Dharma Lists

Dharma Lists

Buddhists love lists!
Here are a few that pertain to the Recovery Dharma Path. This is not required reading. It is included because for some of us, having these for reference can be helpful and grounding. For an even longer list see Insight Meditation Center - Dhamma Lists

Three Refuges (Triple Gem, Three Jewels)

  1. Buddha – both the historical Buddha and one’s own innate potential for Awakening

  2. Dhamma – the Buddha’s teaching of liberation and the ultimate Truth towards which it points

  3. Sangha – the monastic community, those who have achieved at least some degree of Awakening, and more recently the community of followers of the Buddhist path (traditionally called the Parisa)

The Four Noble Truths

  1. Dukkha exists – unsatisfactoriness, suffering, discontent, stress (to be Investigated)

  2. The cause or origin of dukkha is craving (tanha-lit. thirst) or clinging (to be Abandoned)

  3. Dukkha ceases with the relinquishment of that craving (to be Realized)

  4. The path leading to the cessation of dukkha is the Noble Eightfold Path (to be Developed)

Three Types of Dukkha

  1. Dukkha as pain (dukkha–dukkhata) – body or mental pain

  2. Dukkha that is inherent in formation (sankhara-dukkhata) – maintenance of body and things, oppressive nature of continuous upkeep

  3. Dukkha of change (viparinama-dukkhata) – pleasant and happy conditions in life are not permanent

Three Pillars of Dhamma (dharma) or Grounds for Making Merit

  1. Generosity (dana)

  2. Moral restraint (sila)

  3. Meditation (bhavana) – consists of Concentration (samadhi) and Mindfulness (sati)

Five Hindrances (nivarana)

  1. Sensual Desire (kámacchanda)

  2. Aversion or Ill-will (vyápáda)

  3. Sleepiness – sloth (thina), torpor (middha), sluggishness

  4. Restlessness – worry about the future, regret of the past, anxiety (uddhacca-kukkucca)

  5. Doubt (skeptical doubt)(vicikicchá)

Five Precepts

  1. To refrain from killing

  2. To refrain from stealing (taking that which is not offered)

  3. To refrain from sexual misconduct

  4. To refrain from lying, harsh speech, idle speech, and slander

  5. To refrain from taking intoxicants that cloud the mind and cause heedlessness

Three Poisons/Defilements (Kilesas – lit. torments of the mind)

  1. Greed (lobha) – mindfulness transforms this into Faith

  2. Aversion/hatred (dosa) – mindfulness transforms this into discriminating Wisdom

  3. Delusion (moha) – mindfulness transforms this into Equanimity

Ten Perfections (Paramis/Paramitas)

Ten qualities leading to Buddhahood

  1. Generosity (dana)

  2. Morality (sila)-virtue, integrity

  3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)

  4. Wisdom (pañña)

  5. Energy/Strength (viriya)- effort

  6. Patience (khanti)

  7. Truthfulness (sacca)

  8. Resolution – determination (adhitthana)

  9. Lovingkindness (metta)

  10. Equanimity (upekkha)

Five Hindrances (nivarana)

  1. Sensual Desire (kámacchanda)

  2. Aversion or Ill-will (vyápáda)

  3. Sleepiness – sloth (thina), torpor (middha), sluggishness

  4. Restlessness – worry about the future, regret of the past, anxiety (uddhacca-kukkucca)

  5. Doubt (skeptical doubt)(vicikicchá)

The Eightfold Path (ariya-magga)

Wisdom/Discernment (pañña)

  1. Wise or Right View/Understanding (samma-ditthi) – Knowledge of the Four Noble Truths

  2. Wise or Right Intention/Resolve (sammá-sankappa) – Renunciation, Loving-kindness, Harmlessness

Virtue (sila)

  1. Wise or Right Speech (sammá-vácá) – abstaining from lying, malicious or divisive speech, abusive or harsh speech, and idle chatter

  2. Wise or Right Action (sammá-kammanta) – abstaining from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct

  3. Wise or Right Livelihood (sammá–ájíva) – abstaining from dishonest and harmful means of livelihood

Concentration/Meditation (samadhi)

  1. Wise or Right Effort (samma-vayama) – the effort of avoiding and overcoming unskillful qualities, and of developing and maintaining skillful qualities

  2. Wise or Right Mindfulness (samma-sati) – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

  3. Wise or Right Concentration (samma-samadhi) – The Four Form Jhanas

Three Characteristics of Existence (of Conditioned Phenomena)

  1. Impermanence (anicca)

  2. Unsatisfactoriness (dukkha)

  3. Not-self (anatta) – empty of inherent existence; not “me”, “myself”, nor “what I am”

Four Brahma-viharas
(Highest Attitudes/Emotions)

Heavenly or sublime abodes (best home). Near enemy is a quality that can masquerade as the original, but is not the original. Far enemy is the opposite quality.

  1. Lovingkindness, good-will (metta): Near enemy – attachment; far enemy – hatred

  2. Compassion (karuna): Near enemy – pity; far enemy – cruelty

  3. Sympathetic joy, Appreciation (mudita), joy at the good fortune of others: Near enemy – comparison,hypocrisy, insincerity, joy for others but tinged with identification (my team, my child); far enemy – envy

  4. Equanimity (upekkha): Near enemy – indifference; far enemy – anxiety, greed

Four Right Efforts
(sammappadhana)

  1. Not to let an unwholesome-unskillful thought arise, which has not yet arisen-Guarding

  2. Not to let an unwholesome-unskillful thought continue, which has already arisen-Abandon

  3. To make a wholesome-skillful thought arise, which has not yet arisen-Develop

  4. To make a wholesome-skillful thought continue, which has already arisen-Sustain

Four Foundations of Mindfulness - (from the Satipatthana Sutta)

  1. Mindfulness of the body (kaya)

  2. Mindfulness of feeling (vedana)-pleasant, unpleasant, neutral; initial reactions to sensory input

  3. Mindfulness of mind/consciousness (citta), of the mind-states, moods (greed, aversion, delusion and their opposites)

  4. Mindfulness of mind objects-mental events (dharmas); Five categories of dhammas: Five hindrances, Five aggregates, 6 sense bases, Seven factors of enlightenment, Four Noble Truths

Four Form Jhanas

(rupa jhanas) or Meditative Absorptions

  1. First Jhana, characterized by intense pleasure, has five jhanic factors: applied thought (vittaka), sustained thought(vicara), joy (piti), happiness (sukha), one-pointednesss (ekkagata)

  2. Second Jhana, characterized by joy, has 3 factors: joy (piti), happiness (sukha) , and one–pointedness (ekkagata)

  3. Third Jhana, characterized by contentment, has 2 factors: contentment and one-pointedness (ekkagata)

  4. Fourth Jhana, characterized by equanimity and stillness, has 1 factor: one-pointedness (ekkagata)

Concepts

Each of the major Buddhist Teachings of the Recovery Dharma path are interconnected with several other Buddhist concepts and teachings. In order to help find dharma talks, it was helpful to ground in explore some a few of these concepts. While there are many more, this is the list of concepts used on this site. Please note again that this is not an official site of Recovery Dharma. It is one person's understanding and application of the overall practice structure of taking Refuge, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. Understanding shifts and deepens with every new pass through the practice, so these may change.

Begin | Find Refuge

  • Recovery is Possible: Curiosity, Kindness, Awakening, Recovery, Compassion, Hope, Desire, Longing, Motivation

  • What is Recovery Dharma? Refuge, Community, Loving Kindness, Enthusiastic, Curious

  • Where to Begin | The Practice: Refuge, Buddhist teachings, Practice, Energy, Diligence, Action driven by Intention, 10 Perfections

  • Awakening the Buddha: Refuge, Awakened one. Intrinsic nature of all humans, Awareness, Equanimity, Freedom from Craving, Motivation

  • Community and Sangha: Community, Admirable Friends, Generosity

Discover Truth

  • There is Suffering: Curiosity, Kindness, Dissatisfaction, Impermanence, Acceptance, Allowing, Compassion,
    RAIN: Recognize, Allow

  • Craving is Suffering: Disenchantment, Causes & Conditions, Craving, Aversion, Confusion, Delusion, Restlessness, Doubt,
    RAIN: Inquire

  • Recovery is Possible: Renunciation, freedom from lust, dropping the storyline, Awareness, Mindfulness, Equanimity, Balance, Tranquility, Serenity, Happiness, pleasure, ease, joy, bliss,
    RAIN: Nurture, Motivation

  • The Path of Recovery: The Noble Eightfold Path, Wisdom, Understanding, Ethics, Virtual Action, Practice, Sustained Effort, diligence, energy, perseverance, enthusiasm, Growth

  • Isolation and Connection: Curiosity, Kindness, RAIN, Ill-will, resentment, judgment, contempt, Restlessness, Doubt, Drop the Story Line, Kindness, Gratitude, Admirable Friends

Walk the Path

  • Understanding: Curiosity, Impermanence, Causes & Conditions, Dropping the Storyline

  • Intention: Curiosity, Kindness, Compassion, Gratitude, Equanimity, Motivation, RAIN

  • Working with Others: Gratitude, Generosity, Kindness

  • Speech: Curiosity, Compassion, RAIN, Speech, Gates, Relationship Community,

  • Action: Curiosity, Compassion, RAIN, Virtue, Action, Harm | Honor Life, Theft | Freely Offered, Dishonesty | Wise Speech, Sexual Misconduct | Responsibility, Intoxication | Clarity, RAIN

  • Livelihood: Curiosity, Compassion, RAIN, Livelihood, Generosity, Service, Interdependence

  • Wise Friends: Admirable, Wise, Generous, Kind, Resolved, Joyful, Effort,

  • Effort: Curiosity, Compassion, RAIN, Effort, Balance, Equanimity, Resolve, Kindness, Compassion

  • Mindfulness: Curiosity, Kindness, RAIN Foundation, Breath, Body, Feeling Tone, Thought, Thought Process

  • Concentration: Mantra, Focus, Heart, Kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, Equanimity

  • Service and Generosity: Curiosity, Kindness, Compassion, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, Equanimity, RAIN