Dharmabytes From Free Buddhist Audio

Padmavajra tells the tale of Bahiya of the Bark Cloth demonstrate his ability to instantly wake others up to Reality. The Buddha was the first of the Mahasiddhas, or Great Perfected Ones. In the sixth century a new kind of Buddhist practitioner appears, picking up on these aspects of the teachings of the Buddha and opening up a new universe of myth, symbol and imagination. From the talk entitled The Buddha and the Mahasiddhas, part of the eight-part series Crazy Wisdom of the Mahasiddhas, given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2007. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud  

Here Sangharakshita explores how Buddhism, being the most rational of religions, appeals no less to the heart than to the head, using the language of myth to do so. Examples are four 'myths' from the Buddha's biography, here correlated with four of Jung's archetypes. From the talk entitled Buddhism and the Language of Myth, part of the series Ritual and Devotion in Buddhism, 1967. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud  

Kulanandi focuses on the importance of drawing on myth and symbols in relating to the ideals of spiritual community. Excerpted from the talk The Spiritual Community As Myth given at Stockholm Buddhist Center, June 2013. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud  

Jnanavaca weaves magic and myth with the day to day practice of the Dharma in exploring vimukti, freedom, which arises just before full and perfect Enlightenment in the spiral path. Excerpted from the talk entitled Freedom Or Death given on Buddha Day 2019 at the London Buddhist Centre. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

A Bodhisattva is the ultimate treasure-seeker, searching for the Chintamani, the wish-fulfilling jewel, which gives all beings that which they truly desire. But how does a Bodhisattva find this gem and what do they do once they have found it?  Sadayasihi  explores the nature of compassion and how generosity can be both a means of expressing, as well as cultivating, compassion. After all, a Bodhisattva would never keep the Chintamani for themselves… From the talk entitled What Do You Do With A Wish-Fulfilling Jewel? given at Dublin Buddhist Centre, 2020. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Previously unreleased, this important lecture introduces and explores further Sangharakshita's distinctive and visionary ideas on the subject of Going For Refuge, drawing out the real meaning of this central act of the Buddhist life. Poor original recording. From the talk entitled Levels of Going for Refuge given in 1978. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Maitreyabandhu explores the path to insight in the context of Triratna's system of practice. He does this by exploring the three myths of self-development, self-surrender and self-discovery, as well as spiritual death and spiritual rebirth in the dharma life. From the talk Exploring Insight: Sadhana and the Goal of Life given in October 2019 during the Autumn Short Order retreat at Padmaloka Retreat Centre. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud  

The Bodhicaryavatara culminates with verses of sublime beauty expressing a deep and profound desire for the alleviation of suffering. Maitrisara evokes these verses with tenderness and delight, whilst also turning back to that tricky topic of hell. From the talk entitled Dedication In the Bodhicaryavatara (6 of 6), part of the series The Bodhicaryavatara given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2019. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

The whole of the Bodhicaryavatara builds to Shantideva's exposition on Wisdom. Yet often the commentaries skip it, with humbleness and strong sense of biting off more than he can chew Dharmashalin tries to explore how we can engage with this material. From the talk Wisdom In the Bodhicaryavatara (5 of 6), part of the series The Bodhicaryavatara given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2019. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

In this talk Dharmasri helps us discover confession using extracts from pujas such as those from the Sutra of Golden Light and the Vajrasattva puja. Exploring what confession is and is not with an emphasis on self metta and the feeling of liberation that comes from having all of ourselves witnessed by others. From the talk Confession: Refining Our Ethical Sensitivities given at the Croydon Buddhist Centre in May 2016 as part of the series on Transforming Self and World through the Sevenfold Puja. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Saccanama explores the three myths of spiritual life and the crisis of the self - reason and will are no longer able to cope. In this excerpt we hear about Shinran’s life with readings on self-power and other-power. Dharmakara becomes Amida – the central myth of the Pure Land schools. From the talk Faith, the Crisis of the Self and Self-Surrender recorded at the Swedish Summer Retreat at Dharmagiri, July 2019 as part of the series ‘To Place the Heart Upon’ - Exploring Faith in Buddhism. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Mahasraddha  shares how his relationship with the Buddha has been central to his life. Are we open to the teachings of the Buddha? What impact does impermanence have on your life? What does transformation look like in your life? From the talk entitled Spiritual Death given at Manchester Buddhist Centre as part of the Urban Retreat, February 2020. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Khemasuri explores the theme of Anger and Patience in Santideva's Bodhicaryavatara at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre. From the talk entitled Gratitude to Everyone given April, 2008 as part of a series on Great Buddhist Texts.   *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Dhammadinna shares her thoughts on viriya/vigour as derived from Chapter 7 of the Bodhicaryavatara. The Bodhicaryavatara is an 8th century text written by Shantideva, a Buddhist monk from the monastic 'university' at Nalanda, India, and Dhammadinna presented this material over three sessions on an Order retreat called "Teaching the Bodhicaryavatara." She says at the beginning that she isn't giving a formal talk and, indeed, the title is her description of what she was doing.... sharing some thoughts on the Bodhicaryavatara. From the talk Some Thoughts on the Bodhicaryavatara given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, October 2008. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Surata talks about the nature of Viriya, diligence to practice, to apply oneself, to engage in a steady practice, even when one doesn’t quite feel like it. Calling on Shraddha (faith) we call on diligence that does not lose heart! Excerpted from the third in a series of four talks on the Bodhisattva ideal entitled Plunging Into The Positive - Kshanti and Virya, given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, March 2011, for men training to join the Triratna Buddhist Order. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud  

Kamalashila explores the nature of wind as energies moving around in the body as well as outside the body. Kamalashila has spent a lot of his adult life exploring meditation - and this talk is a lovely little foray into the whole subject as a crucial aspect in life and practice, with special consideration given to reflection on the six elements. From the talk entitled Simplicity given at Triratna (FWBO) Day, 2004.   *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Rijusiddha looks at how vision gives us the initial insight into truth, how that vision is a heart response and how that vision gives us energy, if maintained, through the ongoing work of transforming ourselves. From the talk entitled Vision - The Mind Thinks, the Heart Sees as part of two talks on vision and transformation at the 2018 East Anglian Men's Event at Padmaloka Retreat Centre. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Paramananda introduces Vajrapani and his connection to energy, specifically looking at impermanence and fearlessness when coming into relationship with death. From the talk entitled Vajrapani and Led Energy Meditation given at West London Buddhist Centre, 2015.   *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Bhante Sangharakshita talks about viriya as 'vigour' or 'energy in pursuit of the good'. Vajradevi explores this in relation to the mindfulness, including the four right efforts, wise and unwise involvement and the near enemy of viriya. Viriya allows for there to be a continuity of awareness. From the talk entitled The Spiritual Faculty of Viriya, part of the series Pathways to the Beautiful Mind: Bristol Rains Retreat 2019. (Bristol, UK) *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud

Sangharakshita gives us a clear look at Viriya - Energy or Vigour - from the point of view of both subject and object, contrasting with a Hindu story about Indra + a squirrel. From a talk about the Five Spiritual Faculties entitled The Pattern of Buddhist Life and Work given in 1966 as part of the series Introducing Buddhism.   *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast - a full Dharma talk every week! Follow our blog for news and new Dharma FBA on Twitter FBA on Facebook FBA on Soundcloud