It is quite a bold statement to utter that Dharma is “the best path” in any capacity! Dharma is more like a best path for those who want to explore it. Dharma is offered via the Buddha’s teachings within a vast network of writings, which began with the Three Baskets.
The best part of the Buddha’s message is, in my opinion, that it is up to each individual to experiment with the teachings and find out for oneself. The Dharma can seem like a minefield based on the fact that the teachings are so nuanced and very much subtle. If you are curious about the nature of your true nature, true Self, and are willing to look within (otherwise known as ‘withdrawing the senses’) and are a bit introspective – then the Dharma is a wide open door for you.
Though Siddhartha famously debated with Brahmins about the use of ritual and magical/wishful thinking to solve life’s problems, the Dharma is actually a Vedic word that has slightly different connotations for those who follow Sanatana Dharma. In a future episode, we will explore the similarities between Vedic and Buddha-Dharma.
If practiced with the methods Siddhartha recommends, which also can be chosen out of the collection of literature and practiced, then doors will open for you into your true nature. The bottom line is: don’t just obtain knowledge… practice!
