Dharma
One of the important learnings of Hindu religion is dharma. In Hinduism, dharma broadly refers to one’s duty. It means living ethically and fulfilling responsibility with truth and righteousness towards family, those around us and the world we live in. It is the duty and the obligation to be fulfilled in order to live harmoniously and peacefully in this world. When dharma is neglected, karma is created and there will be negative consequences to be dealt with. An enlightened master Yogaswami of Sri Lanka compared dharma to train tracks and we must stay on tracks just like a train to reach our destination.
“Let there be no neglect of Truth. Let there be no neglect of dharma. Let there be no neglect of welfare. Let there be no neglect of prosperity. Let there be no neglect of study and teaching. Let there be no neglect of the duties to the Gods and the ancestors.”
Dharma is a multifaceted concept that holds different meaning for people at different stages of life. For example, for a teenage student, a part of dharma is to respect teachers, parents, and elders, do best in school and give time to the community. For a father or mother, a big part of dharma is to raise a family, meet expectations at work and in the community, perform selfless service, teach children about family culture and religion. Similarly, the dharma of a president of a country would be vastly different from that of someone working at a school or local shop. Satguru Bodhinatha of Kauai’s Monastery once explained that Hindu writings in ‘Tirukural’ emphasize that it’s a duty of a monk to renounce wealth and his desires. However, a family man is encouraged to earn wealth through honest means to support his family, but it is equally important for him to generously give to the poor and needy.
In Hinduism, dharma can be comprehended as fulfillment of our duty at every step of life in accordance with the yamas and niyamas (restraints and observances) – listed below from Living with Siva. The yamas are rules about what not to do such as avoiding harm or dishonesty, while the niyamas are positive habits or practices like self-discipline and gratitude.
The ten yamas are: Noninjury, Truthfulness, Nonstealing, Divine conduct, Patience, Steadfastness, Compassion, Honesty/Straightforwardness, Moderate appetite, Purity
The ten niyamas are: Remorse, Contentment, Giving, Faith, Worship of the Lord, Scriptural listening, Cognition, Sacred vow, Recitation, Austerity
Following dharma and upholding these ethical principles and practices helps create positive karma, ultimately leading to a happy, peaceful, and successful personal life, as well as a flourishing society. This naturally supports spiritual progress. So, in simple terms: If we live by what's right (dharma), think and act mindfully with the right consciousness – it softens our past karmas, and new karma is thoughtfully shaped and cultivated. This, in turn, brings positive outcomes for ourselves and the people around us.
