The meaning of Dhamma

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa
 

The word "Dhamma" has many meanings, of which only the most important are mentioned here. The literal meaning of this Pali word is "that which sustains, supports". It is mainly used for the teachings of the Buddha in word and writing.

As this teaching, it has the meaning of truth, natural laws and the way. Truth underlies our existence and that of the world. It is the realization of truth that allows us to understand our lives correctly and therefore to lead them harmoniously and happily.
Worries and problems that previously seemed unmanageable dissolve with insight into the true nature of things. This insight is all the more valuable because it brings immediate results, here and now, without waiting and independent of others. The truth and its recognition does not depend on blind faith in a dogma or a person and is super-religious.

The Buddha always encouraged everyone to check everything, including their own words. And if, after this examination, you find that unwholesome things become less and finally disappear, then you can live happier and more liberated. It is actually a very simple formula, but it requires personal effort and responsibility. Natural laws refer to the characteristics of all processes of life and the world and the order in which they take place.
Everything is constantly coming into being and passing away; this means constant change and transformation. This means that happiness and freedom from worries are impermanent, but so are suffering, worries and problems. This always and in every case gives us the opportunity to get out of misery and suffering, to overcome it and to live in harmony and contentment "with ourselves and the world".
The path or method that ensures this conversion, which allows everyone to give their life a new, positive direction, is also Dhamma. Anyone who seriously follows this path and applies it to themselves and their personal situation can benefit from their own experiences. This also includes accepting things out of reason that you cannot change because they cannot be changed. You can only create new conditions, which then of course also achieve new results.

This is especially true if one chooses the path of Dhamma. It is very important to understand that all phenomena and processes in this world and the universe arise and disappear due to causes and conditions. It is important to bear in mind that there is always a network of causes, which then leads to their respective consequences and results.
There is never just one single cause, but the causes involved are of varying importance and strength. The Buddha was a man who (re)discovered the Dhamma and made it his mission to share this knowledge with others in order to open up new perspectives for them. He showed the path as a method for finding the truth, but everyone has to follow it themselves with tolerance and personal responsibility.

The Buddha was not a god or divine being and he was certainly not the founder of a religion. He advised all people according to their individual situation, whether they were poor or rich, belonged to other faiths, were kings or beggars. He saw himself exclusively as a mediator of the Dhamma to his fellow human beings and even said that after his death no one should take over this role, but that the Dhamma was the only teacher.
He also said that the Dhamma always exists, whether there is a Buddha or not. This shows that the Dhamma does not depend on persons, beliefs or rites, but has a superior position.