INDIAN CONCEPT OF DHARMA

Abstract

Dharma is a key concept with multiple meanings in the Indian religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. There is no single word translation for dharma in western languages. In Hinduism, dharma signifies that are considered to be in accord with rta, the order that makes life and universe possible, and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and “right way of living”. In Buddhism dharma means “cosmic law and order", but is also applied to the teachings of the Buddha. In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma / dharma is also the term for "phenomena"¹. In Jainism dharma refers to the teachings of the Jinas and the body of doctrine pertaining to the purification and moral transformation of human beings. The Classical Sanskrit noun dharma is a derivation from the root dhr, which has a meaning of "to hold, maintain, and keep"². The word "dharma" was already in use in the historical Vedic religion, and its meaning and conceptual scope has evolved over several millennia³.