I've been writing an article on the meaning and usage of the word dharma. It's an essential word that we all use, but we don't always define it. And what definitions there are usually sell the word short.
The standard glossary definition of "dharma" is "the teachings of the Buddha." But that's a really bad definition. It isn't incorrect, but it conveys the misunderstanding that "dharma" is synonymous with "doctrine."
The Sanskrit word dharma is taken from the pre-Hindu Vedas. Its original meaning is something like "natural law," from a root word that means "to uphold." In this sense, dharma is the name we give to whatever holds the universe together and causes everything to be as it is. Those of you who have dabbled in Taoism might see a resemblance to the Tao.
In Buddhist usage, most of the time dharma refers to both the Buddha's teachings and the true nature of reality revealed by those teachings. It's important to understand that those meanings are linked together. An intellectual presentation of Buddhist doctrines that shows us nothing about the true nature of reality is not a presentation of dharma.
In Zen, usually when we talk about someone's understanding of dharma we're referring to what that individual has realized; or, crudely put, his "degree" of awakening. The ability to present dharma as the true nature of reality distinguishes a master dharma teacher from a lecturer on Buddhist doctrines.
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