Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Meghiya – Readings from the Pali Canon

Viriyalila — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:33:32 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, is a lovely reading of the story of “Meghiya” by Sangharakshita.

Beautifully read by Sangharakshita, these readings are taken from the oldest scriptural texts and evoke the real spirit of early Buddhism – the struggles, the joys and the triumphs of ordinary people who followed the path to Truth.

The “Readings from the Pali Canon” was recorded in 2000 to mark the Digital Legacy project to begin transferring Dharmachakra’s archive to digital format!

Creating Spiritual Friendship

Viriyalila — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:27:35 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, Paramabandhu offers us ways of “Creating Spiritual Friendship.” Includes a reading of the lovely poem on compassion titled The Unseen Flower by Sangharakshita.

Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, May 2001

Sincerity, Thoroughness, and Strenuousness

Viriyalila — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:21:09 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Sincerity, Thoroughness, and Strenuousness,” is a thoughtful look at the synthesis of the total Buddhist tradition emerging in the western world. Sangharakshita points out that as a living religion, Buddhism is very new in our western cultures. The Chinese occupation has had enormous effects on Tibetan Buddhism. What future does it have, and what can Western Buddhists learn from its unique heritage? From the talk “The Future of Tibetan Buddhism” given in 1968, part of the series: “An Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism.”

The Three Yanas in Tibetan Buddhism

Viriyalila — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:03:21 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Three Yanas in Tibetan Buddhism,” Sangharakshita explores how in Tibetan Buddhism we can learn about all three yanas – the Hinayana, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana. From the talk “The Future of Tibetan Buddhism” given in 1968.

The Bardo of Life, An Extraordinary Opportunity

Viriyalila — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:39:31 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Bardo of Life, An Extraordinary Opportunity,” Padmavajra explores the great text that reveals the realms between death and new life, where anything is possible in the Bardo – the ‘intermediate state’. ” From the first talk in the series “Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol).”

Buddhism Beyond Samsara

Viriyalila — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:22:14 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Buddhism Beyond Samsara” takes us into the reflections of Vajradarsini on practicing purely with insight in mind. Buddhism is not being better at samsara nor is it relying on the material plane. From the talk “The Transitoriness of Life and the Certainty of Death“, part of a five part series titled “The Four Mind Turnings.” given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre for women training for ordination in the Triratna Buddhist Order.

Flowers from the Dhammapada

Viriyalila — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:37:30 +0000

Today’s Dharmabyte is a closer look into the chapter titled “Flowers” from the “Dhammapada“, by Padmavajra. The ideal student masters the realm of death by entering the transcendental path while discerning the Verses of Truth.

How to Hold a Vision

Viriyalila — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:17:52 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte is brought to us by the delightful Saddhanandi “How to Hold a Vision” from the talk “Enlightenment as Heart, Life as Whole.” Are we nourished or are we burdened by our ideals? Ideals need to be well-rooted in our hearts… beyond the worldly winds… not an abstraction, our vision is our direction and our orientation that guides us along the way.

The Buddha’s Gratitude

Viriyalila — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:10:39 +0000

Today’s Dharmabyte is on “The Buddha’s Gratitude” discussing the importance of gratitude for the spiritual life, even for the Buddha following his Enlightenment. The talk, “Looking at the Bodhi Tree,” given in 1975 by Sangharakshita, is as relevant today as it was then.

Bahiya – In the Seen Only the Seen…

Viriyalila — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:20:48 +0000

This weeks FBA Dharmabyte,”Bahiya – In the Seen Only the Seen” is a reading from the book ‘Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One’ (Quercus, 2011) by Vishvapani. The original talk, Imagining Gautama, is part of series launching the book from February 2011.

What is Enlightenment?

Viriyalila — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:43:07 +0000

This weeks FBA Dharmabyte titled: “What is Enlightenment?“, from the talk, “Enlightenment as Experience and as Non-Experience” by Sangharakshita exposes a modern disease of frustrated craving for experience. Sangharakshita suggests that spiritual life is better seen in more concrete ways; as growth, work, and duty.

Practising Purely

Viriyalila — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:56:42 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Practising Purely,” by Varjadarshini, is from the third talk in a five-part series from Tiratanaloka’s retreat on the “Four Mind Turnings” of the Tibetan tradition titled: “The Transitoriness of Life and the Certainty of Death.”

Trying to Make Samsara Work

Viriyalila — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:02:36 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, is brought to us by Maitreyi titled: “Trying to Make Samsara Work“. Another gem from the talk “The Defects and Dangers of Samsara” where Maitreyi looks at pleasure and suffering in the context of samsara – compassionate responses to self and other, and how to loosen the bonds…

Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005

This talk is part of the series “The Four Mind-Turning Reflections“.

The Four Rivers of Samsara

Viriyalila — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:49:34 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Four Rivers of Samsara” is from the second talk from the 2009 UK Women’s Order / Mitra Event titled “Generating Bodhi Mind” by Vajratara. She guides us through the second section of Tsongkhapa’s short text on “The Three Principle Aspects of the Path”. The verses contain some strong and striking images for what it feels like being caught in Samsara and they come to life in Vajratara’s talk. She relates how she nearly came to death herself swept away by a Indonesian river and that was just an ordinary river current, never mind the current of Samsara!

Cultural, Political and Social Change

Viriyalila — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:20:14 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Cultural, Political and Social Change“, is an extract from a question and answer session with Sangharakshita at the Croydon Buddhist Centre in November, 2004. The full recording can be found here: “An Evening with Sangharakshita.”

Samsara and Nirvana

Viriyalila — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:12:13 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, takes us right to the heart of the matter with “Samsara and Nirvana“, by Maitreyi. From the talk “The Defects and Dangers of Samsara” where Maitreyi looks at pleasure and suffering in the context of samsara – compassionate responses to self and other, and how to loosen the bonds…

Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005

This talk is part of the series “The Four Mind-Turning Reflections“.

Positive Emotion and The Spiritual Life

Viriyalila — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:01:28 +0000

This weeks FBA Dharmabyte, “Positive Emotion and The Spiritual Life“, is an extract from the legendary series by Sangharakshita, “Buddhism for Today and Tomorrow” given in 1976. From the talk “A Method of Personal Development“, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community speaks eloquently about how the practice of friendliness can bring about profound change in one’s life.

Who Benefits?

Viriyalila — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:54:48 +0000

This weeks FBA Dharmabyte, “Who Benefits?“, is a revisit to last weekend’s full talk podcast, “Brahama Viharas and the Key Moment” by Kulaprabha. In this extract, Kulaprabha reflects on who benefits when we engage in a process of cultivating loving kindness through the Brahma Vihara meditation practices.

Samadhi – Concentration in the Fullest Sense

Viriyalila — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:31:01 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte,”Samadhi – Concentration in the Highest Sense” is track from the talk “Buddhism and the Path of the Higher Evolution” by Sangharakshita.

In answering the question ‘What is Buddhism?’, Sangharakshita identifies higher evolution – the development of higher states of consciousness – with the twelve links in the progressive trend of the Buddha’s teaching of conditioned co-production. Talk given in 1969 as part of “The Higher Evolution” series.

Priti: The Intensity of Rapture

Viriyalila — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:36:44 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte takes us into the blissful realm of Priti from a talk on the spiral path by Sangharakshita. “Priti: The Intensity of Rapture” is a selected Dharmabyte from the talk “The Stages of the Spiritual Path” given in 1966 as part of the series “Introducing Buddhism.”

Virya – Energy in Pursuit of the Good

Viriyalila — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:14:03 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte “Virya – Energy in Pursuit of the Good,” is from an inspiring talk by Prajnadevi titled: “The Perfection of Energy.” Virya is the sort of energy that overflows and is fed by the Dharma, it is the ability to be spontaneous and in the moment in pursuit of the Good.

Dharmavichaya – Introspection of Mind & Mental Events

Viriyalila — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:50:18 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte takes us into the fascinating world of mind and mental events. “Dhammavichaya – Introspection of Mind and Mental Events,” is a crucial stage in the spiral path of spiritual development. The full talk, titled “What is Mind?” is from a series of talks from the Order Convention in 2001 offering different perspectives on the Abhidharma and exploring from a personal perspective what the study of the 51 Mental Events can tell us about our minds and how they work.

Mindfulness

Viriyalila — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:30:56 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, simply titled “Mindfulness,” by Paramabandhu, is from the comprehensive and invaluable talk titled “Mindfulness For Just About Everything” given at the San Francisco Buddhist Center in 2006. Drawing on many years of experience as a consultant psychiatrist and Dharma teacher, he invites us to consider the lessons Buddhist techniques around meditation and mindfulness training can bring to the field of mental health – especially to problems with depression and addiction. The talk evokes the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta to explore the four traditional foundations of mindfulness and discuss their potential use in therapeutic contexts.

Seven Bodhyangas

Viriyalila — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:28:28 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte “Seven Bodhyangas,” by Sangharakshita, is an excerpt from the talk “Mind: Reactive and Creative.” Here, Sangharakshita describes in detail the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, a creative spiral path of spiritual development.

The Golden Drum

Viriyalila — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:33:24 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte “The Golden Drum,” by Sangharakshita, is an excerpt from the talk ‘The Bodhisattva’s Dream’. The Bodhisattva Ruchiraketu dreams of a golden drum radiating golden light which fills a totally transformed world…
Talk given in 1976. This talk is part of the series ‘Transformation of Life and World in the Sutra of Golden Light’.

Samsara & The Three Laksanas

Viriyalila — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:20:55 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte “Samsara & the Three Laksanas,” by Dhammadinna, is from the first talk in a five-part series from Tiratanaloka’s retreat on the ‘Four Mind Turning Reflections‘ of the Tibetan tradition. This introductory talk by Dhammadinna is an ideal entry point to the world of the mind-turnings. Seen as foundations for the building of practice, the reflections encourage us to make life meaningful in the face of a relentlessly ungovernable reality. Here she explores seeing conditioned existence in terms of the three laksanas and ways of giving up craving without harmful side effects. A strong look in the mirror of the heart. Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005

The Five Skandhas

Viriyalila — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:02:35 +0000

Skandha is another of those untranslated terms – it literally means a trunk of a tree! In today’s FBA Dharmabyte Sangharakshita offers his understanding of the “The Five Skandhas.” From the inspiring talk, “The Awakening of the Bodhi Heart”, from the 1969 series “Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal.”

What Karma Is

Viriyalila — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:50:27 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte titled “What Karma Is” Nagapriya offers a good, pithy introduction to the traditionally thorny and rather misunderstood area of karma and rebirth, teasing out its relationship to Buddhist ethics in general. This excerpt is from the talk “Understanding Karma and Buddhist Ethics” given in Manchester, 2003

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras

Viriyalila — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:04:07 +0000

Today’s FBA Podcast is another reading from The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. This one, “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras” Chandana talks about the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, a category of Sutras in the Mahayana tradition.

Knowledge of the Suchness of the Skandhas

Viriyalila — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:51:40 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte is another reading from The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. This one, “A Reading of the Suchness of the Skandhas” beautifully shared with us by Kulaprabha from the talk, “Reflection on the Five Skandhas“, the second guided reflection in the series ‘Night Lily Garden of the Midnight Way – Emptiness and the Great Compassion’.

“As stars, a fault of vision, as a lamp, a mock show, dew drops or a bubble, a lighting flash or a cloud, so we should view that which is conditioned.”

A Reading of the Heart Sutra

Viriyalila — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:30:02 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte today is “A Reading of the Heart Sutra” is just that, and it’s very beautifully read indeed! This is an excerpt from the talk, “Reflection on the Five Skandhas” by Kulaprabha, the second guided reflection in the series ‘Night Lily Garden of the Midnight Way – Emptiness and the Great Compassion’.

The Diamond Sutra’s Fundamental Insight

Viriyalila — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:10:13 +0000

Although innumerable beings have been led to nirvana, no being at all has been led to nirvana. Sangharakshita eloquently delivers today’s FBA Dharmabyte “The Diamond Sutra’s Fundamental Insight” from the talk “The Diamond Sutra” given in 1969.

Seeing with Insight

Viriyalila — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:00:49 +0000

Seeing is a good word to describe the dawning of insight. Today’s FBA Dharmabyte “Seeing with Insight” is from the fourth 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…

This material is intended for use with the Dharma Training Course for Mitras (see our ‘Study’ section, year three).

Talk recorded at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2007

The full talk, also titled “Seeing with Insight“, is part of the series The Dhammapada – the Buddha’s Way of Truth.

In Response to the Buddha

Viriyalila — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:34:32 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte titled “In response to the Buddha” Sangharakshita explores how we come into contact with the Buddha through our intellect, emotion and our will. From the talk “Intellect, Emotion and Will” given at the opening of the Manchester Buddhist Centre in 1996.

Integration

Viriyalila — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:29:02 +0000

Exploring the first of the four ‘superconscious states’ today’s FBA Dharmabyte titled “Integration” by Sangharakshita takes us in for a closer look at the energies of both the conscious and unconscious mind and how the process of integration leads to greater harmony and ease.

Excerpted from the talk, “A Method of Personal Development,” given in 1976 as part of the series “Buddhism for Today and Tomorrow.”

The Clouded Dragon

Viriyalila — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:10:19 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Clouded Dragon”, is an excerpt from a gem of a talk from Abhaya. With his customary dry wit and sharp eye he leads us on the crazy paving path through the Diamond Sutra – a text guaranteed to turn your world upside-down. Sharing his love for one of Sangharakshita’s poems titled The Clouded Dragon, Abhaya makes some excellent evocations of rigorous Dharma practice as part of the everyday business of life.

This is an excerpt from the talk titled “The Diamond Sutra” given at the Triratna Buddhist Order National Order weekend 2003

Life Gone Forth is Wide Open

Viriyalila — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:57:01 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Life Gone Forth is Wide Open”, Padmavajra takes us into the strong experience of Going Forth into homelessness. Sometimes life presents us with extremely difficult choices that seem to set us apart from those we love. Through personal reminiscence and classic Zen poetry that evokes a truly rich awareness, we see the Buddha, Hakuin, Dogen and Ryokan as they struggle to make sense of this fleeting world of form.

This excerpt is from the talk “The Buddha, Hakuin, Birth and Death” given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004

This talk is part of the series “Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters.”

Four Reasons Why We Fear Death

Viriyalila — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:35:08 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Four Reasons Why We Fear Death “, Kulaprabha explores the Abhaya Sutta on the theme of spiritual death. The death of our fixed, bounded self, the self that is made up of bundled habits and preferences and views – especially views about existence and non-existence. So don’t be surprised if, when contemplating the impermanence and unreliability of that small self, you taste fear. It’s natural enough in the circumstances. This is an excerpt from the full talk “Spiritual Death, Fear and Fearlessness” focussing on the Abhaya Sutta.

This talk was given on retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre in 2008.

The Third Great Stage of the Path

Viriyalila — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:37:39 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Third Great Stage of the Path”, Sangharakshita talks about the process of spiritual death as the cultivation of unselfishness. This talk, titled, “The Path of Spiritual Development” is a book launch for ‘The Essential Sangharakshita’ published by Wisdom Publications.

Recorded 2009 at Essen, Germany. Talk translated in German.

What is Gratitude?

Viriyalila — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:05:32 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “What is Gratitude?”, Sangharakshita reflects on the Buddha’s achievement of Enlightenment, drawing our attention to an often overlooked feature of this great event – the Buddha’s expression of gratitude to the tree that sheltered him. A timely look at ways to cultivate this essential positive emotion.

This is an excerpt from the talk Looking at the Bodhi Tree given in 1999.

Death & Clarity

Viriyalila — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:44:14 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Death & Clarity”, by Vajradharshini brings us a beautiful piece on the hardest of subjects. Using zen poetry and a happily wide-ranging series of quotations (from Tibetan lamas to Ezra Pound), Vajradarshini explores her own father’s death as a way to approach attitudes to death and dying. This excerpt, from the talk: “The Transitoriness of Life and the Certainty of Death,” focusses on practice, a sense of urgency and being in the moment, she asks us: how do we want to spend our time?

The Dharma is Everywhere

Viriyalila — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:53:27 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Dharma is Everywhere, is a beautiful short talk by Aryashila of the Croydon Buddhist Centre exploring impermanence. She uses the challenging poetry of Leonard Cohen and others, as well as her own deep life experience, to show that reality does not conform to ordinary wishes, but yet facing it squarely can be supremely uplifting, not sad. Talk given at the Sangha evening of the West London Buddhist Centre.

What Can We Be Sure Of?

Viriyalila — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:38:38 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “What Can We Be Sure Of?” is a taste of Jnanavaca’s fabulous take on Einstein, Schroedinger, and all that stuff you wished you understood about quantum physics but despaired of ever knowing so as to impress at parties… Well, now you can learn all about it — as well as how it relates to Dharma practice and the Buddha’s view of a truly luminous Reality. Very classy stuff from a great speaker with the most infectious laugh on the planet! We won’t give any more away here — settle back and enjoy a brain-expanding, soul questioning except from the talk, “Buddhism and Quantum Physics” given at the Triratna Buddhist Order Convention, 2005

Enlightenment is Different for Each of Us

Viriyalila — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:13:16 +0000

More listening joy from Vajradharshini in today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Enlightenment is Different for Each of Us.” From the talk “We Have a Huge Barrel of Wine But No Cups”, this is another splendid journey around the idea of Enlightenment, using the languages of surrender and discipline from the Sufi context. It’s as heady as a sumptuous wine, but also sobering and down to earth, whether we’re “following a railing in the dark” or “wandering inside the red world”. Drink up!

Talk given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2005

On Creativity

Viriyalila — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 04:03:16 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “On Creativity”, is from a sparkling talk by Sangharakshita titled “Fields of Creativity” on a theme close to his heart. Full of warmth, wit and stimulating ideas.

Talk given in 2001.

Positive Change

Viriyalila — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:44:38 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Positive Change” is brought to us by Sangharakshita himself, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community.

In Buddhist practice, the traditional method of choice for effecting positive change in one’s life is meditation. Here Sangharakshita takes a closer look, focussing on the ‘superconscious states’ (characterised in turn by integration, inspiration, permeation, and radiation), the practice of developing universal friendliness, and the distinction between calm and Insight.

From the talk “A Method of Personal Development” given in 1976 as part of the series Buddhism for Today and Tomorrow.

The Greatest Tragedy

Viriyalila — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:34:32 +0000

In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “The Greatest Tragedy”, Subhuti invites us to look into the tragedy of not knowing what we want. He shares his thoughts on the nature of Samsara, contact with the Dharma and realisation as the deepest happiness.

This is ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’: Talk 1 from the four-part series on this Tibetan text attributed to Kadampa Geshe Langri Tangpa.

Everyone Needs the Dharma – Milarepa’s Song

Viriyalila — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:40:59 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Everyone Needs the Dharma – Milarepa’s Song” has Sanghrakshita delightfully reciting words from the song. The Dharma is defined as whatever contributes to the development of the individual.

In the full talk, “Western Buddhists and Eastern Buddhism” Sangharakshita emphasizes the importance of distinguishing Buddhism as a universally applicable path of development from the specifically Eastern cultural forms it has been associated with in the past, and explains why an authentic, non-sectarian Buddhist movement is needed in the West.

Talk given in 1979.

This talk is part of the series “A New Buddhist Movement – the Meaning of the FWBO.”

Buddhism and the Mind

Viriyalila — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:31:11 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, is titled “Buddhism and the Mind” is an excerpt from the talk “Meditation: the Expanding Consciousness” by Sangharakshita. A traditional exposition of Buddhist meditation looking at why we meditate; preparation for meditation; the five meditation practices designed to counteract the five mental poisons; and the three stages of meditation.

Talk given in 1967.

Pratitya Samutpada (Conditioned Co-production)

Viriyalila — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 01:20:09 +0000

Today’s FBA Dharmabyte, “Pratitya Samutpada (Conditioned Co-production),” takes us right to the heart of the matter: How the Buddha sees things. Subhuti, with his sharp clarity and clear vision, explores one of the central teachings of the Buddha – that things arise and pass away in dependence upon conditions.

Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order National Order Weekend, Wymondham 2006