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BANERJEE : JAIN RELIGION IN A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
49
The word is connected with Greek alego I care (< inf. alegein "to have a care for, to heed" cf. Greek algos, care, from the same root leg-). Homer has used the word in this sense in his Iliad (xvi. 388)---theon opin ouk alegontes "not regarding the vengence of the gods", where the word indicates "fearing the gods". Gradually this meaning was shifted and relegated to the idea of what exists beyond the visible world of which human beings have no control. At a later time, this idea was nurtured through faith, belief, ritual, prayer, spiritual exercises and so on for guiding the everyday conduct of human beings. The religious activities are not guided by reason as is done in philosophy. In course of time, people are strictly adhered to the validity of religious beliefs and practices. The Indian term dharma (derived from the root dhệ, to hold, with the suffix ma) means the norms for living in a society. The original sense is 'dhāranăd dharma ityāhuh, dharmo dhārayate prajāḥ i.e. that which holds the prajās or people together are actually the social order. In the Indian context the more emphasis is given on the social order of a place. It is for that reason that we find in the · Manusaṁhitā that the ten inner qualities of man constitute the characteristics of dharma. These are
dhrtiḥ kşamā damo'steyaṁ saucam indriya-nigrahaḥ/ dhir vidyā satyam akrodho daśakaṁ dharma
lakṣaṇamll [6.92)
"Contentment, forgiveness, self-control, non-stealing, purity (of mind), controlling of senses, intellect, knowledge, truth, non-anger (calmness) are the ten features of religion."
And the same Manu in other context states briefly the essence of dharma which includes
ahiṁsā satyam asteyam saucam indriya-nigrahaḥ/ evam sāmāsikam dharmaṁ cāturvarnye' bravin
Manuḥ|| (10.63]
