Archive.fm

Dharmabytes from free buddhist audio

A Touch of Magic – The Dharanis

Broadcast on:
28 Jun 2012
Audio Format:
other

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;A Touch of Magic and#8211; The Dharanisand#8221; is another gem from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha Series: and#8220;The Inconceivable Emancipationand#8221; by Sangharakshita. The Sutraand#8217;s hero, Vimalakirti, was a master of the Bodhisattvaand#8217;s and#8216;Skilful Meansand#8217;, discussed here in terms of the Magical Formulae. From the talk and#8220;On Being All Things to All Menand#8221; given in 1979.

[music] Dharma Bites is brought to you by Free Buddhist Audio, the Dharma for your life. Our work is funded entirely by donations from our generous listeners. If you would like to help us keep this free, make a contribution at freebuddhistaudio.com/donate. Thank you, and happy listening. [music] Now for the third and last, of the three things in the practice or employment of which, or pious, or skillful means, consists, the Dharanese or magical formulae. The Bodhisattva has practiced the four means of unification. He's practiced the four analytical knowledges, but the still something that he lacks. A touch of magic. And this is what the Dharanese represent. The traditional explanation is that the Dharanese are a sort of protective mantra. Usually they're rather longer than the average mantra. They're usually given to the Bodhisattva by a friendly deity. And they're supposed to protect him from any danger he might encounter in the cause of his work. For instance, protect him from blurb writers. Now, there's no reason why we should not take the traditional explanation quite literally. But nonetheless, broadly speaking, the Dharanese represent just what I said. They represent that touch of magic. A touch of the inconceivable. A touch of something which is beyond worse. Beyond thoughts. Beyond even spiritual experience itself to the extent that that spiritual experience takes place within the dualistic subject object framework. We hope you enjoyed today's Dharma Bite. Please help us keep this free. Make a contribution at freebuddhistaudio.com/donate. And thank you. [BLANK_AUDIO]