Jnanavaca offers a far-reaching and uncompromising vision of human fellowship based on transcendental ideals: Sangha. With reference to terrorism, romance, consumerism and Star Wars....

This FBA Dharmabyte is from the talk called What The World Knows Now, part of the series Where do we go from here? given at the London Buddhist Centre Winter Retreat, 2016.

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This is a gem of a talk, with a wintery theme.

Parami starts by singing 'In the Bleak Midwinter' by Christina Rossetti. She then goes on to bring out the underlying meaning of some of the imagery in the poem.

The first metaphors are about bleakness, with the earth as hard as iron and water like a stone, times when we struggle and it seems as if no growth is possible. She talks about her early experience of doing the metta bhavana and what a radical practice it is.

Transformation is possible because of the impermanent and insubstantial nature of everything.

From the talk In the Bleak Midwinter given in December 2010 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre.

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It may be Christmas Day but it is also Sangha Night and Ratnaghosha takes the opportunity to explore the Buddhist themes in 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens.

This talk, The Dharma in Dickens, was given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2019.

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Dassini takes us into the Parable of the Burning House from the White Lotus Sutra. Through readings from the sutra and retelling of the parable the main themes of the story are brought out, and the problem at the heart of the parable is revealed, that of unawareness or heedlessness.

From the talk Housebuilder, Now You Are Seen given at Glasgow Buddhist Centre, 2009. The talk concludes with some suggested practices for how to address this problem.

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In a talk looking deeply at the many manifestations, contexts, and practices of ksanti, patience, here Satyaraja shares a story from The White Lotus Sutra about 5000 arahants walking out of the assembly as they believed they had nothing more to learn.

On the theme of spiritual receptivity, from the talk entitled Ksanti – Patience given at Stockholm Buddhist Centre, 8 February 2010.

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

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The spiritual life is about giving up the advantages of the 'Power Mode' in exchange for the completely non-violent spiritual quality of the 'Love Mode.' Kulanandi offers beautiful and engaging reflections drawing inspiration from the book The Ten Pillars of Buddhism, by Sangharakshita.

From the talk entitled The Power of Love, the Love of Power given in Stockholm Buddhist Centre, 2014.

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Ultimately, one is freed from the state of hatred with a heart of loving kindness.

Vidyavachin offers reflections on the Metta Sutta.

Excerpted from the talk entitled Radiate Love given at the annual sub35 men's weekend at Padmaloka Retreat Centre in November 2018.

This talk is part of the series Radiate Love.

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Suryagupta shares the story of Shantideva, the monk who gave us the exposition of the Bodhicaryavatara, The Way of the Bodhisattva. Born of his direct experience this text is the basis of our Sevenfold Puja where we ritually evoke the many qualities of the Enlightened mind. From the talk entitled Rejoicing in Merits given at London Buddhist Centre (2019) during a six-week drop-in seminar exploring the Sevenfold Puja and the Heart Sutra.

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