In the Indian tradition, there is one word which has been used very often, and that is dharma. Right from the Vedas to the contemporary spiritual literature, people speak on dharma.
The focus is always on dharma. We associate the word dharma with a social and personal concept, and that is religion. Dharma has been spoken about as a religious code of conduct by modern western scholars. Indian scholars have never considered dharma to be part of religion. They associate dharma with life and performance. It is said that those who follow the path of dharma will always be happy, content, peaceful, joyous, and prosperous. Dharma protects the individual: dharmo rakshati dharmaha.
There is dharma and there is adharma, the virtuous, and the non-virtuous. Dharma is the virtues that we live in life, and whenever we step beyond the boundaries of dharma, it becomes adharma. This is an interesting point to analyse, think about and understand. In today’s context people speak of rights. There are many court cases all over the world which are for the rights of the individual. This idea of rights has actually changed the concept of the word dharma.
In the civilizational perspective, the rishis or seers who gave the literature of the Vedas and the Upanishads and yoga and the tantras never considered adhikaara or right to be prominent. They do not believe in it, as it is very much an individual’s desire and choice. They believed in dharma. If one follows dharma, there is no crime; if one follows dharma, there is no conflict; if one follows dharma, there is no external expectation. You are content. It is only when we give vent to our desires, that we move away from dharma, and this has been the statement of realized beings who attained that level of perception, vision, realization. They say that nobody has rights; you have to develop the ability to gain rights. Even in yogic literature, they say adhikaari ko hi diksha dena – give diksha to the eligible only; non-adhikaaris are not allowed. In this context, adhikaara does not mean right, it means ability; patrata, eligibility.
Our whole civilization along with the spiritual traditions is based on the principles and precepts of dharma. Dharma becomes, or can be loosely translated, as righteous living, righteous thinking, righteous behaviour, righteous action. Where the word righteous is used, it indicates that there is nothing wrong. In righteous living, you are not living wrongly. The moment you leave righteous living, you begin to live wrong. The moment you leave righteous thinking, the thoughts become negative. The moment you step out of righteous behaviour, there is conflict. So, we can understand dharma as righteous living, righteous thinking, righteous behaviour, meaning that it is always positive, creative and constructive.
There is no interference in the lives of others, as they are also living their own dharma, they are not stepping out of dharma. You tell other people they are wrong, when they step out of dharma. As long as they are within the parameters of dharma, there is nothing wrong. In today’s social and the global environment, people do not support dharma, they support the fragmented ‘me.’ As spiritual aspirants, if we can support dharma, then the fragmented ‘me’ becomes whole again.
Therefore, spiritual life is based on dharmic principles. Ultimately, spiritual life leads you, no matter which culture, denomination, caste or creed you belong to, to a life which is complete. It makes you aware of what your dharma is in every situation, and you live that. People who live their dharma are known as saints. People who do not live dharma are known as sinners. The choice is yours, whether you want to be a sinner or a saint. My advice is try to be a saint for you will have much less trouble. Sinners face more problems and difficulties. Saints lead an easy and comfortable life, without any distraction, dissipation and confusion. They are happy wherever they are.
30 June 2024, Karma Sannyasa Training, Ganga Darshan, Munger