Sunday Dharma Talk

A Way to Change

Can we change?  Can we transform painful habitual ways of thinking and acting?  As Peter Doobinin explains, dharma practice - the path the Buddha laid out - provides us with way to change.  By developing the skills the Buddha taught, we can transform our lives.  This is why we practice.  This talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class in December 2012.

Finding Your Voice

We learn, in practicing meditation, to guide ourselves through the meditation.  In doing so, we learn to find our voice.  It is this voice, straight from the heart, that guides us through our days and nights.  The dharma talk was given online by Peter Doobinin in May 2021.

Finding Our Way Out of the Forest of Suffering

Can we lay down our burdens and find true happiness in this life?  In this dharma talk, Peter describes how by developing the skills the Buddha teaches - namely, jhana and heedfulness - we're able to find our way out of the forest of suffering.  The talk was given on the final night of an eight-day retreat in 2019.

"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)

Respect For Parents

This talk was given on Mother's Day in 2009.  In the talk, Peter Doobinin explains why having respect for our parents is essential to the development of the spiritual life.  When we're able to cultivate gratitude for our mother and father, we're able to move toward a greater happiness in this life.  The talk was offered at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class.

Be Who You Are

We learn, in our efforts to know true happiness, to look to this moment.  We learn, in doing so, to turn to the goodness that lies within us.  We learn to be who we are.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes our tendency to think that happiness is found in the future ... and how we learn to know the happiness that is available to us in each moment.  The talk was given in 2016 at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class.

Kindness

Can we make kindness a priority?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes how, as we make a spiritual journey, we come to understand the blessing of kindness.  As Peter explains, it's through cultivating gratitude for the kindness others have shown to us that we deepen in our ability to practice kindness.   The talk was given online in April 2021.

"These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is first to do a kindness, and the one who is grateful and thankful for a kindness done."
(AN 2.118)

Acceptance

How do we relate to our difficulties, mistakes, misactions, pain, suffering?  Do we have acceptance?  Or do we react with aversion, judgment, self-doubt, self-loathing?  As Peter Doobinin explains, when we're able to cultivate acceptance, we're able to relate to our difficulties and challenges with compassion.  And we're able to move forward wholeheartedly in life, with compassion and love.  We're able to make the most of this life.

Suffering & Compassion

The path to the heart travels through an understanding of suffering.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes how the comprehension of suffering leads to the flowering of compassion.  The talk was given, online, in November 2020.

What is Reliable?

In a world of constant change and uncertainty, what can we rely on?  As Peter Doobinin explains, as dharma students we learn to rely on our ability to meet the moments of our lives with the heart, with wisdom, love, compassion.  This talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community retreat in July 2015.

Small Things

The practice of the dharma is a practice of small things.  In small things, small moments, we find the dharma, the truth, the qualities of peace, wisdom, and love.  As dharma students our task is to pay attention to small things.  The talk was given by Peter Doobinin in an online class in March 2021.

"Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu cultivates loving-kindness for as long as a fingersnap, he is called a bhikkhu."
(Iti 1.53)