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Thread: Dharma

  1. #1
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    Dharma

    Dharma is such a beautiful word. Yet, no meaning in English does justice to this word.

    I wonder if we could start collecting all 'definitions' of Dharma.

    Also, is there a difference between Dharma and dharma?

    satay

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    What is your location bhai? mrtuloka?

    Or did u mean mrityuloka? Looks like you are settled with Yahweh or Yama and afraid of his tantrums.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sudarshan
    What is your location bhai? mrtuloka?

    Or did u mean mrityuloka? Looks like you are settled with Yahweh or Yama and afraid of his tantrums.


    mrityuloka - as in this loka where this body shall die. mrituloka is the place where there is some motivation to realize Bhagwan.

    satay

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    Post Re: Dharma

    Namaste Satay,

    dharma or dharman indicates “that which is established or firm, steadfast decree, statute, ordinance, law, usage, practice, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty, right, justice (often as a synonym of punishment), virtue, morality, religion, religious merit, or good works”.

    Dharma is Law or Justice personified ~ as Indra or Yama or Vishnu or Prajapati, or as a Bull or a Dove.

    Dharma was born from the right breast of Yama, and Dharma is an attendant of the Sun.

    Dharma indicates the “nature, character, peculiar condition or essential quality, property, mark, or peculiarity” ~ and Dharma is Svabhava.

    Dharma is “sacrifice, associating with the virtuous, religious abstraction, or devotion”.

    Dharma is a Soma-drinker, and Dharma is the Shiva-linga.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by satay
    Also, is there a difference between Dharma and dharma?
    The sanskrit word for dharma is exactly one, so different English spellings dont introduce any new meanings.

    Dharma is used in three broad senses:

    One is a way of life, as in Sanatana Dharma, Buddha Dharma etc. This is a broad term.

    The other is various duties prescribed for an individual based on his social order, gender, location etc -as in Brahmana Dharma, Sudra Dharma, Apath Dharma, Mleccha Desa Dharma etc.

    The third is used in sense of justice.

    The total number of meanings to the term Dharma may be very huge and its explanation warrants an entire book.
    Guard your Dharma, Burn the Myth, Promote the Truth, Crush the superstition.

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    Cool Re: Dharma Cakra

    The Solar Dharma-cakra has always been the primary vehicle of Sanatana Dharma.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7

    Dharma

    The ability of mind by virtue of which it takes right decision before any action is dharma. It is a self imposed discipline which makes you responsible for both your actions and thoughts. It is the ability to use your conscience independently and be conscious or aware of your actions. Dharma makes you to be righteous in both your actions and thoughts.
    If you wish to have a better world, all you need is a better mindspace!
    Goto Mindspace

  8. #8

    Dharma Drama

    Namaste all,

    i hope you are well.

    as i am new to the forum, please be gentle

    this is, if i recall, the thread that Satay wanted me to participate in directly (is that correct, Satay?)

    Dharma is a very interesting word in Sanskrit with many nuanced meanings which can only be properly gleaned by an understanding of the overall context in which it is being used.

    Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root dhr meaning to hold up, to carry, to bear, to sustain. The word dharma refers to that which upholds or sustains the universe.

    Human society, for example, is sustained and upheld by the dharma performed by its members. For example, parents protecting and maintaining children, children being obedient to parents, the king protecting the citizens, are acts of dharma that uphold and sustain society. In this context dharma has the meaning of duty.

    Dharma also employs the meaning of law, religion, virtue, and ethics. These things uphold and sustain the proper functioning of human society.

    In philosophy dharma refers to the defining quality of an object. For instance, liquidity is one of the essential dharmas of water; coldness is a dharma of ice. In this case we can think that the existence of an object is sustained or defined by its essential attributes, dharmas.

    though it seems silly to suggest it on a Hindu forum, if one is interested in learning Sanskrit, the following URL is quite excellent:

    http://www.sanskrit.org/www/index.html

    so, with that in mind, it really depends on the context in which the term is used as to what it is meant to be indicative of, in my view.

    metta,

    ~v

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by satay
    Also, is there a difference between Dharma and dharma?

    satay
    Namaste Satay,

    well... i would say that linguistically, there is no difference in these terms... however, they are used in a different manner to connote different things.

    within the context of the Buddha Dharma, for instance, it is being used as a proper noun, in English, to denote the specifc sorts of practice involved in the Buddhist path.

    overall, i suspect that, like many terms that have nuanced meanings, there is a predominante view that most beings will have towards this term and, in my estimation, this is the real thrust of the dialog with adharmic folks.

    if we can ascertain how they understand this term, it will allow us to more easily open a dialog with them and help them understand our views. they may not accept our views, which is just fine.

    but, to not accept them without undestanding what it not being accepted, seems to be rather foolish. of course, no one is contending that humans are not foolish

    metta,

    ~v

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    Re: Dharma

    Quote Originally Posted by sarabhanga
    Dharma indicates the “nature, character, peculiar condition or essential quality, property, mark, or peculiarity” ~ and Dharma is Svabhava.
    Quote Originally Posted by Vajradhara
    In philosophy dharma refers to the defining quality of an object. For instance, liquidity is one of the essential dharmas of water; coldness is a dharma of ice. In this case we can think that the existence of an object is sustained or defined by its essential attributes, dharmas.
    Dharma, it seems to me, is closely related to svabhava. The svabhava of a human being is to realize the Self. Just as coldness is a dharma of ice, godliness is a dharma of a human. The law and the rules that go with the term dharma (righteousness in thought, words and action) are the channels to regulate the human soul to realize its Self.

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