The Dhamma
Religious Studies A: AQA GCSE Religions, topic 1.1.1
Dhamma
Dhamma is the whole of the Pali Canon of Buddhist scripture.
Triratana (Three Sacred Jewels)
- The Three Sacred Jewels/refuges for Buddhists are:
- Buddha
- Dhamma
- Sangha (those on the path to Enlightenment).
Dhamma
- The Dhamma is the whole of the Pali Canon, containing the Tripitaka (Three Baskets) of :
- Vinaya Pitaka are the rules of discipline for the monastic Sangha.
- Sutta Pitaka are the teachings from the life of the Buddha.
- Abhidhamma Pitaka is the later philosophical section.
Paticca-Samuppada
- This is the law of causation and the concept of causality and conditionality in Buddhism.
- It teaches that all that comes into being is maintained by a web of condition, all of which are connected and are not independent of one another.
- Everything ends when the conditions that maintain it end.
- The whole of existence is in a process of change and the conditionality of this web stretches from the physical world all the way to the human mind.
The Three Marks of Existence
- All three of the marks of existence are interlinked and rely on each other.
- Anicca is the concept of impermanence.
- Anatta is the 'not-self', the not physical self.
- Dukkha is the concept of suffering.
Nagasena and the chariot
- The concepts of Anicca and Anatta are found in the story of Nagasena and the Chariot.
- 'But what is a chariot? Nagasena asked. Is it the wheels, or the axles, or the reigns, or the frame, or the seat, or the draught pole? Is it a combination of those elements? Or is it found outside those elements? The King answered no to each question. Then there is no chariot! Nagasena said.' (Milinda Panha)
Test yourself on The Dhamma
What is Paticca-Samuppada the law of?
What does Tipitaka mean?