DHARMA

In Pāli, dhamma, a word derived from dhara (to hold, bear, or possess), meaning anything right, something that is to be held fast or kept; a law, statute, usage, or practice. In hinduism, dharma signifies the cosmic ordering of universe and life, and the conduct needed for the maintenance of that order. What is commonly understood as "Hinduism" in Western thought is referred to as sanätana dharma ("Everlasting Dharma") by Hindu adherents. Hence, in Hinduism, dharma is the religion-inspired moral ideal, the moral law that sustains the world, human society, and the individual. In the Upanisads, dharma is presented as ways for attaining the brah man. In Jainism, dharma may be understood as the allpervading notion of activity or motion, making movement possible; the teachings of the Jinas ; and the universal rule of nonviolence.

Within buddhism, the term dharma took on several meanings. One of the core teachings of Buddhism from the start was the radical impermanence and insubstantiality of things, and one way of accounting for this state was to posit "dharmas," which functioned much like "atoms" in ancient Greek thought. That is to say, they were infinitesimal building blocks of reality. Eternal and permanent in themselves, they combined and recombined with each other to form the phenomena of the world, thus accounting for the arising and decay of things. Thus, dharma in Buddhist thought came to be used as a reference to constituents of reality. In Abhidharma philosophy, dharma are fundamental building blocks of reality, rather like the atoms of ancient Greek philosophy. In popular Buddhist literature, dharma is identified as "phenomenon

" Another use of dharma is in reference to the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, who is himself seen as a manifestation of dharma (truth), as well as the practice of that truth (patipatti ). The central role of dharma within Buddhism can also be seen in the the traditional Buddhist formulation of the "Three Jewels" (Triratna ), i.e., taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

Bibliography: t. shcherbatsky, The Central Conception of Buddhism and the Meaning of the Word "Dharma" (London 1923). r. c. hazra, "Dharma: Its Early Meaning and Scope," Our Heritage 7 (Calcutta 1959) 15–35; 8 (1960) 7–34. w. t. de bary, ed., Introduction to Oriental Civilizations, 3 v. (Records of Civilization 54–56; New York 1958–60).

[a. s. rosso/

c. b. jones]