dharm

Dharm, often transliterated as dharma, is a key concept in Indian religious and philosophical traditions, especially Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It derives from the Sanskrit root dhṛ, meaning “to uphold,” and is cognate with the Pali term dhamma. The word carries a range of related ideas, including cosmic order, law, virtue, duty, and righteous conduct.

In Hinduism, dharma has multiple layers. It can denote universal law or order (sanatana dharma), personal duty (svadharma) appropriate to one’s caste (varna) and stage of life (ashrama), and ethical living in harmony with truth. Dharma guides individual conduct, social obligations, and religious practices, and it is often contrasted with adharma, or unrighteousness. The concept is central to texts such as the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, where svadharma and righteous action are emphasized.

In Buddhism, dharma (Pali dhamma) primarily refers to the Buddha’s teachings and the ultimate truth of phenomena as they are experienced. It encompasses the laws of causation and the path to liberation, and it is one of the Three Jewels, along with the Buddha and the Sangha. Buddhist dharma informs ethical conduct, meditation, and the understanding of impermanence, suffering, and non-self.

In Jainism, dharma denotes moral law and righteous conduct, with a strong emphasis on ahimsa (nonviolence), truth, and ascetic discipline. It is both a cosmic principle and a practical code for monks and lay followers.

In modern usage, dharma can signify one’s duty or righteous path in daily life. Some traditions use the term Sanatana Dharma to refer to the eternal or universal aspect of Hindu spirituality.