Mastodawn

Even inspiring teachings get twisted if we approach them with self-view. For example, the Buddha advised the recollection of Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha in order to ...

#Buddhism #Dhamma #Buddha #Sangha #Theravada #Dharma

Buddhistdoor Global (BDG)Apr 8

BDG feature: Centering Sangha, Part 2: Foresight and Strategic Planning

🔗 Read more: https://tinyurl.com/3p4ycwft

#Buddhism #Buddha #Sangha #Fundraising #BuddhistCommunities #Nonprofit #BuddhistLeadership #ModernBuddhism #ContemporaryBuddhism #NorthAmerica

Bodhi Berlin ☸️Apr 3

This week's (corrected) newsletter: https://listmonk.bodhiberlin.org/archive/2026-w14-err

#TuesdayNightMeditation #meditation #mindfulness #Berlin #Mitte #BerlinMitte #sangha

Bodhi Berlin Schedule Correction

Buddhistdoor Global (BDG)Mar 27

BDG Feature: The Rise of Lay Leadership in American Won Buddhism

🔗 Read more: https://tinyurl.com/26ynma65

#Buddhism #Zen #Seon #KoreanBuddhism #WonBuddhism #BuddhistPractice #Clergy #Sangha #Spirituality #Mahayana

The Open Buddhist University Mar 19

📖 Propagating the Bodhisattva Ethic of Compassion for People and the Planet (A free, 307-page thesis from 2019)

Tags: #ClimateChange #Modern #Sangha #China #CaliBuddhist
https://buddhistuniversity.net/content/booklets/humanistic-buddhism-and-climate-change_zimmerman-liu-teresa

Humanistic Buddhism and Climate Change: Propagating the Bodhisattva Ethic of Compassion for People and the Planet

[In Taiwan,] two Humanistic Buddhist groups have influenced the majority of Buddhists on the island to adopt important aspects of sustainable lifestyles. This multi-sited ethnographic study uses participant observation with formal and informal interviews to research these two groups—the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Dharma Drum Mountain—in the two different social contexts of Taiwan and California.

The Open Buddhist University

Bodhi Berlin ☸️Mar 17

This week's newsletter: https://listmonk.bodhiberlin.org/archive/2026-w12

#TuesdayNightMeditation #meditation #mindfulness #Berlin #Mitte #BerlinMitte #sangha

Tuesday Night Meditation with Bodhi Berlin Tonight - 2026-03-17 19:15

Spirituality & Religious Studies Mar 11

Dharma

This is a main concept in many Indian religions. It comes from the Sanskrit dhr-, meaning ‘to hold, to support.’ Referring to the law that sustains things. In its most used sense, dharma refers to a person’s moral responsibilities or duties.

In Hinduism, dharma denotes behavior considered to be in accord with Rta (the order & custom that make life & the universe possible). This includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, & ethics to form the “righteous way of living.” Dharma is believed to have trans-temporal validity & is 1 of the Purusartha.

In the Hindu tradition, Dharma isn’t a “1 size fits all” kind of deal. Often it’s divided into 2 primary categories:

Sanatana Dharma (The Eternal Way)
- This refers to the absolute, universal duties that apply to everyone.
Varnashrama Dharma (Specific Duty)
- This is where history & culture get complex. It suggests that your specific duty is determined by your stage in life (ashrama) & your role in society (varna).

Much of Indian epic literature, like the Mahabharata, focuses on “Dharma Yuddha” (a righteous war). The Bhagavad Gita is essentially a 700-verse philosophical crisis where the warrior Arjuna must decide between his familial affection & his Kshatriya (warrior) dharma.

In Buddhism, dharma (in Pali: dhamma) refers to the teachings of THE Buddha & to the true nature of reality. The Dharma is the “truth” that the Buddha realized under the Bodhi tree. It is symbolized by the Dharmachakra (the 8-Spoked Wheel), representing the Noble 8-Fold Path.

In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for specific “phenomena” & the ultimate truth. In a technical sense, “dharmas” refer to the fundamental building blocks of experience. It’s the 2nd of the “Triple Gem” (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) that a practitioner looks to for liberation from suffering (dukkha).

In Jainism, dharma refers to the teachings of Tirthankara (Jina) & the body of doctrine of purification & moral transformation. Jainism agrees that Dharma involves virtue (specifically the “10 Virtues,” like forgiveness & humility), & it also defines Dharma as a substance called Dharmastikaya. This is the principle of motion. Just as water lets fish swim, Dharma is the medium that lets souls & matter move through the universe.

In Sikhism, dharma indicates the path of righteousness, proper religious practices, & performing moral duties.

The antonym (opposite) of dharma is adharma (“not dharma”). In common usage, adharma means that which is against nature, immoral, unethical, wrong, or unlawful. In Buddhism, dharma integrates the teachings & doctrines of the founder of Buddhism, the Buddha.

In the mid-20th century, an inscription of the Indian Mauryan Emperor Asoka from the year 258 BCE was found in Afghanistan, the Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription. This rock inscription contains Greek & Aramaic texts.

After a bloody conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka was struck by/with remorse. He converted to Buddhism & replaced the policy of Dig-vijaya (conquest by force) with Dharma-vijaya (conquest by piety). He carved “Dharma Edicts” onto massive stone pillars & rocks throughout the Indian subcontinent.

They weren’t just religious texts. They were also administrative orders promoting religious tolerance, animal welfare, & the planting of medicinal herbs.

The evolving literature of Hinduism links dharma to 2 other important ideals: Rta & Maya. Rta, in the Vedas, is the truth, & cosmic principle which regulates & coordinates the operation of the universe & everything within it. Maya, in the Rig-veda & later literature, means illusion, fraud, deception, magic that misleads & creates disorder. Thus is contrary to reality, laws, & rules that establish order, predictability & harmony.

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