, Ratnadhya addresses the subject of Bardos and what they can teach us about our need to cultivate creative gaps in our lives in which we can just be rather than do. He talks about bardos of scale, from the traditional bardos of life and death, to the bardos that arise quite naturally within a single life, a single year, a single day, even the gaps which can be observable in our moment to moment experience, at least within meditation and#8211; all of them offering opportunities for glimpsing the true nature of our experience, and the possibility of moving from the reactive to the creative mind.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is entitled Confidence. Confidence in the three jewels is incredibly important for our spiritual lives. Excerpted from the talk of the same title, Confidence, which includes a led meditation.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, entitled Faith, Subhadramati explores what Buddhism means by faith, pointing us to what exactly we need to have faith in if we are to deepen into life. From the talk of the same name, Faith, given on the Urban Retreat 2016.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, entitled Changing Faith, Sangharakshita discusses how Faith (shraddha) arises in dependence on unsatisfactoriness (dukkha).

From the talk The Dynamics of Being given in 1966 as part of the series Introducing Buddhism.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is by Sagaraghosa called Mind States Make a Difference. From the talk What Do Buddhists Think and#8211; Physics.

Prepare to be inspired by this FBA Dharmabyte today by Tejasvini called Bringing Tara Into Being. From the talk entitled Green Tara from the Cambridge Buddhist Centre Sangha Night series on the imagination, exploring different Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Our Pure Nature by Aryajaya. From the talk entitled Vajrasattva who is associated with Purity and with the time of death. Aryajaya helps us to engage more deeply with the meaning and symbolism of Vajrasattva.

Our FBA Dharmabyte is called Our Pure Nature by Sanghanistha. From the talk entitled Peaceful Vajrapani. From the imaginative yet practical talk entitled Vajrapani given during the 2016 and#8216;Cosmic Going for Refuge Treeand#8217; retreat at Padmaloka.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called One Understands, an excerpt from the talk on Manjusri by Amaraghosha one of a series of talks about archetypal Bodhisattvas. In this excerpt Amaraghosha explores the importance of wisdom in the Buddhist tradition through teachings including the Noble eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths.

This talk was given at the Croydon Buddhist Centre in 2016 as part of their regular Saturday morning sangha class.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Keeping Our Hearts Open, an excerpt from the talk on Avalokitesvara by Dharmasri. Speaking from the heart, Dharmasri evokes the wish to alleviate the suffering of all beings embodied by the figure Avalokitesvara.

This talk continues the exploration of Transforming Self and World through looking at the seven-fold puja, by exploring the mantra of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

Dharmasri introduces us to Bodhisattvas as aspects of the Enlightened mind. We discover the Myth of Avalokitesvara and how this encompasses the desire to end suffering and the understanding of our own limitations in this respect.

We look at the symbolism of different visual forms of Avalokitesvara and consider how mantras are sound symbols which represent visual images that encourage the Bodhisattvas to manifest.

Croydon Buddhist Centre, 2016

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte Sangharakshita illustrates the cosmic grandeur of The Bodhisattva Spirit . This is from the talk entitled The Cosmic Significance of the Bodhisattva Ideal from The Higher Evolution series given in 1969.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today catapults us into The Bodhisattvaand#8217;s Cosmic Context. Another excerpt from a classic Sangharakshita talk entitled The Cosmic Significance of the Bodhisattva Ideal from The Higher Evolution series given in 1969.

In our FBA Dharmabyte today, Seeing Through. Sanghadevi introduces us to Manjughosha who holds the Perfection of Wisdom near his heart and wields a sword that cuts through all the views and attitudes that we suffer from that arenand#8217;t in accordance with that truth.

From the talk Manjughosha given on Sangha Night at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is from Visuddhimati called Grounded in Compassion from the talk The Bodhisattva Vision given during the Triratna Urban Retreat, 2015.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Conditions For Generating Bodhi Resolve from the talk Vasubandhuand#8217;s Treatise on Generating Bodhi Resolve given at the London Buddhist Centre, September 2009.

In this talk Kulaprabha introduces us to a work of his dealing with the conditions necessary for the arising of the Bodhicitta and#8211; here translated as Bodhi Resolve. In particular, she compares and contrasts Vasubandhuand#8217;s Four Factors as they are described in this text with Sangharakshitaand#8217;s description and evocation of them in his book and#8216;The Meaning of conversion in Buddhismand#8217;.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Enlightenment Is Possible by Saddhanandi from the talk Reflecting On the Life of the Buddha.

This is the first of four talks exploring Vasubandhuand#8217;s Four Factors. In his treatise Generating Bodhi Resolve, Vasubandhu describes them as able to generate the resolve to cultivate and accumulate the bases for the Arising of the Bodhicitta. You can find out more about them in Sangharakshitaand#8217;s books The Meaning of Conversion in Buddhism and The Bodhisattva Ideal.

Saddhanandi gave this talk on a meditation retreat for women who have asked for ordination. The complete set of talks is as follows and each one finishes with a led reflection on the theme, given at Taraloka in February, 2010.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Stepping Through The Portal by Nagapriya from the talk Cherish the Doctrine, Part 1 of a three part series based around the motto of the great Tibetan 20th Century teacher Dhardo Rimpoche and#8211; and#8220;Cherish the Doctrine, Live United, Radiate Loveand#8221;. Nagapriya takes an unusual angle and#8211; referencing the Spike Jonze movie and#8216;Being John Malkovichand#8217;, he speaks of the Dharma as a portal into the Buddhaand#8217;s mind itself.

Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called We Are a Flow of Phenomena by Dassini from the talk The Therigatha and the Problem of Self. We then hear a verse about no-self from the nun Uttara. This leads on to reflections about how we subtly reinforce a sense of self through feeling embarrassed or irritable.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is the beginning of a heartfelt conversation between Samantabhadri and Dharmakarunya entitled Metta, Contemplative Dialogue. The two good friends engage in a contemplative dialogue about metta. This dialogue, spontaneous and unscripted, unfolds as a significant exploration of metta. Metta as meditation practice, as an illumination of ordinary living and as a path to insight.

Listen to the whole conversation on Free Buddhist Audio Metta, Contemplative Dialogue

Our FBA Dharmabyte, Working at Your Own Paceis an excerpt from an Anapanasati Retreat led by Viveka.

Vivekaand#8217;s fresh and vibrant take on the traditional practice of anapanasati and#8211; mindfulness with breathing. Using the breath as a stabilizing presence, this series of meditations (including two fully-guided practices) is designed to help us discover the nature of reality itself by encouraging us to notice what is actually happening each moment in a direct and open way. Anapanasati is a complete path to awakening or enlightenment.

Please note that some small noise artefacts can be heard occasionally on these tracks due to a poor original recording.

Retreat recorded at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2003
This talk is part of the series Anapanasati Retreat 2003.