Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

Karunasara takes us into the timeless world of the Dakini Vajrayogini, with an explanation of the symbolic meanings found in Tantric imagery and visualization of her, as well as an overview of her spiritual qualities.

From the talk The Symbolic Meaning of Vajrayogini given at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, 2010.

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We often think that our best defense is to protect ourselves with a barrier between ourselves and the world. On the contrary, the dakini has the complete realization that in the end there is nothing to defend. In enlightenment all we were ever defending was a pattern of defensiveness, you realize there was nothing to defend.

From the talk entitled The Dakini & the Skull Garland by Subhadramati given at London Buddhist Centre, 2020.

Tantric Buddhism is concerned with the direct experience of who we are and what we can become. Its aim is to help us realize our potential by transforming the energy locked in by old habits, fears, and views. This experience cannot be mediated by concepts; it needs to be evoked with the help of symbols.

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Here by 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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In this talk on the Buddha's parinirvana, Vadanya explores how we can use our imagination to have a real living connection with the Buddha, and how we can make our own future potential for enlightenment a source of strength and guidance in our present lives.

From the talk Is the Buddha Dead - For Us given at a Men's Event, Padmaloka Retreat Centre, October 2011, as part of the series entitled Parinirvana Day.

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Aryajaya tells the story of The Myth of the Return Journey from the Lotus Sutra in illustrating the meaning and symbolism of Vajrasattva who is associated with purity and the time of death.

From the talk entitled Vajrasattva given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2019.

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The Buddha was a human being who by his own efforts discovered the path towards Enlightenment and was able to communicate this path for others to follow. His life is full of stories that that are of relevance for those of us today who wish to follow the path towards Enlightenment.

Manjurava from a talk entitled Stories of Awakening: Parinirvana given at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2019, as part of Sub35s.

This human life is precious

an opportunity to awaken

but this body is impermanent

one day I shall die

so this life I must know as

a tiny splash of a raindrop

a thing of beauty that disappears

even as it comes into being.

~Tsongkapa

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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 by Sangharakshita,1972.

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There is something profoundly natural and ordinary about death, and yet something quite mysterious. Where do we go? What actually happens? Who or what are we when alive? Nothing changed, from the Buddha's point of view. Vimalavajri offers reflections on the ultimate unknown, the ultimate mystery, death, inspired by the glimpses of awakening depicted in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta.

Excerpted from the talk entitled The Way to the Beyond given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2016.

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Maitreyabandhu draws out the deeper meaning and finer detail of the poem entitled A Measuring Worm, by Richard Wilbur. In the full talk entitled A New Knowledge of Reality-Buddhism and Poetry, Maitreyabandhu discusses five different poems, each around the theme of death, with the final poem focusing on spiritual rebirth. By discussing the background of the poems and poets, the intricacies of their structure, and bringing in a Buddhist interpretation of the themes raised in the poems, Maitreyabandhu shows us the importance and profundity of poetry and how it can help us to explore Dharmic themes more deeply. Talk given on a special evening at Padmaloka Retreat Centre during the System of Dharma Training retreat in December 2018.

a measuring worm :: richard wilbur

This yellow striped green Caterpillar, climbing up The steep window screen,

Constantly (for lack Of a full set of legs) keeps Humping up his back.

It's as if he sent By a sort of semaphore Dark omegas meant

To warn of Last Things. Although he doesn't know it, He will soon have wings,

And I, too, don't know Toward what undreamt condition Inch by inch I go.

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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 Impermanence given at Bordoran Retreat Centre, 2012. The English version were changed from their original rendition to enable easier translation. Although the poems do not purport to convey the exact meaning of their original English renditions, I think they still work well as poetry.

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