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What is Sanatan Dharma

zenzero

Its only a Label
Friends,

WHAT IS "SANATANA DHARMA'?

Kindly note this question is for non-hindus only who may respond according to their own perception. Be free to respond any way you may like.

Love & rgds
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Literally, "Eternal Teaching", although "Dharma" is somewhat tricky to translate.

I usually understand it to be the traditional name for Hinduism, although I do acknowledge that Hinduism has been a strong influence (in language if nothing else) for Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and perhaps Taoism and Confucionism as well.

In a more ambitious and idealistic sense, Sanatana Dharma also means religion in its most exalted and pure form. The very activity and purpose of Doing and Learning What is Right. In that sense, it can't very well afford to be limited to specific traditions, borders, lineages or even conceptions of Dharma and/or Religion. It is the simple and direct expression of the Sacred in constructive and worthy ways.
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
From an English speaking perspective, I have always understood Sanatan Dharma to be the traditional name for the umbrella of Hindu religions (and Hindu actually referring to ethnicity until it became the term that replaced Sanatan Dharma and Indian became the term to replace Hindu (the ethnicity ).

The term "Sanatan Sikh" is used for a person who syncretises Sikhi with Sanatan Dharma (Hindu religion).

To my mind it [Sanatan Dharma] is separate from other distinct "Dharmic" religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhi.
 
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zenzero

Its only a Label
Friends,

To start with let us see the definition of 'Sanatana dharma is:
By its nature, Sanatana Dharma is:
Experience based rather than belief based.
Without any ideological divisions.
Beyond any historical date of founding.
The process of growth, which comes from the seed.
Inherent in, and inclusive of all.
Applicable to all people of all places and times.
In the world, while above the world.
God-centered rather than prophet-centered.
Devoid of sectarianism or denominationalism.
Both immanent and transcendent.
The whole and the parts.
Loving of all and excluding of none.

The universal flow of Dharma,
regardless of what name you call it,
whether Dharma or some other name,
has eternally existed.
It has been before any of
the great teachers were born.
It is not better than, or alternative to,
but is inclusive of all.
Dharma is that out of which
our earth and humanity itself emerged.
Dharma not only is,
but always was, and always will be.
To live in alignment with,
and to know the true nature
of that Sanatana Dharma
is one of the ways of describing
the higher goal of life.
source: What is Sanatana Dharma?

Definition
Sanatana Dharma is by its very essence a term that is devoid of sectarian leanings or ideological divisions. This is evident by the very term itself. The two words, "Sanatana Dharma", come from the ancient Sanskrit language. "Sanatana" is a Sanskrit word that denotes that which which is Anadi (beginningless), Anantha (endless) and does not cease to be, that which is eternal and everlasting. With its rich connotations, Dharma is not translatable to any other language. Dharma is from dhri, meaning to hold together, to sustain. Its approximate meaning is "Natural Law," or those principles of reality which are inherent in the very nature and design of the universe. Thus the term Sanatana Dharma can be roughly translated to mean "the natural, ancient and eternal way."

When translated to English, Sanatana refer to Eternal, Perennial, Never Beginning nor Ending, Abiding, Universal, Ever-present, Unceasing, Natural, and Enduring while Dharma refers to Harmony, The Way, Righteousness, Compassion, Natural Law, Truth, Teachings, Tradition, Philosophy, Order, Universal, Flow, Religion, Wisdom, Divine Conformity, Cosmic Norm, Blueprint, Inherent Nature, Law of Being, and Duty.
source: Sanatana Dharma -

The difference between Sanatan dharma and Hinduism according to Rampuri Baba:
Hinduism is the “belief” of the Indians, and it would be reasonable for a non-Hindu or non-Indian to ask a Hindu, “What do you Hindus believe in?”

The Sanatan Dharma, on the other hand, is not overly concerned with ideas and belief. Traditionally Sanatan Dharma signifies the dynamic sum of ALL the knowledge of ALL the diverse traditions of Bharat Mata, or Greater Hindusthan, if you will, since the beginning of time. It is not the SUBJECT of knowledge (or the means by which it may be obtained – as in an ism)
source: The difference between Sanatan Dharma and Hinduism

How the word slowly got connect with to mean Vaidic dharma??
No idea!

However it is amply clear that the word 'sanatan dhrma' in its purest form simply means ETERNAL [sanatan] laws of nature [dharma] which includes all forms and no-forms in nature that follows the law and so sanatan dharma has been accepted even by the Supreme Court of India to be a 'way of life' and not a religion.
Every human has a way of life and that when in tune with the laws of nature one is in perfect tuning in perfect balance in all respects but as soon as the tuning is out of sync. the individual loses balance. In this process one slowly masters the ways to be in tune some do it on their own others take help from those who have already mastered a way and so are called 'masters' or 'gurus' and in this the oldest system is the vaidic system but even in following the vadic system individual adaptations will be individualistic and so in effect every individual follows his or her own path according to his way of life.

Love & rgds
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
The key word is 'dharma' (duty, obligation). 'Sanatana' (eternal) is only an adjective, a qualifier. And 'dharma' is appropriate action, in the family, in the society, for the country, for the whole world including all living and non-living.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic Bully ☿
Premium Member
The key word is 'dharma' (duty, obligation). 'Sanatana' (eternal) is only an adjective, a qualifier. And 'dharma' is appropriate action, in the family, in the society, for the country, for the whole world including all living and non-living.

Agreed. :)
 

zenzero

Its only a Label
Friend Aupmanyav,

The point was:
Dharma of existence existed even before the evolution of humans are rather as a result of the dharma of existence itself that humans evolved.
And that is referred to as 'sanatana dharma'.

Love & rgds
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Yes, all social animals had their 'dharmas'. When it required one to support the other of their own kind, 'dharma' arose.
 

zenzero

Its only a Label
Friend Aupmanyav,

When it required one to support the other of their own kind, 'dharma' arose.
We are not discussing such dharmas, we are just trying to understand the words 'sanatan dharma' and what it stands for.

Love & rgds
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic Bully ☿
Premium Member
Friend crossfire,


Compare? what for?
Its all One and the same!

Love & rgds
Even an elephant looks different from different perspectives. (Depending on which end of the elephant you happen to be.) Being able to discern the elephant's head from the elephant's tail in no way affects the wholeness of the elephant. However, there might be different "appropriate action" (dharma) when dealing with the head of the elephant than with the tail of the elephant.
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
The key word is 'dharma' (duty, obligation). 'Sanatana' (eternal) is only an adjective, a qualifier. And 'dharma' is appropriate action, in the family, in the society, for the country, for the whole world including all living and non-living.

That sounds like a really good, clear statement.

I think the complication might come when people start trying to codify what 'appropriate action' in terms of religious actions.
 

Ravi500

Active Member
Friends,

WHAT IS "SANATANA DHARMA'?

Kindly note this question is for non-hindus only who may respond according to their own perception. Be free to respond any way you may like.

Love & rgds


Here is a saying by Mata Amritanandamayi, a Hindu enlightened master, on the Sanatana Dharma....


“The relationship between man, Nature and God—Sanatana Dharma is the culture that saw this relationship in its entirety. Hindu Dharma offers the world principles and ideals of goodness and betterment for all beings. These have been handed down to us through the generations as the experiences of our Rishis. Sanatana Dharma, in reality, is not a religion. It is the sum total of all the principles, pathways of spiritual practice and customs leading to the moral and spiritual upliftment of everyone.

Dharma, artha and kama—all are accepted. However we are also reminded that moksha—or Self-knowledge—is the real goal of life. Hindu Dharma’s foundation is the expansive vision of seeing and worshipping out True Self in all beings, in the earth, the sky, the wind, the ocean and the whole of nature.


One of the unique features of Hinduism is to help every person rise by going down to his level. People are of different samskaras—mental tendencies. Each person should be guided according to their samskara. For example, some patients may be given injections, while others are given tablets. People may go to a doctor complaining that they have stomachache, but the doctor doesn’t give the same medicine to each and every person. The stomachache could be due to indigestion, it could be due to appendicitis or it could be due to an ulcer or even cancer. The doctor must write the prescription according to the needs of the patient. Similarly, one should be advised to follow a particular spiritual path only after we’ve taken into consideration their physical and mental constitution and samskara. That is how the different paths of spiritual practices came into existence in Hinduism.”
 

zenzero

Its only a Label
Friend crossfire,

Even an elephant looks different from different perspectives. (Depending on which end of the elephant you happen to be.) Being able to discern the elephant's head from the elephant's tail in no way affects the wholeness of the elephant. However, there might be different "appropriate action" (dharma) when dealing with the head of the elephant than with the tail of the elephant.

Perspective is only if you are in the mind. Since everyone has a mind, they are all different in some respect.
However, mind transcended; its all ONE MIND!

Love & rgds
 
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