Weand#8217;ve been moved to share an abundant handful of Sangharakshitaand#8217;s writings and poems this month. Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is entitled and#8220;Retracing our Steps on the Pathand#8221;. Selected from and#8220;A Life for the Dharmaand#8221;, by Sangharakshita, a moving, often beautiful evocation of the great Indian teacher Atisha, whose work had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism in Tibet. Sangharakshita presents Atishaand#8217;s life as both a challenge and an inspiration to all who wish to practice the Dharma and discover its relevance in the world today.

Talk given in 1999. This talk is part of the series Three Lectures to the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order.

If we are mentally confused and find ourselves not making progress on the spiritual path, we have to go back to meditation. But suppose our meditation is unsatisfactory and we are troubled be all sorts of wandering thoughts? If we cannot concentrate, we have to get back to shila, ethics. An ethical life is an integrated life, the more integrated the easier we will be able to meditate. But suppose our practice of ethics is difficult? Causing harm, taking the not given, false or harsh, useless or disharmonious speech, and so on, we need to get back to the path of regular steps.