Ten meanings of Dharma
Ten meanings of dharma — Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche gives ten meanings for the term dharma, quoting from Vasubandhu’s The Principles of Elucidation (Skt. Vyakhyayukti; Tib. Namshé Rigpa):
- an object of knowledge (Skt. jñeya; Wyl. shes bya),
- the path,
- nirvana,
- a mental object (Skt. manoviṣaya; Wyl. yid kyi yul),
- merit,
- life (Skt. āyu; Wyl. tshe),
- teachings of the Buddha,
- what is subject to age or change,
- religious vows, and
- spiritual tradition (Skt. dharmanīti; Wyl. chos lugs).
They all relate to the sense of ‘holding’, which is the meaning of dhṛ, the root of the word dharma.
The general usage in English for the typography of the term 'dharma' is to use an upper case when referring to Buddha's teachings, the path or the truth of cessation (cases 2, 3 & 7).