Dharma (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Zen)

Literally meaning the right, something held fast or kept, a law or custom, dharma is - in Hinduism - the universal moral law, the basis of religion, maintaining and sustaining the world, human society and the individual. [Sanatana dharma]

refers to the eternal law to which everything in the universe conforms through laws applying to its own particular nature; [sadhatana dharma]

is more a code of ethics to be followed in this life, the virtue of adhering to one's duty. Following the meaning of sanatana dharma, for Brahmanism dharma signifies cosmic law; and in Jainism it refers to movement and the universal rule of non-violence. In Buddhism it has a variety of interpretations relating to the appearances, characteristics or reality culminating in [nirvana]

, the object of Buddhist teaching; it is one of the three members of a trinity of jewels - Buddha, the law and the priesthood. The meaning can be extended to include deeds of merit which propitiate deities and lead to the attainment of heavenly bliss. In Zen, it refers to self nature, the support or basis of everything else, including body and mind.

In Hinduism, dharma, as righteousness, is one of the four great aims of life, the others being artha (wealth), kama (culture and art) and moksha (spiritual freedom). When these are in harmony there is no discord between the natural and spiritual life. The Bhagavad Gita is a story used to encourage fortitude in the cause of truth and justice and the rule of law; one is encouraged to follow one's own dharma, or duty, however badly rather than attempt to follow another's, however well. Being one's self as fully as one can, one acknowledges each human consciousness as a unique and precious opportunity for finding the way to and discovering the essential truth.

In the sense that dharmas are manifestations of the law or reality, or phenomena, Buddhism divides dharmas in a system describing the objective foundation of a bodhisattva's activity. First there are wholesome, unwholesome and indeterminate dharmas. The unwholesome are to be avoided, the indeterminate ignored. The wholesome is further divided into worldly (found in ordinary people, with outflows), which should be shunned by the saints as not being an antidote to seizing on the self, and supramundane (without outflows), which should be accepted. Again, the supramundane may be conditioned (relating to the empirical, conventional world, included in the triple universe, depending on causes and conditions) and unconditioned (relating to ultimate reality, not included in the triple universe, not depending on conditions). The unconditioned dharmas are further subdivided into common (manifesting in the spiritual stream of all the saints) and uncommon, such as the ten powers (manifesting only in Buddha).