| Revision as of 19:21, 15 December 2006 edit204.185.215.1 (talk) →Qualities of Buddha Dharma← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:22, 15 December 2006 edit undo204.185.215.1 (talk) →Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenologyNext edit → | ||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
| ===Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology=== | |||
| Other uses include '''dharma''', normally spelled with a small "d" (to differentiate), which refers to a ''phenomenon'' or ''constituent factor'' of human experience. This was gradually expanded into a classification of constituents of the entire material and mental world. Rejecting the substantial existence of permanent entities which are qualified by possibly changing qualities, Buddhist ] philosophy, which enumerated ], came to propound that these "constituent factors" are the only type of entity that truly exists. This notion is of particular importance for the analysis of human experience: Rather than assuming that mental states inhere in a cognizing subject, or a soul-substance, Buddhist philosophers largely propose that mental states alone exist as "momentary elements of consciousness", and that a subjective perceiver is assumed. | |||
| == ] == | |||
| One of the central tenets of Buddhism, is the denial of a separate permanent "I", and is outlined in the ]. The three signs: 1. ] (Pali: Dukkha) - Suffering, 2. ] (Pali: Anicca) - Change/Impermanence, 3. ] (Pali: Anatta) - Non-self. At the heart of Buddhism, is the denial of a "self" or "I" (and hence the delusion) as a separate self-existing entity. | |||
| abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy and z now you know your ABC's | |||
| Later, Buddhist philosophers like ] would question whether the dharmas (momentary elements of consciousness) truly have a separate existence of their own. (ie Do they exist apart from anything else?) Rejecting any inherent reality to the dharmas, he asked (rhetorically): | |||
| <blockquote> | |||
| '''{{IAST|śūnyeṣu sarvadharmeṣu kim anantaṃ kim antavat | |||
| <br />kim anantam antavac ca nānantaṃ nāntavac ca kiṃ | |||
| <br />kiṃ tad eva kim anyat kiṃ śāśvataṃ kim aśāśvataṃ | |||
| <br />aśāśvataṃ śāśvataṃ ca kiṃ vā nobhayam apyataḥ | |||
| <br />sarvopalambhapaśamaḥ prapañcopaśamaḥ śivaḥ | |||
| <br />na kva cit kasyacit kaścid dharmo buddhena deśitaḥ|}}''' | |||
| <br /> | |||
| <br />When all dharmas are empty, what is endless? What has an end? | |||
| <br />What is endless and with an end? What is not endless and not with an end? | |||
| <br />What is ''it''? What is ''other''? What is permanent? What is impermanent? | |||
| <br />What is impermanent and permanent? What is neither? | |||
| <br /> | |||
| <br />Auspicious is the pacification of phenomenal metastasis, the pacification of all apprehending; | |||
| <br />There is no dharma whatsoever taught by the Buddha to whomever, whenever, wherever. | |||
| --{{IAST|Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, nirvāṇaparīkṣā}}, 25:22-24 | |||
| </blockquote> | |||
| ===Dharma as righteousness=== | ===Dharma as righteousness=== | ||
Revision as of 19:22, 15 December 2006
| Part of a series on |
| Buddhism |
|---|
 |
| History |
| Buddhist texts |
| Practices |
| Nirvāṇa |
| Traditions |
| Buddhism by country |
.svg){kind=small}
Dharma (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pāli) in Buddhism has two primary meanings:
- the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment
- the constituent factors of the experienced world
In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fǎ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. The Tibetan translation of this term is chos (chö).
Buddha's teachings
What is called Buddhism in the west has been referred to in India (the teachings' place of origin) and the east generally for many centuries as buddha-dharma. This term has no sectarian connotations but simply means "Path of Awakening" and thus conforms to a universal understanding of dharma.
The status of dharma is regarded variably by different traditions. Some regard it as an ultimate and transcendent truth which is utterly beyond worldly things, somewhat like the Christian logos. Others, who regard the Buddha as simply an enlightened human being, see dharma as the 84,000 different teachings (the Kangyur/bka.'gyur) that the Buddha gave to various types of people based on their needs. The teachings are expedient means of raising doubt in the hearer's own cherished beliefs and view of life; when doubt has opened the door to the truth, the teaching can be put aside.
"Dharma" usually refers inclusively not just to the sayings of the Buddha but to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help explain and expand upon the Buddha's teachings. For others still, they see the dharma as referring to the "truth" or ultimate reality or "the way things are".
The dharma is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism of which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge in (what one relies on for his/her lasting happiness). The three jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha (mind's perfection of enlightenment), the dharma (teachings and methods), and the Sangha (awakened beings who provide guidance and support).
Buddha's Dharma Body
The qualities of the Dharma (Law, truth) is the same as the qualities of the Buddha and forms his "truth body" or "Dhamma Kaya": In the Samyutta Nikaya, Vakkali Sutta, Buddha said to his disciple Vakkali that,
- "Yo kho Vakkali dhammam passati so mam passati"
- Vakkali, whoever sees Dhamma, sees me
Another reference from the Agganna Sutta of the Digha Nikaya, says to his disciple Vasettha:
- "Tathagatassa h'etam Vasettha adivacanam Dhamma-kayo iti pi ...":
- O Vasettha! The Word of Dhammakaya is indeed the name of the Tathagata
'''''Hello people!'''''
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy and z now you know your ABC's
Dharma as righteousness
According to S. N. Goenka, teacher of Vipassana Meditation, the original meaning of dhamma is “dhareti ti dhamma’, or “that which is contained”. Dharma in the Buddhist scriptures has a variety of meanings, including “phenomenon”, and "nature" or "characteristic". Dharma also means ‘mental contents’, and is paired with citta, which means heart/mind. The pairing is paralleled with the pairing of kaya (body) and vedana (feelings or sensations, that which arise within the body but experienced through the mind), in major sutras such as the Mahasatipatthana sutra. Dharma is also used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha, not in the context of the words of one man, even an enlightened man, but as a reflection of natural law which was re-discovered by this man and shared with the world. A person who lives their life with an understanding of this natural law, is a “dhammic” person, which is often translated as “righteous”.
Category: