the definition and the understanding of the word  DHARMA  vary a lot between  the Buddhists.

Some sects seemed to define the meaning of  DHARMA  very narrowly just as the Teachings.

The worst case I found was the Teachings of his instructor.  😀

———- Then I realized,  this must be the KEY in understanding  the  Buddhism.

Buddha (in my blog when I say Buddha,  its meant only Buddha / Shakyamini / Gautama Buddha )

had rejected all another teachings of so-called guru and popular Vedic teachings, and established

his own teachings which we now call the Buddhism.

Why he was called  Buddha / Enlightened Man,  not like a prophet or Devine figure was,  he was

a man who found the Truth in this whole world. —— Whole world mean all the existences, include us,

human being and our psychological phenomena as well.

—— By seeing it with his clear eyes, Buddha realized, the truth is in the very Dharma itself, as

the Dharma is whole existences and the rules combined together.

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On this occasion,  I’ve clicked  Wikipedia to see what others are saying.  The authors who

compiling those descriptions are the people who learned the subjects much longer than me

hence,  their descriptions are correct though,  strangely  the crucial point, the meaning of

the DHARMA also contain the phenomena itself is only mentioned in the last. ( in two places )

—

Think where Buddha was standing and what he was seeing. —— In northern India,  far away

the great Himalayan mountains,  river, forest, green fields, people and animals —— and

the human life —— from there Buddha found the rules behind of all those existences /

the rule of the DHARMA and its intricate relations which are relying on each other /

the relative existence of the existences / phenomena.

( In any body’s eyes,  the Nature’s intricate Eco-system and the Harmony must have amazing Rules. ——

Some says it is the God’s design —— in fact it was the result of hundreds of millions of years refinements.

—— any irrational, ill-matched  design has been eradicated.  Hence only rational existing, happily exist now)

( So, I wrote somewhere before ” Spread your hand wide. Embrace the world. This is the Dharma “)

When  Buddha inspired his understanding, of cause, he was bound by the notion of the word

Dharma which mean whole existences and the rules behind of it, gave the foundation of his philosophy.

In another word,  Buddha’s teaching was inseparable from the meaning of the word Dharma

—— all the existences and the rules behind which is not independent notion from

the existence itself,  since they are all related and dependent each other.

With this understanding of  dependency, our human existence couldn’t be seen as the solid

permanent existence neither ——>  Hence, The Atman (Self) is not exists = Anatman (Non Self )

( When the Self is not a reliable existence, the product of the self / Thinking has to be seen as a Delusion )

And as the Dharma is not abstract, independent idea,  BUT inseparable from Existences / Phenomena

even the teaching  couldn’t be separated from the real life —— Hence, teaching = Practice.

—

———- From those observations,  I found the meaning of the Dharma  should be

better understood by  the word,  SYSTEM.

SYSTEM mean,  they are not just a pile of existences but each part are connected each other and

functioning together.   And to make a SYSTEM as the functioning SYSTEM, there is the Systematic Rules.

And the Rules has to be viable / rational, otherwise they would disintegrate and disappear.

( This is the reason why Buddhism never contradict against the science.

Since, Buddhism stands on the facts,  therefore it have to be rational.  Not stand on the absurd idea or belief.

This is the reason why Zen rejects the imagination and thinking, and relying on the observation.

Incidentally, when Buddha was asked about the structure of the universe he didn’t give an answer.

He might wanted to say ” I don’t know. Who care, do you ?” ( Such imaginary world  is not relevant to the life )

neither he answered  when  he was asked whether the soul exist and reincarnated.

He would have said  ” Haven’t you understood  what I said before”

( Anatman / Nonself  was his main teaching,  since Vedic  Atman is only  imaginary product / Delusion )   

Buddha never argue or get angry. 🙂

( Someone who deluded by wrong thinking/ belief will not get enlightenment that all. It is the person’s Karma.

Buddhism never offer the salvation, only give the guidance to the person to learn.)

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