Saturday, August 7, 2010

What is the Buddhist "Dharma"?

NOTE: WISDOM QUARTERLY IS ON RETREAT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 7TH
Magnificent Buddha mudra blessing in Tokyo (Dan Ferrara/Dan10956/Flickr)

The Dharma: a Gradual Training
Derived from John T. Bullitt's article "Dhamma" (accesstoinsight.org)
The Dharma (Pali, Dhamma), the truth or doctrine taught by the Buddha, is uncovered gradually through sustained practice. The Buddha made clear many times that enlightenment or awakening does not occur like a bolt out of the blue to the untrained and unprepared mind. Rather, it culminates a systematic journey with many stages:

Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch, in the same way this Doctrine and Discipline (Dharma-Vinaya) has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual progression, with a penetration to liberating wisdom only after a long stretch. — Ud 5.5

"Monastics, I do not say that the attainment of enlightenment is all at once. Rather, the attainment comes after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice. And how is there the attainment of enlightenment after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice?

"There is the case where, when confidence [in the Dharma, Buddha, and/or Sangha] has arisen, one visits [a teacher]. Having visited, one grows close. Having grown close, one lends ear. Having lent ear, one hears the Dharma. Having heard the Dharma, one remembers it. Remembering, one penetrates the meaning of the teaching. Penetrating the meaning, one comes to an agreement through pondering the teaching. There being agreement through pondering the teaching, motivation arises. When motivation has arisen, one is willing. When one is willing, one contemplates. Having contemplated, one makes an exertion. Having made an exertion, one realizes with the body of the ultimate truth. And having penetrated it with discernment, one sees it." — MN 70

The Buddha's teachings are infused with this notion of gradual development. His method of "gradual instruction" (anupubbi-katha), which appears in various forms in countless discourses, always follows the same arc: He guides newcomers from first principles through progressively more advanced teachings, all the way to the fulfillment of the Four Noble Truths and the full realization of nirvana:


The Dharma is the path to the complete end of woe.

Then the Blessed One, having encompassed the awareness of the entire assembly with his awareness, asked himself: "Now who here is capable of understanding the Dharma?" He saw Suppabuddha the leper sitting in the assembly. And on seeing him the thought occurred to him, "This person here is capable of understanding the Dharma." So aiming at Suppabuddha the leper he gave a step-by-step talk -- that is, a talk on giving, a talk on virtue, a talk on heaven; he declared the drawbacks, degradation, and corruption of sensual passions, and the rewards of renunciation. Then when he saw that Suppabuddha the leper's mind was ready, malleable, free from hindrances, elated, and bright, he gave the Dharma-talk peculiar to Awakened Ones (on suffering, its origination, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation. And just as a clean cloth free of stains would well absorb a dye, in the same way, for Suppabuddha the leper sitting in that very seat, the dustless, stainless eye of the Dharma arose in him: "Whatever is subject to origination is subject to cessation." — Ud 5.3

At each stage of this "gradual training" (anupubbi-sikkha), the practitioner discovers a new and important dimension of the impersonal law of cause-and-effect — karma, the cornerstone of Right View. Its gradual nature is thus a very useful organizing framework with which to view the entirety of the Buddha's teaching.

The gradual training begins with the practice of generosity (dana), which helps begin the process of weakening the unawakened practitioner's habitual tendencies to grasp and cling — be it to views, sensuality, or unskillful habits of thought and behavior.

This is followed by the development of virtue, the basic level of sense-restraint that helps the practitioner develop a healthy and trustworthy sense of self. The peace of mind born from this level of self-respect provides the foundation for all further progress along the path.

The practitioner now understands that some kinds of happiness are deeper and more reliable than anything that the gratification of sense desires can ever provide. The happiness born of generosity and virtue can even lead to rebirth in the various heavens — literally (hereafter) and metaphorically (here and now).

But eventually the practitioner begins to recognize the intrinsic drawbacks of even this kind of happiness: As good as rebirth due to wholesome states may be, the happiness it brings is not a true and lasting one. For it relies on causes and conditions (e.g., the support of karma and its results) over which one ultimately has little to no direct control.

This marks a crucial turning point in the training, when the practitioner begins to grasp that true happiness will never be found in the realm of the physical and sensual world. The only possible route to an unconditioned happiness lies in renunciation, in turning away from the sense sphere. By trading the familiar, lower forms of happiness for something far more rewarding and noble, one advances quickly.

Now at last the practitioner is ripe to receive the profound and liberating teaching of the Four Noble Truths, which are often regarded and taught as rudimentary. In fact, an understanding of them is the culmination of practice. They are not "self-evident truths" to be accepted on faith: Acceptance is not nearly enough; insight is needed. The fourth truth spells out the course of mental training required to realize the highest happiness, nirvana, whereas the first three give the reason why.

Many Westerners first encounter the Buddha's teachings on meditation retreats, which typically begin with instructions in how to develop the skillful qualities of right mindfulness and right concentration. It is worth noting that, as important as these qualities are, the Buddha placed them towards the very end of his gradual course of training. The meaning is clear: to reap the most benefit from meditation practice, to bring to full maturity all the qualities needed for enlightenment, the fundamental groundwork must be prepared. There is no short-cutting this process.

Here is the Buddha's six-stage gradual training in more detail:

What is the Dharma in brief? It is the fourth noble truth — the Noble Eightfold Path. The Commentaries group the eight path factors into three divisions:

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