Expert: Justin Choo - 3/23/2006

Question
I have several questions.

1. What exactly is the idea called dharma held by adhidharma.

2. Is a dharma impermanent according to the adhidharma and can you explain how...

3. nyaya says that simple substances are eternal. How do they conclude this.

4. how can you explain that the abhidharma says that dharmas are impermanent but the nyaya says that there is eternality of simple substances.

Answer
Hi Brandie,

Thank you for asking me.

1. What exactly is the idea called dharma held by adhidharma.
Dharma (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pali) means "that which has a foundation; things which hold; the natural order of penomena".   
 Abhidhamma is "detailed analytical doctrine".

2. Is a dharma impermanent according to the adhidharma and can you explain how...
 All conditioned things are impermanent; but Dhamma is natural phenomena which never change.  Examples are, birth and death; formation and destruction. Truth is Dhamma.  Truth never change.

3. nyaya says that simple substances are eternal. How do they conclude this.
I'm not sure what you mean by "nyaya".  From the Pali dictionary it means:
1. method, truth, system, later =logic: 2. fitness, right manner, propriety, right conduct, often appld to the "right path"
 
"Simple substances" would mean "basic elements".  All component things are impermanent.  All basic elements are eternal.  For example this Earth is made of component substances which one day will be disintegrated.  The disintegrated particles will be transformed into base elements in the form of gases which will not disintegrate further, and over time will regroup into component substances again. Our life force which is pure energy cannot be destroyed.

4. how can you explain that the abhidharma says that dharmas are impermanent but the nyaya says that there is eternality of simple substances.
 From my understanding, Dhamma is permanent.

Smile from justinchoo :-)