Download II Dharma

II
Dharma
The word dharma has been translated variously as “righteousness” “duty” “inner disposition” and even as “religion.” But it is
not until we go to the linguistic origin of the word that we discover the deeper significance of this word. The verbal root dhŸ
means to uphold, or to sustain. DhŸ also means to integrate.
DhÅrayate iti dharma, dharma is that which sustains and also
that which integrates. Thus, the true meaning of dharma is the
essential nature of a thing, without which it ceases to be. For
instance, the dharma of the sun, moon, water, air, fire, and earth
are eternal. Fire is always hot, the sun gives light and heat, and
water is always wet. The entire world is sustained because the
phenomena are all following their dharma. Similarly, all the
animals and birds abide by their essential nature their basic instincts. Nature on her own would be fine; it is man who breaks
all of her rules destroying others as well as himself in the process. Therefore, it is important that man follows his true dharma.
But what is our true dharma? Man is believed to be a social
animal therefore it becomes his duty to uphold and integrate the
society, which will automatically result in prosperity for all. We
can live to our fullest potential only if we practice dharma at all
levels: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. We need
to make sure that all our actions contribute toward the sustenance and integration of society, and avoid actions that go
against the natural laws, which are called adharma.
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Individual Dharma
At the physical level, dharma is that which nourishes and supports the health of the body. Whether we want to serve others,
obtain liberation, or even enjoy life in this world we need a
healthy body. It is the primary tool for achieving our goals in
life. But our body can only be healthy if our life is disciplined.
Proper sleep, healthy eating, exercise, and cleanliness all contribute to good health. Therefore, practicing these are all acts of
dharma. To exercise when we have a fever, or to eat spicy food
when we have an ulcer would be considered adharma because
they can be harmful. So this clarifies that no particular action in
itself can be called dhÅrmika or adhÅrmika.
At the mental level we all want to be peaceful and happy.
Therefore to think in a loving way is dharma and to think negatively of someone is adharma because it will disturb our personality and can also cause harm to the other person. The same rule
applies intellectually. We all want enlightenment and knowledge and do not want to be ignorant or exploited because of our
ignorance. Independence and freedom are our inherent desires.
We want freedom from sorrow, freedom from fear and grief, and
most importantly freedom from delusion. Knowledge helps us
to attain the understanding that frees us from any dependence.
But in the process of trying to be free we become slaves to the
very things that we thought would make us happy and due to
ignorance we do not even realize that. Therefore, knowledge
and enlightenment are dharma and ignorance is adharma.
Collective Dharma
Any action at the individual as well as at the communal level
that integrates and brings prosperity to all is considered to be
dhÅrmika. Dharma is not opposed to gaining wealth or affluence. In fact, proper application of dharma by all will lead to
greater prosperity in the society. Everyone will be happy, and
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everyone’s personality will unfold and progress toward attaining liberation. Therefore we must know that dharma is not a
particular action, but that which contributes to the integration of
all. This is what is known as “absolute good.” But is there such
a thing as absolute good? The answer is that good and bad are
only relative. For example, sugar is not good for a diabetic but
one with low blood sugar may actually benefit from it. Therefore whether sugar is good or bad for one’s health is relative. But
whatever promotes health and greater integration is called
dharma. The absolute good is the maintenance of health. Everyone wants to be healthy. Even those who indulge in harmful
habits still want good health. Therefore that which everyone
desires, is known as the absolute good.
What is the greatest dharma? It is said, “Non-violence or
non-injury is the supreme dharma. ” Violence is something that
disturbs the entire society, and it begins at the mental level. Dislike can turn to anger, and if uncontrolled will result in physical
and emotional abuse within the home as well as in the society.
We usually consider violence only at the physical level, but it
can occur at the thought and speech level also. So it is important
to practice non-injury (ahiÚsÅ) at all levels, at the levels of
thought and speech as well as the physical level.
At the physical level, the word ahiÚsÅ is relative. A surgeon
cuts the body for the good of the patient. His motive is to heal.
This is an act of ahiÚsÅ. On the other hand, a murderer using a
knife commits a definite act of violence because his motive is to
hurt or to kill. The same action can be dhÅrmika or adhÅrmika
depending upon whether one is acting to integrate or destroy.
We have said that the word dharma has tremendous implications, so now a very important question arises. Lord Krishna
here is teaching about non-injury (ahiÚsÅ). How is it then that
He is asking Arjuna to fight? This apparent contradiction needs
to be explained. Many people wonder, “How can this war be
considered dhÅrmika (righteous) while at the same time observing the law of ahiÚsÅ?”
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Earlier we spoke about dharma as it pertains to physical
health. When the body is in a healthy condition, we will live
comfortably. There is no need for medical treatment of any kind.
But suppose the body develops a disease, or a cancerous
growth? Then possibly some medications or minor surgery may
help. But if the disease is very serious, major surgery or even
amputation may be the only solution to save the life of a patient.
In the same way, if everyone is living happily and peacefully in society, then there is no need for war. But, as in the case
of the Mahabharata, the evil, battle-hungry Duryodhana, became strong and powerful much like a cancer, whose growth
was out of control. Small remedies could not fix the problem. If
people like him are not removed from society, good people suffer and disintegration of the society is certain. Therefore, in such
situations the ideal of ahiÚsÅ and a righteous war go together.
So anything that nourishes, sustains, integrates and leads to
prosperity and spiritual revival is called dharma. Any virtues,
values, attitudes, or behavior that contribute to that sustenance is
dharma.
Moral Conflict
The question then arises, “Why are we not able to follow this
principle of non-injury, or ahiÚsÅ? Why do we dislike someone?” We all know that there is never a need to tell a mother to
act with ahiÚsÅ toward her baby. Would a mother ever think of
harming her own child? Even when she has to punish the child
she herself suffers because there is a sense of oneness between
them. She sees that child as part of her own self. Where there is
love, non-injury is natural. Dislike occurs only when we have a
sense of separateness or alienation. And we have created many
divisions among ourselves by thinking, I am a man, you are a
woman; I am black, you are white; I am a Christian, you are a
Hindu. If a husband and wife consider themselves to be united,
without any thought of separateness, then there will be harmony.
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If, however, the man thinks himself to be superior to the woman,
then the woman will feel that she is being taken advantage of.
With the thought of separateness alienation arises and the oneness is lost. Once these differences are created, we look down
upon others and violence occurs. Thus there is a most unusual
challenge in the world of relativity: To know the Truth of Oneness and yet to live here practically.
Dharma at the individual level is also different from that
practiced at the community level. As individuals we may not
carry any weapons, trying always to respond with peace and
non-injury. However, if one is the Secretary of Defense of a
country then that person cannot allow anyone to jeopardize its
peace and he must be prepared to defend the national security.
Therefore, dharma has to be understood in its totality.
When there is a sense of oneness and love, service comes
naturally. The wish to injure would not arise. There would be
growth and prosperity for all. That is why we say that the knowledge of Advaita, or the Oneness of the Self, is dhÅrmika, as it
leads to the full integration of society. To love and serve all is the
very basis of Self-Knowledge and in its light alone can we determine what is dharma.
Furthermore, having understood this to be your true duty
(svadharma), you should not waver, for there is nothing
higher for a k„atriya than a righteous war. ( II:31)
Here, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna not to fear, nor to avoid the
impending war. Once more He exhorts Arjuna that it is his responsibility and duty to fight. But the necessary principles must
be understood in order for him to be successful. We have discussed at length what constitutes dharma. All those virtues, values, feelings, conduct, behavior, and actions that contribute to
the improvement of society, are dharma. In contrast, those actions and conduct contrary to these cause disintegration, and are
adhÅrmika.
Today we see the disintegration of values and families.
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Communities are floundering and it is evident that something is
wrong. That is because people are disintegrated from within.
Outer integration comes only when inner integration is established. How to establish that inner integration? Make our vision
and values spiritual, it is then that dharma will be meaningful.
The breakdown of the family is a clear sign that a gap exists
between how we think and how we act. It may be that we give
too much importance to ambition or whatever else, and the view
of the totality is lost. If only an individual perspective is held,
then there are many problems. Individualism has its place in the
scheme of things, but when carried to the extreme it disturbs the
balance of the whole.
Integrating Dharma
Dharma is that which brings about self-integration. In his introduction to the Holy G≠tÅ, Swami Chinmayananda affirms that
when our subjective mind becomes one with the objective mind,
then there is personality integration. Lacking that, we may know
many things intellectually, but our mind, colored by personal
prejudices and judgments, will give way to its own desires. Our
evaluation of a situation may be wrong because the mind lacks
the necessary purity. Therefore, the problem is due to a lack of
vision only, and what happens at the physical level is only a
symptom. For every one of us there is a dharma and this is fully
elaborated upon in the scriptures. The idea is that every person
lives in the society as an individual relating to many others.
Whether we are students, administrators, businessmen, laborers
or even monks, all are governed by the duties established for
their particular stages and professions. When every one accepts
the responsibilities of their dharma the entire society prospers.
Consider a sports team for example. Each player is assigned
a different position, but they have a common goal and that is to
win! Sometimes we lose sight of that common goal. If we are
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perity suffers. This occurs often in many organizations. A person
may work very well alone, but when it comes to working with
others, he finds it difficult. We should strive to work well together. If personal prejudices or dislikes come into the picture,
the sense of oneness is lost and the common objective becomes
defeated. This is the understanding of dharma in its wider context.
It is at this time that Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that he is a
noble and valiant warrior, one who has been groomed to protect
the cause of righteousness. The Lord persuades Arjuna that if he
were to leave the battlefield he would be forsaking his duty as a
k„atriya, which is to fight. Therefore, it becomes imperative that
Arjuna engage himself in the battle while viewing dharma in its
totality.
Sometimes our philosophy concerning our duty is influenced by our relationships with others, as was the case of Arjuna
with his cousins. We make excuses and hesitate to do what is
right. But no matter what our relationship, we should act according to our own nature, our svadharma. A person with an aptitude
for activity (rajoguœa) cannot easily become a monk. And a
person with a contemplative mind will not be comfortable as an
active person. Lord Krishna points out to Arjuna that from the
standpoint of the totality of dharma he must be true to the nature
of a k„atriya. He must fight. And from the relative perspective,
the sense of doership that he now possesses should be utilized
for a nobler cause, which is to serve and benefit others. Arjuna
thinks that he will incur sin if he fights, but the opposite is true.
He will incur sin by not performing his duty. Arjuna must fight
not only for the good of all, but for the destruction of evil. For a
new order can only come when evil has ended.
But how can we decide whether or not we are performing
our dharma? Earlier we noted that we are always in a state of
conflict and indecision over this and much discrimination is
needed. Following are some guidelines, but we must all decide
for ourselves. We can ask the following questions to help clarify
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whether or not we are living according to our dharma.
Is my action contributing toward the integration of my personality? Is it contributing towards the growth and prosperity of
the community? Is it in line with the teachings of the scripture
(±ruti)? The scriptures are the final authority on which actions
are righteous. They define dharma. Just as we have the constitution of a country with its guidelines and laws to determine
whether something is legal or not, in the same way, we can take
the guidance of ±ruti in order to determine whether an action is
righteous or not. Righteous actions are clarified and sanctioned
by scripture, and over a period of time these have become commandments. Some people may say that they do not know how to
read or interpret the scriptures as they have been written in Sanskrit. Therefore, they have recourse to smŸti. These are the interpretations of the original ±ruti by great masters and are to be
applied to the changing circumstances and needs of society. This
literature is called smŸti ±Åstra.
Another guideline for dharma is sadÅcÅra, or good conduct. In every country and society we find those whose behavior
is exemplary. Customs may vary from place to place, but it is the
spirit of righteousness and the good conduct of the individual
that is important. The final concept to guide us in dharma is the
wise adage, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you.” Whatever action we perform we need to ask ourselves,
“Would I like it if someone did this to me?” Why would we inflict pain on others? It is a very straightforward and simple principle. If everyone thought in this way then dharma would be
very clear. Also, whatever actions we perform should benefit not
only ourselves but others as well.
In order to live a dhÅrmika way of life we need to be honest.
If we look into our own hearts we will find that there is an inner
voice, or conscience. This is the discriminative intellect. In life
we see that there are some things that are legal, but that may be
morally wrong. We may be influenced by our inherent tendencies (vÅsanÅ) and our desires may be so strong that we overlook
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the voice of conscience. Take smoking, for example, which we
know is bad for our health. We may be allowed to smoke in a
permitted area, but does that mean it is dhÅrmika for us?
The science of dharma and all knowledge comes from the
Lord. And that Lord resides in our very own heart. We may not
listen to the Lord within because our desires may be too strong,
but the Lord does catch up with us, there is no escape. For instance, if we are diabetic and our desire for sweets causes us to
overeat, we compromise our health. Since we know that the
body must adhere to the laws of nature it becomes adharma for
us to overlook such guidelines. Therefore, for the good of the
whole, it becomes crucial to structure our life according to the
divine principles outlined in the scriptures.
According to the Rotary Club International Principles, there
are four ways of testing the correctness of what we say or do:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If we consider these guidelines before we act, then whatever
we do will be consistent with dharma. All of these principles
come from the same source. Even though dharma is a vast topic,
at the same time it is simple. It becomes complicated only when
we compromise because of our desires. We need to rise above
our personal considerations and learn to look at life in its totality.
So far Lord Krishna has indicated to us that our thoughts and
choices need to be attuned to the principles set forth in the scriptures. The question of how to manage our daily lives in such a
way that we uphold dharma and gain a vision of the totality of
life will be discussed in the next chapter.
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