Sanatan, Culture and Dharma
Dharma: Beyond Religion and Sect
When we speak of religion, we generally think of a system of
beliefs, doctrines, forms of worship, rituals, sacred books, institutions, and
communities of believers. In the Abrahamic world, different interpretations of
religious doctrines gave rise to different sects, each often possessing its own
theological identity, institutions, rituals, and practices.
The Vedic conception of Dharma, however, is
fundamentally different. Equating Dharma with a sect or religion in this
conventional sense overlooks one of Vedic civilization's most distinctive
features.
I have often wondered whether Dharma has an exact English
equivalent. I do not think there is.
The word may sometimes be translated as “religion,” “duty,” “righteousness,” “law,” “virtue,” or “moral order,” but none of these words captures its full meaning. Each conveys only one aspect of the concept. Dharma is broader.
