Dharma Talks

What are Dharma talks?
Dharma talk is the free public speaking of the teachings of the Buddha for training.
What are the guidelines for giving a Dharma talk?

First, there is the understanding of what is Right Speech, as one of the Noble Eight of the Noble Eight Fold Path.
The Abhaya Sutta
The Subhasita Sutta
A diagram of the conditions, for Right Speech, as stated in the Abhaya Sutta:

Second, the subject taken for the speech can be anything from the Dharma, which is any Sutra/Sutta.
There are thousands of Sutras and hundreds of Suttas:
BuddhaSutra.com 
Dharma Net International 

Third, based on the Sutra/Sutta chosen, there is an expounding of how this Dharma is lived, told as a personal story or any analogy that can sufficiently relate the meaning of how this Sutra/Sutta is lived.

You may think that this is a training for just the speaker....
It is also a training for the listener.

As you listen you may notice that you have never heard this before and the teaching is uplifting and encouraging, or maybe it is something that you have heard before and it is dull, boring, and possibly even critical.

If you are drawn in by the 'ear' sense and hooked by this sensuality(of the senses) into believing that these words are the source of either your well being or your suffering, you are incorrect.
Better to notice this 'ear' sense object(in the mind as a thought) arising and let it go, so that there are no associated 'fermentations' as a result that invariably lead to binding and more suffering....

What is a fermentation?
It is a thought that justifies a sense object. A thought that justifies dissatisfaction or satisfaction.
What is a sense object?
A thought that arises as a result of sensory impute, eye, ear, nose, taste and touch.

• Example of a happy fermentation which leads to suffering: "This Dharma talk is great, I am so glad!" this thought leads to dissatisfaction later when the Dharma talk is disappointing, which then may even lead to avoidance/aversion which is one of the three unwholesome roots....

• Example of a unhappy fermentation which leads to suffering: "This Dharma talk is terrible, I am so disappointed!" this thought justifies dissatisfaction, which then may even lead to avoidance/aversion which is one of the three unwholesome roots....

So there is much opportunity not only for the speaker but also for the listener.

Remember that even if there is no one to hear your words, that you are listening, and you are your greatest teacher, so do not be disappointed!