Dharma - Its Etymology

Author(s): K. Krishna Murthy

Source: The Tibet Journal , Spring 1996, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Spring 1996), pp. 84-87
Published by: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43300563

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Dharma - Its Etymology

ICKrishna Murthy

The word religion in Christianity is derived from the Latin word re and
legere or ligare which means "to bind back;"1 that which binds human
beings to each other in the bonds of love and sympathy. The correspond-
ing vedic word is Dharma from dhr to hold and bind together, which has
the exact same significance.
The word Dhamma in the Buddhist scriptures is generally used in four
senses: 1) Scriptural Texts, 2) Quality (guņa ), 3) Cause (hetu), and 4) Un-
substantial and Soul-less ( nisatta nijjīva); in Buddhist Philosophy nisatta
nijjīva has significance. The early Buddhist Philosophy did not accept any
fixed entity as determining all reality; the only things accompanying it
were the unsubstantial phenomena and these were called Dhammas. But
there are also other senses in which the word Dhamma is used, such as
dhamma-desana to religious teaching. The Lankavatara described Dhamma as
guņa - dravyapíirvakã dharma - Dharmmas which are associated as attri-
butes and substances.2
In Jainism Dharma is devoid of taste, touch, smell, sound, and colour, it
is conterminous with the mundane universe ( lokākāša ) and pervades every
part of it. Therefore, the term astikaya is applied to it. It is the principle of
motion, the accompanying circumstance or cause which makes motion
possible, like water to a moving fish. The water is a passive condition or
a circumstance from the movement of a fish, it is indifferent or passive
(udāsīna) and not an active or solicitions (preraka ) cause. The water cannot
compel a fish at rest to move, but if the fish wants to move, water is then
the necessary aid to its motion. Dharma cannot make the soul or matter
move, but if they are to move, they cannot do so without the presence of
dharma. Hence at the extremity of the mundane world (loka) in the region
of the liberated souls, where there is no dharma , the liberated souls attain
perfect rest. They cannot move there as there is no necessary motion-
element Dharma. ( Drvya Samgrahavrtti, 17-20). Adharma is also regarded as
a similar pervasive entity which aids jīvas and pudgalas to keep themselves
at rest. No substance can move if there is no dharma, nor could it remain
at rest if there is no adharma?
In Jainism Dharma is also defined as that which leads beings out of the
world's woes and holds them fast in the highest bliss.4 The Vaisešhika
Sūtra defines Dharma Yato Abhy-udaya-Nis-Shre-yasa-Siddhih, sah Dharmah
- dharma is that which brings joy, both in the Life and Hereafter. In other
words the definition is that which helps to achieve abhyu-daya, prosperity
(in this life), as well as nishreyas, the highest happiness (in the after life)

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 DHARMA - ITS ETYMOLOGY 85

that is Dharma , the joys of earth and heaven, and the bliss of realised
infinitude and immortality, during the life on-earth and thereafter as well.
In the Nyaya-Vaišesika philosophy dharma is the quality of presence which
enables the soul to enjoy the happiness or to attain salvation.5 Gaudapāda
states that all the Dharmas are without death or decay.6 Manu states
Dandam Dharmam Vidur-budhah - "The rod, resistless of compulsion, held
by Royalty, which meeteth good for good and ill for ill, and orders all
things, that Rod is Dharma embodied."
We can get a clear etymological definition of Dharma in Santi Parva of
the Mahābhāratha. It defines Dharma as that which binds fast all beings,
each to each with bonds of rights and duties; binding these also together,
in the unfailing law of Action and Reaction, from whence Reward arises
for good and Punishment for ill and thus preserves mankind.7
The Vaidika Dharma etymologically refers to the Religion of knowledge;
Sanatoria - Dharma refers to the Religion, the way of the Eternal self;
Manava - Dharma , Religion of Humanity and Humanism; Buddha - Dharma ,
Religion of Buddhi wisdom; Ā rya - Dharma , Religion of the Good, the
noble minded.

The word Islam has a profound and noble meaning which is indeed by
itself the very essence of religion. Derived from Salm - Peace, and where
Shanti refers to "Peaceful Acceptance" of God. Another Islamic name for
religion is Mazhab which means the "Way", i.e. the way of Righteousness,
the path to God and Happiness. Dharma is also a triple way, sub-divided
into three intertwining paths of Margas : knowledge, evotion, and works.
Buddhism also describes itself as the Middle Path8 and again, in greater
detail as the Asthãnga Àrya Marga, the Noble Eight-Fold Path.9 However
the one and only path is always the Path of Non-Egoism, and unselfish-
ness.

Shinto, or Shin-tao (the word is said to be Chinese) the an

of Japan, now practically merged into Buddhism is know
michi ; the Way of the Spirits, the Divine Way, the Way o
the indwelling spirits - all sparks of the one spirit.1 T
religion given by Lao-tse11 (in China) is Tao, which ag
Way." The idea of the Middle-Path, is found in the fo
following are the definitions of Tao: Way, Method, Princip
or Life-force, the Regulated Processes of Nature, the Idea
the Primal Cause of All Phenomena, the Right, the Go
Moral Law and God. Ultimately, we always come round
only way - merging the small self in the Eternal-self, the
sea.

In all great religions we can distinguish three main a

Vadika Dharma they are expressly mentioned as Jñana - M

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86 THE TIBET JOURNAL

Marga}2 In the Buddhist Eight Fold Path, the three most important under
which the other five may be classified are Right Knowledge, Right Desire
and Right Action - Samyak drshti, Samyak sankalpa, and Samyak Vyayama
which are same as the three Vaidika Margas. Jaina teachs the same: the
Way to Liberty is Right Deserve, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct.
These are known as the "The Three Jewels," ratna traya in Jainism. Here
Darshana stands for ichchhā or bhakti and chãritriya for kriya or Karma. In
these three words knowledge, desire, action - Jñana - ichchhā - kriya
corresponding with Sattva - Tamas - Rajas, we find indicated terms of
psychological science, the reason why all religions have this three fold
nature.

Notes

1. Dr. Bhagawan Das, Essential Unity of All Religions , Madras, 1955, p. 103.
2. S. Das Gupta, A History of Indian Philosophy , Cambridge, 1957, p.84.
3. The Jains probably felt the necessity of admitting these two categories on the
account of their notion that the inner activity of the jīva or the atoms re-
quired for its exterior realization, and with the aid of some other extraneous
entity, without which this could not have been transformed into an actual
exterior motion. Moreover, since the jivas were regarded as being inherently
active even at the time of Liberation (¡ mokņa ), which was undesirable. Thus it
was conceived that actual motion required for its fulfilment needed the help
of an extraneous entity, which was absent in the region of the liberated souls.
4. Samsãra-dukkhatah Sattvan yo dharati uttame sukhe ( Samanatha Bhadra).
5. Prasastapāda speaks of dharma as being a quality of the soul. Thereupon
Srīdhara points out that this view does not admit that dharma is a power of
Karma ( nakarma sãmarthyam). Sacrifice, etc. cannot be dharma for these being
momentary actions cannot generate the effects which can only be reaped at
a future time. If the action is destroyed, its power ( Samarthya ) cannot lasO So
dharma is to be admitted as a quality generated in the self by certain courses
of conduct, which produce happiness when helped by certain other condi-
tions of time, place, etc. Faith (šraddha), non-violence, doing good to all
beings, truthfulness, not-stealing, controling sexuality, sincerity, control of
anger, ablution, taking pure food, devotion to particular gods, fasting, strict
adherence to scriptural duties, and the performance of duties assigned to
each caste and stage of life, are enumerated by Prasastapāda as producing
dharma. The person who strictly adheres to these duties, the Yamas, niyamas
and attains Yoga by meditation on the Six Padarthas, attains adharma which
brings Liberation ( moksa ). Srīdhara refers to the Sãmkhya-Yoga account for
the method of attaining Salvation (Nyãyakandali, pp. 272-280).
6. The use of the word Dharma in the sense of appearance or entity is peculiarly
Buddhistic. The Hindu sense is that given by Jaimini, " Codanãlakçanah arthah,
dharmah." Dharma is determined by the injuctions of the Vedas.
7. Dhãranãd Dharma iti ahuh , Dharmo dhãrayati Prajah. {Santi - Parva).

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 DHARMA - ITS ETYMOLOGY 87

8. The way that Buddha taught is ecpressly known as Majjhima - Pati-Pāda (skt.
madhyama paripãti) the Middle Path. One of the schools of Philosophy that
latter arose among his followers is known as Madhyamika - the School of the
Middle Way.
9. These are the Buddhist Scheme of moral and intellectual self-development
leading to Enlightenment. The Eight constituent are: 1) Sammã-Ditthi (Right
Understanding or Views); 2) Sammã- Sankappo (Right Thought or Resolve);
mental attitude or motive; 3) Sammã Vacha (Right Speech or Expression of
One's Thought); 4) Sammã Kamman-to (Right Action); 5) Samma Ajivo (Right
Pursuits or Right Living); 6) Sammã Vayamo (Right Recollection or Con-
centration of Mind; and 8) Sammã Samãdhi (Right Ecstasy of Spiritual
Contemplation of Reality or Right Meditation); Vide K. Krishna Murthy, A
Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Terminologies , Delhi, 1991, p.8.
10. Bhagawan Das, Op cit.f p. 110, foonote 1.
11. Lao-tse was born in 604 b.c.

12. Samyag-darshana-jfiana-charitrayânï Moksha-Mãrgah. ( uma-swami Tattva-ãrtha

Sütra).

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