Types of Dharmas

Dharma is divided into conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas, and into dharmas arising from conditions and dharmas not arising from conditions. Conditioned dharmas are dharmas with actions and fabrications, dharmas formed after birth, including the five aggregates, the eighteen realms, and the material worlds of the three realms of the universe—all of these are dharmas. Conditioned dharmas are precisely dharmas arising from conditions; unconditioned dharmas are non-fabricated dharmas, dharmas that exist innately, dharmas that exist from the very beginning, dharmas not born of causes and conditions. Whatever can be cognized by a person is a dharma; whether visible or invisible, existence itself is dharma.

Dharmas include true dharmas and false dharmas, arising-and-ceasing dharmas and non-arising-non-ceasing dharmas, dharmas formed by causes and conditions and dharmas that exist innately from the beginning, not formed by causes and conditions. All dharmas differ from every angle and in every aspect. Dharmas born of causes and conditions have marks that exist but an empty nature—that is falsity; dharmas not born of causes and conditions are dharmas that exist from the very beginning, without marks but with an existing essence—that is the true, indestructible dharma. Whatever dharma directly points to the attainment of buddhahood is the ultimate dharma, and the methods for reaching the ultimate dharma are expedient dharmas.