What is Religion / Dharma?

Yoga has become popular worldwide and its psycho physical efficacy has been established beyond doubt, yet there are people who associate Yoga with a particular religion especially Hindu religion. Teachers of yoga usually encounter this type of problem while teaching yoga to a group of people who are following religion other than Hindu Religion. Actually speaking, the growing popularity of yoga has disturbed the mind of so called religious people. It is true that Yoga has its origin in India but simultaneously it is also true that yoga has never taught any religious dogmas. The author of this article emphasizes that if a person follows ‘Yoga’, he can be a better religious person of his own faith.

Religion is a very complicated word and full of misunderstanding in modern times. It is said that: “I was knowing religion till I was not asked what religion is? When it was asked, I think it became most difficult question in the world for me……”

At other place it is written; “religion is a daughter of hope and fear, explained with the ignorance about the nature of unknowable”. (Ambrose Bierce from the book ‘Oxford Dictionary of World Religion’)

The quotations have relevance only with the point that those who call Yoga – a religious practice, they themselves seldom know about what religion is?

Let us try to make an effort to understand what religion is? Every religion of world has essentially three components. They are:

  1. Ideal
  2. Theology and
  3. Cult

Every religion has some ideal to achieve. This ideal is usually communion with God as the meaning of the word ‘religion’ itself suggests on the basis of its Greeko-Latin root Re-Ligare or Relligio. The concept of God may differ on the basis of one’s faith and belief.

Then comes the word ‘cult’. Cult includes those practices by which the communion with God is made possible. Unless and until one follows the cult established by the particular religion – he is supposed to be non-religious person. Let us not forget that cult has two aspects –

  1. Superficial aspect
  2. Essential aspect

While following the cult of religion, the religious Heads and so called religious persons give importance to the superficial aspect of cult and essentials of the cult is lop sided. Here it will not be out of place to mention that the difference in two religions may be on the superficial aspects of cult but so far essential aspects of the religion is concerned, there is hardly any possibility of difference in two different religions. Most unfortunate thing is that we are not able to draw a demarcation or differentiating line between essential and superficial aspect of cult of any religion.

Every religion is suffering from this problem and followers do not apply themselves. Another interesting point with religion is that in India and so to say in many parts of the world, we have no liberty of opting our religion. It comes to us as ancestral property. Religion is not selected as we select our career. We observe the cult of a particular religion being followed in our own family. But the thing that is observed by the child on the name of religion is its superficial aspect only. Essential aspect of religion does not become observable and gradually the mind of a child co-relates the religion with those aspects that he has observed in his childhood being performed by his/her parents on the name of religion and starts considering religion to be associated with those aspects only. I believe that in order to overcome this problem, we must promote the study of the scriptures of religion with right understanding and discrimination. We must not analyze a religion by observing its followers. In order to understand any religion we must go through its scriptures.

Indian Concept of Religion i.e. Dharma

In India, the word ‘dharma’ is used for the English word ‘Religion’. Initially the word ‘dharma’ was more applied to religious and ritual rules but by the time of Upanishads and later in Dharmashastras, we find a great change in its meaning. In Upanishads, dharma was related more to the ways appropriate for the attainment of Brahman, the highest. But in Dharmashastras, the word acquired a new dimension of its meaning. It got deeply and strongly associated with ethical rules or code of conduct. Manu, the first law giver of India, enumerated ten characteristics of Dharma. They are:

  1. Dhriti – Patience
  2. Kshama – Forgiveness
  3. Dama – Control over mind
  4. Asteya – Non theft
  5. Shaucha – Cleanliness
  6. Indriyanigraha –Control over senses
  7. Dhi – Wisdom
  8. Vidya – Knowledge
  9. Satya – Truthfulness
  10. Akrodha – Non anger

Mention of faith in God or any dogma is conspicuous by its absence in the list of Manu. When dogma became associated particularly with faith is very difficult to ascertain. It seems that after the invasion of Mohemmadans and then East India Company on India, Indians came in contact with the people of other religion and may had some bitter experiences also, which led them to associate Dharma with faith in God. Even in the Christian Religion, there is a concept of seven Virtues. They are –

  1. Tradition
  2. Faith
  3. Hope
  4. Charity
  5. Temperance
  6. Prudence
  7. Justice

Christian religion itself asserts that last four virtues are cardinal virtues i.e. of basic importance.

In modern age, intolerance in religion has created a greater problem. No Prophet or Son of God or so to say any religion says that be charitable to only to the people of one’s own religion only. We forget that every religion gives this type of code of conduct to be followed towards every person irrespective of other person’s religion, caste, creed or faith. Such commands transcend these types of manmade barrier or division on the basis of caste, creed, faith, religion or nation.

Continued in Part 2 …