The meanings of the word dhamma recalled the treatise by Th.
Stcherbatsky, "The Central Conception of Buddhism and the Meaning of
the Word "Dharma"", (London, Royal Asiatic Society, 1923)
Based on the Sanskrit texts of the Sarvaastivaada School.
From the Summary:
"The conception of a dharma is the central point of the Buddhist
doctrine. In the light of this conception Buddhism discloses itself
as a metaphysical theory developed out of one fundamental principle,
viz. the idea that existence is an interplay of a plurality of
subtle, ultimate, not further analysable elements of Matter, Mind,
and Forces. These elements are technically called dharmas, a meaning
which the word has in this system alone. Buddhism, accordingly, can
be characterized as a system of Radical Pluralism (sanghaata-vaada):
the elements alone are realities, every combination of them is a mere
name covering a plurality of separate elements. The moral teaching
of a path towards Final Deliverance is not something additional or
extraneous to this ontological doctrine, it is most intimately
connected with it and, in fact, identical with it.
The connotation of the term dharma implies that-
1. Every element is a separate (p.rthak) entity or force.
2. There is no inherence of one element in another, hence no
substance apart from its qualities, no Matter beyond the separate
sense-data, and no Soul beyond the separate mental data (dharma =
anaatman = nirjiiva).
3. Elements have no duration, every moment represents a separate
element; thought is evancescent, there are no moving bodies, but
consecutive appearances, flashings, of new elements in new places
(k.sa.nikatva).
4. The elements co-operate with one another (sa.msk.rta).
5. This co-operating activity is controlled by the laws of causation
(pratiitya-samutpaada).
6. The world-process is thus a process of co-operation between
seventy-two kinds of sublte, evancescent elements, and such is the
nature of dharmas that they proceed from causes (hetu-prabhava) and
steer towards extinction (nirodha).
7. Influenced (saasrava) by the element avidyaa, the process is in
full swing. Influenced by the element praj~naa,it has a tendency
towards appeasement and final extinction. In the first case streams
(santaana) of combining elements are produced which correspond to
ordinary men (p.rthag-jana); in the second the stream represents a
saint (aarya). The complete stoppage of the process of phenomenal
life corresponds to a Buddha.
8. Hence the elements are broadly divided into unrest (du.hka), cause
of unrest (du.hkha-samudaya = avidyaa), extinction (nirohda), and
cause of extinction (maarga = praj~naa).
9. The final result of the world-process is its suppression, Absolute
Calm: all co-operation is extinct and replaced by immutability
(asa.msk.rta = nirvaa.na).
Since all these particular doctrines are logically developed out of
one fundamental principle, Buddhism can be resolevd in a series of
equations: -
dharmataa = nairaatmya = k.sa.nikatva = sa.msk.rtatva = pratiitya-
samutpannatva = saasrava-anaasavatva = sa.mkleca-vyavadaanatva =
du.hkha-nirodha = sa.msaara-nirvaa.na.
But, although the conception of an element of existence has given
rise to an imposing superstructure in the shape of a consistent
system of philosophy, its inmost nature remains a riddle. What is
dharma? It is inconceivable! It is subtle! No one will ever be able
to tell what its real nature (dharma-svabhaava) is! It is
transcendental!