user16806: What does the word 'dhamma' mean when the Buddha said 'sabbe dhamma annatta'.
I am being confused here. I looked through the translation. It reads 'all conditioned/unconditioned things are not-self'.
Isn't the word sankara used for conditioned things.
The word dhamma in my native language literally means 'religion'. Also I checked Wikipedia for the word dhamma. The Wiki gives similar meaning as 'religion' in context of Hinduism but not clear on Buddhist use of the word.
My question is whats translation of word 'dhamma' and in what context is it used in line 'sabbe dhamma annatta'?

user2282: Like sankhara, the term dhamma is very broad and means different things per different context. In the broadest sense, sankhara is a subset of dhamma, for dhamma includes not only conditioned phenomena/sankhara, but also unconditioned element/ASankhataDhatu, ie. Nibbana. See the Pali defitions for Dhamma and Sankhara further details.

user471: In the context of your description:

sankhara means conditioned things / phenomena.
dhamma means all things / phenomena i.e. both conditioned and unconditioned things / phenomena

What is unconditioned? Only Nibbana - it is that which is experienced by the mind, when it is completely free of all fetters and defilements.
What is conditioned? Everything else, including mental and physical phenomena / things.
"sabbe sankhara dukkha" means "all conditioned things/ phenomena are suffering / unsatisfactoriness". This does not include Nibbana.
"sabbe sankhara anicca" means "all conditioned things/ phenomena are impermanent". This does not include Nibbana.
"sabbe dhamma anatta" means "all things/ phenomena are not self". This includes Nibbana.
From AccessToInsight's Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms:

dhamma [Skt. dharma]:
(1) Event; a phenomenon in and of itself;
(2) mental quality; (3) doctrine, teaching; (4) nibbāna. Also,
principles of behavior that human beings ought to follow so as to fit
in with the right natural order of things; qualities of mind they
should develop so as to realize the inherent quality of the mind in
and of itself. By extension, "Dhamma" (usu. capitalized) is used also
to denote any doctrine that teaches such things. Thus the Dhamma of
the Buddha denotes both his teachings and the direct experience of
nibbāna, the quality at which those teachings are aimed.
saṅkhāra:
Formation, compound, fashioning, fabrication — the
forces and factors that fashion things (physical or mental), the
process of fashioning, and the fashioned things that result. Saṅkhāra
can refer to anything formed or fashioned by conditions, or, more
specifically, (as one of the five khandhas) thought-formations within
the mind.

Please see this answer for details.

user-1: Dhamma encompasses sankhara[created] but it also encompases the cessation principle which is not included in sankhara as it is asankhata [not-created].

Both formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress."sn22.86

There are these famous lines;
 Sabbe sankhara anicca
 Sabbe sankhara dukkha
 Sabbe dhamma anatta

Translated;
 All formations are impermanent
 All formations are suffering
 All Dhamma [teachings] are not-self

Then reconciled with;

Both formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress."

It makes sense because;

Stress is part of the teaching [things that are taught]
Cessation of stress is part of the teaching [things that are taught]

The semantic referent of #2 is the unconditioned; is neither impermanent[anicca] nor suffering[dukkha]; but it is likewise not-self[anatta].

16806: <p>What does the word '<em>dhamma</em>' mean when the Buddha said '<em>sabbe dhamma annatta'.</em></p>
<p>I am being confused here. I looked through the translation. It reads '<strong>all conditioned/unconditioned things are not-self</strong>'.</p>
<p>Isn't the word <em>sankara</em> used for conditioned things.</p>
<p>The word <em>dhamma</em> in my native language literally means '<strong>religion</strong>'. Also I checked Wikipedia for the word <em>dhamma</em>. The Wiki gives similar meaning as '<em>religion</em>' in context of <strong>Hinduism</strong> but not clear on Buddhist use of the word.</p>
<p>My question is whats translation of word '<em>dhamma</em>' and in what context is it used in line '<em>sabbe dhamma annatta'</em>?</p>
 2282: <p>Like sankhara, the term dhamma is very broad and means different things per different context. In the broadest sense, sankhara is a subset of dhamma, for dhamma includes not only conditioned phenomena/sankhara, but also unconditioned element/ASankhataDhatu, ie. Nibbana. See the Pali defitions for <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/b_f/dhamma.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dhamma</a> and <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/s_t/sankhaara.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sankhara</a> further details.</p>
 471: <p>In the context of your description:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>sankhara</em> means conditioned things / phenomena.</li>
<li><em>dhamma</em> means all things / phenomena i.e. both conditioned and unconditioned things / phenomena</li>
</ul>
<p>What is unconditioned? Only <em>Nibbana</em> - it is that which is experienced by the mind, when it is completely free of all fetters and defilements.</p>
<p>What is conditioned? Everything else, including mental and physical phenomena / things.</p>
<p>&quot;<em>sabbe sankhara dukkha</em>&quot; means &quot;all conditioned things/ phenomena are suffering / unsatisfactoriness&quot;. This does not include <em>Nibbana</em>.</p>
<p>&quot;<em>sabbe sankhara anicca</em>&quot; means &quot;all conditioned things/ phenomena are impermanent&quot;. This does not include <em>Nibbana</em>.</p>
<p>&quot;<em>sabbe dhamma anatta</em>&quot; means &quot;all things/ phenomena are not self&quot;. This includes <em>Nibbana</em>.</p>
<p>From AccessToInsight's <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/glossary.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>dhamma</em> [Skt. <em>dharma</em>]:<br />
(1) Event; a phenomenon in and of itself;
(2) mental quality; (3) doctrine, teaching; (4) <em>nibbāna</em>. Also,
principles of behavior that human beings ought to follow so as to fit
in with the right natural order of things; qualities of mind they
should develop so as to realize the inherent quality of the mind in
and of itself. By extension, &quot;<em>Dhamma</em>&quot; (usu. capitalized) is used also
to denote any doctrine that teaches such things. Thus the <em>Dhamma</em> of
the Buddha denotes both his teachings and the direct experience of
<em>nibbāna</em>, the quality at which those teachings are aimed.</p>
<p><em>saṅkhāra</em>:<br />
Formation, compound, fashioning, fabrication — the
forces and factors that fashion things (physical or mental), the
process of fashioning, and the fashioned things that result. <em>Saṅkhāra</em>
can refer to anything formed or fashioned by conditions, or, more
specifically, (as one of the five <em>khandhas</em>) thought-formations within
the mind.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Please see <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/31737/471">this answer</a> for details.</p>
 -1: <p>Dhamma encompasses sankhara[created] but it also encompases the cessation principle which is not included in sankhara as it is asankhata [not-created].</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Both formerly &amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&quot;<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.086.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sn22.86</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are these famous lines;</p>
<pre><code> Sabbe sankhara anicca
 Sabbe sankhara dukkha
 Sabbe dhamma anatta
</code></pre>
<p>Translated;</p>
<pre><code> All formations are impermanent
 All formations are suffering
 All Dhamma [teachings] are not-self
</code></pre>
<p>Then reconciled with;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Both formerly &amp; now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It makes sense because;</p>
<ol>
<li>Stress is part of the teaching [things that are taught]</li>
<li>Cessation of stress is part of the teaching [things that are taught]</li>
</ol>
<p>The semantic referent of #2 is the unconditioned; is neither impermanent[anicca] nor suffering[dukkha]; but it is likewise not-self[anatta].</p>
