dhamma

Dhamma, from the Sanskrit dharma and the Pali dhamma, is a central term in South Asian religious thought with multiple related meanings. It broadly denotes law, order, truth, and the right way of living. In Buddhist usage, dhamma often refers to the teachings of the Buddha as well as the natural principle by which phenomena arise, endure, and pass away.

In Buddhism, Dhamma is one of the Three Jewels, alongside the Buddha and the Sangha, and serves as a refuge for practitioners. The term encompasses the Buddha’s discourse, the ethical and practical path he laid out (for example, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path), and the analysis of phenomena in terms of mental and physical constituents known in Abhidhamma as dhammas. Thus Dhamma covers both doctrine and the experiential truth discovered through practice.

In Hinduism, Dharma (often rendered as dharma in English) similarly connotes cosmic order and personal conduct—moral duty, righteousness, and the duties proper to one’s place in society and life’s stages. Different traditions emphasize different aspects, but the core idea is that living in accordance with Dharma sustains harmony within the self and the wider world. Jainism also speaks of Dharma as the path of virtue and the moral law guiding conduct.

In modern usage, Dhamma can indicate Buddhist doctrine or the universal law underlying phenomena, translated as Truth, Teaching, or Law. The precise sense depends on context, but it typically signals a guiding principle for understanding and practice.