Harmlessness.

Dhamma is a word from the Buddhist tradition that means truth. It is not a system of belief, blind faith or simple acceptance.

No one is asking anyone to believe something. The Master asks the disciple to investigate their experience of the world for themselves so that they will know the reality of those experiences for themselves. The Master is a loving guide, not an authority figure that must be obeyed without question.

So often it seems that the world is filled with children in adult bodies, repeating without investigation misunderstood teachings and convenient additions attributed to great Masters.

Do we really think that the Buddha said it is acceptable to eat an animal provided we don't see, or hear it being slaughtered? Reflect for yourselves. Do you think even I would ever say that to a disciple of mine?

Dhamma is the beautiful teaching of love, the teaching of interconnectedness, the teaching of oneness, given by the master who has transcended the limitations of self identity. The simplicity of the teaching comes from an intuitive relationship with the universe and understood as 'Awakening.' A clear message of love.

Later came the disciples, then the students then the commentators and academics and so what was so simple (live with love and be aware) became complicated, exclusive and divisive.

Now we claim these are the true teachings, and only we have them. In other words, everyone who does not agree with us is wrong!

But anyone can put words in the mouth of the long dead master to support their own ignorance, and so our spiritual path is no longer a Dhamma path, it is a religious path. Not the same thing at all!

I trained with a Buddhist Master for twenty two years, but at the end he told me 'Michael, I never taught you Buddhism, only Dhamma'.

Our religious teachings can be useful provided we constantly investigate their meaning and how close they come to the intuitive feelings in our heart.

Remember, bigotry, insensitivity to the suffering of others and selective belief are learned processes, taught by parents and teachers who were already taught by others.

A true sausage industry of intolerance.

Dhamma means truth and truth is love, unconditional, boundless, limitless love.

Rules are useful when we don't know how to live for ourselves, but in every case we must go past the limitations of rules and live from our pure loving heart.

May all beings be happy.