Ten meanings of Dharma: Difference between revisions

From Rigpa Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Ten meanings of dharma''' ([[Wyl.]] ''chos kyi don bcu'') — Kyabjé [[Dudjom Rinpoche]] gives ten meanings for the term [[dharma]], quoting from [[Vasubandhu]]’s ''The Principles of Elucidation'' (Skt. ''Vyakhyayukti''; Tib. ''Namshé Rigpa''):<br>
'''Ten meanings of dharma''' ([[Wyl.]] ''chos kyi don bcu'') — Kyabjé [[Dudjom Rinpoche]] gives ten meanings for the term [[dharma]], quoting from [[Vasubandhu]]’s ''The Principles of Elucidation'' (Skt. ''Vyakhyayukti''; Tib. ''Namshé Rigpa''):<br>
#an object of knowledge (Skt. ''jñeya''; Wyl. ''shes bya''),<br>
#an object of knowledge (Skt. ''jñeya''; Wyl. ''shes bya''),<br>
#the [[path]],<br>
#the [[path]] (Wyl. ''lam''),<br>
#[[nirvana]],<br>
#[[nirvana]] (Wyl. ''mya ngan las 'das pa''),<br>
#a mental object (Skt. ''manoviṣaya''; Wyl. ''yid kyi yul''),<br>
#a mental object (Skt. ''manoviṣaya''; Wyl. ''yid kyi yul''),<br>
#[[merit]],<br>
#[[merit]] (Wyl. ''bsod nams''),<br>
#life (Skt. ''āyu''; Wyl. ''tshe''),<br>
#life (Skt. ''āyu''; Wyl. ''tshe''),<br>
#teachings of the [[Buddha]], or its scriptures (Skt. ''dharmapravacana''; Wyl. ''gsung rab''),<br>
#teachings of the [[Buddha]], or its scriptures (Skt. ''dharmapravacana''; Wyl. ''gsung rab''),<br>
#what is subject to age or change, i.e. material objects (Wyl. '' 'bjung 'gyur''),<br>
#what is subject to age or change, i.e. material objects (Wyl. '' 'byung 'gyur''),<br>
#rules (Wyl. ''nges pa'') or religious vows, and<br>
#rules (Wyl. ''nges pa'') or religious vows, and<br>
#spiritual traditions (Skt. ''dharmanīti''; Wyl. ''chos lugs'').<br>
#spiritual traditions (Skt. ''dharmanīti''; Wyl. ''chos lugs'').<br>

Revision as of 13:00, 22 June 2009

Ten meanings of dharma (Wyl. chos kyi don bcu) — Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche gives ten meanings for the term dharma, quoting from Vasubandhu’s The Principles of Elucidation (Skt. Vyakhyayukti; Tib. Namshé Rigpa):

  1. an object of knowledge (Skt. jñeya; Wyl. shes bya),
  2. the path (Wyl. lam),
  3. nirvana (Wyl. mya ngan las 'das pa),
  4. a mental object (Skt. manoviṣaya; Wyl. yid kyi yul),
  5. merit (Wyl. bsod nams),
  6. life (Skt. āyu; Wyl. tshe),
  7. teachings of the Buddha, or its scriptures (Skt. dharmapravacana; Wyl. gsung rab),
  8. what is subject to age or change, i.e. material objects (Wyl. 'byung 'gyur),
  9. rules (Wyl. nges pa) or religious vows, and
  10. spiritual traditions (Skt. dharmanīti; Wyl. chos lugs).

They all relate to the sense of ‘holding’, which is the meaning of dhṛ, the root of the word dharma.

The general usage in English for the typography of the term 'dharma' is to use an upper case when referring to Buddha's teachings, the path or the truth of cessation (cases 2, 3 & 7).