Dharma: Difference between revisions

From Rigpa Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
mNo edit summary
(9 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Dharma.JPG|frame|Dharma texts from the Longchen Nyingtik Field of Merit]]
[[Image:Dharma.JPG|frame|Dharma texts from the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] [[Field of merit]]]]
'''Dharma''' (Skt. ''dharma''; Tib. ''chö''; [[Wyl.]] ''chos'') — the word used to refer to the teachings of the [[Buddha]] (Skt. ''Buddhadharma''). It has many shades of meaning, including ‘the spiritual path’, or ‘spirituality’ in general. It also refers to phenomena, meaning things and events. ''See also'' [[ten meanings of Dharma]].
'''Dharma''' (Skt.; Tib. [[ཆོས་]], ''chö'', [[Wyl.]] ''chos'') — the word used to refer to the teachings of the [[Buddha]] (Skt. ''Buddhadharma''). It has many shades of meaning, including ‘the spiritual path’, or ‘spirituality’ in general. It also refers to phenomena, meaning things and events. ''See also'' [[ten meanings of Dharma]].


==Subdivisions==
==Subdivisions==
*[[Dharma of transmission]]
===[[Dharma of transmission]]===
*[[Dharma of realization]]
{{:Dharma of transmission}}
===[[Dharma of realization]]===
{{:Dharma of realization}}
[[Jikmé Lingpa]] said that if you understand that meaning of a single verse, that constitutes the Dharma of scripture or transmission, and if you give rise to a virtuous mind for just an instant, that is the Dharma of realization.<ref>''tshigs bcad gcig gi don shes na/ de ni lung gi bstan pa yin/dge sems skad cig skyes pa na/ de ni rtogs pa’i bstan pa yin.''</ref>


==Eight Qualities of the Dharma==
==Eight Qualities of the Dharma==
According to [[Maitreya]]'s ''[[Uttaratantra Shastra]]'', the Dharma has eight qualities of [[cessation]] and the [[path]]:<br>
{{:Eight qualities of the Dharma}}


Path:<br>
==Notes==
:1) purity, since free from [[emotional obscurations]]<br>
<small><references/></small>
:2) clarity, since free from [[cognitive obscurations]]<br>
:3) remedy, since it overcomes both obscurations<br>
 
Cessation:<br>
:4) inconceivable, since beyond concepts<br>
:5) utterly peaceful, since it is free from [[karma]] and [[disturbing emotions]]<br>
:6) unfathomable, since individually cognized<br>
 
And
:7) cessation; and
:8) the path.


==Further Reading==
==Further Reading==
*[[Khenpo Ngawang Palzang]], ''[[A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'', Shambhala, 2004, pages 107-108.
*''A Treasury of Dharma'', aka ''The Mengak Study Pack'' (Lodève: The Tertön Sogyal Trust, 2005), pages 29-33.
*[[Khenpo Ngawang Palzang]], ''[[A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'' (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2004), pages 107-108.
*[[Thinley Norbu]], ''The Small Golden Key'' (Shambhala Publications, 1999), ‘10. The Dharma of Precept and Dharma of Realization.'


[[Category:Key Terms]]
[[Category:Key Terms]]
[[Category:Three Jewels]]
[[Category:Three Jewels]]
[[Category:Sanskrit Terms]]

Revision as of 04:07, 20 August 2017

Dharma texts from the Longchen Nyingtik Field of merit

Dharma (Skt.; Tib. ཆོས་, chö, Wyl. chos) — the word used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha (Skt. Buddhadharma). It has many shades of meaning, including ‘the spiritual path’, or ‘spirituality’ in general. It also refers to phenomena, meaning things and events. See also ten meanings of Dharma.

Subdivisions

Dharma of transmission

The Dharma of transmission (Skt. āgama dharma; Tib. ལུང་གི་ཆོས་, Wyl. lung gi chos) consists of the three collections (pitaka): Vinaya, Sutra and Abhidharma.

Dharma of realization

The Dharma of realization (Tib. རྟོགས་པའི་ཆོས་, tokpé chö, Wyl. rtogs pa'i chos) is the threefold higher training:

  • The training in higher discipline, which is the subject matter of the vinaya collection.
  • The training in higher meditation, which is the subject matter of the sutra collection.
  • The training in higher wisdom, which is the subject matter of the abhidharma collection.

Jikmé Lingpa said that if you understand that meaning of a single verse, that constitutes the Dharma of scripture or transmission, and if you give rise to a virtuous mind for just an instant, that is the Dharma of realization.[1]

Eight Qualities of the Dharma

According to Maitreya's Uttaratantra Shastra, the Dharma has eight qualities of cessation and the path:

Path:

1) purity, since free from emotional obscurations
2) clarity, since free from cognitive obscurations
3) remedy, since it overcomes both obscurations

Cessation:

4) inconceivable, since beyond concepts
5) utterly peaceful, since it is free from karma and disturbing emotions
6) unfathomable, since individually cognized

And

7) cessation; and
8) the path.

Notes

  1. tshigs bcad gcig gi don shes na/ de ni lung gi bstan pa yin/dge sems skad cig skyes pa na/ de ni rtogs pa’i bstan pa yin.

Further Reading