Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

An Ecumenical Movement Taranita explores the tension between tradition and adaptation in an ever-changing world in discussing how the Triratna Buddhist Community came to have its distinctive ecumenical nature. Excerpted from the talk The Six Distinctive Emphases - An Ecumenical Movement given at the Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2015. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On S...

Friendship in the Spiritual Life Sudrishti celebrates sangha, community, spiritual friendship with this talk on Kalyana Mitrata. Enlightened beings exemplify unconditional, unlimited love – something we as unenlightened beings can emulate and draw inspiration from to transform our relationships, self and world. Excerpted from the talk The Good Friend given on Buddha Day at Sydney Buddhist Centre ,...

Going Beyond Duality How do we go beyond the duality of subject and object, self and other, to experience the true nature of reality? Jnanavaca shares how the practice of sangha is vital in making spiritual progress. From the talk What Is Sangha & Kalyana Mitrata? Given at London Buddhist Centre as part of the series The Bi-Tendential Value of Being & The Greater Mandala , 2019. *** Subscribe to o...

Culagosingha Sutta Kalyanavaca shares the story of three monks living in harmony with each other, like milk and water blended together. From the talk entitled Kalyana Mitra given at London Buddhist Centre , 2014. *** 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...

Appreciating Natural Beauty We seek happiness, but often we find that our desires and aspirations are in conflict. Sangharakshita implores us to appreciate nature for her own sake. From the talk Nature, Man, and Enlightenment , part of the series Transformation of Life and World in the Sutra of Golden Light , 1976. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Goo...

Magical Aspects of Emptiness Kamalashila looks at our whole relationship to nature and the elements: how the artificiality in our lives can get in the way of seeing what things are actually like - and what we might do about that in practice! Kamalashila uses these reflections as a way into evoking a more natural, deeply encouraging perspective, one that allows us to open up to the reality the Budd...

Coming Into Your True Nature A tender and moving talk by Paramananda . Transformation is basically allowing the protective shell of self to dissipate. This shell only falls away if you come into relationship with your real, impermanent, fragile, vulnerable nature and soften into that or open up to that. Excerpted from the talk The Nature of Transformation given at West London Buddhist Centre , 201...

Being Open to the Beautiful Saddhanandi shares observations on retreat of expressions of metta, kindness, and celebrates the simple beauty of such gestures. From the introduction to meditation entitled Metta and Beauty , the ninth in a series from a 12 day meditation retreat on Metta as a Path to Insight , 2015. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google...

Allowing Sensitivity + Poignancy  Maitridevi explores how things that are broken can be given a fresh perspective through their repair and how, through this process, a greater beauty can be revealed. Excerpted from the talk entitled Love and the Beauty of Broken Things given at Manchester Buddhist Centre , 2018. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google...

Padmamati explores the spirit, or soul, of place, that of animating your physical context to experience it in an emotional and psychological way. The speaker is Padmamati - aka Stephen Coates - founder and frontman of cabaret band The Real Tuesday Weld, who have made so many contributions to London creative life. Excerpted from the talk Urban Imagination given at West London Buddhist Centre , 2014...

Bhadra takes us through the myth of Persephone and an experiential exploration of awareness to celebrate the vital contribution the bardo; the in-between state makes towards the spiritual life.  Excerpted from the talk Celebrating the In-Between given at Bristol Buddhist Centre , 2016. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspir...

Dayajoti explores the metaphor of 'sh*t happens' - it's what you do with it that matters! Turning towards your poo as a reflection on the process of transformation.  From the talk Bodies of Earth - Beyond Me and Mine - Dukkha from a two-week women's retreat at Eco-Dharma Retreat Centre , 2012. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-size...

Thoughts are like ghosts that haunt the mind, those thoughts become speech that become actions. Most of the terrible things that have happened in the world have had to do with views and ideologies spreading like a virus through a culture, driving a culture mad. Maitreyabandhu reminds us that Buddhism says again and again, what you think and what you do matters. Everything you do matters.  Excerpte...

Maitridevi explores looking at ways to re-vision breaking and brokenness in ourselves and in relationships so that we can hold them with love. Excerpted from the talk A Love of Broken Things given at Manchester 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...

Atula , a long-time practicing Buddhist and psychotherapist, offers stimulating words around the role of myth, metaphor and all our ways of cognizing, thinking about and expressing experience in what we call 'spiritual life' – and a clear encouragement to see that process as one that is profoundly relational.  In this excerpt we hear about the tendency to polarize and project onto others. From the...

Nagapriya encourages us to read Mahayana Sutras, when reading such a text, if we allow ourselves to really enter into it, we find ourselves transported into it. The scripture, through our participation in it, unveils a samadhi, a particular vision-world that a Bodhisattva dwells in.  Excerpted from the talk Mahayana Buddhist Scriptures , part of the series Visions of Mahayana Buddhism , given at M...

Buddhism appeals no less to the heart than to the head, using the language of myth to do so.  Sangharakshita introduces the myth of Muchalinda, the serpent-king that appears after the Buddha's enlightenment, representing the forces of the unconscious mind in their most positive aspect.  From the talk Buddhism and the Language of Myth is part of the series Ritual and Devotion in Buddhism , 1967. **...

By keeping our heart open, we communicate our values to all beings, offering an opportunity to break down polarisation in our world. Parami   reminds us that a bodhisattva creates the conditions where all beings can see through the causes of conditions and therefore create the conditions for future happiness. Excerpted from the talk After the Enlightenment: Breaking Through to Freedom given on Bud...

Dhivan brings us face to face with the rich and moving legacy of a brilliant and truly compassionate individual, changing the world he took part in, stepping out of history "with the walk of a lion, the walk of a swan." From the talk What Do We Really Know About the Buddha? given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre , 2008 *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On...

Sangharakshita describes the moment of the Buddha's Enlightenment.  From the talk Who is the Buddha? , part of the series Introducing the Three Jewels of Buddhism , 1968. *** 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 Go...

The full moon in May is celebrated as the anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment and his victory over the demon Mara. Sangharakshita explains what Mara represents and how to overcome that which holds us back. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Buddha's Victory given in 1987. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration...

Maitrisiddhi , in her usual lively, inspiring and practical way, poses the questions: How we can recognise the insidious voice of Mara, embodiment of everything that holds us back from practising the Dharma? How do we relate to inner voices which undermine our confidence and best efforts? Can we, like Lochana, touch the earth with clarity and confidence in our path? From the talk Lochana and Mara:...

After telling the story of Mara's assault on the Buddha, Lokeshvara looks at it from a modern perspective and with reference to the System of Meditation. Of particular interest is a section of the prevalence of depression in our society and current research which identifies the need for purpose in our lives. If we have a sense of purpose, that almost always connects to deeper values, if we can jus...

Viryanaga recounts the myth of the Buddha's Victory over Mara, drawing out the experiential aspects of the Buddha's Enlightenment. Excerpted from the talk The Great Victory given at a mixed Sub35 event held at Padmaloka Retreat Centre , 2017. *** Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:   On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts Bite-sized inspiration three times every week. Subscribe to o...

When the Buddha finally sat down under the Bodhi tree and saw deeply into the nature of things, what had brought him to that point? And what happened next? Vishvapani focusses in on the Buddha's experience after Enlightenment, bringing his nuanced, perceptive reading to the words the Buddha himself is said to have employed in order to best evoke his experiences as he struggled to give voice to the...