Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Simplicity of Lifestyle," Amritamati talks about how we can practice simplicity in our lives: whatever our lifestyle is or whatever we want our lifestyle to be, from parenting to becoming a celibate 'Anagarika'. This Dharmabyte is excerpted from the full talk of the same name, and was given on a weekend retreat at Tiratanaloka for women who are training for Ordination.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte is by the delightful Ratnasuri titled "The First Sight (Old Age)." When Siddhartha Gautama was a young man, it's said that he was so struck by three particular observations that he felt he had no choice but to make a radical change in his life. These were the traditional 'three sights': old age, sickness and death in his fellow human beings. This is the first of those three talks, available in the series: "The Three Sights."

Today's FBA Dharmabyte is a curious exploration entitled "Meeting Another’s ‘Environment’." Sharing the teaching of Lin Chi on 'environment' and how we meet a whole container of history, memories, emotions when we meet another. With stories about Hakuin, the Samurai and the Order Member Saghasen in India, this little excerpt packs a punch! From the talk "The Bliss Bestowing Hands of the True Individual" of the "Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Masters" series given at Padmaloka Retreat Center.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Seeing the Mind by Not Seeing It," is an excerpt from the 1965 talk, "Seeing Into One’s Own Nature and Realising Buddhahood" by Sangharakshita. We are instructed by the Buddha that 'Mind cannot be seen,' and yet the Zen Master directs us to 'See the Mind'. How is the contradiction to be solved?

Today's FBA Dharmabyte is titled: "The World Is Unknown," by Vajragupta. The world is unknown, we cannot possibly know what the world is in itself. What we call the world is much more a relationship, and it’s all rather mysterious. Exploring Buddhist practices of non-separateness, the elements, change and transformation, Vajragupta beautifully unveils our connection with nature. From the talk: We Live In a Beautiful World: Buddhism and Nature

Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "What is Life?," is an excerpt from the talk Awareness of Nature by Dharmasakhya. Quoting the poem, Leisure, by WH Davies, Dharmasakhya makes a beautiful case for more simplicity in one's life.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "Building Sangha," is by Vajrasara who explores the value of spiritual community, ways to encourage fuller harmony, and the many opportunities in friendship for waking up. From the talk: "Building Sangha, Creating Harmony."

Wide open is the door of the deathless! Let those who are prepared to listen, put forth their faith! Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "Overcoming Spiritual Individualism," is an excerpt from The Buddha's Victory, by Sangharakshita. Given on the full moon in May celebrating the anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment and his victory over the demon Mara. Here, Sangharakshita describes how the Buddha, following his full and perfect Enlightenment, interacts with Brahma Sahampati who implores him to communicate the truth that he has discovered. Talk given in 1987.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is titled "A Society Inspired by Bodhicitta" by Sangharakshita. We hear of Queen Vaydevi and the series of sixteen meditations as illustration to create a spiritual community without the use of the 'power mode' in interacting with each other. This contrasts strongly with ordinary 'groups', where relationships are often based on authority, sometimes the authority of a personal God. From the talk Authority and the Individual in the New Society, 1979.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "The First of the Four Gifts," is an excerpt from The Four Gifts,

Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "Healing by Forgiveness," is an excerpt from Love Your Enemy, the fourth in a five part series by Padmavajra on all aspects of the Metta Bhavana practice and 'The Great Love' in Buddhist discourse and practice - from metta (loving kindness) itself to Bodhichitta. Here, Padmavajra reminds us that we cannot control events, citing the poem Life is King by Sangharakshita. With readings from King Lear, John Middleton Murray and Chekov, Padmavajra explores the aspect of forgiveness in healing and connecting with others. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004

Our FBA Dharmabyte today, "Bhaisajyaraja: The Healing Aspect of Buddhahood," is an excerpt from The Archetype of the Divine Healer, identifiable in Egyptian and Greek myths, also appears in the White Lotus Sutra as both the Medicine Buddha and the Good Physician. Talk given in 1971 as part of the series Parables, Myths and Symbols of Mahayana Buddhism in the White Lotus Sutra.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an extract from the talk "Buddhism and Ecology" by Akuppa, a fascinating, challenging and, in the end, realistically affirming look at Buddhist practice in the face of global climate crisis. In this section entitled "Individual Connection with Nature," we here Akuppa's concluding remarks and the reading of a poem by Sangharakshita, The Veil of Stars. Talk given at the Western Buddhist Order Convention, 2005

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an extract from the talk "Entering the Mandala" by Garava, "Embarking on an Inner Journey". Here, he speaks of entering the Mandala; embarking on an inner journey; letting go of the past; and preparation for the journey. A very interesting introduction to the mandala here from Garava - the idea, the myth, the image, the symbol, the experience. His own practice as an artist affords him a respectful and generous perspective, from which we are able to simply sit back and learn. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2001

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an extract from the talk "Mahayana Buddhist Scriptures" by Nagapriya entitled: "Imagery, Myth and Symbol". Nagapriya gives an overview of the vast literature of Mahayana Buddhism in this talk. He discusses how the new texts emerged, why so many are still preserved, and how they found legitimacy in the larger Buddhist tradition. He also lays out how Mahayana texts are different than those of the Pali Canon, why they emphasize imagination and myth, and why it remains useful for modern Buddhists to explore them despite their length and repetition. Talk given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2009, as part of the series Visions of Mahayana Buddhism.