Sunday Dharma Talk

The Practice of Clear Seeing

Freedom from afflictive emotions is found through clear seeing.  In this dharma talk, Peter discusses the practice of clear seeing.  As he explains, when concentration is developed we're able to see clearly and achieve a liberating wisdom.  The talk was given in September 2022.

“Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you."
(MN 19)

What Is Mindfulness?

In order to follow the Buddha's path, it's important that we understand what, according to the Buddha, mindfulness is.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes the skill of mindfulness ... and how we practice this skill.  As he explains, the Buddha's mindfulness is proactive and purposeful.  The talk was given in November 2021.

The Time We Have

Life offers many difficulties.  And in this life there is also the possibility for great happiness.  But time is short in which to know the happiness that life offers.  As dharma students, realizing this, we seek to make the most of the time we have.  In this talk, given in July 2022, Peter Doobinin discusses these basic truths that the dharma student learns to comprehend.

Inner Strength

In dharma practice, in large part through breath meditation, we learn to cultivate the quality of equanimity.  We might think of equanimity as inner strength.  It's this inner strength that enables us to meet change and difficulty, to take action from the heart.  In this talk, Peter explains how we learn, by developing inner strength, to take skillful action and know true happiness.  The talk was given in June 2022.

Cultivating Skillful States

Our effort, in following the dharma, is put toward abandoning the unskillful and cultivating the skillful.  The tendency may be to focus all our efforts on abandoning unskillful states; but it's as important to cultivate skillful states.  In this talk Peter Doobinin describes how we cultivate skillful states in meditation and in the course of our lives.  The talk was given in July 2022.

Change of Heart

To follow the dharma, the path of the Buddha, requires that we have a change of heart.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin explains what it means to have a change of heart and what we can do to bring about this kind of change within us.  The dharma talk was given in July 2022.

Self Confidence

When we're developed in self confidence, we have the strength needed to make the journey of awakening.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes by how cultivating parami, the elements of our goodness, we build in self confidence and support our efforts to make the path.  The talk was given in July 2022.

Your own self is
your own mainstay,
for who else could your mainstay be?
(Dhp 160)

Making a Commitment To the Truth

Our capacity to be truthful is essential to our efforts to alleviate suffering.  As the Buddha said, "Give me a person who  is truthful and I can teach that person the dharma."  In this talk, given in October 2021, Peter Doobinin discusses the quality of truthfulness that we're asked to develop in making our way across the river of suffering, toward a greater happiness in life.

Staying Awake

What does it mean to be awake?  How do we learn to be awake?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes what it means not to be awake ... and what it means to be awake.  And he explains how we learn to stay awake.  Not just in meditation, but in all postures, as we go through our days.  The talk was given in October 2021.

The Light Within

Each of us has a light within.  As dharma students, our task is to know this light within us.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin explains how, through the practice of breath meditation and the development of mindfulness of the body we come to know the light within.  The talk was given in June 2022.