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Grammatical Analysis

Dhamma: [m.; nt.] law; nature; truth; doctrine; thing; phenomenon; quality; mental object. From root dhar (to bear, support, hold up). That which upholds or maintains its own intrinsic nature, or that which upholds the practitioner from falling into miserable states.

Orthodox Definition

According to the Mahāvihāra tradition and the commentarial definitions (such as in the Atthasālinī), the term Dhamma is applied in four primary senses:

  1. Pariyatti (the scriptural text or doctrines of the Buddha).
  2. Hetu (causal conditions or roots, as in dhammāni hetuprabhavā).
  3. Guṇa (moral qualities or virtues).
  4. Nissatta-nijjīva (the ultimate phenomenal realities devoid of a living soul, sentient Being, or ego-entity).

In the context of ultimate reality (paramattha), dhammas are the basic, irreducible constituents of all experiential reality. They are not static substances but transient, conditioned events arising and passing away in accordance with conditions, with the sole exception of Nibbāna, which is the unconditioned (asaṅkhata) dhamma.

Quote

Dhammasaddo panāyaṃ pariyattihetuguṇanissattanijjīvatādīsu dissati.
The word dhamma, however, appears in the sense of scriptural text, cause, quality, and being without a self or living entity.

Ayañhi ‘‘dhammaṃ pariyāpuṇāti suttaṃ geyya’’ntiādīsu (a. ni. 4.102) pariyattiyaṃ dissati.
Indeed, it appears in the sense of scriptural text in phrases like, ‘‘dhammaṃ pariyāpuṇāti suttaṃ geyya’’ (He learns the Dhamma, Sutta, Geyya).

‘‘Hetumhi ñāṇaṃ dhammapaṭisambhidā’’tiādīsu (vibha. 720) hetumhi.
It appears in the sense of cause in phrases like, ‘‘Hetumhi ñāṇaṃ dhammapaṭisambhidā’’ (Knowledge of causes is analytical knowledge of Dhamma).

‘‘Na hi dhammo adhammo ca, ubho samavipākino;
“For Dhamma and non-Dhamma do not both bring the same result;

Adhammo nirayaṃ neti, dhammo pāpeti suggati’’nti (theragā. 304; jā. 1.15.386) ādīsu guṇe.
Non-Dhamma leads to hell, Dhamma brings one to a good destination.” It appears in the sense of quality in these and similar statements.

‘‘Tasmiṃ kho pana samaye dhammā honti’’ (dha. sa. 121), ‘‘dhammesu dhammānupassī viharatī’’tiādīsu (dī. ni. 2.373) nissattanijjīvatāyaṃ.
It appears in the sense of being without a self or living entity in phrases like, ‘‘Tasmiṃ kho pana samaye dhammā honti’’ (And at that time, phenomena exist), and ‘‘dhammesu dhammānupassī viharatī’’ (He abides contemplating phenomena in phenomena).

Svāyamidhāpi nissattanijjīvatāyameva vaṭṭati.
Here, too, it applies in the sense of being without a self or living entity.

— Atthasālinī (Dhammasaṅgaṇī-aṭṭhakathā)

Textual References

  • Sutta: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) – The setting in motion of the Wheel of Dhamma.
  • Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī (Book I) – Categorization of all dhammas into wholesome (kusala), unwholesome (akusala), and indeterminate (abyākata).
  • Commentary: Atthasālinī (Pāḷi-glossary on the Dhammasaṅgaṇī).

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