The Notion of Dharma According to the Foundational Texts of Mahayana Buddhism

Abstract

Offered in this article is a presentation of the notion of Dharma according to the foundational texts of Mahayana Buddhism, particularly the «Diamond» and «Heart» sutras. Both of these scriptures are firstly framed within the context of Indian Prajña-paramita literature. The notion of Dharma is then traced through each of them, trying to articulate its relationships to other basic Buddhist notions. On one hand, there is an ontological outlook: the Dharma appears as intrinsically linked to inter-dependent co-origination and «suchness» in Samsaric existence, and to «voidness» and immanent transcendence in nirvanic existence. On the other hand, there is the ethical dimension: the Dharma sets up the foundation for a soteriology of compassion and non-ego. In their effort to overcome representational thought (subjectobject splitting) and fixative essentialism (fossilization and fragmentation of reality), these sutras point to the dynamism of a «beyond» which deeply appeals to man.