How is Dharma relevant in our lives?

Dr Krishna Bhatta

Dharma has three faces and twelve padas (feet). The three faces are:

1. Concept of Dharma

2. Indicators of Dharma …dharma is like a Dow or Sensex index…there is no fixed right number…it goes up or it goes down.

3. There are measures and processes to achieve an uptrend in Dharma

Dharma is not just a concept which is abstract and good for philosophical discussions. Dharma is relevant in our lives. Many people ask this question as to how Dharma is relevant in our lives. What can we do about Dharma? When we do not really understand what Dharma means?

We have talked about it before and tried to understand how Dharma is a value system of the infrastructure that is here to support our lives. Today we will explore Dharma from a much more practical aspect so that we can try to live a life consistent with upholding of this essence. We will look at what you and I can do to make this concept come alive.

We need to bring understanding of Dharma in modern times. There is no other word or concept that describes what Dharma really means. Right and wrong do not address our social needs. Justice also does not get close. Democracy is just utilitarian. The world today has a limitation of words without use of this word Dharma. Therefore, I am bringing this topic again for further elaboration and discussion. 

Here are the twelve padas:

DHARMA
D for Development & Divine
H for Happiness & Harmony
A for Aspiration & Admiration
R for Relativity & Right and Wrong
M for Middle Path & Meditation
A for Acceptance & Awareness

D for Development

A child is born in a family. Family is part of a society. This society forms a nation. Nations form our world. How does this world support this newborn child? Is the infrastructure nourishing for a sound development of this child?

That is what Krishna is concerned about. If the child develops properly and is well supported, he will contribute to the structure of the society and thereby to the world to enhance this infrastructure so that it becomes better for the next child that comes to this world. He is also going to support his elders who become part of the outgoing generation when he is young and alive.

It is not only important for a human child to be able to grow in a healthy fashion. A proper development of the animal world and nature as a whole around is important. A rose flower should get a nice bed to thrive. A river should get proper bed to flow. The land should get enough water and nourishment to thrive. The world has to develop as a whole.

Krishna is concerned not only about what we can see but also about what we cannot see. The part of journey that we can see is from birth to death. We do not see what happens between death and birth. Much happens there as well. How do the souls find a proper family to take birth into? Buddha said that he will come back as Maitreya. The story is that Maitreya cannot find a proper family and the surrounding. There is no dearth of Saddam Hussains and Bin Ladens. They have no problem finding a place for birth. But, a Buddha has trouble finding appropriate surrounding. Krishna wants to change the whole infrastructure of his times. Everything had become supportive at the time for growth of people like Duryodhana and Kansa. That had to change.

(To be continued)

- Dr Krishna Bhatta