Distinguishing Dharma from Dharmata

Asanga was given five treatises from the Buddha Maitreya. Distinguishing Dharma from Dharmata was one of these texts. This text which is 1,400 years old and consists of 56 root verses. These root verses are often memorized and studied in the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages. This text is studied even today because it describes in a very lucid form, first of all dharmas or ordinary phenomena in the ordinary world that we live in. It explains how these dharmas leads human beings to adopt suffering and confusion in their lives. By explaining the origin, the characteristics, and our misconceptions about dharma or phenomena as it actually is by giving dharmata’ s  characteristics and explaining how we can develop a correct perception of the world so we that can begin to experience as it actually.

This book is an important text also in understanding the Mind-only school and for understanding the Shentong view which aids us in the practice of Mahamudra and Dzogchen meditation.

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