Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte, and#8220;Everyone Needs the Dharma and#8211; Milarepaand#8217;s Songand#8221; has Sanghrakshita delightfully reciting words from the song. The Dharma is defined as whatever contributes to the development of the individual.
In the full talk, and#8220;Western Buddhists and Eastern Buddhismand#8221; Sangharakshita emphasizes the importance of distinguishing Buddhism as a universally applicable path of development from the specifically Eastern cultural forms it has been associated with in the past, and explains why an authentic, non-sectarian Buddhist movement is needed in the West.
Talk given in 1979.
This talk is part of the series and#8220;A New Buddhist Movement and#8211; the Meaning of the FWBO.and#8221;
[music] Dharma Bites is brought to you by Free Buddhist Audio, the Dharma for real life. Our work is funded entirely by donations from our generous listeners. If you would like to help us keep this free, come and join us at freebuddhistaudio.com/community. Thank you and happy listening. [music] And this is what we find the great Tibetan, plate and mystic, Mirepa Singh, in one of his songs. That everybody needs the Dharma, yes, but they need it, so to speak, in their own way. I'll just read you a few of the verses which he is saying on a certain occasion. We've got to have them, I'm afraid, in an English translation, which isn't particularly poetic, but maybe you can just imagine Mirepa putting his hands to his ear and just singing these words to a very beautiful melody. He says, "Superior men have need of Dharma. Without it, they are like eagles. Even though perched on high, they have little meaning. Average men have need of Dharma. Without it, they are like tigers. Though possessing greatest strength, they are of little value. Inferior men have need of Dharma. Without it, they are like peddlers, asses. Though they carry a big load, it does them a little good. Superior women need the Dharma. Without it, they are like pictures on a wall. Though they look very pretty, they have no use or meaning. Average women need the Dharma. Without it, they are like little rats. Though they are clever at getting food, their lives have little meaning. Inferior women need the Dharma. Without it, they are just like vixens. Though they be deft and cunning, their deeds have little value. Old men need the Dharma. Without it, they are like decaying trees. Growing youths, the Dharma need. Without it, they are like yoked bulls. Young maidens need the Dharma. Without it, they are but decorated cows. All young people need the Dharma. Without it, there is blossoms, shucked within a shell. All children need the Dharma. Without it, there is robbers pursued by demons. Without the Dharma, all one does lacks meaning and purpose. Those who want to live with meaning should practice the Buddha's teaching. So this is mirror lefthas song. And it makes clear that the meaning and purpose of life for the individual is to grow, is to develop, to become a true individual, to rise to a higher level of consciousness. And this is what the Dharma, this is what Buddhism helps us to do. In fact, the Dharma is whatever helps us to rise from wherever we are now, and whatever we are now. The Dharma is therefore defined as whatever contributes to the development of the individual. This is the criteria. We hope you enjoy the talk. Please come and help us keep this free at freebuddhistaudio.com/community. And thank you. [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]
