Dharma

[Bishka]

I don't think this belongs in the Hindusium threads, but mods if you need to move it, go ahead.

I was just reading, and I read a definition for the term dharma - ''the way'' - Each person has his or her own individiual way to follow, and one way may be very differnet from some other way.

So wouldn't everyone be following their own dharma??

 

[Engyo]

Becky -

Dharma can mean many things, including "reality", "law", "teachings", as well as the way. Dharma is either sanskrit or pali in origin, but has come to be most closely associated with Buddhism. The Buddha's teachings are known as Dharma. However your use of it above is certainly not incorrect.

 

[ChrisP]

I don't think this belongs in the Hindusium threads, but mods if you need to move it, go ahead.

I was just reading, and I read a definition for the term dharma - ''the way'' - Each person has his or her own individiual way to follow, and one way may be very differnet from some other way.

So wouldn't everyone be following their own dharma??

Do you believe in Destiny?

 

[michel]

Becky -

Dharma can mean many things, including "reality", "law", "teachings", as well as the way. Dharma is either sanskrit or pali in origin, but has come to be most closely associated with Buddhism. The Buddha's teachings are known as Dharma. However your use of it above is certainly not incorrect.

Would you agree with this site ? :-
http://aboutdharma.org/what-is-dharma.php

"Dharma" means "protection". By practising Buddha's teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practise Dharma.
Practising Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practising what Buddha had taught.

If we integrate Buddha's teachings into our daily life, we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.

 

[YmirGF]

I don't think this belongs in the Hindusium threads, but mods if you need to move it, go ahead.

I was just reading, and I read a definition for the term dharma - ''the way'' - Each person has his or her own individiual way to follow, and one way may be very differnet from some other way.

So wouldn't everyone be following their own dharma??

I attempted to fly a similar idea awhile back, but no one seemed to twig on it.

My point was the only true path is the path that you find yourself on. Expand this idea to apply to every living person or thing and you can begin to get the drift. There simply is no true path for all people to follow. Reality is not a "one size fits all" sort of thing. Reality and approaching reality is very much a tailor made process designed for an audience of one. One can call it "dharma" if they like, it doesn't really matter.

 

[michel]

I attempted to fly a similar idea awhile back, but no one seemed to twig on it.

My point was the only true path is the path that you find yourself on. Expand this idea to apply to every living person or thing and you can begin to get the drift. There simply is no true path for all people to follow. Reality is not a "one size fits all" sort of thing. Reality and approaching reality is very much a tailor made process designed for an audience of one. One can call it "dharma" if they like, it doesn't really matter.

Maybe nobody 'twigged it' because it seems (to me at least) so obvious a point that it need hardly be made............As a believer in reincarnation, that is one of the essentials of the belief; that each life represents a particular lesson to be learned, by the individual........hence everyone's path and destiny will be "tailor made."

 

[Engyo]

Would you agree with this site ? :-
http://aboutdharma.org/what-is-dharma.php


"Dharma" means "protection". By practising Buddha's teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practise Dharma.
Practising Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practising what Buddha had taught.

If we integrate Buddha's teachings into our daily life, we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.

Can't argue with that. It goes to my original point that Dharma is one of those words which doesn't have one-to-one correspondence with any english word; it is more of a broad concept which can cover many different english concepts depending on context and usage.

 

[Bishka]

Hey thanks you guys. Just wanted to see what everyone thought. I've been going through my old World Religions textbook, so I'm probably going to be posting quite a bit.

 

[Valjean]

Dharma is a Hindu concept, from the Sanskrit term for "duty", "law" or "propriety."
In primitive societies religion, law and propriety aren't conceived of as separate things. There is no separation of church and state; no secular vs religious law.
Dharma was a fundamental tenet of Hinduism two thousand years before the Buddha was born.

According to Hindu tradition, the goal of life is to achieve higher states of consciousness, ie: to merge with the Godhead/Universal Consciousness. To this end souls cycle through incarnations (lives) tailored to optimize soul-growth. Dharma is the blueprint for a life. It is the plan for optimizing the spiritual growth that can be achieved in a particular incarnation. Following one's dharma, ie: following the life-plan predestined for a specific incarnation, optimizes spiritual progress.

Dharma, for good or ill, is behind the Hindu concept of "caste." Dharma is traditionally subdivided into four general lifestyles/castes.
Brahmins are born to be clergymen and teachers. Kshatrias are designed for lives in the military or civil-service. Vaishyas optimize their spiritual growth living as tradesmen, or farmers. Shudras are happiest as servants or manual laborers.
There are also, in traditional Indian culture, people whose dharma is unclear, or has become scrambled; people who have no proper caste. These are known as "Dalits," or "outcasts" in English, and are treated as less than human.

The idea that one can be born without a dharma or caste is, of course, absurd, and is rejected by the educated classes. But, though discrimination is outlawed by the Indian Constitution, India seems to have no shortage of redneck bigots perpetuating the injustice.