Guest guest Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 --- By "K.S. Sastry" <kssastry wrote> > This is a very erroneous presentation of the concept > of Dharma > based on a slective and superficial study of the > Hindu > scriptures. I have dealt with the subject at some > length in my > book "Constitution for 21st Century India" (earlier > published as > e-book and now released as a print book). I shall > gladly send > relevant extracts to members who are interested. > > Briefly, Dharma can be construed as a set of values > that provide > guidance to living beings. When we say living beings > we mean all > living beings, living anywhere and everywhere - > vasudhaiva > kutumbakam, the whole world is one family, > Panchatantram (5.13). > > While different scriptures enumerate these values > variously, > they all cluster around four core values, namely, > tapah or > contemplation (of the Supreme Being), saucham or > cleanliness (of > self and surroundings), dayā or compassion > (towards all > living beings), and satyam or truth > Srimadbhāgavatam > (1.17.24 and 11.17.11). According to Tattirīya > Upanişhad (1.9.1), the word tapah itself has a > much wider > connotation and subsumes all duties that a living > being is > enjoined to perform, including procreation, learning > and > teaching. > > These are universal values and are applicable to all > living > beings without distinction. As I have explained in > the book > while the varna system may be predicated on Dharma, > Dharma > itslef is not predicated on varna. In other words, > we could very > well pursue Dhrama jettisoning the dysfunctional > varna system. > This is what we should be doing to achieve human > progress in the > 21st century - the Yuga Dharma. > > As is explained in Mahābhārata, Dharma was > enunciated > for the progress of living beings and not to > downgrade or > denigrate much less exclude any of them - > prabhavārdhāya bhūtānām > dharmapravachanam kritam (Śantiparva (110.10). > > Kambhampati S. Sastry > 101 Akshaya Apts. > 6-3-565 Somajiguda > Hyderabad 500 082 > Tel: 40 2332 3588 > kssastry > > > > > ---- On Wed, 15 Sep 2004, Michael Gressett > (fourgirldad) wrote: > > > Dear VFA Members, > > > > The following quote is from the book "India and > Europe: An > Essay in Understanding" by William > > Halbfass. The context is a discussion of "the > xenological > implications of the "orthodox" notion of > > dharma, as found in the Mimamsa and > Dharmasastra"... > > > > "He who is born as an Aryan, and in particular as > a Brahmin, > has thus achieved a "dharmic" potential > > which is essentially inaccessible to others. The > dharma which > constitutes the identity of the Aryan > > is not the svadharma of the Aryan, it is not one > "appropriate > norm" among many. Rather, as > > varnasramadharma, it is the system in which > svadharma first > attains its significance and its > > function. > > > > The "non-Aryans" are not only—not even > primarily—distinguished from the "Aryans" > because they > > factually fail to "hold dharma in honor,"97 but > rather because > they have no right or mandate to honor > > it. Similarly, they cannot violate it in the same > manner as > Aryans can, for they stand outside the > > sphere of dharmically relevant action." > > > > Comments? > > > > Michael Gressett > > > > > > Let truth be told. The reality in regarding to the 800 million Hindus living in India is that the religion as is being practised today –– does not conform to the principles of Dharma. “Our civilisation has become ossified, our Dharma a bigotry of externals, our spirituality a faint glimmer of light or a momentary wave of intoxication,” wrote Aurobindo in April 1920, that is, a good eighty years ago. Prior to him, Swami Vivekananda expressed similar sentiments. But, we have not mended our ways. To wit, the caste system is eating into the vitals of the nation. It is true that, the son of a Brahmana starts with an initial advantage in becoming a Brahmana even as a carpenter’s son starts with an initial advantage in becoming a carpenter or, in the modern world, a doctor’s son starts with an initial advantage in becoming a doctor and, to say something not very political, a President’s son starts with an initial advantage in becoming a President. But, neither the original sruthis nor the later smritis have ever sanctioned a caste system based on birth. But, that is precisely what we been practising, thereby not only perpetuating but also aggravating the social, economic, and, now, political inequalities. And, look at the exponential growth in the “worship” industry, at a rate higher than even the IT and Entertainment industries. People have become more and more ritualistic and irrational. They have stopped thinking for themselves and are easily led astray by some priest or an astrolger or a vastu expert. Hinduism back home needs a Sankaracharya to redefine Hinduism in the context of the current conditions both within and outside the country – the Yuga Dharma. In such a context, if some people wish to quibble on the word Hinduism and propagate an idealised and romantic version of the Vedic culture essentially for the benefit of their intellectually inclined friends, I have absolutely no problem with it. The question is what are we trying to achieve. Kambhampati S. Sastry 101 Akshaya Apts. 6-3-565 Somajiguda Hyderabad 500 082 Tel: 40 2332 3588 kssastry > > > > Mail - You care about security. So do we. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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