Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Today's FBA Dharmabyte, The Four Noble Truths & Perfect Vision, comes to us from one of Sangharakshita's earliest recordings. From the series: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path we offer you two tracks from the first talk in the series: The Nature of Existence: Right Understanding given in 1968. Sangharakshita illustrates how perfect vision can arise, explores the three levels of suffering and truths of conditioned existence, and how all of this can be transcended.

Continuing with our theme of The Heart Sutra, today's Dharmabyte leads us into 'The Meaning of the Prajnaparamita Mantra.' Going beyond the unconditioned, going beyond even the distinction of the conditioned and the unconditioned, going, going, gone beyond. Selection from the talk titled 'The Heart Sutra' by Sangharakshita, 1967.

Our Dharmabyte today takes us into the heart of Buddhist ritual, into the heart of the sevenfold puja, with a special chanting of the "Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra" - The Heart Sutra - in Sanskrit. The entire puja is recited in both Sanskrit and English, a real treat for all ritual lovers courtesy of Satyadhana, the puja leader. This Sevenfold Puja was recorded at the North American Order Convention in 2008.

In today's Dharmabyte, Kulaprabha shares a reading of 'The Hymn to Perfect Wisdom' from 'The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines'. This is the first track in the talk of the same title, 'On the Hymn to Perfect Wisdom', which will be featured in this Saturday's FBA Podcast.

In today's Dharmabyte, we meet Sangharakshita in his usual uncompromising form as he explores common "Misunderstandings of Karma." From the comprehensive and excellent introductory talk, Karma and Rebirth given in 1970.

In today's Dharmabyte, we continue to explore the theme of Karma by taking a deeper look into the "Characteristics of Mind." by Dhammadina. What are those five characteristics? Clarity, Cognition, Momentary, Conditioned, Karma. Beautiful and accessible this little Dharma nugget shows us clearly how habitual karma manifest through our mental events. Selected from the popular talk "What is Mind?"

In today's Dharmabyte, "Visions of Hell's Extreme Sufferings", we continue our exploration of the third of the Four Mind Turning Reflections: Karma. Here, Padmavajra offers a clear explanation of the Buddha's teaching particularly: Not everything we experience now is the result of Karma or unskillful actions. From the second talk in the series Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol).

Today's Dharmabyte continues on the theme of Karma - the third of the Mind Turning Reflections. Here, the inspiring Vajratara likens Karma to a swift river and iron chains exploring imagery in the verses from Tsongkhapa's text "The Three Principle Aspects of the Path". "Self-Grasping and the Strong Bonds of Karma", is selected from the talk "Generating Bodhi Mind."

Today's Dharmabyte features a beautiful reading of the opening verses of The Dhammapada, one of the oldest Buddhist texts. "Essential Expressions of Karma" is the opening track of the talk "Karma and the Consequences of Our Actions", which will be our next full length podcast on Saturday. Given by the lovely Ratnadharini, this talk was given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005 and is part of the series The Four Mind-Turning Reflections.

It's a really good thing to be born a human being. Today's Dharmabyte by Padmavajra, Every Moment Favourable is an extract from the talk "Initiation into the Alchemy of Love". Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004 Today's Dharmabyte is from the talk "The Initiation into the Alchemy of Love," the first in a great three-part series titled "The Alchemy of Love."

In today's Dharmabyte Desire and Resolve, Srivati touches into the Five Vinyatas including Desire and Resolve illustrated in the story of Bahiya of the Bark Garment. Simply put, if we desire freedom we can liberate ourselves. Dharmabyte from the talk titled "Becoming a Citizen of the Present" given on the Western Buddhist Order National Order Weekend, 2001

Today's Dharmabyte, Regarding Life Itself Sangharakshita suggests that spiritual life is better seen in more concrete ways; as growth, work, and duty. What is our usual approach to life? What do we turn to? From the talk: "Enlightenment as Experience and as Non-Experience", our next full length podcast. Talk given in 1975.

In today's Dharmabyte the lovely Dhammadinna reminds us that we are not hear by chance: Human Birth is Not Accidental but a result of our previous skillful actions. A quick look at the nature of ethics and human enlightenment as natural from the talk The Preciousness and Rarity of Human Life. Talk given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2005 This talk is part of the series The Four Mind-Turning Reflections.

Today's Dharmabyte, Benefits of our Human Life is the opening track from the talk "This Precious Human Life" by Kulaprabha. Given at Taraloka Retreat Center, February 2008, this series of talks on the Four Reminders or Four Mind-Turnings are inspired by Gampopa's 'Jewel Ornament of Liberation'.

In this star Dharmabyte, an extract from the talk:Mindfulness of Reality, Kulananda takes us into the heart of the matter: everything is change. It's enough to make anyone think twice. Or a thousand times. And still get nowhere. But fear not - this is a clear, concise, eminently human and straightforward tour of the last of the traditional four levels of mindfulness. And Kulananda's approach is born of his experience of over twenty year's teaching on just this kind of thing. Ready? Then in we go... Kulananda/Michael Chaskalson has published widely on many aspects of Buddhism and meditation, and runs a variety of mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes for use in personal and business life. Talk given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2000