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Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: The Mandala Unifies Disintegration

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

We can find mandalas everywhere – in the East, in the West, in art, literature, even in dreams. Mandalas represent a resolution, or the beginnings of a resolution, of a conflict between the conscious and the unconscious.

Sangharakshita explores the symbolism of the mandala, circles of symbolic forms, found in the The Tantras (special scriptures of Vajrayana Buddhism) as a symbol of psychological and spiritual integration.

Excerpted from the talk entilted The Mandala – Tantric Symbol of Integration as part...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: The Episode of the Untimely Flowers

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 20 Feb, 2020 - 14:00

Here Sangharakshita recounts one of the stories from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, that of The Episode of Untimely Flowers. Reflections based around the Buddha’s Parinirvana (‘death’), stress the importance of impermanence.

From the lecture entitled Between Twin Sala Trees as part of the series Incidents from the Pali Canon,1983.

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Dharmabyte: The Buddha's Last Journey

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 6 Feb, 2020 - 14:00

The Maha Parinirvana Sutra contains a fairly detailed account of the Buddha’s last months of his earthly life. It follows him step by step – where he went, who he met, how he discoursed, what teaching he gave. By the time he embarked on his last journey he knew he was going to pass away. Being the Enlightened One, he remained calm, reflecting on his last words, his last teaching.

Excerpted from the talk The Tantric Symbolism of the Stupa...

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Free Buddhist Audio

FBA Podcast: Sangharakshita Foresees His Death In 'Padmaloka'

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 1 Feb, 2020 - 09:00

Vishvapani beautifully explores Sangharakshita’s poem ‘Padmaloka’ in which he looks forward to his own death.

It’s a poem about death, rebirth and nature, and Vishvapani connects it to other poetry which it echoes.

This talk was given a week after Sangharakshita’s death in November 2018 at Cardiff Buddhist Centre.

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Dharmabyte: Poems On Impermanence

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 27 Jan, 2020 - 14:00

A well read poem can help us deepen our understanding of Buddhist principles. Achala shares his practice of reflecting on impermanence through poetry. In this Dharmabyte we hear two poems. The first is entitled “Life” by Sangharakshita, the second entitled “Letter to a Nobleman in Kyoto” by Kukai, (774-835 CE), Japanese poet, scholar, painter, engineer, and great Buddhist teacher.

Translated into Marathi by Amitayush. Excerpted from the talk entitled Poems On...

Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Understanding Anatta

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 20 Jan, 2020 - 14:00

Classic Sangharakshita from the Aspects of the Higher Evolution of the Individual series given in 1970.

Tackling such terms as self, I, individual, and ego, reveals that each can have both a positive and a negative connotation. What is the self, and how can we cultivate true Individuality?

Excerpted from the talk Individuality , True and Self.

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FBA Podcast: The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 21 Dec, 2019 - 14:00

After considering the history and the meaning of the title, Sangharakshita provides a summary of The White Lotus Sutra’s dramatic structure, with brief explanations of the significance of certain details.

Talk given in 1971.

This talk is part of the series Parables, Myths and Symbols of Mahayana Buddhism in the White Lotus Sutra.

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Buddhist Centre Features
Buddhist Centre Features

Parami’s Personal Wishlist for the Next 20 Years (con traducción al espanol) - Pan-American Convention 2019

By parami on Thu, 12 Dec, 2019 - 20:33

At the 2019 Triratna Pan-American Convention in Mexico, Parami gives a strong, beautifully challenging talk about the future of the Buddhist community she has taken a leading part in since the 1970s. Taking as her framework Sangharakshita’s 1999 talk ‘Looking Ahead A Little Way’, as well as the four traditional Verses of Acceptance for Buddhist ordination within Triratna, she gives us her Top 10 Wishes for the wellbeing and flourishing of the Order and Movement around it in...

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Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Seated Upon the Vulture's Peak

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Dec, 2019 - 14:00

Sangharakshita takes us to the Vulture’s Peak, the summit of earthly existence, where the Buddha begins the White Lotus Sutra by speaking on infinity. With his words, (and the forthcoming myths, symbols and parables of the sutra), we are entreated to go beyond into the purely spiritual world of the transcendental.

From the talk The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment, 1971, part of the series Parables, Myths and Symbols of Mahayana Buddhism in the White Lotus Sutra.

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Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Indra's Net

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 9 Dec, 2019 - 14:00

Indra, the King of the Gods in Hindu Mythology, possesses a number of treasures, one of which is a net made entirely of jewels. According to the Buddha in the Gandavyuha Sutra, “All the Jewels shine in each, and each of them shine in all.”

The universe is just like this. As such, one cannot fully understand any one part of the Dharma unless one understands the whole.

Excerpted from the talk “The Universal Perspective of Mahayana Buddhism” by Sangharakshita, 1971,...

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