In the culture of India there are several important concepts. To begin with, it is worth deciding on the interpretation of one of them. The literal translation of the Indian Buddhist philosophical term makes it clear that dharma is "support."
Interpretation of the above concept
It can be deciphered as a complex of relevant norms and certain rules that have strengthened over the years and which must be observed to maintain cosmic balance. In Indian culture, dharma, so to speak, is unparalleled. In a certain context, one can see a different interpretation of the concept under consideration. In particular, dharma is the moral principles, the righteous path, the universally valid law of being.
The sacred symbol of this Indian term is the “wheel of dharma”, and the “eternal syllable” is OM, which is also interpreted as AUM and SOHAM. It is widely used in Hindu and Buddhist religious ceremonies, in particular at the beginning of each prayer.
Dharma in Buddhism
This word is interpreted in the oldest world religion as moral virtue, namely the spiritual and moral side of its founder, on which believers should be equal. This concept is the most important for Buddhists, as it embodies the teachings of the Buddha, or rather, the highest truth revealed to them by all beings. In addition, there is a teaching in this religion that dharma is a set of finite elements into which the sacred stream of the universe breaks up.
It is believed that Buddha perceived each individual person as a unique being, having personality from birth. In the religion in question, there is a widespread opinion that there is no single Dharma formula that is suitable for all life situations. There is only a doctrine for each category of believers individually, taking into account their characteristics.
Thus, summarizing the above, we can talk about the conjugation of two concepts, namely that the founder of the oldest world religion is Buddha, dharma is his teaching.
The reflection of the concept in foreign fiction of the twentieth century
This Buddhist teaching became the basis of the storyline of the acclaimed novel by Jack Kerouac "The Dharma Tramps." Today it is one of the masterpieces of world literature. It contains autographic details, and the narration is carried out in the first person. The protagonist is a “hipster”, which already explains what kind of lifestyle he leads: travels along the way in America, sleeps anywhere and survives due to casual earnings. That is how he is content with what fate gives him, or rather the Law of Dharma.
Like many other "beatniks", the protagonist is extremely interested in the philosophical and religious teachings of ancient China and India. In this case, he is a follower of the Buddha. His life is associated with such a thing as Inaction, that is, spiritual enlightenment that can lead to nirvana.
What does this world masterpiece make you think about?
The modern understanding of the novel is represented by the thoughts that the “Dharma Tramps” challenged the whole society, which is used to living according to the principle of accumulation. They act as outside observers of the moment when people became hostages of their everyday things. In their opinion, you can taste the real freedom only by renouncing the material dependencies of modern society.
Project "Department of Heuristics And Research on Material Applications Initiative"
The abbreviated name of the above project is “DHARMA Initiative”, in Russian it sounds like “Dharma Initiative”. This is a fictitious scientific organization of the series "Lost", a research project that explores areas such as:
- psychology;
- meteorology;
- parapsychology;
- electromagnetism;
- study of the modern social aspect of society.
It was founded and funded by Alvar Hanso. Directly involved in the development of Karen and Gerald DeGroot, who were assistant professors at the University of Michigan.
Facts about the history of the project
Based on the training film, we can conclude that from the beginning of 1962 there were conditions for the implementation of the project in view of the fact that there was a conflict between the USA and the USSR, which almost turned into a nuclear war. Although relations were established, the UN nevertheless pondered a technogenic problem and set the task of finding such an equation that would determine the date of the "end of the world" expressed either by a large-scale war, or an epidemic, or overpopulation. The result was a numerical sequence, namely 4 8 15 16 23 42.
The UN was skeptical about this result, while Alvar Hanso, on the contrary, seriously thought about it. He decided to continue the study in order to find the right combination to prevent the onset of an irreversible disaster. This gave rise to the Dharma Initiative project.
Research work unfolded on an island in the Pacific Ocean, the terrain of which is located in a geoactive zone. There were built fully equipped, including provisions for scientists, scientific and technical stations.
All work in this direction did not give the desired results. 1980 was marked by a global incident, the cause of which cannot be determined to this day. Presumably, electromagnetic leakage has occurred.
Subsequently, the facility was captured and destroyed, including almost all employees, by the natives of the island. And in 1987, according to official figures, the project was closed.
What is Hinduism called in Sanskrit?
This religion originated in the Indian subcontinent. Its historical name in Sanskrit is sanatana - dharma. The translation is interpreted as “eternal religion”, “eternal path” or “eternal law”.
Hinduism is associated with Vedic civilization, as a result of which it is attributed to the oldest world religions. The approximate age is five thousand years. This religion does not have a specific founder. It is based on an ancient scripture - the Vedas. Subsequently, they began to be interpreted differently, which led to the emergence of various schools and branches. These scriptures contain the essence of the Vedic religion. According to legend, one who studies the Vedas will have unlimited wisdom, because it contains all the knowledge about the world. Of all the scriptures available in Hinduism, only the Vedas and the Upanishads are of paramount importance.
The religion in question ranks third in the world in the number of followers. Hinduism is professed by over a billion people.
What areas stand out in Hinduism?
In the religion under consideration, there is no central doctrine regarding all Hindu branches, but nevertheless, scientists divide religion into four major areas:
- Shaktism.
- Vaishnavism.
- Smartism.
- Shaivism.
The difference between the above directions is expressed only in the form of God.
Shakta as a Tantric tradition
The considered direction of Hinduism occupies a significant position relative to Tantra.
The followers of this branch worship Shakti, which is represented by a female deity, or the Mother Goddess Devi. And already Shakta itself has many of its schools, for example, there are three main directions of the Shakta Tantra: Mishra, Samaya and Kaula.
The largest number of followers in the third direction. Kaula is perceived as a direct embodiment of Devata, thereby being an independent object of worship. Kaula Dharma acts as a sacred teaching. Tantras are filled with descriptions of the greatness of the kaul, his spiritual strength. According to the scriptures, he can appear both in the form of man, and as an astral spirit or other supernatural beings.
Kaula Dharma is not limited to any tradition, therefore, true Kaul can be found among the followers of absolutely any religion.
Dharma-marga as one of the noble truths in Buddhism
In the considered ancient Indian religion there is such a thing as “marga”. The interpretation of the translation in Sanskrit is "the path of righteousness, freeing from suffering."
It includes three Buddhist practical aspects:
- sila - moral behavior;
- samadhi - meditation;
- prajna is wisdom.
The noble path is represented by eight steps:
1. True understanding, that is, understanding of all four truths.
2. True intention, namely the conscious desire to become a Buddha and free everyone from suffering.
3. True speech, in particular, the absence of lies, rudeness, slander and empty chatter.
4. True action, that is, abstinence from the appropriation of someone else's, from all manifestations of a sexual nature, from the use of drugged substances, attacks on the life of living beings.
5. A true way of life, namely one that is not related to violence and dishonest earning a living.
6. True effort, in particular the principle of the “golden mean,” according to which one should not both torture oneself and indulge weaknesses.
7. True thinking, represented by the four foundations of mindfulness:
- to the body;
- to feelings;
- to mental state;
- to dharmas - mental faculties.
8. Meditation as true concentration.
How to bring the most important spiritual values ​​of Buddhism to modern society?
According to official data, a project called the Samma Ditthi International Dharma Center is starting in Russia. This is a collaboration with people from Sri Lanka practicing Buddhism. The purpose of this project is the preservation, research and dissemination of the teachings of the founder of the oldest world religion of India.
The first stage is the construction of a multifunctional center in the Republic of Sri Lanka. Practical seminars will be held here, lectures by the honorable Thero from temples and monasteries, and various meetings on this topic.
In the building itself there will be a delimitation of space into corresponding halls. Here will be the Altar Hall, an area of ​​over 100 square meters. m, a room of martial arts, yoga, qigong, a dining room, several guest rooms, a library and an office part mainly for guidance. Everywhere it is planned to install air conditioners.
A Maha Bodhi Tree brought from Anuradhapura will be planted in the courtyard. It is also planned to conduct practical classes on the study of the Dharma, namely the "practice of walking" and meditation.
In the surrounding area is a Buddhist temple called Priyadarshanaramaya. It is also planned to create an artificial water channel between the above temple, lotus pond and the center in question.
The second aspect of the activity of this facility is the implementation of the Dharma of Turov. They are dedicated to the study and practical implementation of the Dharma. These Tours are held in sacred places of Power and Dharma, which have a beneficial effect on the body and consciousness of a person, while helping to enter a state of meditation and gain spiritual experience.
Through this center, everyone can learn that, for example, the Dharma is a doctrine of the spiritual life of all things.