The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma?

We discussed about the protection we expect through one of the previous editorial too.   So, Most of the people believes on a worldly, physical and material protection through the Dhamma as we say "The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma".  When one says this, that person expect a protection from sicknesses or accidents or death or other natural disasters or stealing or something similar and physically or worldly protection…

Because of the expectation of this illusory protection many people misunderstand the dhamma as a weapon to protect them from such incidents.  And when dhamma is not so supportive to fulfill their requirement they sometime happen to put blame on dhamma and sometimes leave the dhamma to practice some another religion which they believe to be good.  But at the end of the day this noble verse doesn't express such an illusory meaning at all.  So what can be the hidden as the deep meaning, behind this noble verse? 

First of all we should find out about the person who lives by the Dhamma and what is the Dhamma that person lives by… most of the people believes that lives by dhamma means to do some offering of flowers, oil lamps, incense sticks or some chanting or observing some precepts etc… or they do offering to Bodhi tree or visit the temples as much as possible and believe they are living with dhamma.  Unfortunately this is not what we call "lives by dhamma"…

Let's understand what dhamma is first.  Dhamma is; realizing the dependent origination theory and knowing the way of applying it.  In another way when a person realize this dependent origination theory / cause & effect theory for the first time that person also identify as an "Stream Enterer / Sotapanna" person.  That is the first noble level which one should be achieve to become an enlighten one. 

This is the level which one is entering to the noble eight fold path for the first time.  That person enters to the path by knowing what dhamma is and after then only he / she practice and lives by the dhamma.  So without knowing the dhamma one cannot lives by the dhamma.  Because we cannot practice something which we don't know. 

Before one knows the dhamma, that person is in an illusion of categorizing the world under beings, people, natural & material things.  But when one realize the dependent origination dhamma / the cause & effect theory, that person is aware of what is reality.  Then that one practice to get rid of the illusion which he / she used to be.

Let’s continue to the next editorials as the explanation is getting long. Stay in touch with Nirvana Dhamma for the purest deep meaning of Buddhist Teachings!