Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Cutting the Rope,and#8221; is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Touching the Voidand#8221; by Jnanavaca. Here he talks about the analogy of and#8216;cutting the ropeand#8217; and taking responsibility. In the full talk Jnanavaca relates events in Joe Simpsonand#8217;s popular mountaineering book and#8216;Touching the Voidand#8217; to aspects of Buddhist practice. Look out for some wonderful quotes and#8211; from T.E. Lawrence to Einstein. Inspiring stuff all roundand#8230; Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Why Are We So Afraid?,and#8221; is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Dying to Liveand#8221; by Vidyamala. Here she talks about being present with fear in the face of impermanence. In the full talk, Vidyamala gives a strong account of working with suffering and sorrow in life, and of transforming experience into one characterized by contentment and a sense of meaning. From her own practice of living with chronic pain comes a sane and unsentimental perspective that affords us all a measure of genuine optimism as we meet the trials of the world: bereavements and losses of all kinds can be met with a kindness and awareness that gently ease the burden, allowing something of peace to enter our lives again.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;When Reality Knocksand#8230;,and#8221; is an excerpt from the talk and#8220;What is Enlightenment?and#8221; by Jinapriya. When Reality knocks at the door we sometimes need to own painful experience and surrender. His main theme within the frame of such a big question and#8211; and#8216;What is Enlightenment?and#8217; and#8211; is the struggle to live our lives in the present moment, especially in the face of pain.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Gesture of Fearlessness,and#8221; is a short talk by Lokeshvara given during the Buddhafield East Green Man of Buddhism Retreat where he shows that benefiting others overcomes fear.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Tasting Fear,and#8221; by Kulaprabha is an an excerpt from the talk and#8220;Spiritual Death, Fear and Fearlessness.and#8221; Spiritual Death is about death of our fixed, bounded self, the self that is made up of bundled habits and preferences and views and#8211; especially views about existence and non-existence. So donand#8217;t be surprised if, when contemplating the impermanence and unreliability of that small self, you taste fear. Itand#8217;s natural enough in the circumstances. After all, fine to talk loftily about and#8216;dying to oneand#8217;s egoand#8217;, but who will be left after thatand#8217;s done? Where will and#8216;Iand#8217; be?

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is an excerpt titled and#8220;Fighting Against Change.and#8221; Sagaraghosa reminds us through the telling of the story of Kisa Gotami that we are not making a mistake if we find life difficult sometimes. On the other hand there is a possibility of freedom from dukkha if we accept things what cant be changed. From the talk and#8220;What Do Buddhists Think and#8211; Physicsand#8221; given at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, December 2012.

For todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, we offer a recently re-discovered little lost delight and#8211; Sangharakshita and Subhuti launching each otherand#8217;s books and clearly enjoying themselves. Sangharakshitaand#8217;s in fine humour and#8211; and itand#8217;s great to hear him read and quote from the bible! Is that a twinkle in his voice? In this excerpt, and#8220;Launch of The Buddhist Visionand#8221; Sangharakshita launches Subhutiand#8217;s book by reminiscing about early discussions on and#8216;what Buddhism isand#8217; and#8211; religion, philosophy or science. To listen to the full launch, see and#8220;Launch of The Buddhist Vision and the Dhammapada by Sangharakshita and Subhuti.and#8221;

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Freedom from Ragaand#8221; is an excerpt from a thoughtful and enlightening talk by Maitreyi titled, and#8220;The Root of Good.and#8221;

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is from Sangharakshita titled: and#8220;The Three Fetters.and#8221; The Fetters of self-view, doubt, and dependence on moral rules and religious observations are described in this excerpt from the full talk, and#8220;Stream Entry: the Point of No Returnand#8221; given in 1975.

In todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte titled,and#8220;Karma Niyama,and#8221; we hear an excerpt from the talk and#8220;The Five Niyamas and the Evolution of the Human Brainand#8221; by Vaddhaka. Here Vaddhaka illustrates the volitional mental order, or Karma Niyama, that which guides our moral or ethical choices.