Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India. The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. In these traditions, beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards moksha, nirvana, or personal liberation. Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of t ...

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• Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma
• Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism
• Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas
• Dharma - Developing conceptions
• Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha
• Dharma - Kane's view
• Dharma - In Jainism
• Dharma - The two Dharmas
• Dharma - In Buddhism
• Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha
• Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma
• Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology
• Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

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The word Dharma (Sanskrit; "धर्म" in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, the dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Dharma also is practiced in the Surat Shabda Yoga traditions. In its oldest form, dharman, it first appears in the Vedas. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for Dharma (life fails to convey its connoted complexity). The word has a long and ...

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Dharma, Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma, Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism, Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism, Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas, Dharma - Developing conceptions, Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha, Dharma - Kane's view, Dharma - In Jainism, Dharma - The two Dharmas, Dharma - In Buddhism, Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha, Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma, Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology, Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia II - Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma

Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. Beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards moksha, nirvana, or personal liberation. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India. The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. For the followers of these traditions, Dharma also refers to the teachings ...

Including:

• Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma
• Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism
• Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism
• Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas
• Dharma - Developing conceptions
• Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha
• Dharma - Kane's view
• Dharma - In Jainism
• Dharma - The two Dharmas
• Dharma - In Buddhism
• Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha
• Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma
• Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology
• Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

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Dharma-chakra is the wheel that represents the dharma. Just as a wheel rolls naturally, dharma moves a person forward spiritually. Dharma-chakra is a common symbol in Jainism and Budhism. In Jainism it is still worshipped as a symbol of the dharma. Dharma-chakra from Ashoka's Lion Capital at Sarnath is the national symbol of India. It represents the dharma i.e. natural conduct of a nat ...

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Prayer wheels are called Mani wheels by the Tibetans. A prayer wheel is a wheel on a spindle, and on the wheel are written or encapsulated prayers or mantras. According the Tibetan Buddhist belief, spinning such a wheel will have much the same effect as orally reciting them. Prayer wheel - External link. http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/prayer-wheel.htm ...

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• Prayer wheel - External link

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The Ashoka Chakra is an ancient Indian depiction of the Dharma wheel, the Wheel of Life and Cosmic Order (Sanskrit: Chakra means wheel; Dharma means cosmic order). The wheel has 24 spokes, each of which signifies a spiritual principle. The Ashoka Chakra has been widely inscribed on many relics of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka The Great (Reigned 273-232 BCE), most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath and The Ashoka Pillar. The most visible use of the Ashoka Cha ...

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The Twelve Nidanas (Pali: nidana- foundation, source or origin) are the application of the Buddhist concept of Pratitya-samutpada (dependent origination). The Twelve Nidanas are employed in the analysis of phenomena according to the principle of Pratitya-samutpada. The aim of the Twelve Nidanas analysis is to reveal the origins of phenomena, and the feedback loop of conditioning and causation that leads to suffering in current and future lives. Twelve Nidanas - Summary. The basic principle of pratitya-samut ...

Including:

• Twelve Nidanas - Summary
• Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana
• Twelve Nidanas - Notes
• Twelve Nidanas - Twenty four types of conditions
• Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

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In traditional Mahayana Buddhist cosmology, the six lower realms are six of the ten spiritual realms; these six realms compose samsara. Six lower realms - Good realms. Note that the order of the realms may differ among different Buddhist traditions; for instance, some traditions place the asura realm second, before the human realm. Six lower realms - Deva realm. The deva realm is the realm of bliss and pride. The deva realm is sometimes also referred to as t ...

Including:

• Six lower realms - Good realms
• Six lower realms - Deva realm
• Six lower realms - Human realm
• Six lower realms - Asura realm
• Six lower realms - Evil realms
• Six lower realms - Hungry ghost realm
• Six lower realms - Animal realm
• Six lower realms - Hell realm

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Within Indian philosophy "dharma" also means "property" and "dharmin" means "property-bearer". In a Sanskrit sentence like "zabdo 'nityaH" (Sanskrit transliterated according to the Kyoto-Harvard convention), "sound is impermanent", "sound" is the bearer of the property "impermanence". Likewise, in the sentence "iha ghataH", "here, there is a pot", "here" is the bearer of the property "pot-existence" - this just goes to show that the categories property and property-bearer are closer to those of a logical predicate and its subject-term, and not to a grammatical predicate and subject. Dharma ...

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Dharma, Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma, Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism, Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism, Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas, Dharma - Developing conceptions, Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha, Dharma - Kane's view, Dharma - In Jainism, Dharma - The two Dharmas, Dharma - In Buddhism, Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha, Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma, Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology, Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

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Dharma is natural. Jain Acharya Samantabhadra writes: "Vatthu sahavo dhammo" the dharma is the nature of an object. It is the nature of the soul to be free, thus for the soul, the dharma ia paralaukika, beyond worldly. However the nature of the body is to seek self-preservation and be engaged in pleasures. Thus there are two dharmas. Dharma - The two Dharmas. Acharya Haribhadra (approx. 6-7th cent.) discusses dharma in Dharma-Bindu. he writes (Translation by Y. Malaiya): soayam-anushhThaatRi-bhedat dvi-vidho ...

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Dharma, Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma, Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism, Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism, Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas, Dharma - Developing conceptions, Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha, Dharma - Kane's view, Dharma - In Jainism, Dharma - The two Dharmas, Dharma - In Buddhism, Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha, Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma, Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology, Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia II - Dharma - In Jainism

In East Asia, the word for Dharma is 法, pronounced fǎ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha. For practicing Buddhists, references to "dharma" or dhamma in the singular, particularly as "the" Dharma, is used to mean the teachings of the Buddha, and is sometimes referred to as the Buddha-Dharma. Dharma is the universal law of nature and to call it Buddha-Dhamma suggests that other kinds of Dharma may exist. But this is not so, there is only one Dharma. The term Buddha-Dharma merely refers to the fact that it was discove ...

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Dharma, Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma, Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism, Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism, Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas, Dharma - Developing conceptions, Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha, Dharma - Kane's view, Dharma - In Jainism, Dharma - The two Dharmas, Dharma - In Buddhism, Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha, Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma, Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology, Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia II - Dharma - In Buddhism

Among the earliest and most common symbols of Buddhism are the dharma wheel and the lotus flower. The dharma wheel, traditionally represented with eight spokes, can have a variety of meanings. It initially only meant royalty (concept of the "Monarch of the Wheel, or Chakravatin), but started to be used in a Buddhist context on the Pillars of Ashoka during the 3rd century BCE. The Dharma wheel is generally seen as referring to the historical process of teaching the buddhadharma; the eight spokes refer to the Noble Eightfold Path. The lotus, as well, can have several meanings, ...

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Buddhist symbolism, Buddhist symbolism - Early aniconic symbols, Buddhist symbolism - The 32 signs of a Great Man and 80 Secondary Characteristics, Buddhist symbolism - The Mudras, Buddhist symbolism - The eight auspicious symbols of Tibetan & Nepali Buddhism, Buddhist symbolism - International symbols of the World Fellowship of Buddhists

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The simpler form of the wheel of life has eight spokes and is primarily used only in Buddhism rather than in all the dharmic religions. The eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. They are said to have sharp edges to cut through ignorance. Other symbolisms in the eight-spoked wheel of life in Buddhism: Its overall shape is that of a circle (chakra), representing the perfection of the dharma teaching The hub stands for discipline, which is the essential core of meditation practice The rim, which holds the spokes, refers to ...

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Wheel of life, Wheel of life - Names of the wheel of life, Wheel of life - The six-spoked wheel of life, Wheel of life - Background, Wheel of life - Outer rim, Wheel of life - Six Worlds, Wheel of life - Hub, Wheel of life - The eight-spoked wheel in Buddhism, Wheel of life - The wheel in Tibetan Buddhism, Wheel of life - Doctrine of Three Wheels, Wheel of life - In Vajrayana Buddhism, Wheel of life - Other Wheels of Life, Wheel of life - Reference

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The most common name is the "wheel of life", but the wheel also has a variety of other names: wheel of dharma wheel of existence wheel of law wheel of rebirth wheel of samsara wheel of suffering The symbol is also known as chakra from the Sanskrit word for wheel (not to be confused with the Hindu use of the same word to refer to energy nodes in the body— cf. chakra). The wheel of life is specifically known as b ...

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Wheel of life, Wheel of life - Names of the wheel of life, Wheel of life - The six-spoked wheel of life, Wheel of life - Background, Wheel of life - Outer rim, Wheel of life - Six Worlds, Wheel of life - Hub, Wheel of life - The eight-spoked wheel in Buddhism, Wheel of life - The wheel in Tibetan Buddhism, Wheel of life - Doctrine of Three Wheels, Wheel of life - In Vajrayana Buddhism, Wheel of life - Other Wheels of Life, Wheel of life - Reference

Read more here: » Wheel of life: Encyclopedia II - Wheel of life - Names of the wheel of life

The basic principle of pratitya-samutpada and the Twelve Nidanas is to see the conditioned causal connection of each state that supports the next in the cycle of our lives as we suffer in Samsara. It is explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa, the central text of the Mahavihara commentarial tradition. The causal chain of analysis employed in this type of analysis appears to operate from the position that individual phenomena are caused or conditioned by only a single cause. This reflects not a blanket declaration by th ...

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Twelve Nidanas, Twelve Nidanas - Summary, Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana, Twelve Nidanas - Notes, Twelve Nidanas - Twenty four types of conditions, Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

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Twelve Nidanas - Notes. The above cycle is frequently seen as relating to "Lifetimes" which they do, but additionally and probably more relevantly they relate to all life experiences on a daily basis. Throughout the day we cycle through the conditioned states. The conditioned states give rise to pleasant and unpleasant, desirable and undesirable experiences. We crave the existence of such states, if they are pleasant or we crave their absence if they are unpleasant.; Pāli Skt = Sanskrit Tib ...

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Twelve Nidanas, Twelve Nidanas - Summary, Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana, Twelve Nidanas - Notes, Twelve Nidanas - Twenty four types of conditions, Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

Read more here: » Twelve Nidanas: Encyclopedia II - Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana

This section considers which conditions apply to which part of the dependent origination. Ignorance conditions creations, activities Activities condition consciousness Consciousness conditions body and mind Body and mind condition the twelve domains  During rebirth, the four psychic aggregates condition the sixth domain as simultaneity, reciprocity, support, association, result, existence and non-disparition ...

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Twelve Nidanas, Twelve Nidanas - Summary, Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana, Twelve Nidanas - Notes, Twelve Nidanas - Twenty four types of conditions, Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

Read more here: » Twelve Nidanas: Encyclopedia II - Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

Note that the order of the realms may differ among different Buddhist traditions; for instance, some traditions place the asura realm second, before the human realm. Six lower realms - Deva realm. The deva realm is the realm of bliss and pride. The deva realm is sometimes also referred to as the gods realm, because its inhabitants are so powerful, they resemble the gods of Greek or Roman mythology. However, while the devas may be referred to as gods, they are mortal, and are not omniscient, not omnipotent, not creators and not able to judge at death, so they are notabl ...

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Six lower realms, Six lower realms - Good realms, Six lower realms - Deva realm, Six lower realms - Human realm, Six lower realms - Asura realm, Six lower realms - Evil realms, Six lower realms - Hungry ghost realm, Six lower realms - Animal realm, Six lower realms - Hell realm

Read more here: » Six lower realms: Encyclopedia II - Six lower realms - Good realms

Six lower realms - Hungry ghost realm. Hungry ghost realm (also Pretas realm) is based on possessiveness and desire. The reason why sentient beings in this realm are known as hungry ghosts is because they cannot enjoy food or drink. In Tibetan versions of Wheel of Life they are drawn with narrow necks to represent that condition. When making a graphical representation of Wheel of life (example) hungry ghost realm is placed at 4 o'clock, with Asura realm above, and Hell realm to the left. See also: ghost, hungry ghost < ...

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Six lower realms, Six lower realms - Good realms, Six lower realms - Deva realm, Six lower realms - Human realm, Six lower realms - Asura realm, Six lower realms - Evil realms, Six lower realms - Hungry ghost realm, Six lower realms - Animal realm, Six lower realms - Hell realm

Read more here: » Six lower realms: Encyclopedia II - Six lower realms - Evil realms