Popular Buddhism, Buddhist Studies, and Buddha-dharma
Let us briefly explain the differences between Popular Buddhism, Buddhist Studies, and Buddha-dharma. Popular Buddhism is the history and structure of Buddhism while Buddhist Studies consists of the theories and principles of Buddhism. They are the scholarly-academic aspects of Buddhism. The Buddha-dharma is like the fruit of practicing or applying those theories and principles as expressed in the five vidyas including the various supernormal powers of the inner realization vidya. To give a metaphor of using a car, the overall appearance, structure, and detailed parts of the car are like Popular Buddhism; books, magazines, and various courses that describe the car and tell you how to drive it are like Buddhist Studies; but the functioning of the car itself and the results of using the car like getting from point A to point B or carrying heavy loads is analogous to the Buddha-dharma. All three aspects are useful, but most books on Buddhism and teachings about Buddhism only deal with the first two.
In this web site we are focusing on the Buddha-dharma itself, with only an introduction to the other two aspects. Buddha-dharma is the doctrines or teachings of the Buddha as well as the actual realization and powers derived from the practice of these teachings. The true Buddha-dharma is very precious, but very hard to find. It is not just theoretical studies, but the methods to enable you to be free from the cycle of life and death. It is a system or methods that you follow to understand, realize, and see your Buddha or original nature and become a buddha.