Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Akashamitra takes a look at one of the most difficult trainings offered in this approach. How can we find an opportunity for growth in that most upsetting situation - when someone we've trusted lets us down? Excerpted from the talk entitled Training the Mind: Learning From Betrayal , the sixth talk in a series of eight, given at the London Buddhist Centre as part of the 8-part series Training the...

Padmavajra first met Sangharakshita when he was 17 and in this talk he shares some of his own most cherished memories of Bhante, including his experiences of being with him in India when he returned there in the 1970's to found the Order there. Urgyen Sangharakshita - Bhante - who died in 2018, is not only the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community, but also teacher and spiritual fri...

Dhivan recounts the conversion of King Pasenadi by the Buddha. Excerpted from the talk A Courtesan, a Killer and a King given at Bristol 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 Buddhist Audio podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcas...

Saraha draws out examples of the Buddha's wisdom from the Pali Canon highlighting how pleasure and bliss are not obstacles to the spiritual path, craving and attachment is the problem leading to suffering.. Excerpted from the talk entitled Wisdom In the Pali Canon given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2010. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcas...

The Buddha and Ananda once tended a sick monk, neglected by his companions because of his 'uselessness'. Sangharakshita shows that people cannot be treated as 'things' in the spiritual community. From the talk A Case of Dysentry given in 1982 as part of the series Incidents from the Pali Canon . *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-si...

Mahamani   shares some experiences around guilt, faith, losing the way and finding it. From the personal talk entitled The Way to the Top of the Hill from 'The Way to the Beyond' Womens AOWE held at Taraloka Retreat Centre , 2021. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to our Free Budd...

Ratnaprabha tells the story of Meghiya, his frustrating attempt to meditate, and the advice the Buddha gives him on the necessity of mentorship, or kalyana mitrata. From the talk Meghiya, Meditation and Mentorship given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2017. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week...

Vishangka explores the joys and challenges that arise in a spiritual community. He explores several suttas and what we can learn from them. 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 Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times eve...

Dayanandi contemplates the words of the Tiratana Vandana and the qualities of the Buddha that it evokes. She says: "I reflect on the words as they seem to bring out the reality of his Enlightened being for me; what it might be like to really be the Enlightened One." Excerpted from the talk Reflecting on the Buddha in the Forest given at Manchester Buddhist Centre , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Dharm...

Akashadevi and readers tell some of the delightful stories of the Buddha's meetings with elephants, including this one when the Buddha needs a bit of space from the noisiness of his followers. From the talk Elephants and the Buddha , part of a "Tales and Teachings of Early Buddhism" given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2017. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spot...

In this talk about generosity, Sona evokes some very beautiful imagery of a cosmos full of stars as he describes how in our practice of Buddhist ethics, that of caring for others, being scrupulously honest, and so on, makes us more open, more malleable, more receptive. Excerpted from the talk entitled Abundance given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcas...

Padmavajra delves into the true nature of conflict and harmony by exploring two significant episodes in the life of the Buddha, one of which features disharmony from within the Sangha of monks itself. Excerpted from the talk The Quarrelsome Monks of Kosambi which was streamed from the Padmaloka shrine room to around 30 people tuning in via Zoom to the Mid Essex Buddhist Centre , 2020. *** Subscrib...

Dhammarati introduces the fourth tetrad: Inquiry into the Experience of Wisdom given on retreat as part of the series Anapanasati Sutta: Instructions for Awakening , Adhisthana , 2019. *** 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 Podcasts | On S...

Viveka introduces the spirit and context of the Anapanasati Sutta, beginning with the first tetrad: Inquiry Into the Experience of Body given on retreat as part of the series Anapanasati Sutta: Instructions for Awakening , Adhisthana , 2019. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to ou...

Sagaraghosa , critiquing structural elements of our society from a Buddhist standpoint, and exploring what we can do to bring about a society more in line with Reality.  Excerpted from the talk A Challenge to the Modern World , the last of three talks in the series 'Reality and What to Do About It' given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre , 2010. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podc...

Akuppa examines the relationship between the notion of self and society. He asks how we engage with the collective life of the society we are part of. He asks how do we engage with the collective life of the society we are part of. Using the examples of the Buddha, Dr Ambedkar, and Sangharakshita as to how we might do that. Excerpted from the talk Transforming Self and World Part 2: Buddhist Polit...

Saddhaloka shares two early stories from the Buddhist tradition to illustrate disharmony and harmony in the sangha. From the talk entitled The Four Ordination Vows - In Harmony with Friends and Bretheren given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2009. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe t...

Vajradevi explores the poisons of craving and aversion which fuel emotions. She shares the story of David Attenborough meeting the gorillas in Africa as an example of how to meet potentially scary, overwhelming mind states with a simple awareness, in touch with whatever feelings there are and a willingness to meet and connect with that. Excerpted from the talk entitled Working Mindfully with Cravi...

Taking the Buddha's 'Seven points for the Stability of the Sangha' as his text, Sangharakshita explores their meaning and continuing relevance for 21st century Buddhists.  Excerpted from the talk entitled Growing the Spiritual Community given on the FWBO International Retreat , 2008. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspirat...

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...