Dharmabytes From Free Buddhist Audio

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 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.

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.

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, 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, 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, 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.”

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.