Dhamma is “Teaching” or “principle”, not “phenomena”

In the context of 4sp (satipatthana) dhamma-anu-passana and dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga

Popular english translations of “Dhamma” in 4sp


phenomena:	B.bodhi
mental qualities:	B.Thanissaro
principles:	B.Sujato
Dhamma (with a capital “d”):	B.Anālayo

some pros and cons for each of these choices

phenomena: follows Theravada tradition, treating dhamma, the 4th category in 4sp, as a catch-all for everything in reality not covered by the first 3 categories of kaya, vedana, citta.

mental qualities: this seems to be less broad than “phenomena”, and perhaps restricted to external sense objects corresponding to “mano” (mind) organ.

principles: The Buddha’s Dhamma teachings. Works well for the most part, but probably too broad. The Buddha only taught some principles, the “handful of leaves”, not all the leaves in the forest, which “principles” implies.

Dhamma: (with a capital “d”): The Buddha’s Dhamma teachings. Capitalizing “D” is too subtle, and in standalone situations without explanation, people are likely to assume Dhamma is referring to “phenomena”, which is the most popular (mis)translation.

and in dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga (Dhamma investigation awakening factor)

I didn’t verify every case, but most translators seem to translate the dhamma in dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga consistently with how they translate in dhamma-anu-passana

B.bodhi in SN 47 4sp intro

(doesn't even consider the possibility of dhamma = "teachings")

Contemplation of phenomena (dhammānupassanā) is the most diversified exercise. The exact meaning of dhammā here has been subject to dispute. The word is often rendered “mind-objects” or “mental objects,” as if it denoted the sixth external sense base, but this seems too narrow and specific. More likely dhammā here signifies all phenomena, which for purposes of insight are grouped into fixed modes of classification determined by the Dhamma itself—the doctrine or teaching—and culminating in the realization of the ultimate Dhamma comprised within the Four Noble Truths. There are five such schemes: the five hindrances, the five aggregates, the six pairs of internal and external sense bases, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Four Noble Truths.

thanissaro, book "right mindfulness" intro

The main aim of this book is to show that the practice of mindfulness is most fruitful when informed by the Buddha’s own definition of right mindfulness and his explanations of its role on the path. As he defined the term, right mindfulness (sammā-sati) is not bare attention. Instead, it’s a faculty of active memory, adept at calling to mind and keeping in mind instructions and intentions that will be useful on the path. Its role is to draw on right view and to work proactively in supervising the other factors of the path to give rise to right concentration, and in using right concentration as a basis for total release.

relationship between memory/remembering and 4sp:

“And which is the faculty of sati? Whatever sati one obtains from the four establishings of sati: That is the faculty of sati.” — SN 48:11

Thanissaro on dhamma in 4sp

The four topics to remain focused on are body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities. “Body” means the physical body; “feelings” covers feeling tones of pleasure, pain, and neither pleasure nor pain; and “mind” covers states of mind. The phrase “mental qualities” (dhammas) covers a wider range of phenomena. Its primary meaning in this context covers mental events or mental actions, but it also covers any physical or mental experience viewed as an event. All of these meanings play a role in how right sati makes use of this frame of reference. There is some overlap between the content of “mind” and “mental qualities” as frames of reference, but as we will see in Chapters Six through Nine, their difference lies primarily in their respective functions. “Mind” is concerned primarily with how the mind relates to the object of its focus; “mental qualities” are concerned with the qualities and thought-categories involved in the process of fending off any defilements or distractions that surround that focus or threaten to interfere with it.

Sutta Passages that support Dhamma=Teaching

pali

AN 4.34 notice 8aam and virage-dhamma hold “dhamma” slot in triple gem

(1. Buddha)

(2. Noble eight-fold path)

(3. Dispassion and Dhamma)

(4. Sangha)


♦ “yāvatā, bhikkhave,	As-far-as, *********,
dhammā saṅkhatā vā a-saṅkhatā vā,	things (that are) fabricated or un-fabricated **,
vi-rāgo tesaṃ aggamakkhāyati,	dis-passion (is) declared-supreme.
yadidaṃ madanimmadano	That is, pride-subduing,
pipāsa-vinayo	thirst-removal,
ālaya-samugghāto	attachment-uprooting,
vaṭṭ-upacchedo	cycle-of-rebirth's -- stoppage,
taṇhāk-khayo	craving's-destruction,
vi-rāgo nirodho nibbānaṃ.	dis-passion, cessation, Nirvana.
ye, bhikkhave,	Those-who, *********,
virāge dhamme pasannā,	(in) Dis-passion (and) The-Dhamma, (have) confidence,
agge te pasannā.	(in the) supreme, (they have) confidence.
agge kho pana pasannānaṃ	(in the) supreme * **, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggo vipāko hoti.	supreme (the) fruit is.

AN 5.26 7sb into samadh

(also the different ways of absorbing dhamma teachings in this sutta makes it clear dhamma-vicaya in 7sb is “teachings”, not “phenomena”)

pīti-manassa kāyo passambhati.

(with) rapturous-mind, (the) body (becomes) tranquil.

passaddha-kāyo sukhaṃ vedeti.

(with) tranquil-body, pleasure (he) feels.

sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati.

(For one feeling) pleasure, (the) mind (becomes) concentrated.

idaṃ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṃ vimutt-āyatanaṃ

This, monks, (is the) first liberation-basis,

AN 6.10 6 recollections (buddha, dhamma, sangha…) leads to Dhamma stream entry, not phenomenal entry


AN 6, 1. paṭhamapaṇṇāsakaṃ, 1. āhuneyyavaggo, 10. mahānāmasuttaṃ (AN 6.10), para. 2 ⇒
“yo so, mahānāma, ariyasāvako āgataphalo viññātasāsano, so iminā vihārena bahulaṃ viharati. idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati — ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti tathāgataṃ ārabbha. ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ. pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyati, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. ayaṃ vuccati, mahānāma — ‘ariyasāvako visamagatāya pajāya samappatto viharati, sabyāpajjāya pajāya abyāpajjo viharati, dhammasotaṃ samāpanno buddhānussatiṃ bhāveti”’.	“Mahānāma, when a noble disciple has reached the fruit and understood the instructions they frequently practice this kind of meditation. Firstly, a noble disciple recollects the Realized One: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. At that time their mind is unswerving, based on the Realized One. A noble disciple whose mind is unswerving finds joy in the meaning and the teaching, and finds joy connected with the teaching. When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is called a noble disciple who lives in balance among people who are unbalanced, and lives untroubled among people who are troubled. They’ve entered the stream of the teaching and develop the recollection of the Buddha.

AN 7.83 How to verify dhamma-vinaya is Buddha’s word

ye ca kho tvaṃ, upāli,	“Upali,
dhamme jāneyyāsi —	“As for the qualities of which you may know,
‘ime dhammā	‘These qualities {lead}
ekanta-nibbidāya	to utter disenchantment,
virāgāya	to dispassion,
nirodhāya	to cessation,
upasamāya	to calm,
abhiññāya	to direct knowledge,
sambodhāya	to self-awakening,
nibbānāya	nor to Nirvana’:
saṃvattantī’ti;	(they) lead (to that)’;
ekaṃsena, upāli, dhāreyyāsi —	You may categorically hold,
‘eso dhammo	‘This is the Dhamma,
eso vinayo	this is the Vinaya,
etaṃ satthu-sāsanan’”ti.	this is the Teacher’s-instruction.’”

AN 8.53 similar to AN 7.83 (what is dhamma & vinaya)

♦ “ye ca kho tvaṃ, gotami,	But, Gotamī,
dhamme jāneyyāsi —	those things of which you might know:
‘ime dhammā virāgāya saṃvattanti,	‘These things lead (1) to dispassion,
no sarāgāya;	not to passion;
visaṃyogāya saṃvattanti,	(2) detachment (they) lead-to,
no saṃyogāya;	not to bondage;
apacayāya saṃvattanti,	(3) dismantling (they) lead-to,
no ācayāya;	not to building up;
appicchatāya saṃvattanti,	(4) fewness of desires (they) lead-to,
no mahicchatāya;	not to strong desires;
santuṭṭhiyā saṃvattanti,	(5) contentment (they) lead-to,
no asantuṭṭhiyā;	not to non-contentment;
pavivekāya saṃvattanti,	(6) solitude (they) lead-to,
no saṅgaṇikāya;	not to company;
vīriyārambhāya saṃvattanti,	(7) the arousing of energy (they) lead-to,
no kosajjāya;	not to laziness;
Su-bharatāya saṃvattanti,	(8) being easy to support (they) lead-to,
no dub-bharatāyā’ti,	not to being difficult to support,’
ekaṃsena, gotami, dhāreyyāsi —	you should definitely recognize:
‘eso dhammo,	‘This is the Dhamma;
eso vinayo,	this is the discipline;
etaṃ satthu-sāsanan’”ti.	this is the teaching of the Teacher.’”

MN 10 satipatthana, its parallels and earlier incarnations

In the evolution of MN 10, earlier versions have 5niv and 7sb as the only 2 topics under this category. Both of those topics are very much directly tied into viraga… nirvana.

Misc.

.

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/dhamma-or-dhamma-in-sn-55-40-sa-885/9268/2

if you DPR search for

sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati

instead of

samāhite citte dhammā pātubhavanti

you’ll find a lot more references

from SN 42.13:

following the 7sb+ formula, is “dhamma samādhi”, which is a clearing up of perplexity and wrong views. So I’d say it has to be Dhamma, not phenomena

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