DHAMMAS

DHAMMAS

―Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, the dhamma-vinaya has a single taste: that of freedom.‖

- Ud 5.5

The fourth foundation of mindfulness is what the Buddha called “dhammas.” This can be translated into English as “phenomena, ” “mental factors, ” or “categories of experience. ” Dhammas are specific lists of skillful and unskillful factors of mind and body that, when developed wisely, can lead to awakening. Perhaps more so than the others, this foundation of mindfulness takes a high degree of skill and diligent practice to investigate and develop. Early in practice it is helpful to know what the factors of the dhammas are, but working with them can lead to analysis and discursive thinking. As practice develops, the mind is trained to recognize and work with the fourth foundation. Many meditators find working with dhammas a powerful tool for cultivating the mind to be free from suffering.