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The Hindu Concept of Dharma
by sadh Monday, Sep 8 2014, 1:42pm
international / prose / post

Wiki correctly states there is no one word translation for the Sanskrit term ‘Dharma’ in English or any other European language. However, this is not problematic as we are all able, using the richness of the English language, to understand what is meant by the term, DHARMA.

Wiki goes on to assign the word ‘behaviours’ to Dharma, which is accurate but not fully developed or adequately explained. It is critical to our understanding that we grasp the notion of movement ACTIVITY, not just static QUALITY or characteristic, inherent in the Sanskrit term. It should be understood that ‘Dharma’ is very heavy with meaning, we have barely begun and we have NUMEROUS English words to assist in our understanding of ONE Sanskrit word, such is the richness of the mother language and the profound depth of meaning that ‘Dharma’ possesses.

So, accurate definitions involve 'qualities' and ‘expression;’ Dharma therefore indicates kinesis or the active expression of certain qualities, or to be more precise, the expression of particular unique composite qualities, Dharma is not limited to any one quality or characteristic.

It is extremely important to grasp the notion of movement or active expression inherent in the meaning of ‘dharma;’ it is an active principle that is being described.

Dharma is most often used in theological and philosophical contexts so I shall employ quotes from Gnostic Christian texts, the NT and classical Hinduism to further develop meaning but prior to that I would state that everything has a dharma, e.g. a lemon’s dharma is yellow, (quality) sour (expression) and elliptical (characteristic); a dog’s dharma could be noisy, loyal, quadruped, hairy etc; dharma also applies to every human being in a specific and general sense.

The following quotes all infer that our unique innate nature (dharma) must be expressed -- not repressed as culture would have it -- in order to find fulfilment and be eligible for our eternal inheritance. It is also made clear that failing to do so or avoiding our responsibility invites the very real prospect of annihilation/oblivion.

From the Gospel of Thomas we read in saying 70:

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."

From Matthew 5:

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

From the Bhagavad Gita 3.24:

“If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings.” Krishna explains to Arjuna why he (Arjuna) must do his DUTY (dharma) as a member of the warrior caste, and kill his relatives in the opposing army without a second thought, which was the reason for his initial refusal to fight and accept his responsibility (fulfill his dharma in other words). Please also note, though this is not relevant to the current piece, that Krishna explains that ultimately all life and death issues and resolves itself in HIM therefore Arjuna is already 'absolved' but must fulfil what is expected of him, the EMPHASIS is on expressing dharma with regard to duty in this instance.

All theological writing is meant to instruct and in that regard many contextual meanings are contained therein, however, our focus is on dharma in this short paper.

As is readily appreciated saying 70 of the GOT informs us that if we do not express our true innate nature then the failure to do so will ruin or kill us! How so, you may ask? The answer should be obvious. Understand that infinity is perfect and that we exist in a perfect harmonious universe therefore we are an intrinsic part of that perfection ONLY IF we fulfill our allotted purpose/task by expressing our true nature or individual dharma. If we fail to do so we forfeit the right to exist as part of a perfect harmony; no discords continue in an infinite concordance/harmony.

If I relate the concept of dharma to our age and time it would seem that we all have specific and general responsibilities to act in favour of peace and harmony and if we fail to do so we may indeed forfeit our right to continue. For example, runaway climate change is not stopped by an ETS it is curtailed by shutting down and regulating the companies that pollute. For this to occur we must have government of the people not lackeys of the corporations! The "false flag" operation of 9/11, which 70% of the global population know from available evidence was an inside job condemns everyone that knows but does not demand the arrest of the principals, Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Blair, Howard etc. I should also state that COWARDICE is learned and is not a characteristic of dharma -- we are not programmed by nature to fail.

Is it time to cease tolerating clearly criminal governments and pull our thumbs out of our arses, DEMAND JUSTICE and survive, or is it time for our wholesale ruination/demise? The choice is extremely clear today.

Oblivion or Life -- our choice.