Truth and righteousness contain all morality
abracad, · Categories: buddhism, externally authored, spiritualityBy Lt Col R K Langar
Our ideal in life should be to speak the truth and act righteously. When translated into Sanskrit the title of this write up will be SATHYAM VADA DHARMAM CHARA. Mahabharata says that Dharma or Righteousness is adequate to lead one to the status of Absolute Brahman. Mahabharata also underscores that Dharma is eternal Truth and Truth is Righteousness (Dharma). Dharma has many connotations like Religion, duty or essence of something like dharma of fire is to burn but the most commonly used meaning of Dharma is Righteousness. Right and wrong are not subjective. What is right is always right and what is wrong is always wrong under all conditions. Bhagavad Gita exorts what let our scriptures has the authority as to what should be done and what should not be done. And scriptures are always based on Truth and Righteousness. No scriptures of the world will teach you to tell lies and act contrary to righteousness. Bhagavad Gita uses Dharma very authorotatively when Lord Krishna states that whenever there is decline in righteousness in the world he comes down to protect the good, destroy the wicked and establish Dharma. Buddha had said that not by matted hair one becomes a Brahmin. One becomes Brahmin by being Truthful and by acting Righteously. Truth and Dharma when fully understood, practiced and followed constitute the essence of man’s character. We shall discuss Truth and Dharma in detail.
Truth
By truth is laid out the Divine Path. There is nothing higher than Truth. Everything is upheld by Truth. Truth is the basic law of life. On the path of truth everything else is added. Truth is the foundation of all virtues. Truth is the first inherent attribute of Brahman or Atma whose three inherent attributes are Truth, Consciousness or knowledge and Bliss or SAT-CHIT-ANAND. Truth alone triumphs – Satyameva Jayate. Truth or God is one, wise call it by many names. There is one God, without a second, in all Religions even though the same God is called by different names in different religions. Truth is like the root of tree. If you water the root all branches of the tree are automatically nourished. Therefore let Truth be the basis or centre of all your activities. If you are established in truth, divine virtues are attracted by truth in large quantity.
A truthful person has a clean mind which is free from undesired false loads. Truth gives honesty which is seeing and describing things as they are. Truth means uprightness. A truthful person’s life is like an open book where he does not feel the necessity to hide anything from any one. His thoughts actions and speech are in Harmony with each other. His personality is one whole and complete without and split. If you are truthful, you are frank, straight forward and are without any pretension. What you are inside, you project exactly the same outside in your conduct, words and deeds. This is also real simplicity. Truth makes you courageous, confident and fearless. A truthful person is sincere, loyal, trustworthy and transparent. With truthfulness one becomes innocent like a child who is pure and full of love. Practice of truthfulness also ends selfishness. Truth is a big prayer for attaining higher values of life-- human, social, moral and spiritual. There is yet another big advantage in being truthful in totality. Whatever a truthful person says it comes true. If a truthful person tells a sick person that he would be alright, the sick person gets well.
Righteousness or Dharma
Dharma also means religion. Hinduism is called Sanatana Dharma or eternal Religion since it has no founder and it has been existing since time immemorial, unlike other religions which came after Hinduism and have founders and dates they came in being. Dharma is also used for your duty like Dharma of a soldier is to defend his country against foreign invasions. Dharma also means code of ethics or moral laws. A person who follows moral laws is a morally upright person. It is said in our scriptures that Dharma should regulate Artha(money) and kama(desires) to obtain Moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth and death. In other words Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha are to be kept in mind while living in the world. Dharma is also the foundation of spiritual life unless one is morally sound, he cannot attain spiritual evolution. Spirituality is founded on moral virtues and religion is the source of moral virtues. It is also said that Dharma protects one who protects Dharma or who follows Dharma. Dharma also promotes man’s material and spiritual prosperity. Our highest Dharma is to take shelter in the supreme God and offer all our activities to Him.
Dharma in other religions
Truth and righteousness are taught by all religions of the world. However in some religions righteousness is highly praised. Take for example Buddhism. The Eight fold noble path of Buddhism for removing sorrow from life is entirely based on Righteousness. The eight fold noble path which a human being should follow for getting enlightened is Right view, Right thought, right speech, Right action, Right or Mindful living which means living with full consciousness and not living mechanically, Right Endeavour or effort, Right livelihood or living an honest life and Right concentration. If your thought and views are right, all other activities shall be based on Righteousness or Dharma. Jainism also emphasizes on Righteousness. The three jewels of Jainism are Right faith, Right Knowledge and Right conduct. Faith or Shraddha is the store house of all auspicious tendencies. If our faith is right and is anchored on our chosen Diety or higher values of life our thinking process shall move upwards which is always be good for the society we live in. In Zoroastrianism, the ancient Persian religion, Righteousness in highly emphasized when it says that there is only one path which a man should follow which is the path of Righteousness. The three pillars of Zoroastrianism are Righteousness in thoughts, righteousness in words and Righteousness in deeds. In other words good deeds and good words originate form good thoughts. In Confucianism, which is one of the three religions practiced in China, Righteousness is emphasized for life building, man making and character building. Like wise other Religions of the world also give attention to Righteousness for wise living.
Conclusion
Truth holds the key for own self evolution. When truth becomes the centre of all your activities, Righteousness becomes as inseparable part of you. Then you are right always and every time in whatever you think, speak or do. Righteousness washes away past evil deeds. Greatest Dharma is doing you own duty selflessly in God consciousness.
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Filed in: buddhism, externally authored, spirituality
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