The Second Jewel: The Dharma
The second of the Three Jewels is the dharma. The dharma is the entire collection of Buddhist scripture and thought, including all modern Buddhist teachings, as well as the traditional, original teachings, such as the sutras in the Pali Canon. The dharma is all the spoken word and written text passed down through the generations.
Today there are many sources for the dharma: books, DVDs, MP3s, streaming Internet video and recorded dharma talks. There are also practice centers and monasteries. The proliferation of Buddhism in the West in conjunction with modern communication technologies has created an unprecedented availability of the dharma.
There are two types of dharma: that which can be read or heard — transmitted from person to person — and that which is realized. Realized dharma is dharma experienced through the practice of the Four Noble Truths — the realization of the Truth, or awakening.
The dharma surrounds you. Any experience can awaken you to the dharma. Have you ever found yourself sitting outside, enjoying the wonders of a beautiful day? Suddenly you hear a bird call out and its call is pure and sweet and fills you with joy. You lose yourself completely in that moment, just listening to the sounds of the bird. The bird is the dharma; the bird teaches you something about awakening. In that moment your story of “me” disappears and you awaken to a reality that takes over where stories stop. Anything can be the dharma: a bird, a work of art, a cup of coffee, a dog barking, the rain, even difficult experiences are dharma. Every experience holds the possibility of revealing some truth.
Roshi is a title given to a Zen master, under whom a student must study if she hopes to reach enlightened mind. In Japanese it means “venerable master.”
Zen master Suzuki Roshi said that it is difficult to keep our mind pure. In Japan, there is a phrase, shoshin, which means “beginner's mind.” In Buddhism, the aspiration is always to keep this beginner's mind, this openness and readiness. Suzuki said, “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.” Do not take the dharma as an absolute, definable, and fixed reality. It changes just as everything changes. Be open to what you experience and avoid preconceived notions, especially those that apply to being on a spiritual path. As you journey on the path toward enlightened mind, let go of what you learn on the way and keep your mind fresh and clean.
