Humanism of Haribhadra

Author(s): Christian Lindtner
Publisher: Z_Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_1_002105.pdf and Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_2

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The Humanism of Haribhadra
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4. Our knowledge of dharma--which is also defined as śrutacáriträtmaka (Comm. ad DB 3.69)-is derived from science, dharmastu na vinā śāstrāt (YB 222 ff). Or, according to the fragmentary Brahmasiddhantasamuccaya (BSS) 143 :
dharmādharmávyavasthāyāḥ śāstram eva niyāmakam 1
taduktasevanad dharmaḥ, adharmas tadviparyayāt 11 Exactly the same view is expressed in the Bhagavadgitā 16.24 :
tasmac chastram pramanam te karyakaryavyavasthitau |
Experience shows, however, that only some individuals are capable of receiving the dharmadeśanā (DB 2.40 & 2.81; LTN 2 ff.). Not all human beings can receive the saddharmabīja (DB 2.1), they are apātra, or abhavya (DB 2.81).
It is because they teach us authoritatively, that we must have bhakti to sadyogaśāstresu (YDS 110; cf. YB 222 ff). Also, we must have bhakti to a sarvajña, a Bhagavat who is dharmadeśaka (DB 6.48). He teaches the truth, for na dharme māyā (DB 4.31).
Truth is intimately related to dharma. Along with yajña, tapas, and dhyāna, satya is thus said to be dharmasādhana (BSS 114). Otherwise, the main "causes" of dharma are the five mahāvrata, which include satya and ahimsā, etc. (ŚVS 5).
That satya and dharma are intimately related is a common notion of Indian philosophy and law. When the Bauddhas, for instance, propagate the four Aryan Truths, these truths are truth about Dharma and about the dharmas (manifesting the Dharma, in the singular) i.e. about tad ekam as opposed to idam sarvam—the dharmadhatu as opposed to the sattvadhātu. There are four Aryan truths in order to be complete, for Dharma must stand firmly on four feet. This, as known, is an old Indo-European notion. Manu 1.81 is almost too famous to quote :
catuspät sakalo dharmaḥ satyam caiva kşte yuge nadharmenāgamah kaścin manusyān prati vartate ||
More precisely, that the source of dharma is science (śāstra, sadyogaśāstra), means that the source of dharma is the āgama of a Bhagavat who is sarvajña. Only a Bhagavat who is omniscient knows what he is