Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Santavajri begins with her realisation that a motivator for her spiritual practice has been a quest for happiness. Touching on the themes of righteous indignation, spiritual bypassing, empathy, non-violent communication, envy and exploring apology, confession and working with betrayal, Santavajri poses the question as to whether we can forgive ourselves and move towards unconditional love for all...

Subhadramati explores forgiveness and the arising of the Bodhicitta. The ego sustains itself by blaming - forgiveness means letting go of our egoic reactions and becoming a conduit for the mind of Bodhicitta. Excerpted from Being a Conduit For the Mind of Bodhicitta during the Women's Area Order Weekend , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google ...

A lovely, thoughtful exploration of the traditional Buddhist path of ethics, meditation and wisdom, using poetry and the ideas of contemporary science to evoke the mystery that lies at the heart of practice. Dhammadassin 's beautifully weighted talk challenges us to look at how we think and how we act, and is rooted in a moving fidelity to experience as the ground of our inspiration. One to be tre...

This introductory talk by Dhammadinna is an ideal entry point to the world of the mind-turnings. Seen as foundations for the building of practice, the reflections encourage us to make life meaningful in the face of a relentlessly ungovernable reality. A strong look in the mirror of the heart. Excerpted from the talk The Four Mind-Turning Reflections , part of the series of the same title , given a...

In this very personal talk Vijayasri remembers being part of a study seminar led by Sangharakshita, in 1982, on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa. Vijayasri talks about the effect being part of the study group has had on her life and explores Gampopas teachings on the importance of a human birth. Excerpted from the talk entitled This Precious Human Life given at Croydon Buddhist Centre ,...

A moving, often beautiful evocation of the great Indian teacher Atisha, whose work had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism in Tibet. Sangharakshita presents Atisha's life as both a challenge and an inspiration to all who wish to practice the Dharma and discover its relevance in the world today. Excerpt from the talk entitled A Life for the Dharma , part of the series Three Lectures...

"I believe that it is possible to be friends with any other human being…" In this talk, Maitreyi explores the unique emphasis of friendship with quotes from Sangharakshita. Excerpted from the talk A Celebration of Friendship given at Glasgow Buddhist Centre , 2020. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times eve...

Padmavajra explores what it means to come together in a Buddhist centre to practice the Dharma and why we need such places in which to practice together. He touches on the importance of learning the Dharma, inspiration, friendship and the 'bodying forth' of the Buddha's teachings in our lives. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Wondrous House of the Dharma given at the London Buddhist Centre , 2...

Here Arthapriya draws out our natural impetus to grow and the import of spiritual friendship to create a context for us to develop spiritually. Excerpted from the talk entitled Risking It All - Sangha As Practice given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre , 2014. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. S...

Here Subhadramati shares her experience witnessing Bhante circumambulating and bowing to the shrine and how that deep gesture of reverence evoked a strong sense of the lineage of inspiration in her. Excerpted from the talk entitled Avalokiteshvara given as part of the series Buddhas and Bodhisattvas given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Pod...

Sangharakshita revisits his time as a wandering 'Dharma Farer' in the India of the 1940s. The occasion for this colourful set of stories and related insights is the 60th anniversary of his decision to 'Go Forth' into the homeless life, in line with the oldest Buddhist traditions. Sangharakshita is in fine, thoughtful, at times even mischievous form as he heads into his 83rd year, and, as usual, is...

Vidyapala explores the imagination both from a Western cultural and philosophical point of view and then talks about its importance for us, as people trying to practice Buddhism in the West. He also suggests some ways of developing the imagination as a faculty of perception that helps us to understand reality more deeply. From the talk The Path of Imagination given at Manchester Buddhist Centre ,...

Dharmashalin offers thoughts on positive projection of qualities we want to develop in us via a short introduction to the why, what and how of the seven-fold puja. Excerpted from Why Do Puja given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre , 2024. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free...

"A poetical invocation of real spiritual forces" is how Sangharakshita defined puja. Here, Sanghagita explores the "real" and "imagined" power we all have to bring a touch of transformative magic into our practice. From the talk A Touch of Magic given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2024. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized insp...

Saddhaloka talks about the tradition of storytelling in Buddhism, and recounts some of his own favourites. He is the author of a book of re-tellings of stories from the Pali Canon, the oldest collection of texts about the life and teachings of the Buddha. His obvious love of the tales comes shining through - sit back and enjoy... From the talk Encounters with Enlightenment given at Padmaloka Retre...

How do you get used to being Enlightened? What happened to the Buddha in the weeks after his breakthrough experience? Kamalashila uses the framework of the System of Meditation to shed light on the process that unfolded in the Bodhisattva's mind and body as Enlightenment dawned by connecting us imaginatively with the symbolism and image of Muchalinda, the great serpent, coiling his body protective...

Sanghamani draws inspiration from the use of images in nature linked to the Buddha's Enlightenment. Invoking Mara's assault and calling the earth goddess to witness and how we can use them to help us contact our own fearlessness and confidence. From the talk May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers given at Buddhafield East , 2011. Listen out for the creaking mast of the Rainbow Tent ship! *** Subscribe...

Nagesvara draws out the significance of the episode from the life of the Buddha where he recollects a memory from childhood of natural, spontaneous samadhi. From the talk entitled The Rose Apple Tree , given as part of the retreat series Body of Bliss: ways into Samādhi , Buddhafield , 2021. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized...

Sangharakshita tells the story of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha-to-be, up to the time of his Enlightenment, drawing out the significance of some of the key events. Here we encounter the Buddha receiving help on the path to Enlightenment. Excerpted from the talk The Way to Enlightenment given in 1972. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts B...

According to the Buddha we see permanence where there is impermanence, substantiality where there is insubstantiality, see the unlovely as beautiful and the unpleasant as pleasant. How does this affect us? And even more importantly, what can we do about this? Yashobodhi makes the simple yet profound connection between ignorance and suffering. Excerpted from  the talk Distortions of the Mind given...

Here, Bhadra evokes the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice in his description of the Middle Way. 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 | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio p...

Suryamati shares a parable from the Udana to illustrate why the Buddha spoke so little about the nature of Enlightenment. From the talk The Mystery of Enlightenment In the Udana given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre , 2007. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio...

Ratnaprabha looks at what motivated the Buddha to leave a comfortable life for an uncertain quest in the Jungle: the Four Sights of Old Age, Illness, Death, and the inspiring figure of the wanderer seeking liberation. Excerpted from the talk What Started the Buddha Off given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Googl...

Paraga offers some reflections on his personal experience of being in the Order. Excerpted from the talk Reflections On the Benefits of Being In the Order given at Padmaloka Retreat 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 Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Pod...

How do we move towards creating friendships that are less transactional and more transformative? Singhashri speaks on the topic of spiritual friendship, specifically the practice of generosity, and it's effect on opening the heart. Excerpted from the talk entitled We Are Not Broken. We Are Alive - the Koan of Kalyanamitrata given on an Order weekend at Taraloka Retreat Centre , 2013. *** Subscribe...