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Dharma ( and Religion might be considered '''the Way of the Higher Truths'''. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India . The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism , is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Ayyavazhi , Buddhism , Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. In these traditions, beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards Moksha , Dharma Yukam , Nirvana , or personal Liberation . Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of the various founders of the traditions, such as Gautama Buddha in Buddhism and Mahavira in Jainism. As the religious and moral doctrine of the rights and duties of each individual, Dharma can refer generally to religious Duty , and also mean social order, right conduct, or simply virtue. MEANINGS AND ORIGINS OF THE WORD DHARMA In the Rigveda , the word appears as an ''n''-stem, '''', with a range of meanings encompassing "something established or firm" (in the literal sense of prods or poles), figuratively "sustainer, supporter" (of deities), and in the abstract, similar to the semantics of Greek Ethos , "fixed decree, statute, law",
From the Atharvaveda and in Classical Sanskrit , the stem is thematic, '''' (धर्म in the Devanagari script), and in Pāli , it takes the form ''dhamma''. Monier-Williams attempts to gesture at the Semantic Field of the spiritual and religious meanings of the term with "virtue, morality, religion, religious merit". It being used in most or all philosophies and religions of India n origin, the " Dharmic Faiths " including Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism , Jainism and Sikhism , it is difficult to provide a single concise definition for Dharma. The word has a long and varied history and straddles a complex set of meanings and interpretations. Dharma also is practiced in the Surat Shabda Yoga traditions. Rene Guenon , father of the 20th century school of Perennial Philosophy , said:
David Frawley , an expert on Hindu philosophy and religion, comments on Dharma as follows:
According to the Natchintanai Scripture :
Yama , the lord of death, is also known as ''Dharma'', since he works within the laws of karma and morality, regulated by divine principles. More familiar is the embodiment of Dharma in Lord Rama , an Avatar of Vishnu . The eldest Pandava , Yudhishthira was referred to as ''DharmaRaj'' (Most pious One) owing to his steadfastness to Truth & Dharma. The teachings, doctrines, philosophies and practices associated with furthering ''Dharma'' are also referred to as such. Sometimes, specific qualifiers are used - viz. ''Buddha-Dharma'' and ''Jain-Dharma'' to distinguish them from Sanatana_Dharma . For many Buddhists, the Dharma most often means the body of teachings expounded by the Buddha . The word is also used in Buddhist Phenomenology as a term roughly equivalent to Phenomenon , a basic unit of existence and/or experience. In scripture translations ''dharma'' is often best left untranslated, as it has acquired a lively life of its own in English that is more expressive than any simplistic translation. Common translations and glosses include "right way of living," Divine Law, Path of Righteousness, order, faith, "natural harmony," rule, fundamental teachings, and duty. ''Dharma'' may be used to refer to rules of the operation of the mind or universe in a Metaphysical system, or to rules of comportment in an ethical system. DHARMA IN HINDUISM Within Indian Philosophy "dharma" also means "property" and "dharmin" means "property-bearer". In a Sanskrit sentence like "shabdo 'nityaH" ( Sanskrit transliterated according to the Kyoto-Harvard Convention ), "sound is impermanent", "sound" is the bearer of the property "impermanence". Likewise, in the sentence "iha ghataH", "here, there is a pot", "here" is the bearer of the property "pot-existence" - this just goes to show that the categories property and property-bearer are closer to those of a logical predicate and its subject-term, and not to a grammatical predicate and subject. Origin and development in Hinduism A common manner of describing Hinduism among its adherents is as a ''way of life'', as "Dharma." It defies dogma and thus seeks to instead align the human body, mind, and soul in harmony with nature. Our very limitation is guided under and over a universal understanding, that of Dharma. The Atharva Veda, the last of the four books of the Vedas , utilizes symbolism to describe ''dharma's'' role. Thus we are bound by the laws of time, space and causation according to finite reality, which itself is a limitation imposed by the self-projection of the infinite Brahman as the cosmos. Dharma is the foundation of this causal existence, the one step below the infinite. Indeed, dharma is the projection of divine order from Brahman, and as such: ::::: "''Prithivim Dharmana Dhritam''" ::::: "''This world is upheld by Dharma''" :::::-- (Atharva Veda) Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas To assess a concept whose explication is bewildering in range, it is useful to trace its nascence and subsequent development in Vedic culture. In the Vedas , which span back to 2000 BCE (and much further in oral tradition), the first concept that is strikingly ''dharmic'' is that of Rta . Rta literally means the "course of things." At first, the early Hindus (or followers of the "Sanatan Dharma") were notably confused as to the inscrutable order of nature, how the heavenly bodies, the rushing winds and flowing waters, the consistent cycling of the seasons, were regulated. Thenceforth sprang rta, whose all-purpose role it was to signify this order, the path that was always followed. Through all the metamorphoses and permutations of nature, of life in general, there was one unchangeable fact: rta. Soon it transcended its passive role as a mere signifier and took on a greater one, that of an active imposition of order. Not only the natural principles, but the gods and goddesses themselves, were obliged to abide by rta. Rta became the father, the law of justice and righteousness, unyielding but eminently fair. It grew, as Radhakrishnan states, from "physical" to "divine" in its purvey. The world's seeming mess of altercating fortune, the caprice of the divinities, was now intelligible. Indeed, there was a single, unchanging harmony working 'behind the scenes.' A right path existed, ready to be taken by the righteous ones. Rta signifies the way life ought to be, shifting from physical to divine, from Natural to Moral order. Rta was morality, the equitable law of the universe. The conception of this all-transcending, supramental force that is, practically, the same concept as later understandings of dharma, is captured in this early Vedic prayer, preempting the liturgical strains of classical Hindu Mantra s involving ''dharma'': :::::"''O Indra, lead us on the path of Rta, on the right path over all evils''." :::::--(Rig Veda Book X, Chapter CXXXIII, Verse 6) Thus we see the logical progression of an early 'course of things' into an all-encompassing moral order, a path and way of righteousness, an all-encompassing harmony of the universe, in the Vedic idea of Rta. ( 1 ) Developing conceptions An earlier and insightful demonstration of the continuity of thought from rta to dharma is a brief but "pregnant definition" (( 3 ) of dharma given in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad , a pre-Buddhist work dating back to between 1000 to 700 BCE . Founded upon the Hindu ideas of, as R. H. Hume's "intelligent Monism ," with Brahman the Monad , the Upanishads saw dharma as the universal principle of law, order, harmony, all in all truth, that sprang first from Brahman. It acts as the regulatory moral principle of the universe. It is ''sat'', truth, a major tenet of Hinduism. This hearkens back to the conception of the Rig Veda that "Ekam Sat," (Truth Is One), of the idea that Brahman is "''Sacchidananda''" (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss). Dharma has imbibed the highest principles of Truth, and as such is the central guiding principle in the Hindu conception of existence. Dharma is not just law, or harmony, it is pure Reality. In the Brihadaranyaka's own words: :::::" ''Verily, that which is Dharma is truth''. :::::''Therefore they say of a man who speaks truth, 'He speaks the Dharma,' '' :::::''or of a man who speaks the Dharma, 'He speaks the Truth.' '' :::::''Verily, both these things are the same''." :::::(Brh. Upanishad, 1.4.14) ( 2 ) Dharma as a Purushartha In moving through the four stages of life, viz. Brahmachaaryaashram , Grihasthaashram , Vanprasthaashram , Sanyaasaashram , a person also seeks to fulfill the four essentials (purushaartha) of Dharma, Artha (worldly gain}, Kama (sensual pleasures), and Moksha (liberation from Reincarnation or rebirth). Moksha, although the ultimate goal, is emphasized more in the last two stages of life, while Artha and Kama are primary only during Grihasthaashram. Dharma, however is essential in all four stages. Kane's view According to Dr.Pandurang Vaman Kane , the word "Dharma" acquired a sense of "the privileges, duties and obligations of a man, his standard of conduct as a member of the Aryan community, as a member of the caste and as a person in a particular state of life." IN BUDDHISM See Also: Dharma (Buddhism) In East Asia, the character for Dharma is , pronounced ''fǎ'' in Mandarin and ''hō'' in Japanese. Buddha's teachings For practicing Buddhists, references to "dharma" or ''dhamma'' in the singular, particularly as "the" Dharma, is used to mean the teachings of the Buddha, and is sometimes referred to as the Buddha-Dharma. ''Dharma'' is the universal law of nature and to call it Buddha-Dhamma suggests that other kinds of Dharma may exist. But this is not so, there is only one Dharma. The term Buddha-Dharma merely refers to the fact that it was discovered by the Buddha, not created by him. The status of the Dharma is regarded variably by different traditions. Some regard it as an ultimate and transcendent truth which is utterly beyond worldly things, somewhat like the Christian Logos . Others, who regard the Buddha as simply an enlightened human being, see the Dharma as the 84,000 different teachings (the Kanjur) that the Buddha gave to various types of people based on their needs. "Dharma" usually refers inclusively not just to the sayings of the Buddha but to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various Schools Of Buddhism have developed to help explain and expand upon the Buddha's teachings. For others still, they see the dharma as referring to the "truth" or ultimate reality or "the way things are" (Tib. Cho). The Dharma is one of the Three Jewels of buddhism of which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge in (what one relies on for his/her lasting happiness). The three jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha (mind's perfection of enlightenment), the Dharma (teachings and methods), and the Sangha (awakened beings who provide guidance and support). Qualities of Buddha Dharma The Teaching of the Buddha also has six supreme qualities: :# (Svakkhato) The Dhamma is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is preached precisely. Therefore it is Excellent in the beginning (Sīla ... Moral principles), Excellent in the middle (Samadhi. . . Concentration) and Excellent in the end (Pań ña . . . Wisdom), :# (Samditthiko) The Dhamma can be tested by practice and therefore he who follows it will see the result by himself through his own experience. :# (Akāliko) The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence. :# (Ehipassiko) The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test and come see for themselves. :# (Opāneyiko) The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life. :# (Paccattam veditabbo viññūnhi) The Dhamma can be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples (Ariyas) who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom. Knowing these attributes, Buddhists believe that they will attain the greatest peace and happiness through the practice of the Dhamma. Each person is therefore fully responsible for himself to put it in the real practice. Here the Buddha is compared to an experienced and skilful doctor, and the Dhamma to proper medicine. However efficient the doctor or wonderful the medicine may be, the patients cannot be cured unless they take the medicine properly. So the practice of the Dhamma is the only way to attain the final deliverance of Nibbāna. These teachings ranged from understanding Karma (cause and effect) and developing good impressions in one's mind, to how to reach full enlightenment by recognizing the nature of mind. Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology Other uses include dharma, normally spelled with a small "d" (to differentiate), which refers to a ''phenomenon'' or ''constituent factor'' of human experience. This was gradually expanded into a classification of constituents of the entire material and mental world. Rejecting the substantial existence of permanent entities which are qualified by possibly changing qualities, Buddhist Abhidharma philosophy, which enumerated Seventy-five Dharmas , came to propound that these "constituent factors" are the only type of entity that truly exists. This notion is of particular importance for the analysis of human experience: Rather than assuming that mental states inhere in a cognizing subject, or a soul-substance, Buddhist philosophers largely propose that mental states alone exist as "momentary elements of consciousness", and that a subjective perceiver is assumed. One of the central tenets of Buddhism, is the denial of a separate permanent "I", and is outlined in the - No-I (Pali: Annatta). At the heart of Buddhism, is the denial of an "I" (and hence the delusion) as a separate self-existing entity. Later, Buddhist philosophers like Nāgārjuna would question whether the dharmas (momentary elements of consciousness) truly have a separate existence of their own. (ie Do they exist apart from anything else?) Rejecting any inherent reality to the dharmas, he asked (rhetorically):
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