Dharmabytes From Free Buddhist Audio

In todayand#8217;sFBA Dharmabyte we hear from Ratnaghosha from the Menand#8217;s Combined Convention in and#8220;Speaking About the Goal.and#8221; Words and descriptions cannot fully encapsulate transcendental experience. Inspired by verses from 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: Without arrival, he reaches the place of Buddha; Without seeing, he visions the dharmakaya; Without effort, he does all things naturally. This is an excerpt from the sixth talk given on the European Triratna Menand#8217;s Convention at Adhisthana on 19 August 2014, entitled and#8220;The Goal.and#8221;

In todayand#8217;sFBA Dharmabyte we hear from Maitreyabandhu from the Menand#8217;s Combined Convention in and#8220;Hearing the Cuckoo’s Cry.and#8221; Reading haiku, Maitreyabandhu brings us to reflect on our shared understanding of the goal of insight and enlightenment. This is an excerpt from the second talk given on the European Triratna Menand#8217;s Convention at Adhisthana on 19 August 2014, entitled and#8220;Against Avoiding Pain.and#8221;

Subhadramati shares her insights on ethics in todayand#8217;sFBA Dharmabyte: and#8220;Acting in Accordance with our Values,and#8221; an excerpt from a the talk and#8220;Ethics As a Path to Insight.and#8221; Practicing ethics leads to greater happiness, springs out of our empathy for others, and eventually becomes free of any notion of self and other. Given on August 30 2014 at the European Womenand#8217;s Convention held at Adhisthana on the theme of and#8220;The Bodhisattvaand#8217;s Reply: Triratna Paths to Insightand#8221;.

We are delighted to dedicate todayand#8217;sFBA Dharmabyte to poetry. Not just any poetry, but and#8220;A New Poem From Sangharakshita,and#8221; read by Parami at the European Womenand#8217;s Convention held at Adhisthana, August 30 2014.

Danapriya brings us ourFBA Dharmabyte today, and#8220;Six Guides to Insight and a Touch of Magic.and#8221; The fourth and last (short) talk in a panel called and#8220;Spreading the Dharma as a Path to Insightand#8221;, given at the European Combined Order Convention held at Wymondham College on 23 August 2014. The theme of the convention was and#8220;The Bodhisattvaand#8217;s Reply: Triratna Paths to Insightand#8221;.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is entitled: and#8220;Three Facets of Imagination,and#8221; an excerpt from the beginning of a two-part series by Maitreyabandhu called and#8220;A Further Reach and#8211; Imagination and the Radical.and#8221; Drawing on his experience as an artist, poet and Buddhist practitioner, in these two improvised talks Maitreyabandhu shares his reflections on the role of the imagination on the spiritual life.

OurFBA Dharmabyte today is entitled: and#8220;Three Propositions.and#8217;and#8221; Candradasa presents he Buddhaand#8217;s three basic propositions: the nature of reality; how we see things and suffering; and transforming yourself. From Religion Without God, Part 1 and#8211; A Radical Community of Values The first talk in a four-part series looking at how you can have a full spiritual life as a 21st Century person without recourse to blind faith or setting yourself against the rational world we find ourselves in.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Dakini, the and#8216;Lady of Space,and#8217;and#8221; Sangharakshita evokes the image of space, the sky, infinite, deep blue, and perfectly pure and introduces us to the Dakini, a strong symbol of freedom. A Dharma jewel within a Dharma jewel: from the talk and#8220;A Taste of Freedomand#8221; given in 1979. Just as the mighty ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt, even so the Dharma-vinaya (Buddhism) has but one taste, the taste of Freedom. (from and#8216;The Udanaand#8217;). This brilliant and rousing tour-de-force on transcendental freedom is one of Sangharakshitaand#8217;s best-loved lectures.

Vajratara delivers todayand#8217;s DharmabyteFBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Things We Bow Down To.and#8221; Weand#8217;ve got this nagging feeling that things are just not right. What do we go for refuge from? What do we go for refuge to? From the talk, and#8220;Padmasambhava and the King of Tibetand#8221; given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 2007.

Find magic and ritual in todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Padmasambhava at Work.and#8221; Parami shares what itand#8217;s like ordaining someone and#8211; a channel to the transcendental. She talks about her personal link with Sangharakshita and the birth story of Padmasambhava and his taking Buddhism to Tibet and#8211; the marriage of cognition, feeling and emotion. From the talk and#8220;Energy At Its Most Abundantand#8221; by Parami given as part of a three talk series at Windhorse:Evolution, a large and successful Buddhist team-based right livelihood business.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;What is freedom?and#8221; Sagaraghosa offers a pithy talk exploring the Buddhaand#8217;s practical suggestions to find greater freedom in oneand#8217;s life and#8211; genuine freedom that does not rely on external factors to give a sense of freedom. From the talk, and#8220;The Liberated Mind,and#8221; third in a series of four talks given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre in 2011 on the theme and#8216;The Powers of Mind.and#8217;

According to Tibetan tradition, in the bardo, an and#8216;intermediate stateand#8217; in the endless round of birth and death, we are free for an instant from that round. The Tibetan book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) describes six of these opportunities for escape from reactivity. In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Bardo of Dream,and#8221; Sangharakshita describes the second of the six bardos, the bardo of dreams. From the and#8220;Psycho-Spiritual Symbolism in the Tibetan Book of the Deadand#8221; given in 1967 in the series and#8220;Aspects of Buddhist Psychology.and#8221;

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Moon and Flowers,and#8221; Ratnadharini beautifully explores the concepts of karma and#8211; our effect on others, and on the world. Includes a quote from Ryokan on the moon and flowers. From the talk and#8220;Karma and the Consequences of Our Actions,and#8221; given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005, the fourth talk in a five-part series from Tiratanalokaand#8217;s retreat on the and#8220;The Four Mind-Turning Reflectionsand#8221;.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Unifying Symbolism of the Vajra,and#8221; Sangharakshita describes the symbolism of samsara and nirvana in the vajra. From the talk and#8220;The Symbolism of the Sacred Thunderbolt or Diamond Sceptre of the Lamasand#8221; from the and#8220;Creative Symbols of the Tantric Path to Enlightenmentand#8221; series given in 1971.

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 gives us todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Unmindfulness Defined,and#8221; from the 1968 talk and#8220;Levels of Awareness: Right Mindfulness.and#8221; This talk is part of the series The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Taking Awareness Deeper,and#8221; Paramabandhu draws 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 and#8211; especially to problems with depression and addiction. In this excerpt, he talks about taking awareness deeper to really get a sense of impermanence ‘in our bones’. From the talk, and#8220;Mindfulness for Just About Everything,and#8221; given at San Francisco Buddhist Center, 2006

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Fill your Heart with Love,and#8221; Vanaraji shares a personal story of learning that if you fill your heart with love, there’s no room for anything else. The full talk, and#8220;The Metta Suttaand#8221; was given at the Womenand#8217;s Night Class at the LBC on July 12th 2012 and includes a lovely reading of the sutra.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Be Here Now, Is It Enough?and#8221; Ratnaprabha reminds us that discomfort is caused by avoiding discomfort. Relief from suffering is found when we drop our concerns and are present in this moment. But is mindfulness alone enough structure for complete transformation? A systematic approach to changing ones habits and engaging with sangha are both important in our approach to practice. An excerpt from the talk titled and#8220;The Structure of Buddhism.and#8221; West London Sangha night, May 2012.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Breath is Essential to Lifeand#8221; is an excerpt from the talk titled and#8220;Anatomy of the Breath.and#8221; This talk provides a really good working context to help your meditation practice. Best to lie down comfortably as you listen to Padmadharshiniand#8217;s 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. The talk was 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.

Lifeand#8217;s unfair, what can we do about it? We can practice the Dharma and follow the Buddhaand#8217;s teachings. Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Itand#8217;s Not Fair!and#8221; is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;What to Do In An Unfair Worldand#8221; by Kalyanaprabha. A sober yet uplifting talk encourages us to practice the Dharma in the face of unfairness.