Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Dhivan moves through an exploration of joy, in both its mundane and grander manifestations. As he does so, he recalls the Buddha's realization that joy and happiness arise when our life coalesces around our deepest values, often connected with relaxing in meditation. This is what may lead to Awakening for any and all of us… From the talk In the Cool Shade of the Tree: Planting the Seed of Joy In O...

First in a series of talks on the wisdom of the middle way. Here Bhadra uses the Triratna mandala of practice to find the middle way between the Psychological and spiritual that opens us towards liberation. Excerpted from the talk Finding the Middle Way Between the Psychological and the Spiritual given at Bristol Buddhist Centre , 2022. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts...

True wisdom in the Buddhist sense is not book knowledge, but understanding how things really are. The Buddha was always pragmatic in his approach and sought to get straight to the root of suffering. His vision was embedded in conditioned co-production: awareness that things are always coming into being and passing away, and that there are many conditions in play together. Satyajyoti uses the metap...

Akasajoti talks about the hero's journey as a middle way, referring to the Buddha's life story. She describes practising with three creative dynamics in the spiritual life between 'will and receptivity', 'inner calm and outer activity', and 'vision and transformation', suggesting their resolution in the six perfections. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Hero's Journey given at Adhisthana , 2022...

The Eightfold Path is divided into Paths of Vision and of Transformation. Sangharakshita illustrates how perfect vision can arise, and concludes by showing how Buddhists have communicated their vision of reality in conceptual and imaginative terms. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Nature of Existence: Right Understanding, as part of the series The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path given in 1968. *...

Akashamitra introduces the Eight Ways of the Noble Ones with a talk on vision. Why does it start the path? Have we already had a path of vision experiences? Excerpted from the talk Perfect Vision - How Far Can You Go? given at North London Buddhist Centre , 2020. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every...

Vajrapriya takes the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path - rebranding it as the Meaningful Eightfold Path - and considers how its eight areas contribute to a meaningful life, and how following it eventually eliminates the whole problem of meaninglessness. Excerpted from the talk entitled Living a Meaningful Life , part of the series Reality and what to do about it given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre...

Munisha gave this Buddha Day talk to the Swedish sangha, via Zoom, in May 2020, in the early months of the Covid 19 pandemic. The talk is in English with occasional brief translation of terms into Swedish. Excerpted from the talk entitled Becoming Noble , for Stockholm Buddhist Centre , 2020. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized...

Hridayagita encourages reflection on the Four Noble Truths and particularly the first one as a way to quit running from or trying to fix samsara. Excerpted from the talk The First Noble Truth and The Space to Choose given at Taraloka Retreat Centre , 2016. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week....

Moksatara introduces the dakini, the tantric embodiment of what's possible when all of our energy is completely engaged, alive and flowing. These beings of limitless space have complete freedom of mind, fierce energy and a full emotional engagement with life. In order to meet the dakinis we must travel to where they dwell: the cremation grounds, where bodies are taken to be burnt. The deepest, dar...

Colour has an important place in Buddhism, for example as a way to express different aspects of the Enlightened mind in the Five Jinas. This symbolism can open the imagination to new depths of understanding. As an artist and former art teacher, Ahimsaka   has studied colour extensively and helps us explore the deeper significance of colour in Buddhist practice. Excerpted from the talk Tantric Path...

Drawing on her experience as a poet, Varasahaya discusses creativity, imagination, and the writing process as a spiritual practice. She reads some of her poems, and explains the process by which they came to birth, and what she learnt about letting go of self as she grappled with writing. Excerpted from the talk Writing As Spiritual Practice given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2017. *** Subscri...

Paramananda explore the relevance of alchemical thinking to meditation practice. Excerpted from the talk Opening Up the Imagination , the eighth in a series called The Alchemical Heart given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddh...

Vishvapani traces his own relationship to the Buddha, from early family connections arising out of the turmoil of war to his experience of writing the book itself. In doing so he explores the tricky work of trying to engage with the imagination constrained and disciplined by the historical evidence. What emerges from his work with the Pali texts is a portrait of the Buddha and his world where it's...

Vidyamala shares ways to bring an imaginative approach to mindfulness practice. Excerpted from the talk entitled Mindfulness and the Imagination given at Rivendell as part of the series An Exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 d...

Maitreyabandhu shares his reflections on the role of the imagination in the spiritual life. Drawing on his experience as an artist, poet and Buddhist practitioner. Excerpted from the talk A Further Reach - Imagination and the Radical given at Croydon Buddhist Centre , 2011. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three...

"Art is the organisation of sensuous impressions that express the artist's sensibility and communicate to his audience a sense of values that can transform their lives." Using his own definition, Sangharakshita investigates the relevance of art and the artist to higher evolution. Excerpted from the talk entitled Art and the Spiritual Life given in 1969 as part of the series The Higher Evolution ....

Kulanandi reflects on different qualities of beauty in the spiritual life, here exploring the wisdom of seeing the beauty in each other through spiritual friendship.  Excerpted from the talk Beauty and the Dharma Life given at the Stockholm Buddhist Centre,  2014. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times ever...

Jvalamalini introduces the importance of spiritual friendship within the Triratna Buddhist Community. From the talk What Is Spiritual Friendship given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2015, part of a  series on The Six Distinctive Emphases of Triratna. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe...

Satyaraja explores what it means to 'cherish' or treasure the Dharma in all its aspects, and as both the teaching of the Buddha and his Enlightenment experience. The talk concludes with the importance of seeing the Dharma as beautiful if we are to truly cherish it. Excerpted from the talk entitled Cherish the Doctrine given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2919, as part of the series A Living Bodhisa...

In this talk, Maitrisiddhi shows us the importance and value in holding the Ideal of spiritual friendship alongside the reality of life in the Sangha. Excerpted from the talk Spiritual Friendship: Ideal Versus Real given at Taraloka Retreat Centre , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. S...

Vishangka explores the joys and challenges that arise in a spiritual community. He explores several suttas and what we can learn from them. He also reflects on his own personal experience of friendship and sangha. Excerpted from the talk Blending like Milk and Water: Sangha In the Buddha's Time given at Manchester Buddhist Centre , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcast...

Our teacher Sangharakshita has said: "It is in friendship (maitri) that we may find the emotional equivalent of the intellectual understanding of the doctrine of 'no self'". The gift of these teachings can help us move beyond self-clinging into a deeper and far more mysterious connection with one another; a Greater Love. From the talk Spiritual Friendship and the Heart's Release by Maitreyi given...

Sangharakshita shares a verse full of reverence, joy and insight by Rantakara who praises the Buddha in the Vimalakirti Nirdesa. Excerpted from the talk Building the Buddha Land , 1979, part of the series The Inconceivable Emancipation - Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha . This lecture deals in depth with what a Buddha Land is, how and by whom it comes to be built, and what all of this has to d...

Amaraghosha discusses the importance of the outward expression of our devotion, in both rituals and our daily lives, using quotations and personal examples.  From the talk entitled Salutation given at Croydon Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Bu...