What is Dharma?

People have a tendency to do what is pleasurable, fun, and easy. People avoid pain and uncomfortable situations. Greatness comes to those who challenge this hardwired default mindset, and live with equanimity in pain and pleasure, they do what needs to be done regardless of comfort for a greater purpose. These people understand Dharma.


Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness. -Dr Mark Whitman (Dharma Initiative: Lost Orientation Films)






The scientific laws that operate one's thoughts, feelings, judgements and sensations become clear. Through direct experience, the nature of how one grows or regresses, how one produces suffering or frees oneself from suffering is understood.
-SN Goenka (director of Dhamma.org Dhamma is Pali for Dharma)

Dharma is the law of nature of the human mind. Essentially the mind seeks things that feel good, and repels things that feel bad. The mind is constantly craving, and avoiding, and in doing this becomes agitated. The agitated mind's ability to see clearly is compromised. Becoming aware of this tendency of the mind, the astute pilgrim in search of a clear view of reality disciplines his mind by overcoming its natural crude biases. Taking control of his mind the Dharma pilgrim transcends the minds wild tendencies and transcends himself into a Lance Armstrong.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
Lance Armstrong (transcending pain avoiding, crude mind into ...)


I went out last night to have a "good time". We had some beers that made me feel less stressed out (avoiding negative states), and talking to girls (pleasure seeking). I woke up the next day with a hangover. I suppose this is the essence of Dharma... Ooops