dharmamoral

Dharmamoral is a neologism used in philosophy and religious studies to refer to a form of morality grounded in the Indian concept of dharma. The term blends dharma, a Sanskrit term with meanings including duty, law, virtue, and cosmic order, with moral or morality, signaling a framework in which ethical norms derive from a perceived right order rather than from secular universal principles alone.

In this view, moral obligations arise from one's role, station, or the inherent duties of beings within the cosmos; actions are evaluated by whether they uphold dharma, including truthfulness, non-harm, righteousness, and duties to family and community. Doctrines differ across traditions: in Hindu philosophy, dharma can be personal, social, or universal; in Buddhism, dharma refers to the teachings and the law of existence but is often linked to ethical conduct; in Jainism, dharma is closely linked to nonviolence and ascetic practice. The term dharmamoral therefore encompasses a spectrum of positions from strictly duty-bound ethics to virtue-centered moral reasoning aligned with cosmic order.

Scholars use the term to discuss questions such as how dharmic duties interact with universal human rights, how conflicting duties are resolved, and how cultural context shapes moral norms. Critics argue that a dharmamoral approach may privilege traditional norms over individual autonomy or secular moral reasoning, potentially leading to relativism or conflict with universalist ethics. Proponents contend that dharmic moral frameworks offer stable, context-sensitive guidance rooted in long-standing traditions.

Related topics include dharma, virtue ethics, religious ethics, natural law, and secular morality.