Whether you look upon Dharma purely as the words of the Buddha, or as the natural truth and wisdom within every being that generally lies unseen and unused, or simply as the teachings of The Buddha offered by learned monks in sermons and commentaries, it is a very valuable understanding.
Sometime after the Buddha passed into Nirvana, the words he had spoken to his disciples were discussed and set at a special council. These words were eventually written in local script, translated into varying languages, and finally given to the Western world in an English translation. These teachings are used either straight, or more usually understood through commentary. Originally memorized, understood, and practiced within monasteries, these words are now available in printed book and at online sources for anyone interested, anywhere.
Whereas most serious Eastern students will study in a monastic setting, in the Western world today it is more common for Buddhist students to attend study retreats, education centers, or simply connect to a temple or qualified teacher. There is also a growing trend towards online activity and personal study by a combination of reading and meditation. In the past, Western scholars of Buddhism were expected to travel to the Eastern regions to learn directly from the teachers situated there.
There is a growing concern that the modern ‘online/book’ Western methods of understanding the Dharma can lead to the wrong answers, and to practice becoming detrimental rather than of value. Many Buddhists still therefore recommend finding a teacher as a guide to learning, in order to ascertain that you are securely on the correct path.
I personally combine much reading of various styles, sources, schools, and teachers with personal practice, online group activity, and am taking the courses available at ACI (http://www.acidharma.org/aci/index.html) - which are available either by download, correspondence, or in situ.
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