Religion is a collection of cultural and belief system that
establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and sometime to moral
values.
According to Swami Rama: The
words "religion" and "dharma" denote two entirely different
concepts and perspectives. Religion is comprised of rituals, customs, and
dogmas surviving on the basis of fear and blind faith. Dharma--a word,
unfortunately, with no English equivalent--encapsulates those great laws and
disciplines that uphold, sustain, and ultimately lead humanity to the sublime
heights of worldly and spiritual glory. Established in the name of God, a
religion is an institution that requires a growing number of adherents for its
expansion and future existence. A religion discriminates against human beings
who do not belong to its particular order and condemns their way of living and
being, whereas dharma is eternal, looking for no followers for its propagation.
With no discrimination whatsoever, it leads a human being beyond the realms of
man-made, institutionalized dictums. Instead of creating fear of God, it makes
God manifest in the human heart, not in an anthropomorphic form, but as the absolute
and universal One in whom all diversities reside in perfect harmony.
The Upanishads saw 'Dharma' as the universal
principle of law, order, harmony, all in all truth, that sprang first from
Brahman.
In the Brihadaranyaka's
own words:
Verily, that which
is Dharma is truth.
'Satyam
vada, Dharmam chara'
Literally
means, Speak the Truth and Practice Dharma.
Ancient
Hindu scriptures emphasize the importance of 'Satya' and 'Dharma'. Satya is the eternal, absolute and unchanging
truth. Dharma is often translated as righteousness, Law or Natural Law.
When you add language and living
style (traditions, practices and habits) to Dharma, it becomes Culture.
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