Jain Digest 2005 01

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 21

Identification of Dharma (Religion)
The Omniscience Tirthankaras established Dharma Tirth to remove all Miseries and Unhappiness of the worldly materialistic pleasures and bring supreme, eternal, Peace as well as Bliss to all living beings. They declared and propounded perfect Dharma. We bow down to them.
All beings act with the common aim of achieving permanent happiness and the same cannot be achieved in absence of Perfect Dharma. Therefore, a living creature or specie and human being must engross themselves in perfect Dharma.
What is Religion? Does this convey correct and appropriate meaning of Dharma? What are its characteristics? How to identify it? I think it does not transpire perfect meaning of Dharma. How? And Why? These are two principal questions to be answered in this article.
There are many Dharmas in the world and everyone believes what they perform is the true Dharma. Various thinkers have given various thoughts about Dharma. There is nothing wrong in it. Everybody has own right to have about his or her own selection of Dharma. But if you are intellectual and learned person you will certainly think about perfect Dharma without following Sheep like attitude. I list some of the characteristics that are termed and believed as Dharma or Religion in the world today.
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Dharma means following tenets in holy books Dharma means Divine or Holy thinking and many more definitions given to Dharma
10.
JAIN DIGEST⚫ Spring 2005/19
Dharma means Duty
Dharma means Service
Dharma means Morality
Dharma means Right Conduct
Dharma means Devotion and Worship to God. Dharma means Charity
Dharma means Traditional Conduct of the Family Dharma means acquiring Scriptural Knowledge
Jain Education Intemational
The word Dharma is derived from root "Dhru" element in Sanskrit language. It has meaning of sustainability and maintainability. Our scriptures writers, keeping in mind the meaning of this word affirmed that Dharma is the subject and not object matter, which sustains and maintains as well as preserves the living creatures and species from falling the prey to Karmas and ultimately to degradations. This is indeed very much clear and lucid meaning of the Dharma. This definition
It will be appropriate to note here and may not be out of also summarises multiplicity definitions of Dharma which I place with regret to mention that prominent leaders, preceptors,
am going to narrate below.
preachers in the present scenario etc; have not consumed the true concept of Dharma.
By Chandraprakash Shah, UK.
11.Dharma means one of the material of Shad (six) Dravys 12. Dharma means Vyahara and Nischaya Dharma means Dravya and Bhava
13.
However neither of these definitions conveys perfect and purest meaning of Dharma (Religion). It may be true that they all convey only one aspect of the Dharma but do not tell the whole truth and all aspects of Dharma that we should understand.
Let us examine definition No.4 for example:
Either it conveys full or partial meaning of Dharma. It says Dharma means "Right Conduct." It conveys various meanings such as faith, knowledge, emotions, feelings, compassion etc; just like a country has many towns, cities and villages. Some consider it as non-touching, bathing in the morning and evening and whenever they feel to bath. Some opine to have Brahma bhojan, offering alms, tree worshipping, animal sacrifices and feeding cows as well as beggars. Hence it will be ridiculous to consider "Right Conduct" as perfect Dharma. Like wise other definitions narrated above can be considered.
Infact, it is impossible to derive or define the true meaning of the word. One must possess the knowledge of grammar, glossary, tradition and various scriptures. Our authors of scriptures were well versed with all these terms and therefore they were able to establish and confirm the perfect meaning of
the words.
There are two typical words in Indian language Sanskrit. Though they are in fact two and half words but they are very significant in Indian Dharmik Philosophy. They are Karma and Dharma. Both are attached to our soul. However there is vast difference of working between them. The former creates down fall of the soul and makes it wander in 14 Raj-Lokas (Jain reference terms for the Universe and Cosmology) and causes sufferings of miseries and keeps the soul in tremendous torture. While latter promotes and elevates the soul to become Omniscience. These two words play very important role in everyone's life. Isn't it? Why we should know about Dharma?
Because Karmas are attached to the soul and do not allow the soul to become purest one and keep away from eternal and supreme Peace as well as happiness.