As a special treat for you as we countdown to #buddhaday we are releasing a series of dharma reflections and evocations of the Buddha over the week…⠀

For our Triratna international Buddha Day celebration, on the occasion of the full Moon day itself, Padmavajra introduces us to the story of the Buddha and the Naga King, Mucalinda. With characteristic resonant depth, Padmavajra evokes the meaning and significance of the Buddha's Enlightenment, and his subsequent encounter with Mucalinda.

He then reflects on the Udana, the inspired utterance, with which the Sutta ends, and describes it as a path of practice:

Blissful is solitude for one who is content, for one who has heard Dhamma and who sees,
Blissful is non hatred in the world, restraint towards living creatures,
Blissful is passionlessness in the world, the transcending of sensual desire,
But the destruction of the “I am” conceit, that is truly the supreme bliss. 

Hear and download the audio of this talk here.

Listen to a talk by Sangharakshita on this and other stories about the events surrounding the Buddha's Awakening, in a lecture called Archetypal Symbolism in the Biography of the Buddha.

+ to see all of our buddha day dharma as it’s released, for the full programme, and to connect on the day: thebuddhistcentre.com/buddha-day⠀