A Pali word (the Sanskrit equivalent being Dharma) with meanings as diverse as 'nature', 'teachings', 'justice', 'normal', 'truth' and 'good manners'. As the word is commonly used in Buddhism it means the teachings and doctrine's of the Buddha. But these teachings and doctrine's are called Dhamma because they explain and describe the nature of things, the way things are, the way they operate.

W. Rahula, "Wrong notions of Dhammata (Dharmata)" in Zen and the Taming of the Bull. London, 1978;
T. Stecherbatsky, The Central Conception of Buddhism and the Meaning of the Word 'Dharma'. London, 1923.