Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Sangharakshita answers the question, and#8220;What is a Buddha Land? in todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte.

From the talk and#8220;Building the Buddhalandand#8221; and part of the excellent series and#8220;The Inconceivable Emancipation and#8211; Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdeshaand#8221; given by Sangharakshita in 1979.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Pure and Impure Buddhalands and#8211; This Very Place, the Lotus Paradiseand#8221; by Taranita. He begins the talk by and#8220;Reading the Sukhavativyuha Sutraand#8221;, a text that expounds on the grandeur and wealth of riches available in the Pure Land. Taranita addresses the practical skepticism that often comes up in the face of the flowery language of the sutra, and suggests we look at it symbolically and mythically. Talk given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2015

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, is from the rather fabulous talk and#8220;Death and the Buddhistand#8221; by Danavira. Weand#8217;ve titled this and#8220;Death Has 10,000 Doorsand#8221;. Danavira is one of the best speakers we know and#8211; he is very funny, can do poetic and profound, tends to the chaotic in his style, and has a particular genius for this kind of thing; this kind of thing being talking about death. The whole talk is a kind of respectful joyride through the hardest subject of all and#8211; sit back and enjoy a thoroughly adult treat thatand#8217;s likely to blow the heart wide open. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, Menand#8217;s Event 2000

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;The Finite Nature of Lifeand#8221; is from Paramananda. Beginning the talk with a poem, he explores the importance of coming into relation with suffering, especially regarding our own and othersand#8217; death. If we do not take on the finite nature of our lives, we cannot practise effectively.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte,and#8220;One Big Mistakeand#8221; Padmakumara gives us much to consider in the areas of existential suffering, incompleteness, and the wrong view that external things can be relied on for happiness. From the talk and#8220;I Read the News Today, Oh Boyand#8221; and#8211; A talk on real practice in the sometimes painfully real worldand#8230;

Sangharakshita rouses us with todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, entitled and#8220;Making the Best Use of Our Time and#8211; Practice the Dharma!and#8221;. From the 1996 talk and#8220;Intellect, Emotion, and Willand#8221; given at the opening of the Manchester Buddhist Centre.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Sangha as Bodhicitta Practiceand#8221;, Vajratara suggests that of the Bodhicitta practises we might take up and#8211; the puja or the various reflections on the suffering of beings and#8211; the most useful and effective Bodhichitta practice is the practice of sangha, of spiritual community. Now thereand#8217;s a thought! From the talk, and#8220;Generating Bodhi Mindand#8221; given at Taraloka, May 2009.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Our Reaction to Sufferingand#8221;, Kulaprabha offers quite personal reflections on our responses to suffering. From the talk and#8220;Contemplating the Suffering of Beingsand#8221; given at Taraloka.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Hiding the Dharma in Story,and#8221; Vajratara reminds us how the lifeand#8217;s inspirations our found in the stories passed on to us. From the talk, Purna and the Perfumed Chamber and#8211; Stories From Early Sanskrit Buddhism, given on March 2012 UK Women National Order Weekend. The theme of the weekend was Delighting in the Buddha through Story and#8211; from dreadlocked ascetics, the taming of dragons, lost in the desert, and conversing with gods.

In todayand#8217;sFBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Downwards and Backwards,and#8221; Maitridevi shares the myth of Persephone as pathway of moving backwards and downwards into the depths of oneand#8217;s being. From the talk, and#8220;The Tender Gravity of Kindnessand#8221; that explores how this myth can influence our practice of the metta bhavana.