Dharmabytes From Free Buddhist Audio

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is a beautiful short talk by Aryashila of the Croydon Buddhist Centre. In and#8220;The Dharma is Everywhereand#8221; 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.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is a preview for Saturdayand#8217;s Podcast. In and#8220;The Buddha As Bodhisattvaand#8221; be prepared for the odd surprise as Dhivan considers the relationship between what we think we may know about the Buddha, and what the historical evidence suggests. In this excerpt he shares the traditional story of the Buddha as Bodhisattva including four biographies of the Buddha and a reading from the Lalitavistara Sutta. From the talk and#8220;What Do We Really Know About the Buddha?and#8221; given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2008.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today takes into the heart of The Diamond Sutra. In and#8220;As Starsand#8230;and#8221;, Padmavajra gives us the last teaching: as stars; a fault of vision; a lamp; a mock show or magicianand#8217;s illusion. Here, the sutra becomes poetry, the world is illuminated differently, for a time. And we cannot help but be moved by the vision of ourselves made luminous. From tenth and final talk in a sparkling, wide-ranging, thoroughly comprehensive series by Padmavajra on and#8216;The Diamond Sutra: Taking the Mind to itand#8217;s Limits and#8211; Talk 10and#8242;.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte today we present a short talk exploring impermanence and interconnectedness by Carunalaka titled: and#8220;Whatand#8217;s Love Got To Do With It?and#8221;

The Eightfold Path is divided into Paths of Vision and of Transformation. In our FBA Dharmabyte today and#8220;The Context of Perfect Visionand#8221; Sangharakshita illustrates how perfect vision can arise, and concludes by showing how Buddhists have communicated their vision of reality in conceptual and imaginative terms. Talk given in 1968. This talk is part of the series and#8220;The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path.and#8221;

A vision of emptiness is key to spiritual alchemy. Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an exploration of the transformative magic that is Bodhichitta practice. and#8220;Vision of Lifeand#8221;, by Padmavajra, is excerpted from the talk and#8220;Death and Desireand#8221; part of and#8220;The Alchemy of Loveand#8221; series given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Working With Energy,and#8221; is a short, personal talk by Singhamati given given at the 2011 National Young Triratna Buddhists Weekend retreat exploring the theme of and#8216;Energy for Enlightenmentand#8217;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;Appreciating Silence,and#8221; is a little gem of an excerpt from the talk: and#8220;No Dependence on Words and Lettersand#8221; by Sangharakshita, 1965. One of our earliest recordings in the FBA archive! and#8220;Some things we know from experience, some things we apprehend only at second-hand. In confusing these two, we miss the essence of Zen.and#8221;

Into the Diamond Sutra we go and#8211; Subhutiand#8217;s arrival and questioning dialogue with the Buddha. Much food for thought to be had here as the Diamond begins to cut under the skin of thingsand#8230; Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte: and#8220;Gratitude and Receptivityand#8221; from the talk and#8220;The Diamond Sutra: Taking Mind to itand#8217;s Limits and#8211; 2and#8243; from the fascinating and comprehensive series on and#8220;The Diamond Sutraand#8221; by Padmavajra. Talks given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte and#8220;and#8220;Becoming More Natural,and#8221; Kamalashila encourages us to approach meditation as a kind of prayer that exposes artificiality through awareness of experience as it brings to into being greater authenticity and truth. Excerpted from the well-loved talk and#8220;Simplicityand#8221; by Kamalashila, 2004.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, Sangharakshita speaks on the power of silence by introducing us to Vimalakirtiand#8217;s and#8220;and#8220;Thunder-Like Silence.and#8221; From the talk and#8220;The Way of Non-Dualityand#8221; given in 1979 as part of the series and#8220;The Inconceivable Emancipation and#8211; Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha.and#8221;

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;Self, Other and Emptiness,and#8221; Parami speaks from her heart and wealth of experience. In the full talk, and#8220;Out of Compassion for the World,and#8221; she explores the 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;.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;View Meditation andamp; Action,and#8221; is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Standing on Emptinessand#8221; by Dhammadassin. This lovely, thoughtful exploration of the traditional Buddhist path of ethics, meditation and wisdom, uses poetry and the ideas of contemporary science to evoke the mystery that lies at the heart of practice. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order women's national Order weekend, August 2004

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;Going Beyond and#8216;Egoand#8217;,and#8221; Jinapriya delivers on the quicksilver nature of the Enlightenment experience. Going beyond fixed and#8216;egoand#8217;, checking oneand#8217;s ambitions as they always look to a future; and the journey to the moment. From the quietly passionate talk: and#8220;What is Enlightenment?and#8221; given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2003.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Just Be Friendly,and#8221; we took a sampling from a very forthright and passionate talk by Vajratara, titled and#8220;Chetul Sangye Dorje.and#8221; She may be talking about the great contemporary Tibetan teacher, but her main focus is on the need to practice the Dharma for others as part of a meaningful community. Vajratara argues her case with a balance of down-to-earth humour and uncompromising vision.

Our FBA Dharmabyte, today is a preview for this weekendand#8217;s full length FBA Podcast. In and#8220;and#8220;The Dharani: Spell of Protection,and#8221; Candradasa shares his thoughts on The Rite of Protection. From the talk: and#8220;Magic For the Modern Worldand#8221; from the and#8220;Religion Without Godand#8221; series given at the Portsmouth Buddhist Center, 2012.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;Compassionate Action,and#8221; Sangharakshita talks about Chetul Sangyu Dorje, his teacher who gave him the Green Tara sadhana practice. Green Tara the radiant Bodhisattva of compassion, inspiration to many who lead a Buddhist life aspiring to beauty and a steady openness in the face of the mysteries of existence. From the talk given to inaugurate Taralokaand#8217;s new shrine cabin dedicated to Tara, titled: and#8220;On Tara.and#8221;

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;and#8220;Mantric Sound,and#8221; Sangharakshita explores this fascinating symbol of the Enlightened Mind. From the talk, and#8220;The Symbolism of Colours and Mantric Soundand#8221;, given in 1971 as part of the series and#8220;Creative Symbols of the Tantric Path to Enlightenment.and#8221;

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Sound Offering to Padmasambhava,and#8221; is the mantra chanted at the end of the Sevenfold Puja practiced in the Triratna Buddhist Community. Chanted by Vipulakirti, the mantra includes beautiful harmonies.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;No End to Love,and#8221; Padmavajra describes how love is constant, continuous and spontaneous. This talk, and#8220;Introducing the Great Love,and#8221; was given at the beginning of an intensive retreat focused on the Metta Bhavana meditation practice, the Development of Loving Kindness.