Dharma....

[Guest guest]

Dear List members.

 

The following very interesting email came to us from

Canadian University. I would like the list members to

respond. The answer may be of interest to many more

list members hence requesting that you respond via the list.

 

jay

 

========copy of email received===========

 

hello. i am a university instructor of eastern religions, and yesterday

a student asked me a question that i could not adequately answer. i was

introducing very basic concepts in the upanishads, including the idea of

performance of one's dharma as a means to moksha, in other words the

kind of self-less action that does not generate karma. i explained

within the context of catuvarna that if one is a brahmin, one must

perform the duties appropriate to the brahmin, etc and so on for the

other varnas. a student asked me " what about on an everyday basis, how

does one know one's proper dharma in reaction to the myriad small events

of a day? " So just on a very general mundane level, how does the hindu

make choices such as what school to attend, what charities to donate to,

how to help a friend, etc. Are these issues that have anything to do

with one's dharma? and if so, would the appropriate action vary from

varna to varna? if you have the time, can you suggest an answer to this

question? thanks, cindy

 

" Cindy Crowhurst " <cgcrowhu

 

 

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[Guest guest]

" Cindy Crowhurst " <cgcrowhu

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

In Hinduism today, in changed situation of globalization and scientific

progress, Varna and Ashrama have lost the importance that unfortunately

most of westerners still tend to give.

 

As Swami Ranganathanandaji has said at one place, 'The present day

Indian Constitution of 1950 has become our smriti now, superseding all

previous smritis, including the Manu Smriti'.

 

Therefore, swadharma now means not caste but in whatever pursuit one is

engaged in; be the person a businessmen, a lawyer, a doctor, an artist,

teacher, fisherman, woodcutter, his sole dharma is to be selfless as

much he/she can be.

 

This is possible by leaning towards God on the path of devotion based

on Jnana. Work one has taken up, either by choice or is forced upon the

person, should be done in spirit of detachment and without any

expectation of rewards. The Gita helps here.

 

Thus, all the dharma of smritis has been replaced by dharma of shrutis-

Upanishads - and hence priority of Jnana Yoga over Karma Yoga. Karma is

but a path to Jnana; just a means to purify the chitta to become

selfless.

 

thanks,

c s shah

http://www.neovedanta.org

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