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Our FBA Dharmabyte today is by Taradasa called Our Relationship with Arts. This talk asks us to look, and look again, at our relationship to the fine arts. Whether it's music, painting, sculpture, performance - whatever we respond to in the Arts, Taradasa shows how we can approach it as spiritual practice. Excerpted from the talk entitled Buddhism and the Arts.

Our FBA Podcast this week is an important talk entitled Mindfulness and the Creative Disruption of Bias by Viveka.

Viveka explores the theme of racism from the perspective of the Dharma and what the Buddha had to say about complex conditionality. A timely look at understanding – and ultimately undoing – the patterns that lead to prejudice and bias, of all kinds.

Specifically, this talk investigates:

- Opening to the inter-personal, organizational, and societal conditioning that perpetuates racial bias.

- Understanding 'implicit bias', which is how thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions are influenced (largely unconsciously) by exposure to stereotypes and fears about targeted social groups.

- How can the mechanics of 'implicit' bias be disrupted by the power of mindfulness?

Talk given at San Francisco Buddhist Center, June 2016.

thebuddhistcentre.com/sanfrancisco

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is by Varasahaya called Trusting the Process. Drawing on her experience as a poet, Varasahaya discusses creativity, imagination, and the writing process as a spiritual practice. She reads some of her poems, and explains the process by which they came to birth, and what she learnt about letting go of self as she grappled with writing. An excellent and very accessible talk given to Sangha night at the West London Buddhist Centre. Taken from the full talk, Writing as Spiritual Practic

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is by the lovely Satyalila called A Creative Response. Taken from the full talk, Imagination, the Buddha and Us offering a practical and personal perspective on why Sangharakshita has taught that imagination is a vital ingredient in the spiritual life. Full of examples and poetry, the talk invites listeners to recognise - and harness - the great power of the imagination which is in all of us, whether or not we're aware of it.

This week's FBA Podcast is a talk on Radical Inclusivity by Singhashri.

What does Buddhism have to do with belonging? What does belonging have to do with Buddhism? We live in a pluralistic society, where many cultures coexist while maintaining their cultural differences. One of the main concerns of our day is how we continue to create a sense of belonging, amid so much difference. For Triratna, we might ask ourselves, how do we create spaces where all feel welcome, regardless of age, race, nationality, class, gender, sexual identity, physical ability and even religion? And as we deepen our commitment and involvement, how do we honour the unique experiences and gifts of each individual, while also seeking a ground of connection based on the Dharma? Sangharakshita has said:

The Dharma should be communicated to as many people as possible and this means communicating the Dharma in as many different ways as possible…Avalokitesvara has a thousand hands, and each of the thousand hands holds a different object. Similarly, Order members of particular temperaments have different talents, aptitudes, and capacities, and in making their respective contributions to the life and work of the Order they should allow – you should allow – those talents, aptitudes, and capacities full scope.

Join us in an exploration of what the Dharma might have to say about radical inclusivity.

This talk was given at the London Buddhist Centre's Transforming Self and World group in April, 2017. The morning included a led meditation and enquiry, a main talk and discussion, and a closing meditation. To access the meditations, please visit Free Buddhist Audio.

Our FBA Dharmabyte today is about The Caste System In India by Amoghasiddhi, a public preceptor in India, who shares about the influence of Dr. Ambedkar on his life and community. Listen to the Yashosagar, another public preceptor, on this same occasion The Caste System In India.

Today's FBA Dharmabyte gives us a glimpse into a Triratna retreat in India. Entitled A Jumbo Indian Retreat this excerpt is from the talk My Life and Dr Ambedkar by Chandrabodhi. Given at Sangha night, North London Buddhist Centre.

Speaking in a marquee on the June 2012 Women's National Order Weekend at Taraloka and in a landscape dedicated to the Five Jinas, Samantabhadri explores positive emotion in our system of practice. Her themes are: pliancy and loosening boundaries; the imagination; insight; our collective life; the shade and the light of our spiritual lives.

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Delve into the fundamental principles behind Integration in Triratna's System of Practice with this week's FBA Podcastentitled The Five Aspects of Dharma Life - Integration by Subhuti. With integration we begin by taking fully responsibility for our karmic agency. This is the third talk in a series of eight from the System of Practice retreat at Padmaloka for men who have asked for Ordination. Subhuti invites his hearers to find new and deeper significance with the fundamental principles behind Integration, Positive Emotion, Spiritual Receptivity, Spiritual Death, and Spiritual Rebirth. This talk is part of the series The Five Aspects of the Dharma Life.

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Our FBA Podcast this week is a rousing, uncompromisingly radical talk from Maitriveer-Nagarjuna entitled The Lion's Roar Of Doctor Ambedkar (with translation in Hindi).

Taking up the theme of the Convention, the great "Lion's Roar" of the Buddha, Maitriveer-Nagarjuna evokes the fire that drove Doctor Bimrao Ambedkar to work tirelessly on behalf of the so-called Dalit "Untouchable" people in order to free them from the evils of the Hindu caste system. He reframes Doctor Ambedkar as a radical for the ages, of greater and broader relevance for a world where the forces that oppose liberation at all levels seem stronger than ever.

Listen and be inspired and uplifted! Jai Bhim!

This talk was given to start the 2018 Triratna Buddhist Order Convention at Bodhgaya in India and is part of the series The Lion's Roar: Talks from the International Order Convention.