Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

The Bodhisattvas descend, the Bodhichitta is called down, and Parami is off and rolling on her favourite subject... "Energy & The New Society" is today's FBA Dharmabyte. "We must remember to remember to not forget what to remember." Exploring Shantideva's 'Bodhicharyavatara' in relation to the creation of The New Society from the talk "Energy At Its Most Abundant". Talk given in Cambridge, 2002

What happens when mindfulness matures? We're completely familiar with mindfulness, and we've hardly scratched the surface. What connects us to our own unfolding nature? Today's FBA Dharmabyte, Maturing Mindfulness, is an intimate look into the Anapanasati Sutra with Dhammarati in the sparkling talk Breaking the Mould, an indispensable exploration of everyday practice of the Dharma in the beautiful light of the Tathagathagarbha Sutra. Talk given at FWBO Day, London 2003

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Manjughosha's Sword" is an excerpt from the talk "Cutting Away the Old" by the very dynamic Dharmachari Abhaya. Swords - lots of swords - as he explores the deep significance of Manjughosha/Manjushri and the blade he uses to cut deep into ignorance and the suffering it leads us into. In this track we are invited to visualize the symbols of swords as we are reminded of Zorro, Excalibur and other sword fights in films. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2003

Today's FBA Dharmabyte,, "The Five Spiritual Faculties" is from one of our earliest recordings of Sangharakshita: "A Special Transmission Outside the Scriptures", 1965. How does Faith, Wisdom, Energy, Concentration and Mindfulness manifest in our lives? How do they relate to each other in our experience? This excerpt is from a talk in the series "The Essence of Zen".

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Marking the New Name: Triratna Buddhist Community", is a short talk by Padmavajra before leading the seven-fold puja at the International Sangha Gathering, Taraloka, May 2010 marking our movement's name from the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order to the Triratna Buddhist Community. The Community of the Three Jewels: The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha.

With Mindfulness, Strive. Today's FBA Dharmabyte, is a verse chanted within the context of  A Western [Triratna] Buddhist Order Ordination Ceremony. Conducted by Sangharakshita, this talk is part of the series Ritual and Devotion in Buddhism.

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, we preview our next podcast, "The Buddha's Personality" by Vishvapani with the segment: "'Knowing' the Buddha". This is from the third talk in the Vishvapani's new series launching the book "Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One". (Quercus, 2011) "The suttas give us a vividly real Buddha who walks the roads, inhabits the cities and the plains, an untamed free spirit, a powerful presence who we can know but we cannot necessarily comprehend." Vishvapani is a well known figure in the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a regular contributor on the BBC's 'Thought for the Day'. Talk given at the London Buddhist Centre, February 2011.

In today's FBA Dharmabyte, we continue our theme on the Buddha's Enlightenment with "Mara's Attack on the Buddha". This Dharambyte is from the quietly passionate talk, "What is Enlightenment?" by Jinapriya on the quicksilver nature of the Enlightenment experience - impossible to pin down, utterly transformative. Here we meet Mara, the demon or trickster who represents our deepest fears, our doubts, our lack of confidence. We are met with a thoughtful series of reflections, stories and images that all look to open up the gates of perception, and prepare the heart for the biggest change imaginable and possible for all. Talk given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2003

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, "The Buddha: Legend & History" offers us a glimpse of the talk, Imaging Gautama, from the major new series of talks by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). Vishvapani recollects his religious studies and lessons on the Four Sights, which is not found in the suttas relating to Gautama. Does this mean it didn't happen? Here Vishvapani traces the the development of a legendary story and other examples of details in the Buddha legend missing from the Pali Canon. Talk given at the Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 2011.

In celebration of Wesak, the Buddha's Awakening, today's FBA Dharmabyte takes us right to the heart of the matter: What is Enlightenment? ' From the 1975 lecture by Sangharakshita titled "The Ideal of Human Enlightenment", we are concisely and beautifully reminded of the three aspects of Awakening in the Buddhist tradition: i. radiant, pure clear awareness entirely transcending duality; ii. an intense, overflowing love and compassion for all that lives; iii. an inexhaustible mental and spiritual energy, absolute spontaneity and creativity continuously bubbling up. This talk is part of the series "Human Enlightenment".

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, we highlight a major new series of talks by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). "The Buddha's Time and Place", is an excerpt from the first talk, "Searching for the Buddha", from a major new series by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). Vishvapani is a well known figure in the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a regular contributer on the BBC's 'Thought for the Day'. Here we meet the Buddha set firmly in his own historical context, with space too for the legendary and particular reference to the natural world. The Buddha discovered the natural world and made it accessible to his disciples. If we return the Buddha to his time and place then we can find out the lessons that are relevant now: Life is uncontrollable and we find Wisdom in opening to that; To heal our relationship with nature, we must first heal ourselves, and that the transformation that occurs is on every level, not just the conscious. Ancient India comes alive as we wander with the Buddha, facing his fears amongst the ghosts of the jungle. There is much that is important for reflection here - the Dharma made fascinating by dint of the author's depth of engagement with Buddhist practice and the sheer breadth of his cultural reference. Talk given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre, January 2011.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, "Engaging with the Historical Buddha" offers us a glimpse of the talk, Searching for the Buddha, from the major new series of talks by Vishvapani to mark the launch of his new book: 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One' (Quercus, 2011). The act of engaging with the historical Buddha is an act of imagination. Discarded bits of rag, the texture of his face, the color of his skin, his physical form and his presence as it was compared to a Lion's Roar, and other elements of the natural world. Talk given at the Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2011.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, Letting the Mind Go is brought to us by Viveka in a talk titled "Mindfulness as Sadhana", given at the Women's Triratna Buddhist Order Convention in 2005. Touching in on our conditioning and confidence to become Enlightened, Viveka reminds us that there is nothing to be afraid of when letting go of the mind. Calling on the image of the vast ocean with references to Suzuki Roshi on water and waves - Big Mind and Milarepa's Song of the Yogi's Joy, this little Dharmabyte is sure to inspire.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, elucidated by Sangharakshita himself, is titledFaith from the Higher Evolution Series, specifically the fifth talk: Buddhism and the Path of Higher Evolution. Faith in the context of Higher Evolution is the response of our total being responding to something higher, something beyond, something transcendental. The longing to give ourselves to the Three Jewels completely...it is the response of what is ultimate in us with what is ultimate in the universe. This talk was delivered in 1969.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, Faith that Enlightenment is Possible, is a substantial extract from Saddhanandi's very personal, humorous and inspiring talk: Enlightenment as Heart, Life as Whole.  "She who delights in faith" shares many of her own stories from her life in the Order and her relationship to her belief in whether Enlightenment is possible. What is Enlightenment and what is our response to this possibility? Trembling with the potential to experience a state of pure, clear awareness extending in all directions, a state of knowledge - direct unmediated spiritual vision, a state of profound overflowing love and compassion for all beings, a state of inexhaustible mental and spiritual energy, a state of uninterrupted creativity, a state of perfect unconditioned freedom from all subjective limitations. Do you use faith as an authority in your life? This talk was given on the International Sangha Gathering for women who had asked for ordination in the Triratna Buddhist Order, held at Taraloka in 2005.