user-1: I believe that the word 'dharma' (among other things) refers to the constituent elements of a body and mind, and that the Buddhist should find those dharmas void of a person, and perhaps any substantial quality whatsoever.
How is dharma formed?
"Form" is one of the skandhas, what a body-and-mind (I believe 'nama-rupa' in the sanskrit word for that?) has contact with in order to generate the rest of us.
Is there a Buddhist philosopher who talks or debates, perhaps at length, and ideally grounded in sutras, about how dharmas depend upon form?
I suspect there's a major / basic teaching on this, just wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything, when i research this question, which I find interesting because the contemporary world seems to make its ideas out of "form".

user471: I guess you are asking about Dependent Origination?
You can find detailed information in "Learning materials for Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) in Theravada Buddhism".
For a perspective from the Abhidhamma, "The Abhidhamma in Practice" may be helpful.

-1: <p>I believe that the word 'dharma' (among other things) refers to the constituent elements of a body and mind, and that the Buddhist should find those dharmas void of a person, and perhaps any substantial quality whatsoever.</p>

<p>How is dharma formed?</p>

<p>"Form" is one of the skandhas, what a body-and-mind (I believe 'nama-rupa' in the sanskrit word for that?) has contact with in order to generate the rest of us.</p>

<p>Is there a Buddhist philosopher who talks or debates, perhaps at length, and ideally grounded in sutras, about how dharmas depend upon form?</p>

<p>I suspect there's a major / basic teaching on this, just wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything, when i research this question, which I find interesting because the contemporary world seems to make its ideas out of "form".</p>
 471: <p>I guess you are asking about <a href="https://tricycle.org/magazine/dependent-origination/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dependent Origination</a>?</p>

<p>You can find detailed information in "<a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/48/471">Learning materials for Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) in Theravada Buddhism</a>".</p>

<p>For a perspective from the Abhidhamma, "<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Abhidhamma in Practice</a>" may be helpful.</p>
