Guest guest Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Post 3 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, I welcome the comment by Sri Gopi chari as "first let us know what is dharma and then its types". The answer to this point will be from the dictionary first and then some points. Monier Williams Sanskrit English dictionary reads for dharma dharma 1 dhárma m. (rarely n. g. ardharcâdi ) * the older form of the RV. is dhárman, q.v.) that which is established or firm, steadfast decree, statute, ordinance, law * usage, practice, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty * right, justice (often as a synonym of punishment) * virtue, morality, religion, religious merit, good works (dhármeNa or dharmat ind. according to right or rule, rightly, justly, according to the nature of anything * below. * mesthita mfn. holding to the law, doing one's duty) AV. &c. &c * Law or Justice personified (as Indra SBr. &c * as Yama MBh. * as born from the right breast of Yama and father of Sama, Kama and Harsha ib. * as VishNu Hariv. * as Praja-pati and son-in-law of Daksha Hariv. Mn> &c * as one of the attendants of the Sun L. * as a Bull Mn. viii, 16 * as a Dove Kathas. vii, 89, &c.) * the law or doctrine of Buddhism (as distinguished from the sañgha or monastic order MWB.> 70) * the ethical precepts of Buddhism (or the principal dharma called susra, as distinguished from the abhi-dharma or, further dharma and from the vinaya or 'discipline, these three constituting the canon of Southern Buddhism MWB. 61) * the law of Northern Buddhism (in 9 canonical scriptures, viz. Prajña-paramita, GaNda-vyuha, Dasa-bhumîsvara, Samadhiraja, Lankâvat1ra, Saddharma -puNdarika, Tathagata-guhyaka, Lalita-vistara, SuvarNa-prabhasa, ib. 69) * nature, character, peculiar condition or essential quality, property, mark, peculiarity (= sva-bhava L. * cf. dasa-dh"?-gata SBr. &c. &c * upamanôpameyayor dh?, the tertium comparationis Pa?.2-1, 55 Sch. ) * a partic. ceremony MBh. xiv, 2623 * sacrifice L * the ninth mansion Var. * an Upanishad L. * associating with the virtuous L. * religious abstraction, devotion L. * = upama L. (cf. above) * a bow Dharmas. * a Soma-drinker L * N. of the 15th Arhat of the present Ava-sarpi?i L. * of a son of Anu and father of Gh?ita Hariv. * of a son of Gandhara and father of Dh?ita Pur. * of a son of Haihaya and father of Netra BhP. * of a son of P?ithu-sravas and of Usanas ib. * of a son of Su-vrata VP. (cf. dharma-sutra) * of a son of Dirgha-tapas, Vayup * of a king of Kasmira, Raj. iv, 678 * of another man ib. vii, 85 * of a lexicographer &c. (also -paNdita, -bhaNda and -sastrin) Cat.[Cf. Lat. firmus, Lith. dermé.] So the point here is 'anything which is basic nature of that subject or object is its dharma', 'any rule or right or conduct or usage' is dharma. Religion and its rules, observance of these rules, etc are also dharma. Once, [may be 1970 or 71] in a lecture series on the bhagavath geethaa swamy chinmayanandha remarked on this word 'dharma' - after studying quite a bit on this word dharma, the foreigners and others were puzzled that this one word had so much to say, and all were unique, and hence they simply adopted that word as it is. [Perhaps gave some meaning which does not fully reflect the words true nature or dharma, as could be seen here]. To prove that we can have a look at from the Merriam &Webster dictionary Main Entry: dhar·ma Pronunciation: 'd&r-m&, 'där- Function: noun Etymology: Sanskrit; akin to Latin firmus firm 1 Hinduism : an individual's duty fulfilled by observance of custom or law 2 Hinduism & Buddhism a: the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence: divine law b: conformity to one's duty and nature >From Dictionary.com 1. Hinduism & Buddhism. a. The principle or law that orders the universe. b. Individual conduct in conformity with this principle. c. The essential function or nature of a thing. 2. Hinduism. Individual obligation with respect to caste, social custom, civil law, and sacred law. >From Etymological dictionary - 1796, in secular sense, "caste custom, right behavior;" in Buddhism and Hinduism, "moral law," from Skt., "law, right, justice," related to dharayati "holds," and cognate with L. firmus, all from PIE base *dher- "to hold, support" (see firm (adj.)). So basically dharma means anything in its basic nature by way of a rule, behavior, character, observance of certain principles and much more is dharma. As already stated in the main post on 'types of dharmam', yudhishtira, after exhausting quite a bit, [ two full and very elaborate parvams in maha bhaaratham] still had some doubts on dharmam and asked that question which we read in sahasra naamam - "sruthvaa dharmaan asEshENa" and answered by bheeshma as "adhika thamO dharma:" Now to interpret dharma as religion, as rule, as basic nature, and as the lord himself is all acceptable. That is what I wanted to say in that earlier writeup on sandhya vandhanam, stating in the early morning get up, think of the lord [the dharma], or [Om dharmaaya nama:] the aim or purpose of life, the artha, [or as already said Om arthaaya nama:] and then do your dharma [duty] of sandhya. In the first instance I quoted [what is available as translated version] and then wanted to elaborate. [but the proceedings took a different turn and topic has to be closed]. Will continue on sri sukumar's points and sri padmanabhan's points in next post. Dhasan Vasudevan m.g. DISCLAIMER: This Message and its contents is intended solely for the addressee and is proprietary.Information in this mail is for L&T Business Usage only. Any Use to other than the addressee is misuse and infringement to Proprietorship of L&T ECC.If you are not the addressee please return the mail to the sender.L&T ECC DIVISION Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Post 3 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, I welcome the comment by Sri Gopi chari as "first let us know what is dharma and then its types". The answer to this point will be from the dictionary first and then some points. Monier Williams Sanskrit English dictionary reads for dharma dharma 1 dhárma m. (rarely n. g. ardharcâdi ) * the older form of the RV. is dhárman, q.v.) that which is established or firm, steadfast decree, statute, ordinance, law * usage, practice, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty * right, justice (often as a synonym of punishment) * virtue, morality, religion, religious merit, good works (dhármeNa or dharmat ind. according to right or rule, rightly, justly, according to the nature of anything * below. * mesthita mfn. holding to the law, doing one's duty) AV. &c. &c * Law or Justice personified (as Indra SBr. &c * as Yama MBh. * as born from the right breast of Yama and father of Sama, Kama and Harsha ib. * as VishNu Hariv. * as Praja-pati and son-in-law of Daksha Hariv. Mn> &c * as one of the attendants of the Sun L. * as a Bull Mn. viii, 16 * as a Dove Kathas. vii, 89, &c.) * the law or doctrine of Buddhism (as distinguished from the sañgha or monastic order MWB.> 70) * the ethical precepts of Buddhism (or the principal dharma called susra, as distinguished from the abhi-dharma or, further dharma and from the vinaya or 'discipline, these three constituting the canon of Southern Buddhism MWB. 61) * the law of Northern Buddhism (in 9 canonical scriptures, viz. Prajña-paramita, GaNda-vyuha, Dasa-bhumîsvara, Samadhiraja, Lankâvat1ra, Saddharma -puNdarika, Tathagata-guhyaka, Lalita-vistara, SuvarNa-prabhasa, ib. 69) * nature, character, peculiar condition or essential quality, property, mark, peculiarity (= sva-bhava L. * cf. dasa-dh"?-gata SBr. &c. &c * upamanôpameyayor dh?, the tertium comparationis Pa?.2-1, 55 Sch. ) * a partic. ceremony MBh. xiv, 2623 * sacrifice L * the ninth mansion Var. * an Upanishad L. * associating with the virtuous L. * religious abstraction, devotion L. * = upama L. (cf. above) * a bow Dharmas. * a Soma-drinker L * N. of the 15th Arhat of the present Ava-sarpi?i L. * of a son of Anu and father of Gh?ita Hariv. * of a son of Gandhara and father of Dh?ita Pur. * of a son of Haihaya and father of Netra BhP. * of a son of P?ithu-sravas and of Usanas ib. * of a son of Su-vrata VP. (cf. dharma-sutra) * of a son of Dirgha-tapas, Vayup * of a king of Kasmira, Raj. iv, 678 * of another man ib. vii, 85 * of a lexicographer &c. (also -paNdita, -bhaNda and -sastrin) Cat.[Cf. Lat. firmus, Lith. dermé.] So the point here is 'anything which is basic nature of that subject or object is its dharma', 'any rule or right or conduct or usage' is dharma. Religion and its rules, observance of these rules, etc are also dharma. Once, [may be 1970 or 71] in a lecture series on the bhagavath geethaa swamy chinmayanandha remarked on this word 'dharma' - after studying quite a bit on this word dharma, the foreigners and others were puzzled that this one word had so much to say, and all were unique, and hence they simply adopted that word as it is. [Perhaps gave some meaning which does not fully reflect the words true nature or dharma, as could be seen here]. To prove that we can have a look at from the Merriam &Webster dictionary Main Entry: dhar·ma Pronunciation: 'd&r-m&, 'där- Function: noun Etymology: Sanskrit; akin to Latin firmus firm 1 Hinduism : an individual's duty fulfilled by observance of custom or law 2 Hinduism & Buddhism a: the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence: divine law b: conformity to one's duty and nature >From Dictionary.com 1. Hinduism & Buddhism. a. The principle or law that orders the universe. b. Individual conduct in conformity with this principle. c. The essential function or nature of a thing. 2. Hinduism. Individual obligation with respect to caste, social custom, civil law, and sacred law. >From Etymological dictionary - 1796, in secular sense, "caste custom, right behavior;" in Buddhism and Hinduism, "moral law," from Skt., "law, right, justice," related to dharayati "holds," and cognate with L. firmus, all from PIE base *dher- "to hold, support" (see firm (adj.)). So basically dharma means anything in its basic nature by way of a rule, behavior, character, observance of certain principles and much more is dharma. As already stated in the main post on 'types of dharmam', yudhishtira, after exhausting quite a bit, [ two full and very elaborate parvams in maha bhaaratham] still had some doubts on dharmam and asked that question which we read in sahasra naamam - "sruthvaa dharmaan asEshENa" and answered by bheeshma as "adhika thamO dharma:" Now to interpret dharma as religion, as rule, as basic nature, and as the lord himself is all acceptable. That is what I wanted to say in that earlier writeup on sandhya vandhanam, stating in the early morning get up, think of the lord [the dharma], or [Om dharmaaya nama:] the aim or purpose of life, the artha, [or as already said Om arthaaya nama:] and then do your dharma [duty] of sandhya. In the first instance I quoted [what is available as translated version] and then wanted to elaborate. [but the proceedings took a different turn and topic has to be closed]. Will continue on sri sukumar's points and sri padmanabhan's points in next post. Dhasan Vasudevan m.g. DISCLAIMER: This Message and its contents is intended solely for the addressee and is proprietary.Information in this mail is for L&T Business Usage only. Any Use to other than the addressee is misuse and infringement to Proprietorship of L&T ECC.If you are not the addressee please return the mail to the sender.L&T ECC DIVISION Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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