Dharma

Dharma Sanskrit; Dhamma Pali:

The Buddha Dharma is a teaching in which one does not rely on a God entity, rather it teaches to rely on oneself and ones own efforts alone. Through right understanding of the way things truly are one gains trust and faith in the Buddha Dharma, and may take up the path of Buddhism to practice as ones way toward the end of suffering or sorrow, and towards permanent bliss and liberation.
The Dharma could be said to be a doctrine of selflessness and impermanence, this may sound a little confusing at first but with time one comes to see that nowhere, neither internally nor externally, can there be anything anywhere that can be rightly called ‘self’. The Buddha Dharma teaches investigation into the imperanence of this self, and of our place in the cyclic existence of birth and death in which we undergo many re-births in a cyclic existence we call samsara, eventually ended up where we are now. The Buddha teaches that we are fortunate to be born into this life as a human where we can spend time in development and cultivation of our qualities such as morality, concentration, and wisdom, whilst encompassing compassion and generosity also into ones practice, developing these virtues one practices with the intent to be of benefit to oneself and others with the final goal of Nirvana or Nibbana. Nirvana is the ending of the cyclic rounds of re-births in samsara, it is the immaculate and conditionless state of our original primordial nature, which is called several things within different traditions, one common term used is Buddha Nature. The Buddha teaches that all beings have this Buddha Nature. To develop these qualities which are necessary for a good life, and to comprehend our place in this existence we first need to understand how we come into being, how we exist with our body, senses, and mind, as what we really are, and what we often mistake for a permanent entity in some way. We learn how our experiences come from a cause, what this cause is, how we react to our experiences and create karma, karma is the law of cause and effect teaching us that things come from a cause, every action coming from a cause has an effect, a result which in turn is also a cause for further results, and so our existence continues in this way from a time beyond knowing.

The Dharma teaches that ;
*All things which are impermanent are a cause for suffering.

*All things are impermanent and constantly changing in a state of flux.

*All things are inter-dependant, nothing exists as a separate and independent self entity.

To comprehend this is to then begin the way out of this impermanent self caused suffering which is difficult to comprehend. In order to understand this we learn and follow the teachings of the Buddha, he teaches through investigation of the Four Noble Truths.
The Four Noble Truths are timeless truths which stand the test of time and apply to life in all circumstances. They are the teachings which are essential in understanding our true nature and the way which leads to independence and peace. To begin the journey in transforming our discontentment and suffering in life, to contentment and happiness which is permanent, we need to comprehend and practice through contemplation, concentration and active investigation of the teachings, so that we understand properly our position in life. The first three Noble Truths are to be thoroughly examined and comprehended, while the fourth also needs to be put into practice once understood, and when one is satisfied that there is good reason.

The Four Noble Truths;

*Life is impermanent and as such is associated with, and a cause for suffering.

This is to be understood correctly through contemplation of our impermanence, of our suffering which we experience throughout life from birth until death, how our suffering is associated with the fact that things in life are impermanent.

*Our suffering in life is caused through our attatchment to sensous desires and cravings for both material and immaterial things.

We believe these things which we seek will bring us happiness, but because they are impermanent our clinging and attatchment to them cause us suffering, therefore they don’t bring us real happiness or contentment, . we search for happiness in external things which bring us only temporary pleasure, when these resources run out we are unhappy and dissatisfied with life again and seek happiness somewhere else, but wherever we seek permanent happiness we become dissatisfied when the conditions change. We seek good health yet we all get sick, we seek happiness for our families and loved ones yet we still encounter sadness and despair when things go wrong, we seek financial wealth and happiness in material things yet still we are not content while always find we want something more, we seek good friends yet our friends come and go and we find ourselves alone again, we seek love and we relish in it yet conditions change and where there was once love we find our life empty again and seeking love somewhere else, we seek happiness in artificial ways through drinking alcohol or drugs yet all this only causes us more dissatisfaction in life, we are constantly trying to satisfy our desires and when we manage to satisfy them our conditions change and we find we need to change with our conditions yet this isn’t always possible and we become unhappy and negative feelings arise when we realise that things aren’t going our way, the way we want them to. Wherever we encounter suffering it is associated with desire and craving for things to satisfy ones self.

*There is a way out of this suffering which is caused through our ignorance of the way things are.

In all things where there is a problem there is a remedy, in our life our suffering is caused through our own ignorance of the way things really are. Because we are able to realise this we are also able to find our way out of the tangle of emotions and feelings which control our lives. We are able to do this with thanks to The Buddha for leaving us valuable teachings in the Buddha Dharma, the way which we follow is the way taught by The Buddha.

*This way is the eightfold path ; Magga.

The Eightfold Path consists of eight ways in which we should practice according to The Buddhas teachings, these eight ways are considered to be aspects of the one way which leads to the immacualte state known as Nirvana and are practiced in such a way that they are practiced as a whole system, each way is associated with practice in every other way so we should begin to practice each aspect of this way known as magga in a way which incorporates them all into our practice at the same time. It is only by following this way that one is able to attain the permanent bliss of Nirvana. It should be understood that time is a series of moments and these moments pass rapidly, therefore in practice one should always attempt to remain mindful of the pattern of the way things occur and the way which we follow which is in accordance to that way.
The aspects of the eightfold path are to be understood as being the right way as opposed to any wrong way, it is a way which is conducive to good and a cause for great benefits for oneself and others, and a way which leads away from harm and suffering created through ignorance.

The eight aspects of the path are ;

*Right view … or otherwise known as right understanding. This means one should first have the right view of the nature of our misgivings, sufferings, and all the negative afflictions we accumulate throughout life, how they are caused or come into being, of the impermanence of life and the aspect of all things existing in inter-dependance, how there is no self indentifiable entity we can call our permanent self, and how coming to know these things we can lead a better life and find a better way.

*Right Thought … All speech and actions are preceded by the mind, if we are going to begin to take control of our lives we first need to learn to think in a way which is beneficial and conducive to good, we need to recognise those things which lead to harm and suffering, and choose which way we are to follow up on our thoughts. If we do not think rightly then it naturally follows that we will fail to speek or act rightly which will in turn lead to further dissatisfaction in life. So all things must be preceded with right thought, thoughts which are free from ill-will, Greed, selfishness, hatred, and self gain at the expense of others. We need to adopt thoughts which are associated with good will towards others, generosity, kindness, friendliness, and compassion towards oneself and others.

*Right Speech … Relative to our speech is how we are heard by others, it is important to begin our practice by taking up speech which is truthful, honest, worthy, respectable and non-harmful, speech which is free from lying, slander, harsh language, gossip, or foolish talk about things which breed contempt or confusion amongst others. Speech can be a powerful tool in society and if we are to begin to have a positive effect in our life then we need to begin to speak in a way which is beneficial and conducive to good both for ourselves and others.

*Right Action … Our actions determine the effects which follow, we should refrain from actions which will cause harm to ourself or to others. We should avoid doing actions such as intentionally harming or killing other living beings and even plants, stealing and taking things which don’t belong to us, having unlawful sexual relations or associating with others who act foolishly causing harm in many ways, indulging in alcohol or drugs which cause us to act irrationally and carelessly. Any actions which are conducive to harm should be distinguished and avoided, likewise any actions which are conducive to good and are beneficial to oneself and others should be taken up heedfully and put into practice.

*Right Livelihood … One should understand their livelihood, is it a livelihood which is free from such tasks as killing animals or slaughter, manufacture or sales and distribution or dealing with firearms and ammunition or such things which are conducive to killing and warfare, trading in drugs or alcohol, deceit and corruption, exploitation of others, if it is a livelihood which is conducive to harm then one should consider changing to an occupation which is beneficial to oneself and others, or at least one which is not harmful in any way.

*Right Effort … Right effort needs to be maintained throughout life and ones practice, one should put a sincere effort into things which are conducive to good and wholesome, leading to benefits, and effort into avoiding doing things which are harmful.

*Right Mindfulness … Mindfulness and awareness should be applied in contemplating such things as the Body, Feelings, The Mind (Consciousness), Mental objects, … Mindfulness is the key to proper learning and practice. We should learn to be mindful both in our daily situations, and in practicing methods of insight contemplation and meditation techniques which are a necessary component of ones path in Buddhism. We should apply mindfulness in an appropriate manner, directing our attention to things which are beneficial and conducive to cultivating good qualities.

*Right Concentration … This applies to methods which are associated with cultivation of the mind leading to wholesome states. We should apply concentration of the mind towards those subtle qualities of consciousness in development of insight leading to wisdom concerning dependant origination, and to the levels of mental absortion known as jhana, . In practicing the Dharma one learns methods of meditation in which the mind is developed in accordance to seeking those qualities which are in relation to higher wisdom, compassion (loving kindness), equanamity, such qualities of the mind which are subtle and difficult to comprehend at such high levels under normal circumstances. One takes up the practice of meditation in order the cultivate the mind through various methods, some methods are unique in some traditions, and some are common practices which are found throughout different traditions within Buddhism, all are practiced with the goal of developing concentration in the jhanas and achieving a state known as samadhi, a state which is tranquil and entering beyond the realms of duality, in which one experiences the essence of the Buddhas teachings.


‘Dharma’ can take on two meanings, one is that the Dharma is the teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha teaches sentient beings the way to freedom from worldly fetters through various means. Throughout the lifetime of Prince Gautama Siddhattha as the fully enlightened Buddha, Shakyamuni, he taught the Dhamma to many people through various means, he was an ascetic wandering from one township in one place to another, throughout several different kingdoms, meeting others of different characteristics, temperaments, capabilities, and dispositions in life, he knew how to teach them according to how they needed. This being the case there has been recorded many such conversations in scripture form, known as Sutra or Sutta. Throughout these discourses which were spoken by the Buddha, there are many valuable lessons to be discovered and learnt which are beneficial when they can be understood in different context, and known to mean the true meaning accordingly so that we can learn things by a clearer viewpoint. There is generally speaking those Sutta from the Pali Canon, the Tipitaka, and the sutras from the mahayana canon. Each Sutra has a purpose in the way that they are in association with practice and also used as a contemplative guide to practice. Even with the vast amount of these Sutras which have been translated into the English language there are still some which have not been translated, however there are many, and to know which tradition or method of practice is most suitable for oneself, one may have to study and investigate things such as commentaries, methods of practice including meditation, insight, different contemplation of the sutras, traditional aspects, etc etc, there are many aspects to the Dhamma, it is a vast teaching which reaches out wherever the eye may see, wherever the ear may hear, wherever one turns there is a lesson to incorporate into our life.
These days we are lucky, there are numerous sources where we can gain access to the teachings of the Buddha, through a vast array of books written by accomplished monks and lay-folk alike there is teachings which are suitable for everyone whether a monk or a civilian lay-person, on the Internet there are many websites which have great information regarding sutras, teachings, methods of meditation, commentaries, and more, there are even discussion boards where one can discuss, on-line, topics in association and with regard to the Buddha Dharma. There is a variety of sources to learn the Dharma from and in that way we are fortunate.
The best and most usual way is to attend a Buddhist Centre, a Temple, Vihara, or any abode where a monk or several monks abide. One can visit a residence of the Sangha* and learn meditation and listen to and even become involved in discussions on various aspects of the Dharma. This is the most valuable way to learn the Dharma, by means of the Sangha*. Unfortunately we don’t always have access to a local Sangha or a Sangha nearby and so we have to practice at home, or or we may sometimes choose to practice somewhere where we can meditate with some degree of peace, perhaps in a garden or some parkland, near a creek or somewhere where we can relax a bit, but also somewhere safe and free from harm. If one is able to it is better to learn from members of the Sangha, perhaps even on a weekly or fortnightly visit, whatever is suitable and appropriate for your learning.
Another meaning for Dharma which is also in relation with, and not separate to the teachings, is that it refers to the truth of the way things are, reality as it is, without our disginguishing thoughts, and discriminatory judgements being thrust upon it, it is simply the way it is beyond compare.
The reason that this meaning is also associated with the teachings is that the teachings are true to the way that things really are, it is by learning the teachings of the buddha that that we learn how to put it into practice and gain wisdom where there was little, compassion where we were before selfish, generosity where we were once stingy or greedy, strength and courage where we were meek, and so by learning and practicing the Dharma as a teaching we also come to know the Dharma as it is.
This being the Dharma, … we could say ‘what isn’t Dharma’, Dharma is to be found everywhere we turn our attention, so the teachings of the Buddha have mindfulness stamped on them, whatever we learn from, whether a book, a teacher monk, another person, anywhere we turn, we should practice mindfulness and be attentive, it is a way of skillful means. We should awaken from sleep, and become aware of the Dharma which pervades our very being in existence.

*Sangha … ‘Sangha’ is the term used for the order of monks (bikkhus), and nuns (bikkhuni), who practicing buddhists learn from through association with them, it can apply to those who we find solace in within the order of Buddhism. In Buddhism it is said that when decides to take up Buddhism one can ‘Go for refuge’ , this is a term which implies that one has taken the teachings of the Buddha as ones own way, and has taken it up whole-heartedly. The triple refuge involves going for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha*.

*See - 'Sangha'

Based on:
1) E-Sangha, Buddhism Forum