Darkthorn’s Blog

Hinduism – Logbook Exercise 1.3

Why is dharma considered the most important principle around which a Hindu’s life is organized?

Dharma is the most significant belief of Hinduism, organizing an otherwise rough society. Weightman, (1998, p. 279) describes it as the complete ‘right way of living for Hindu’s’, the sum of all teachings offered by the religion itself. Each of dharma’s four levels has far reaching consequences into a Hindu’s life. Dharma is defined in the Sutras and Smritis, as well as in the traditions and teachings passed down by the elders in a Hindu family (Weightman, 1998).

Sanatana dharma, at the cosmic level of dharma, is the law of order that applies to all beings in the universe, decreeing that each must behave according to its inherent nature (Weightman, 1998). Hindus who follow Dharma must respect all living beings non-violently, including respect for the earth and promoting the vegetarian lifestyle (Morales, 2007)

Dharma lends structure to an otherwise uncivilized society. Although it does not define a Hindu’s caste (which derived from the earlier monarchs-to-farmer hierarchy and passed down through families), it is the overarching source of ethics for every caste (sadharana dharma), also decreeing the need to follow one’s own caste rules (varnashrama dharma) (Weightman, 1998). Each individual’s life is ruled by varna dharma – family and society roles, as well as professional and individual duties to the Hindu community (Weightman, 1998). Aspects of life such as marriage, and widow remarriage, are defined by dharma, so too the types of food a particular caste is allowed to eat (Weightman, 1998).

Dharma covers every aspect of a Hindu’s life, and it is a Hindu’s duty to subscribe to its practices. The duty of a Hindu, when following dharma, involves being unselfish and assisting others in society (Biardeau, 1982). By not following dharma, Hindus risk impurity, which taints not only their own lives but those of their descendants, in the cycle of samsara (birth and rebirth) (Weightman, 1998). The concept of karma, that one’s status in the present life is a product of past lives’ actions, is inherently linked with samsara (Weightman, 1998).

Dharma is the universal life principle by which a Hindu must abide. Biardeau (1982) concludes that in the face of India’s increasing industrialization dharma is being contaminated and lost. Officially the caste system no longer exists, yet even non-Hindu Indians (who do not follow dharma explicitly) still adhered to some beliefs of dharma, such as marriage between members of the same caste (Weightman, 1998). Other aspects, such as karma, have been adapted into general Western society. Dharma is being interpreted in different ways, and evolving as society requires it to, just as it did in the past (Magee, 2005). Dharma is truly all-encompassing, and so it is important that a Hindu follows its teachings (albeit in an altered form) in order to live a good and moral life, even if his/her personal beliefs are different (Weightman, 1998).

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