In today’s FBA Dharmabyte, Going Forth as Skilled Action, Maitreyabandhu adds a liveliness and concreteness to the theme of going forth. From the talk “Positive Emotion – Skilled Action” given during a 4-day retreat in May 2013, at Dharmagiri retreatcenter, Sweden. Maitreyabandhu gave four seminars on ‘The five great stages of spiritual life’, as...
Parami is joined by Punyamala, the newest member of the College, who talks about the experience of her first College meeting and how moving it was to witness the College rejoicing in Dhammarati as he officially finished his 10 year term as Chair.
Ratnavandana lead us through a meditation where we just try to be present with our experience in the context of the mandala of the Five archetypal Buddhas. With an introduction and the mantra of Akshobhya, the blue Buddha of the east…
From Bristol Buddhist Centre on Sat, 14 Mar, 2015 - 22:27Just as a map is a very useful thing to help know where you are, and how to get to where you want to go, so too is the mandala of the Brahma Viharas. It can do the same thing on an internal level. Firstly you need to know where you are, which means you need to be awake to your present experience to know that, and then you can see where it fits in the Mandala. So firstly, once...
The opening ritual to dedicate the Rainy Season Retreat included meditation, readings (from Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche and Nyanaponika Thera) and chanting to invoke the mandala of the five archetypal Buddhas and the qualities of kindness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity.
Parami has some time with Padmasuri talking about the highlights of the day’s events at the College meeting and looking back at Padmasuri’s decade as one of the Deputies of the College.
This week’s FBA Podcast is a gem from Vajratara entitled: “The Buddha, The Bodhicitta and Bhante.” Vajratara introduces the Bodhicitta in an easily accessible format: what, why and how. She starts with the symbolism of the Buddha’s own Bodhisattva vow at the time of Dipankara, the previous Buddha. She also draws out Sangharakshita s unique understanding of...
As part of her preparatory notes for the Spring urban retreat on the theme of ‘Living In The Mandala’ and the Brahma Viharas, Ratnavandana has prepared this great set of reflections on ways to stay connected when you’re doing an ‘urban retreat’ of this sort (whether online or at a Buddhist Centre!).
To download, read the document in full screen mode and choose ‘download’ from the sharing options (top left of the navigation panel).
From Community Highlights on Fri, 13 Mar, 2015 - 16:45DHARMASUNDAYSA space for Order members to share experience of meditation and the view of the path overall. Sundays 10am to 5pm West London Buddhist Centre 45a Porchester Road W25PT(opp.Royal Oak; Paddington, Queensway Bayswater 10m) We’ll let in latecomers if we can, but please arrive on time.
Mar 15 Abhaya: Beauty “Beauty is Important” —Sangharakshita, in a recent conversation.
With the one of the 6 Distinctive Emphases, (slightly expanded), of...
All this weekend and next week we’ll be bringing teaching and blogs from the Rainy Season Urban Retreat that starts this evening in Bristol, UK. The theme is ‘Living In the Mandala’ and we’ll be exploring the...
