Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

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 teachi…

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 Bud…

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, Maitre…

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 …

We want to be free from suffering and to become free we need to transform ourselves. How do that? Singhamati describes three paths for transformation: self development, self discovery and self surren…

Classic Sangharakshita  from the Aspects of the Higher Evolution of the Individual series given in 1970.

Tackling such terms as self, I, individual, and ego, reveals that each can have both a positiv…

Amaragita offers three principles for considering the possibilities of deepening into the Dharma in any situation, and they are are worth remembering - or as she says, remembering to remember! Great,…

Working in the world is a game, and like any game, we need to know the rules in order to play it.

In this talk, Arthavadin presents his personal experience of working in the world, from a Buddhist pe…

Life's unfair, what can we do about it? We can practice the Dharma and follow the Buddha's teachings. Kalyanaprabha's sober yet uplifting talk encourages us to do just that.

Excerpted from the talk e…

Saddhanandi reads the episode of the Buddha working out whether or not he will teach the Dharma. From the talk entitled Dukkha and the Unbiased given as a series of talks and led meditations from a r…

Excerpted from the talk The Cloud of Suffering by Vessantara as part of a series of talks and led meditation from a retreat at Adhisthana on Dukkha and the Unbiased.

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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 Dhar…

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 …

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, w…

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 p…

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 assem…

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, symb…

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 …

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 refle…

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 annu…