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What is dharma?

lobsterlobster Veteran
in Buddhism Basics
In Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core.
So they are sometimes known as dharmic religions.

In Hinduism, the Guru is considered greater than God because she reveals God to you.
The dharma of Buddhism also reveals the Truth beyond The Spaghetti Monsters of this and other world views.
Buddhist dharma also concentrates on the essentials. Just because we can formulate a question is no reason for one of the three jewels to waste time on it.

I usually find the Buddhist path and means in the Four Noble Truths and the eight fold path.
Is dharma your god or maybe more important than that?
riverflownenkohai

Comments

  • riverflowriverflow Veteran
    Every day the Buddhadharma becomes more important to me--which is not to say that I take mistaken detours here and there, but I feel the need building in me to focus more on my practice.

    I'm so glad I found a sangha. It makes such a tremendous difference and the timing was just right for me. I feel like I'm starting all over again. (I'm laughing at myself because I wanted to go so badly today--clinging!--but I'm staying home because I've got a cold!)

    And I've been wanting to say that everyone here on the forum have been so wonderful too and I've learned so much from you guys.

    I would like to say the Dharma is my life. At least that is what I aspire toward. It is surely the best thing that ever happened to me.
    lobsterdeb2676pegembara
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.
    lamaramadingdong
  • SephSeph Veteran
    lobster said:

    In Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core.
    So they are sometimes known as dharmic religions.

    In Hinduism, the Guru is considered greater than God because she reveals God to you.
    The dharma of Buddhism also reveals the Truth beyond The Spaghetti Monsters of this and other world views.
    Buddhist dharma also concentrates on the essentials. Just because we can formulate a question is no reason for one of the three jewels to waste time on it.

    I usually find the Buddhist path and means in the Four Noble Truths and the eight fold path.
    Is dharma your god or maybe more important than that?

    I suppose it really depends.
    What's the official definition of dharma (there might be a few), possibly from a (I hate to use this term) 'doctrine' point of view? I can't say I know for sure.

    Or what really is dharma?
    Personally, I believe Dharma transcends religions or doctrines. It must be present within anything that contains truth, regardless of what its nomenclature might be.

    I have always liked it to the ocean: Dharma-Ocean.
    Lucy_Begood
  • zenffzenff Veteran
    The Dharma cannot be explained. We can explain principles but not what it is; not really, not finally.
    I like chapter nine of the Vimalakirti Sutra where the Dharma-Door of Nonduality is discussed.
    …
    The bodhisattva Santendriya declared, "It is dualistic to say 'Buddha,' 'Dharma,' and 'Sangha.' The Dharma is itself the nature of the Buddha, the Sangha is itself the nature of the Dharma, and all of them are uncompounded. The uncompounded is infinite space, and the processes of all things are equivalent to infinite space. Adjustment to this is the entrance into nonduality."
    ....
    Manjusri replied, "Good sirs, you have all spoken well. Nevertheless, all your explanations are themselves dualistic. To know no one teaching, to express nothing, to say nothing, to explain nothing, to announce nothing, to indicate nothing, and to designate nothing - that is the entrance into nonduality."
    Then the crown prince Manjusri said to the Licchavi Vimalakirti, "We have all given our own teachings, noble sir. Now, may you elucidate the teaching of the entrance into the principle of nonduality!"
    Thereupon, the Licchavi Vimalakirti kept his silence, saying nothing at all.
    The crown prince Manjusri applauded the Licchavi Vimalakirti: "Excellent! Excellent, noble sir! This is indeed the entrance into the nonduality of the bodhisattvas. Here there is no use for syllables, sounds, and ideas."
    http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm

    Lucy_Begoodblu3reeriverflow
  • NevermindNevermind Bitter & Hateful Veteran
    genkaku said:

    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.

    It ain't bad.
    MaryAnne
  • VastmindVastmind Memphis, TN Veteran
    edited April 2013
    'Is Dharma your god?'
    No.

    'What is Dharma?'
    Everything is everything......isn't it?
    riverflowpegembara
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    genkaku said:

    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.
    Nevermind said:
    It ain't bad.
    @Nevermind -- Does that mean it is somehow good?

    Oops.
  • NevermindNevermind Bitter & Hateful Veteran
    genkaku said:

    genkaku said:

    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.
    Nevermind said:
    It ain't bad.
    @Nevermind -- Does that mean it is somehow good?

    Oops.

    @genkaku -- Technically, I believe it's supposed to be more like law, which is neither good nor bad. So to re-answer your question, it ain't chaos. :D
  • BeeHurstBeeHurst
    edited April 2013
    lobster said:

    In Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core.

    You try to look at internet for the word dhamma. In Wikipeadia Etymologically, the word Dhamma (Sanskrit: Dharma) is derived from the root "dham," meaning "to uphold" or "to support,". Some people have the suffering. The God like the Jesus God he love the people forgive the people. When the Jesus God forgive the people the people is happy. The people mind change from the sad to the happy. Jesus God is Dhamma because "support" the mind of the people so not having suffering. The Jesus people when dying going to heavenly world. Not having the fearing death because living with the Jesus God in the heavenly world. In Buddha teaching it is the wisdom practise liberation support mind of meditator. Wisdom truth, skilful practicing and the liberation support the mind of Buddhist. This thing is dhamma. All thing supporting mind to be happy free from suffer is Dhamma. Drink alcohol take bad drug not Dhamma because alcohol drug destroy mind of people. If have work to make money work is Dhamma because it support the people to live.

    Jeffrey
  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    These are the definitions I found -- and I like each one. :)


    from http://www.edharma.org/radio313.html :

    Buddha Dhamma is a system of living taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddha Dhamma is a system that can help one come out of suffering - when practiced and realised each for himself or herself, it stops the cycle of birth.


    from http://www.thebuddhagarden.com/blog/what-is-dharma/ :

    The first is that The Dharma (when capitalized) simply means the collective teachings of The Buddha. In this respect, you might think of the Dharma as simply meaning “The Teachings.”

    The second meaning is usually associated with the lowercase dharma, and translates as “the way things are.”
    This may seem overly vague, until you understand that the word “dharma” has been used to imply “the laws of nature” or “that which sustains the universe.” Sometimes it is synonymous with the English word nature. In Thailand, [they] use the word Dhamma-Chart [from Dharma and Charti] to say “Nature” or “Environment”.


    from http://buddhadharma.com/ :

    The Buddha is a guide whose motivation for teaching is his great compassion. Coupled with wisdom, this compassion arose at the moment of the Buddha's enlightenment. The Buddha has removed all obstructions and arrived at peace. [edited]
    Buddha reveals a path that will lead them to discover it; this path is known as the Dharma, the teaching of the Buddha.
    Those who follow his teachings and gather together for discussion and practice are the Sangha. Together, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, are known as the Three Jewels.
    deb2676Jeffrey
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    Nevermind said:

    genkaku said:

    genkaku said:

    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.
    Nevermind said:
    It ain't bad.
    @Nevermind -- Does that mean it is somehow good?

    Oops.

    @genkaku -- Technically, I believe it's supposed to be more like law, which is neither good nor bad. So to re-answer your question, it ain't chaos. :D

    Except when it's chaotic? :)

  • NevermindNevermind Bitter & Hateful Veteran
    genkaku said:

    Nevermind said:

    genkaku said:

    genkaku said:

    Maybe I could get a better handle on what Dharma is if someone could tell me what it isn't.
    Nevermind said:
    It ain't bad.
    @Nevermind -- Does that mean it is somehow good?

    Oops.
    @genkaku -- Technically, I believe it's supposed to be more like law, which is neither good nor bad. So to re-answer your question, it ain't chaos. :D

    Except when it's chaotic? :)



    Of course. :)
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