The True Meaning of Dharma

By Kaitlin Kelsch
The word Dharma has a very dynamic meaning to the people of Southern Asia.
Although the term is used in both Hinduism and Buddhism to refer to their respective religious
teachings, the same word takes on a totally different meaning depending on which religion you
are talking about.

In other words, because the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism are

completely different, the two main usages of the word Dharma are completely different, as well.
Add this to the fact that in Hinduism the term Dharma can refer to several different things in
addition to religious teachings and you have a Sanskrit translators worst nightmare.
Remember, though, that Dharma is not a static word, neither does it have a static
definition. The weight of nearly 4,000 years of some of the most influential religious traditions
of Southern Asia sit behind it (Fisher, 74) and, in addition, the term has consistently re-invented
itself, time and time again, to fit the ever-growing and ever-changing needs of the people. To try
and get to the root of the problem, to be able to truly understand this complex and multi-faceted
term no matter what context the word is used in, you need to able to explore the religious
traditions of both Hinduism and Buddhism in about as much detail as you possibly can. You
must also be willing to try and understand what the word Dharma means to the people of
Southern Asia, as well. They are the ones who have to live with the implications of what this
term means, after all, and, thus, it would be of great benefit for you, as we discuss in what ways
the Hindu definition of Dharma and the Buddhist definition of Dharma are both similar to and
different from each other, to try to place yourself inside their shoes.
At times, it might seem like the Hindu usage of Dharma and the Buddhist usage of
Dharma are complete polar opposites to each other, but the deeper ones one looks and the more

one makes an effort to see life from an alternative perspective, one might just realize that there is
much more common ground between the two than you might think.
The first main difference between Hindu and Buddhist Dharma lies in their worldviews,
but before we discuss this difference, remember that both believe that it is the ultimate goal of
life is to escape the never-ending cycle of reincarnation through achieving enlightenment (Fisher,
77) (Fisher 146-149) and both believe that it is Karma, or the consequences of your actions,
which determines whether one is able to do so (Fisher 77) (Fisher 149). Once an individual is
able to break free from the cycle of never-ending birth and rebirth, they experience an everlasting
state of spiritual peace and bliss for all of eternity, which Hindus refer to by name as Brahman
(Fisher, 77) and Buddhists refer to by name as Nirvana (Fisher 149). But while Hindus believe
that Brahman is an all-pervasive, all knowing force that governs the universe and maintains order
(Fisher 77), the Buddha never definitively stated for certain just what exactly the true nature of
Nirvana actually is, instead choosing to focus on more practical concerns and what one can do
here in the here and now (Fisher 149).
Moreover, although Hindus believe that humans are born with a permanent, unchanging
soul that remains with you even after you are reincarnated (Fisher, 77), Buddhists reject the
notion of a permanent soul on the grounds that your personality is always changing and always
evolving (Fisher, 146).

Buddhists identify five different factors that make up a human

personality and, in addition, not only are these factors affected by outside events and by each
other, but are dependent upon each other, as well. In other words, take even one of these factors
away from a person and the essence of what makes a human being a human being ceases to exist.
Another major difference between Hindu Dharma and Buddhist Dharma is that while
both religions believe that following certain moral codes and personal behaviors will enable

them to achieve a release from the never-ending cycle of reincarnation, Hinduism and Buddhism
disagree as to which specific moral codes and personal behaviors will help them to get there.
Hindus actually have four different paths to choose from to achieve enlightenment
helping others (Karma Yoga), practicing unwavering devotion to ones favorite God (Bhakti
Yoga), studying Hindu scriptures (Jnana Yoga) and mental concentration (Raja Yoga) (Fisher
79-83) - while Buddhism, on the other hand, generally only advocates for only one path to
enlightenment the Four Noble Truths (Fisher 143) and the Eightfold Noble Path (Fisher 145).
The Four Noble Truths are four great statements about the universe which are true for every
single living being (Fisher 143-145) and the Eightfold Noble Path (Fisher, 145-146) is designed
to help reach perfection in three different virtues or values morality, compassion, wisdom, and
awareness through meditation (Fisher 146) . Both these concepts are designed to help you
realize the true, impermanent, interdependent nature of the world and when one eliminates their
attachments to what they think will be permanent and unchanging they are able to achieve
enlightenment. Both religions advocate experimentation and personalization on the part of the
individual to attain a personalized path to enlightenment for themselves, but Hindus are limited
as to what they can and cannot do because of an emphasis placed on ritual and societal duty
(Fisher, 99) while Buddhists prefer not to stray too far from the ultimate wisdom of the
Buddhas teachings.
Also another major difference between Hindu Dharma and Buddhist Dharma is that while
Indian society is highly stratified and everyone is expected to know his or her place in the social
order (Fisher, 99), Buddhists, on the other hand, are much more likely to see other people as their
equals and are much more egalitarian in their in their leadership, as well.

This rigid

stratification, which is said to be part of Brahman, or the natural part of things, and is said to be

an indelible part of Indian society, has important social consequences for the daily lives of
Indias citizens (Fisher 99-101). Not only do Hindus believe you have the potential to come
back as an animal, like a cow or elephant or dog, but you also have the potential to slide up and
down Indias four-tiered caste system depending on the level of Karma youve accumulated
throughout all your past lives. The highest caste in Hindu society are the Brahmans, or Hindu
priests, who are essential for performing Hindu rituals and ceremonies and are seen as being the
closest to enlightenment out of all the other four castes (Fisher 98) and the lowest caste in Hindu
society are the Dalits, who are seen as being the most far away from achieving enlightenment out
all of the four castes and are in charge of all the dirty jobs none of the other castes wants to do
(Fisher, 99). Dalits are forbidden to touch anyone who belongs to another caste (hence their
nickname, The Untouchables,) and because of this, discrimination against the Dalits has run
rampant throughout all of Indias history and still continues to this day (Fisher, 99).
Buddhists, on the other hand, do not believe that society is inherently divided into a caste
system the same as Hindus do and discrimination against the lower castes is just one of the many
reasons why Buddhists are able to reject this idea. They still believe that humans have the
potential to slide up and down a scale the same as Hindus do, however, but instead of four
different castes, they believe in six different realms of existence: demons, hungry ghosts,
animals, humans, demi-gods, and gods (Fisher, 148). Even then, to a Buddhist, all beings are
united because of the cycle of birth and rebirth and all beings are united in that everyone
experiences some form of suffering and pain no matter what level of existence they are currently
at. Even beings as powerful as gods and demi-gods suffer from petty jealousies and the fear that
they will lose everything they have, one day. There is no central leader for Buddhism (the same
goes for Hinduism, as well) and the only true hierarchy that seems to exist across the board lies

in the difference between the laypeople and the Sangha, or the Buddhist monks or nuns. Not all
laypeople are required to become Buddhists monks and nuns, but for those who feel as if the
lifestyle will be right for them, living in isolation from the outside world allows the Sangha to
devote all their time and energy to achieving enlightenment.
Finally, Hindu Dharma and Buddhist Dharma are different because of their approaches to
ritual and the worship of Gods. Hindus have over 300 million gods within their pantheon (some
are more popular than others and are not worshiped on a regular basis) and one of the main goals
of Hindu ritual is to try to connect with these Gods on a physical level, usually by being seen
by the God (Fisher 95). All the Gods are seen as embodiments or extensions of Brahman and are
able to intervene in the events of humans lives so long as proper rituals are regularly practiced
and so long as they receive regular sacrifices and tributes, mostly in the form of food and
offerings (Fisher, 95).
For Buddhists, however, there is no such thing as Gods, at least not in the traditional
sense of the word. The Buddha explicitly stated to his followers that he never wanted to be
worshipped as a God and, indeed, as respected and revered he is, the Buddha is more or less seen
as a role-model for people to emulate as they are working to achieve enlightenment than a
heavenly figure. In addition, Mahayana Buddhists believe in the concept of Buddhas (the name
attributed to those who have achieved enlightenment, of which Siddhartha Gautama is one)
(Fisher 160) and Bodhisattvas (the name attributed to those who have achieved enlightenment
for themselves but renounce it in order to help others achieve it, as well) (Fisher 158-160). They
are not worshiped in the traditional way that Gods are usually worshiped and although they can
provide help and guidance to humans who pay proper respect to them (Fisher 159), in no way are
they meant to seen as all-powerful beings and in no way are they able to intercede in human

events. Really, theyre either seen as role models (like the how the Buddha is seen as one) or the
embodiments of certain idealized qualities such as wisdom and compassion (Fisher 159). Even
Dharma has a Bodhisattva!
So even though we talked extensively on how Hindu Dharma and Buddhist Dharma are
different from one another (and, believe it or not, this isnt even a comprehensive list), I hope
that you can see that, at least in some ways, they are diametrically opposed. Because for every
aspect between the two that seems that they are polar opposites of each other (such as the idea of
a permanent soul vs. an impermanent soul, for instance) another similarity arises not too far
away. Not only do they both believe in some of the same practices, such as meditation and a
personalized path to enlightenment, but they also believe in some of the same fundamental, core
principles, as well, such as the cycle of reincarnation, the law of Karma, and a scale of existence
that beings climb up and down as they are reborn. Hinduism might place much more emphasis
on ritual and social duty than Buddhism does, for instance, and might have more of a traditional
perspective when it comes to worshiping Gods, but that doesnt mean that Buddhism isnt any
less of a valid religious path just because it rejects these ideas. Similarly, although an average
Hindu has the potential to get lost within thousands of individual rituals and traditions,
Buddhism places more emphasis on the merit and commitment of an individual person rather
than relying on some Gods grace to see you through.
The point of these comparisons, however, is not to disparage or downright condemn these
religions beliefs, but simply to point out that that each of these religions have their own
compelling strengths and their own off-putting weaknesses. But regardless of which religious
tradition you agree with the most, you cannot deny that both of these religions are vibrant,
strong, and have endured thousands of years of change and turmoil. This is what you should

remember when you think of the term Dharma not a standard, two-dimensional definition on a
Dictionary page, but a flexible, living, breathing thing with its own unique beauty and longevity.
Because however much you can try to memorize the definition in the Dictionary, you wont truly
know the meaning of a word until you dig in deep to find it.

Bibliography
Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. 9th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.