January 17, 2021
We practice the dharma so that we might open our heart ... to ourselves and to others. Our meditation, while often solitary, is a practice that we engage in out of compassion for all beings. When we become established in this intention, our practice thrives. When our heart is open to all beings, we know the happiness of heart. The dharma talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community weekly Sunday class in August 2012.
May all beings be free from suffering and pain.
“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”
(Martin Luther King, Jr.)
January 10, 2021
As we make effort to take action out of love, for ourselves and others, we often come up against fear. As dharma students, we develop certain skills that enable us to move beyond fear and make the most of our lives. In this talk, Peter Doobinin explains how we learn to work skillfully with fear. The dharma talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class in September 2017.
January 3, 2021
A talk from New Year's Eve in 2013. As Peter Doobinin explains, in following the path of the dharma, we're going against the grain. Instead of following the ways of the world, we're seeking to know a greater happiness: the happiness of the heart, the happiness that comes when we take action that is an expression of love for ourselves and others. The talk was given at Downtown Meditation Community in New York City.
December 27, 2020
This dharma talk was given on New Year's Eve in 2017 at Downtown Meditation Community in New York City. As Peter Doobinin explains, as dharma students we don't rely on the things of "the world" for our happiness; our happiness is our responsibility. As we learn to train the mind and heart, we come to know the happiness that is everpresent, the happiness inside, the happiness of the heart.
May all beings find ease of being, peace, and true happiness in this life.
December 20, 2020
In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes how insight occurs: through paying attention, over a period of time. Peter explains the skills and qualities of mind we cultivate in the service of developing insight that will allow us to experience freedom from suffering and true happiness in this life. The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in 2017.
December 13, 2020
Practicing heedfulness of thinking is one of the most important aspects of the Buddha's path. In doing so, we learn to pay attention to the karma of our thinking. What are the consequences of the thinking we engage in from day to day, moment to moment? When we're able to gain insight into the karma of our thinking, we're able to abandon thinking that brings suffering and blocks us from our heart. The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in 2016.
December 6, 2020
As we make an effort to find greater happiness in life, we meet with many obstacles, we often make mistakes, at times we struggle. When we meet our difficulties with compassion, we're able to move forward toward true happiness. In this dharma talk, Peter discusses the key of compassion, how it opens the door to the path. The talk was given in August 2017 in New York City.
November 29, 2020
When there's enjoyment in meditation, our practice flourishes. While we may not be inclined to find meditation enjoyable, it's something we can learn. We can learn to find enjoyment in meditation, and as Peter Doobinin explains in doing so we learn to find enjoyment in life. This dharma talk was given in New York City in July 2017.
November 22, 2020
In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the integral role that skillful pleasure plays in the development of the Buddha's path. In the talk, Peter describes how we cultivate skillful pleasure and why we should learn to do this. The talk was given at an eight-day silent retreat in April 2017.
November 15, 2020
The dharma talk "The Middle Path" was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in February 2018. The middle path is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Buddha's teachings. As Peter Doobinin explains, the middle path is the path of skillful pleasure. When we learn to develop skillful pleasure, we're able to maintain ourselves in the present moment, cultivate wisdom, and live from the heart. In the talk, Peter describes the path of skillful pleasure and how we develop it.
