Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio
by Free Buddhist Audio
Dharmabytes features bite-sized dharma, three times a week, from the Free Buddhist Audio archives. Themed in conjunction with our weekly full length talk podcast, these are inspiring short extracts from over 5,000 talks on Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness!Tune in, be inspired!
Episodes
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Harmony and Tolerance
Even when there is disagreement, we should be able to maintain harmony within the Sangha. Sangharakshita speaks here about tolerance across different faith leaders and how the idea of tolerance is often misunderstood as agreeing with what others are saying. Even a discordant note in music...
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Notions of Purity
Satyakavi explores how everything has the potential to become pure. How do we transform our energies to realise insubstantiality - the blue-sky nature of everything? We need compost - all our 'stuff' - and the faith that everything can transform, given time. Excerpted from the talk entitled...
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The Arising of the Guru Principle
Vajrashura gives the opening talk of Padmasambhava Festival Month at the Dublin Buddhist Centre by introducing the Greatly Precious Guru, Padmasambhava, and exploring his story in the context of Bhante's paradigm of the Manu, the Buddha, the Guru and the Terton (or treasure revealer). We are...
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Connecting with our Humanness
In this talk given on a Padmaloka Great Gathering, Padmavajra talks about Sangharakshita's particular connection with Guru Padmasambhava. Eventually, his talk arrives at the state of the world and the need for the presence of Padmasambhava now. In particular, he addresses the various kinds of…
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A Simple Act of Clear Seeing
Bhadra introduces the archetypal magician, Padmasambhava, at a day for men in Bristol. He uses episodes from the magician's life to illustrate how engaging the imagination through ritual and being willing to make the journey of descent are key elements of a fruitful practice. Excerpted from the...
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Transforming the Depths
Previously unreleased and, rather famously, given off-the-cuff at the London Buddhist Centre, this is an enjoyable and stirring evocation of the great Tantric Guru of Tibet by our founder, Sangharakshita. Excerpted from the talk entitled Padmasambhava, 1979. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for...
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The Mystery of Sunyata
How do we transform our energies to realise insubstantiality - the blue-sky nature of everything? We need compost - all our 'stuff' - and the faith that everything can transform, given time. This excerpt is from the talk entitled Padmasambhava and Insubstantiality by Satyakavi given at Taraloka...
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Seeing Ourselves in the Buddha's Story
Suryagupta draws on her decades of Buddhist practice alongside experiences of activism, parenting, and work in the arts, to reflect on what it means to be fully human: to struggle, to long for growth, and to seek connection, meaning, and love. Excerpted from the talk Being Human given for...
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Writing As Spiritual Practice
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.…
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Summoning the Muse
The imagination is a superpower. Buddhism offers unique tools to harness this superpower for the benefit of all beings. Sagaravajra encourages us to let the muse communicate through us. Excerpted from the talk entitled Maps of the Imagination, given at the Buddhafield Festival as part of the…
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Art and Transformative Communication
"Art is the organisation of sensuous impressions that express the artist's sensibility and communicate to his audience a sense of values that can transform their lives." Using his own definition, Sangharakshita investigates the relevance of art and the artist to higher evolution. Excerpted from…
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Falling in Love with Our Higher Self
Following the theme of channeling our strong emotions into energy that can be used in our spiritual practice, Paranita will be exploring how we can direct the feeling of falling in love with another person towards cultivating deeper spiritual ideals and falling in love with those. Excerpted from...
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Respond to What Fascinates Us
Parami gives the introductory talk for the 2015 Triratna International Urban Retreat live in Adelaide, Australia. Her theme - and the theme of the whole retreat - is Living in the Greater Mandala, and she brings this alive in the most human, poetic, and inspired of ways. Her range is broad as she...
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An Illusion of the World
Does my life matter? Can I really say that actions have consequences? In this short talk Kavyamani explores the Yogacara teaching of the Alaya Vijnana, commonly referred to as the storehouse consciousness, reflecting that all our actions are like seeds and at some point they will bear fruit....
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The Delight of the Poet, The Joy of the Reader
With precise reference to three poems by Sangharakshita, Samantabhadri explores the haiku at its best. Speaking on a Silent Retreat at Taraloka, she focuses on the evocation of the moment, on compassion and other implicit emotion, on the unworldliness of the poet and on the haiku as a…
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The Doors to the Immortal are Open
Sangharakshita tells the story of the Buddha's encounter with Brahma Sahampati. This lecture celebrates the anniversary of the Buddha's decision to teach, with an account of the events just after his Enlightenment. Excerpted from the talk entitled The New Man Speaks, 1971. *** Help us keep FBA...
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Dwelling On the Ideal
More of a lively ramble than a talk, Devamitra explores of the relationship between imagination and devotion based loosely around the Ti Ratana Vandana. Excerpted from the talk entitled The Heart of Triratna given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2013. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for…
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Directing Change Towards Positive Growth
Vidyamala introduces the key aspects of this part of the Sutta and then speaks of the importance of allowing for growth and integration in our practice. She speaks of the twin pillars of awareness and love and how mindfulness can lead to a deeper and deeper sense of connection with all of life…
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Horizontal and Vertical Integration
In this talk Dayanandi covers the first of the five great stages of spiritual experience that develop and unfold as we progress on the Path to Enlightenment — integration and wholeness. Excerpted from the talk entitled Mindfulness and the Mandala of Integration, part of the series The…
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Work on Whatever Estranges You
In Sthiranaga's exploration of this section of Canto 103, he provides some practical techniques to help keep us from becoming estranged from our meditation practice as well as tips to creatively explore the positive formulation of the precepts, which can form part of the 'enactment' of...
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An Uninterrupted Flow of Skilful Mental States
A delightful talk to mark the re-launch of 'Mitrata, a journal (now discontinued) which helped develop the systematic study of Buddhism and was especially intended for 'mitras' ('Friends'). Here, Sangharakshita tells the story of Meghiya drawing out the theme of spiritual friendship and…
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Metta is Consciousness
A beautiful introduction by Ratnavandana to the Brahma Viharas as an integrated set of practices flowing from metta- loving-kindness. Her central image is that of a tree, deep-rooted and spreading its canopy wide as she evokes a profound, personal connection to the cultivation of the sublime...
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The Light of the Mind
Ratnaprabha takes us through the realisations that came to the Buddha during his all night meditation under the Bodhi tree, culminating in the vision of the morning star, the Star of Healing. Its light was the first sight of the Awakened One, a light symbolising the illumination of awareness...
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Spiritual Treasures
A father, now wealthy, spots his long-lost son in the streets. He gradually befriends him until he has the self-confidence to take on his inheritance. This parable from the Lotus Sutra yields fascinating lessons in accepting the riches of our deepest nature. Excerpted from the talk entitled The...
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A Quest for Truth
Poetry is something that takes you deeper into the heart of things. Dharmavadana explores the impact of poetry on our spiritual life. Excerpted from the talk entitled Poetry and Spiritual Life given at West London Buddhist Centre, 2010. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now...
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Utopia in Your Heart
Activism, slavery, the Bodhisattva vow and utopia. Welcoming rage, passion and kindness into our Sangha is the path to liberation. Successful responses to capitalism and other forms of suffering and injustice. from the Sigalaka sutta to real questions about how we treat our fellow human beings....
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A Fresh Approach to Compassion
Padmasagara challenges familiar ideas of compassion. When we step beyond the ego, compassion may arise in many forms, not always what we expect. Excerpted from the talk entitled A Buddhist's Response to Global Crises - Part 1 given at Buddhistisches Tor Berlin, 2026. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts...
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The Truth and The Path
Join Lalitaratna as he explores the essence of puja, a devotional practice honoring the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Discover how this practice can reshape our mental state and perspective on the world. The talk delves into Dharma Vinaya, unpacking the truths of impermanence, no-self, and…
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Befriend Your Mind
Prasadavati invites us to explore how meditation can serve our lives on and off the cushion, and especially during challenging times. Excerpted from the talk entitled Befriend Your Mind given at Buddhistisches Tor Berlin, 2025. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now Subscribe...
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Seeing Metta as a Choice
Equanimity is the deepest level of metta: metta imbued with seeing reality. Maitrisiddhi brings in Kisa Gotami, Hiroshima and her own mother's death. Can we hold the paradox of loving, yet letting go? Can we drop the drama, and see the mettaful action that we could actually take? Excerpted from…
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As Ordinary As Your Own Breath
Image of the sea and the raft: we hold onto our raft, but this brings suffering - can we let go, enter the sea and become spiritually reborn? This is the question Arthabandhu asks us. Spiritual death does not only mean esoteric meditation practices; it means confronting the vagaries and...
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Light as an Orientating Feature
Orientation towards Enlightenment is a keynote talk by Kusaladevi marking both the Buddha's enlightenment over 2,500 years ago and the 30th anniversary of the Nottingham Buddhist Centre. Exploring themes of lineage, connection, and the symbolism of the Vajrasana as a point of orientation in a...
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A Hot Debate
Vaddhaka delves into the Buddha's unanswered questions; questions that Vacchagotta, Malunkyaputta and others asked him. Among them: 'What happens to a Buddha after death?' And what happens at our own death; what did the Buddha really say; and why did the renowned Buddhist scholar Paul Williams...
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Between the Heaves of Storm
Maitreyabandhu draws out the deeper meaning and finer detail of 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…
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The Drum of the Deathless
In this talk Alokadhara explores these beautiful verses which evoke the Buddha, his qualities and the profundity of his teaching. Excerpted from the talk entitled Celebrating the Buddha Pingiya's Praises to the Way to the Beyond given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2014. *** Help us keep FBA…
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Angulimala
Dhivan relates tales of some of the colourful characters who visit the Buddha to receive teachings.Here, we here about a killer-bandit named Angulimala. Excerpted from the talk A Courtesan, a Killer and a King given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2016. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for…
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A Sense of Urgency
What was the Buddha really like? Jayabodhi explores this important question with particular emphasis on how this is related to our own lives and how we may follow in the footsteps of the Buddha ourselves. Excerpted from the talk entitled What the Buddha Was Really Like given at Birmingham…
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True Individuals and Spiritual Communities
Sangharakshita outlines his view of the historical background to current world problems (essentially, problems within and between groups), which can only be solved by people either withdrawing support from groups or influencing them positively through an experience of Spiritual Communities....
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Dedicated to Peace
Partisan politics, hurricanes and earthquakes, mass shootings, nuclear threats … our world at times feels like a living nightmare. Sunada reflects: How do we as Buddhists respond, individually and as a sangha? And how do we keep our sanity? Excerpted from the talk entitled Practice During Times…
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Shared Going for Refuge
Here, Prajnamati describes how a range of dharma practices can be seen as a finding of the point of freedom where a more creative option becomes apparent as an alternative to the more familiar reactive choices. In ethical practice this is developing a sensitivity to the wholesome quality of…
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A Case for Reverence
The Bodhisattva called 'Never Direct' saw the Buddha in everyone, yet his practice of bowing received a mixed response. Drawing on themes from the White Lotus Sutra, Aryadasa delves into how different framings of the spiritual life can profoundly change our understanding of Buddhism and its...
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The Compassion Aspect of Wisdom
Khemasuri introduces the Bodhisattva Ideal, central to Mahayana Buddhism, by describing the training of the novice Bodhisattva and the arising of the will to Enlightenment. Excerpted from the talk entitled Becoming a Bodhisattva given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, 2012. *** Help us keep FBA...
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By the Sound of this Majestic Drum
Vijayasri explores confession's illuminating and transformational properties through the Mahayana sutra, The Sutra of Golden Light. Excerpted from the talk entitled the Sutra of Golden Light: What Is the Role of Confession In Buddhism? Given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Help us keep…
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We Don't Really Know Anything About Anything
Nagavajri gracefully introduces some points one may find helpful before studying any Mahayana sutra, giving some context to this rich vein of the Dharma. Excerpted from the talk What Do I Need to Know Before Reading a Mahayana Sutra? Given as an introduction to the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa (The...
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Unlimited Spaciousness of the Buddha
Akasaraja explores the nature of presence and absence in encounters between people and concludes that we can only be truly present when we are "absent", i.e. when we get out of the way. And the Buddha embodies this "presence" through "absence" in a way we cannot truly comprehend. By being…
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Overcoming spiritual individualism
The full moon in May is celebrated as the anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment and his victory over the demon Mara. Sangharakshita explains what Mara represents and how he can be overcome. As well as containing much that will fascinate experienced Buddhists, this is also an excellent...
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A Multitude of Perspectives
Nagasiddhi invites us to experience the dharma imaginatively: through art and heart. He outlines the turning points or 'rites of passage' in the Buddha's mythic life story as he introduces the In the Footsteps of the Buddha home retreat offered by the Triratna Buddhist Community. In this excerpt...
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At the Brink of Enlightenment
In this moving talk based on Sangharakshita's 1969 talk 'Breaking through to Buddhahood', Suddhaka shares some of his experience as an Order Member to illustrate how we might move beyond our unhelpful psychological conditioning. Excerpted from the talk Breaking Through Psychological Conditioning...
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A Journey of Discovery
Dhivan considers what we can learn from the story of the noble quest of the Buddha. This story is recounted in the Discourse on the Noble Quest (Ariyapariyesana-sutta) in the Middle-length Discourses (Majjhima-nikaya). In it we can almost believe we are hearing a memory of the Buddha's own words,...
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Confronting Mara
How can we work with our own inner voices that undermine our practice and limit our lives? Shubhavyuha draws this out, using the stories of early Buddhist women encountering 'Mara' - the embodiment of all that holds us back. Excerpted from the talk entitled 'I See You, Mara' from the Daughters…
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About this show
Dharmabytes features bite-sized dharma, three times a week, from the Free Buddhist Audio archives. Themed in conjunction with our weekly full length talk podcast, these are inspiring short extracts from over 5,000 talks on Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness!Tune in, be inspired!
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