Dear Yong Peng and all,

About five years ago, I did some research on the various meanings of
the word 'dhammo' and compiled a merged list of 23 meanings culled
from the commentaries and the Saddaniiti. I hope the following will be
of some interest.

23 meanings of 'dhammo':

gu.na.m, desanaa, pariyatti/paavacana.m,
nissatta.m/nissattataa/nijjiivataa, sacca.m, sabhaavo, samaadhi,
pa~n~naa, pakati, pu~n~na.m, aapatti, ~neyya.m, pa~n~natti, vikaaro,
hetu/paccayo, paccayuppanna.m, yutti, visayo, nibbaana.m, maggo,
jaati, mana.m, bhaavo.

Sources:
tattha gu.ne desanaaya.m pariyattiya.m nissatte ti evamaadisu
dhammasaddo vattati. (Sv I 99, Dhp-a I 22)

evamaadisuuti ettha aadisaddena saccasabhaavasamaadhipa~n~naa-
pakati-pu~n~naapatti~neyyaadisu (Sv-p.t I 171)

dhammasaddo panaaya.m pariyattihetugu.nanissattanijjiivataadisu
dissati. (Sv-abhin.t I 106, As 38, As-m.t 21, Moh 5, Sadd 560)

atha vaa dhammasaddo pariyattisaccasamaadhipa~n~naapakatipu~n~na-
aapatti~neyyaadisu atthesu di.t.thappayogo. (Ps I 17, It-a 37, Nett-a
41, Nett-.t 53, Sadd 561)

atha vaa dhammasaddo sabhaavapa~n~naapu~n~napa~n~nattiaapatti-
pariyattinissattanijjiivataa-vikaaragu.napaccayapaccayuppannaadisu
dissati. (Pa.tis-a 18, Sadd 560)

keci pana dhammasaddassa pavattivisayaana.m dasadhaa va
pariccheda.m vadanti:
~neyye magge ca nibbaane sabhaave atha jaatiya.m
mane visaya-pu~n~nesu bhaave paavacane pi ca,
imesu dasv atthesu dhammasaddo pavattati. (Sadd 562)

Best wishes,
Jim

> Dear friends,
>
> this week, the word dhamma usually refers to the Buddha's teachings,
> one of Tiratana - Triple Gems: Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. For general
> use, the word can means several things, including truth, doctrine

and

> nature.
>