Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

y the Dharma. The Dharma is the central Jewel of the
Triratna and according to Tibetan tradition, it is more
precious than the Buddha. Some examples to emphasize
the primacy of the Dharmaratna are seen in the Tibetan
practice of never placing an image on a Dharma-book:
the Buddha is never placed over the Dharma. The
arrangement of shrines follows this, and the sacred
Tripitaka is never stored below the figures of Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas, but is placed above or to one side.
Again, in Tibetan books, images are not usually printed
in the center of the page, the words of the Dharma
occupy the middle and pictures are placed at both ends.
Therefore, in the doctrine of all the three yanas, the first
importance is given to the timeless Jewel of the
Dharma.
1. What does "Dharma" mean?
Five definitions have been made and to each one we
should give our earnest obeisance.
a. Every phenomenon, interior or exterior,
psychological and physical, all are called "dharmas."
Besides these dharmas, we can find nothing else, for no
"thing" or event lies outside this system. The subject of
meditation, its objects, and conditions for meditation all
are included. Without understanding the Dharma,
Buddhist meditations cannot be practiced. Among the
five definitions, this is not the main one, but its meaning
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