Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

How do we have a creative response to suffering, without either getting overwhelmed or turning away? Our FBA Dharmabyte , Embodying Compassion in the World , illustrates the keep kindness of the Buddha with the story of Kisagotami. In this talk, given on a work retreat at Taraloka, Maitrisiddhi describes the Bodhisattva Ideal with the myth of Avalokitesvara. She explores the crucial interrelations...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Metaphors and Archetypes from the talk Archetypal Symbolism, Part 2 by Danadasa. The life story of the Buddha is much more than a historical account – it is a poetic myth full of profound meanings that can resonate with both our conscious minds and our unconscious depths. To fully realize our infinite human potential, we need to harness the power that lies within...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Our Place is in the Cosmos from the talk Approaching a Magical World by Jvalamalini. This is an excerpt from the first of four talks on and#8216;the Cosmic Mythic Vision of the Mahayana.and#8217; Here Jvalamalini explores the faculties of mythos and logos, how theyand#8217;re conditioned by historical context, a suggestion from neuroscience about how imaginal pra...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Chittamatra (and#8216;Mind-Onlyand#8217;) from the talk The Depth Psychology of the Yogachara by Sangharakshita. The Yogachara School of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and its doctrine of and#8216;Mind-Onlyand#8217; (Chittamatra) crucially influenced the development of Zen. Here the doctrine is related to subjective and absolute idealism in Western philosophy. Talk giv...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Intellectual understanding is not enough from the talk The Turning About in the Deepest Seat of Consciousness by Sangharakshita. The and#8216;turning aboutand#8217; or paravrtti is described in the Yogachara school of Buddhism in terms of the transformation of the eight ordinary kinds of discriminating consciousness into the five Transcendental Wisdoms of the Bud...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is another dip into the Yogachara from Subhuti called Our Illusory View . This is the last in a brilliant four-part series by Subhuti on the Yogachara school of Buddhist philosophy, which provides a comprehensive psychological overview of the workings of and#8216;consciousnessand#8217;. What can we do about the veils of our basic delusions? Where do ethics come into all th...

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte Arthapriya creatively explores the question: What is actually happening? . Arthapriya explores the Buddhist understanding of what we call reality, and how it is less common sensical than we might imagine. In particular, he questions how much our and#8216;outside worldand#8217; is in fact so strongly conditioned by our state of mind. Covering karma, emptiness, impe...

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is entitled What happens when we stop and listen? from the talk The Sound of Reality by Padmavajra. Fabulous stuff. This richly rewarding talk explores the place and function of sound in Buddhist practice and history, as well as within Padmavajraand#8217;s own spiritual life. A wide-ranging cultural journey is made from John Coltrane to Sufi Qawwali, from mantra to Z...

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is entitled The Buddha and Reality from the talk The Buddha, God, and Reality by Sangharakshita. Having considered Buddhism (in and#8216;The Buddha and#8211; Man or Supermanand#8217; and and#8216;Evolution: Lower and Higherand#8217;) in terms of process in time, and the Buddha himself as a historical figure, Sangharakshita now uses stories and quotations from the scr...

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is entitled Reality and Intuition from the talk All One Gorgeous Mistake by Vajradarshini. A jewelled casket of a talk by Vajradarshini, with poetic accompaniment. Rumi meets Tsongkhapa in the Tavern of Ruin, and Dogen, Milarepa and Nagarjuna join them to talk about and#8216;selfand#8217; and and#8216;worldand#8217;. Joanna Macy turns up too — then many voices, mixed...

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is called Perception (Samjna) and#8211; A Definition , taken from the 6th talk in the series The Diamond Sutra and#8211; Taking Mind to its Limits by Padmavajra. This is the sixth in a sparkling, wide-ranging, thoroughly comprehensive ten talk series by Padmavajra on and#8216;The Diamond Sutraand#8217;. Down to the nitty-gritty now, with a useful and considered intro...

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is from a talk by Kulaprabha called The Alchemy of Happiness, a thoughtful take on the positive emotions cultivated in the and#8216;Brahma Viharaand#8217; meditations. This excerpt, called The Fulcrum of Vedana , takes a look at the relationship between mindfulness and positive emotion. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order convention, 2007.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is on Worldly and Unworldly Vedana from a series of talks on the Satipatthana: A Path to Insight . This talk (4 of 8 in the series) is clear, engaging and impassioned. In this full exploration of how to apply mindfulness practice in meditation and our lives, Prasadavatiand#8217;s depth of lived experience and love of satipatthana shines through. This series was given...

Our FBA Dharmabyte , Whole Body Breathing is an excerpt from the talk Anatomy of the Breath by Padmadarshini This talk provides a really good working context to help your meditation practice. Best to lie down comfortably as you listen to Padmadharshiniand#8217;s description of the anatomical and physiological processes involved in breathing. Sheand#8217;s a yoga teacher as well as a meditation tea...

Our FBA Dharmabyte , Working at Your Own Pace is an excerpt from an Anapanasati Retreat led by Viveka. Vivekaand#8217;s fresh and vibrant take on the traditional practice of anapanasati and#8211; mindfulness with breathing. Using the breath as a stabilizing presence, this series of meditations (including two fully-guided practices) is designed to help us discover the nature of reality itself by en...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is the beginning of a heartfelt conversation between Samantabhadri and Dharmakarunya entitled Metta, Contemplative Dialogue. The two good friends engage in a contemplative dialogue about metta. This dialogue, spontaneous and unscripted, unfolds as a significant exploration of metta. Metta as meditation practice, as an illumination of ordinary living and as a path to insigh...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called We Are a Flow of Phenomena by Dassini from the talk The Therigatha and the Problem of Self . We then hear a verse about no-self from the nun Uttara. This leads on to reflections about how we subtly reinforce a sense of self through feeling embarrassed or irritable.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Stepping Through The Portal by Nagapriya from the talk Cherish the Doctrine , Part 1 of a three part series based around the motto of the great Tibetan 20th Century teacher Dhardo Rimpoche and#8211; and#8220;Cherish the Doctrine, Live United, Radiate Loveand#8221;. Nagapriya takes an unusual angle and#8211; referencing the Spike Jonze movie and#8216;Being John Ma...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Enlightenment Is Possible by Saddhanandi from the talk Reflecting On the Life of the Buddha . This is the first of four talks exploring Vasubandhuand#8217;s Four Factors. In his treatise Generating Bodhi Resolve, Vasubandhu describes them as able to generate the resolve to cultivate and accumulate the bases for the Arising of the Bodhicitta. You can find out more...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Conditions For Generating Bodhi Resolve from the talk Vasubandhuand#8217;s Treatise on Generating Bodhi Resolve given at the London Buddhist Centre, September 2009. In this talk Kulaprabha introduces us to a work of his dealing with the conditions necessary for the arising of the Bodhicitta and#8211; here translated as Bodhi Resolve. In particular, she compares a...

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is from Visuddhimati called Grounded in Compassion from the talk The Bodhisattva Vision given during the Triratna Urban Retreat, 2015.

In our FBA Dharmabyte today, Seeing Through . Sanghadevi introduces us to Manjughosha who holds the Perfection of Wisdom near his heart and wields a sword that cuts through all the views and attitudes that we suffer from that arenand#8217;t in accordance with that truth. From the talk Manjughosha given on Sangha Night at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today catapults us into The Bodhisattvaand#8217;s Cosmic Context . Another excerpt from a classic Sangharakshita talk entitled The Cosmic Significance of the Bodhisattva Ideal from The Higher Evolution series given in 1969.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte Sangharakshita illustrates the cosmic grandeur of The Bodhisattva Spirit . This is from the talk entitled The Cosmic Significance of the Bodhisattva Ideal from The Higher Evolution series given in 1969.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is called Keeping Our Hearts Open , an excerpt from the talk on Avalokitesvara by Dharmasri. Speaking from the heart, Dharmasri evokes the wish to alleviate the suffering of all beings embodied by the figure Avalokitesvara. This talk continues the exploration of Transforming Self and World through looking at the seven-fold puja, by exploring the mantra of the Bodhisattva A...