Tag: spiritual friendship

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Dharmabyte: Seeing Our Teachers as Ordinary Human Beings

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 2 Dec, 2021 - 06:00

Vidyadaka talks about his spiritual teachers as offering the Dharma in an ordinary, straightforward way. 

Spiritual friendship is not an added-on part of Going for Refuge, nor is it the Buddhist equivalent to having some mates - rather it is of the essence of the spiritual life and a vital means of communication, emotional development, and meaning - not to mention challenge and enjoyment. But how do we do it and what does it look like?


From the talk entitled...

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Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Good Friends Reflect Us Back

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 30 Mar, 2020 - 14:00

Maitreyi shares the story of Meghiya to illustrate the importance of having strong friendships on the spiritual path.

From the talk entitled Sanghakaya and the Heart’s Release given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, December 2015.

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FBA Podcast: Good Friends

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 28 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Kalyana Mitrata is spiritual friendship, even ‘the lovely intimacy’, the need for close and supportive connections with others in treading the path. Ratnaprabha  explores why the Buddha said spiritual friendship is ‘the whole of the Buddhist Life’. Is it as important now as it was in the Buddha’s time? Is a Kalyana Mitra the same thing as a guru or teacher? How can we make the intimate connections in our lives really stimulating and nourishing? How do we...

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Dharmabyte: Armed with Love Flowers

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 23 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Here Karunadhi  introduces us to the Red Rite of Fascination. Friendship emerges from love for our friends, but also can evoke strong attachment. Communication and the samgrahavastu (means of unification) of loving speech are the antidote for grasping and projection.

Excerpted from the talk Spiritual Friendship and the Red Rite of Fascination as part of the series Spiritual Friendship and the Tantric Rites given on a joint Tiratanaloka and Buddhafield retreat...

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FBA Podcast: Spiritual Friendship and the Tantric Rites

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 21 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Vajratara introduces the theme of spiritual friendship or kalyana mitrata. What is spiritual friendship? How is it distinguished from ordinary friendship? How can we make friends? What is the difference between vertical and horizontal friendship? Using stories, personal anecdotes and images she introduces the overall theme to prepare for more talks in this series, which focusses on the tantric rites and friendship.

This talk is part of the series Spiritual Friendship and the Tantric Rites, given at a ...

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Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: Sangha Doesn’t Happen By Chance

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 19 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Suryamati reminds us that the spiritual life is difficult to practice on one’s own. Here we here the story of Meghiya where the Buddha advises that spiritual friendship is needed for the heart’s release.

How do we be a sangha member? How do we help others in their practice of sangha?

Here, we get an introduction to the teaching on the Samgrahavastus, the four means of unification.

From the talk entitled Building the Buddhaland given at Sangha Night, Sheffield Buddhist Centre,...

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FBA Podcast: A Helping Hand

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 14 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

Ratnaghosha reflects on how friendships and connections are woven into the tapestry of his life, how other people give our lives a sense of richness and abundance. In the sangha, people are passing on the Dharma through their relationships – living, breathing Dharma is passed on through spiritual friendship. The Buddha was the original spiritual friend, exemplifying for us that Enlightenment demands communication.

From a series of talks given during the Year of Kalyana Mitrata at the Cambridge Buddhist...

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FBA Podcast: Using Your Head

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 5 Oct, 2019 - 14:00

To succeed at anything, we need to think; to go about it in a way that’s actually going to work. Vadanya examines different metaphors that help us to bring our reasoning and wisdom into action to make spiritual progress. He highlights the importance of creating the right conditions to grow and flourish, particularly the importance of spiritual friendship.

Part 5 in the ‘Path to Awakening’ Sangha night series at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 2019.

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Dharmabyte: A Network of Relationships

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 23 Jul, 2018 - 12:19

This FBA Dharmabyte podcast today is called ‘A Network of Relationships’ by Abhayanandi.

The Buddha famously said that fellowship is the whole of the spiritual life. Is that really true?! Abhayanandi has been following this teaching notably by living in a residential Buddhist community and working in a team-based right-livelihood business. Hear her inspirational and hard-won reflections on Living Sangha.

From the talk entitled “Living Sangha.

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