Between the idea,

And the reality,

Between the motion,

And the act,

Falls the Shadow.

Inspired by some verses from T. S. Eliot's 'The Hollow Men', Akasajoti explores the relationship between vision and transformation, and the mediating role of 'Perfect Emotion', drawing on Sangharakshita's original lecture from the Noble Eightfold Path series.

She suggests that to notice our faith responses is to find where vision and emotion already relate to each other in our experience. And that we can apply the 'three levels of wisdom' - to hear, reflect, and become - to listen to our responses to ordinary kinds of value as 'distant echoes of the deepest ideals within reality', and gradually amplify these moments by making connections with how they point beyond themselves to something more, until they become more integrated into our experience.

Given at the London Buddhist Centre Sub25 Class, February 2024

Talk 1 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 6 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 5 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 4 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 3 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 8 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 7 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 5 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 4 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 3 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 2 in a series of 8 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 7 in a series of 7 on The Dhammapada at the London Buddhist Centre. The Dhammapada, or ‘Way of Truth’, is a profound expression of ‘Basic Buddhism’. In its short, memorable verses, the Buddha challenges us to practise wholeheartedly – because ‘a tamed mind brings happiness’. The Dharma Night team unpack some of these ancient wisdom-sayings, which, as our founder has said, ‘deserve to be engraved on our hearts in letters of gold – or fire.’

Talk 6 of 8 in a series on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 1 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

Talk 2 in a series of 8 on The Noble Eightfold Path at the London Buddhist Centre. Treading the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path is a matter of ‘bringing the whole of our life up to the level of its highest moments’ – so says our teacher, Bhante Sangharakshita. Glimpses of the true nature of things – whether through some personal tragedy, a higher experience of art or nature, or just through our ‘simple human maturity’ – get us on to the Path. But soon enough our whole being, in all its heights and depths, need to be transformed in the light of this insight. So it is both vision and transformation; a sight of the mountain peak, and a map for trudging up its slopes bit by bit.

In this talk, the fourth in a series of five, Suryanaga explores Sangharakshita's classic lecture "The Tantric Symbolism of the Stupa".

In this talk, the third in a series of five, Kusalasara explores Sangharakshita's classic lecture "Breaking Through Into Buddhahood".

In this talk, the second in a series of five, Danayutta explores Sangharakshita's classic lecture "On Being All Things to All Men".

In this talk, the first in a series of five, Prajnamanas explores Sangharakshita's classic lecture "The Buddha's Victory".