The Belief of Dharma, Obeying the Laws of God - Research Paper Example

?Introduction Belief systems and religious concepts lead to lifestyles and thought systems that are associated with individuals. Believing in living a good life is the golden rule for different belief systems and religions. All of these are created with an understanding of what is expected, how to live within a specific lifestyle and associations with creating deeper meaning through practices of religion. Two belief systems which are contrasting and which show this difference are between dharma and the laws of God. Each of these come through different belief systems and expectations and is combined with an understanding of how to live in daily life. While there are differences in communicating these rules and expectations, there are also similar actions which follow with both belief systems, specifically with loving and serving others as a basis of living a good life. The Belief of Dharma The concept of living the good life under the form of dharma is most often attributed to the Eastern religions of Buddhism and Hinduism. The philosophy is also one which is associated with lifestyles which one lives in order to pertains everything that is good. The basis of dharma is one which relates to serving and loving others. When one is able to do this, then they overcome karma, or mistakes they have learned in this or a past lifetime. If one has negative energy that comes back, then it is linked to karma which the individual creates. This usually is shown as a lesson or problem which one has in life. However, if one serves and does something good, then it is associated with dharma. One is then able to receive rewards and blessings within their life through the services that they offer to others. The good life is one which then relates to the idea of happiness and being able to create a reality that is positive through the use of dharma. Happiness is able to become the luxury that one creates within their own life (Schoch, 4). Obeying the Laws of God The concept of living the Laws of God for the good life is one which is associated with Biblical scripture and Western systems. The forms of thought are based on the philosophies of morality and being virtuous with how one decides to live. The laws of God are linked to treating others as they treat you, caring for others and living with happiness and spiritual prosperity. The Ten Commandments are often associated with this concept and are perceived with following Gods laws to receive eternal blessings and life. The interpretation is one which creates the laws by building security and safety around treating others in a given manner and in being content with the things which God gives in return. The mentality that is followed then outlines specific ideologies of what one should or should not do within society and how this benefits one through a secure and peaceful life which is given by God (Whybray, 5). Similarities in the Good Life The concepts which are associated with both dharma and the Laws of God are structured first around the way in which others should be treated. In both the principles of dharma and the Laws of God there is an implication that one receives rewards and blessings from God or the universe. However, this is dependent on how one treats others, either through forms of service or by following the laws of being righteous. Each have the golden rule of treating others as they treat you while receiving rewards from spirituality when this is done. The foundation of both becomes the same with serving others and treating all with love. This is combined with the understanding that the more this is done, one will have more opportunities to receive the rewards and blessings from the hierarchy of God or the universe. The blessings in both are also similar, specifically based on the ideologies of peace, happiness and security in one’s life (Kazez, 46). Not only is there a direct association with the mechanics of following certain laws to receive blessings from a higher being and associating this with service. Both dharma and the Laws of God move to a good life specifically through the ideology of the ethical dimension. The ethical dimension is one which is shaped by the Golden Rule. One should always do to others what they would wish to have done to themselves. In dharma, this is defined as offering good service to others in order to have a good life. The same concept is associated with the Laws of God, specifically with the understanding that one who lives a virtuous and moral life is able to create all that is good. The ethical dimension is one which is furthered by following principles and mechanics for this to be achieved. The perception of the good life in both instances, relates directly to the understanding that the expression and actions which one takes reflects their ethics and understanding of God or a higher being. The concept of the practice of ethics then leads to the understanding that one is free and able to live in love when ethical principles are followed. The result of training oneself to live in a state of dharma or under the Laws of God is one that leads to the good life. No matter which religious belief one is under, the same principles apply to what one reflects in life (Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, 483). The associations that are created with the foundations of dharma and the Laws of God are furthered with the understanding of good versus bad. In both associations, there is a direct correlation of one doing good to getting good in return. The dharma created, or the obedience to the Laws of God, then results in one receiving good. However, if one does something against the Laws of God or against dharma then it results in bad or karma. Both beliefs have the foundational understanding that there isn’t a difference in the results that one receives. The bad which exists among those within society then relates to an understanding that both the lack of dharma or the law also lead to evil within society and cause one to move into their own downfall because of a lesson which has to be learned. When one is obedient to either dharma or laws, then it leads to happiness and the good life. These similarities then create a deeper understanding of the universal principle associated with doing good or bad in society to reap the rewards or punishment (Jackson, 490). The concept of dharma and the Laws of God have similarities not only through this concept but also with further associations with how one works when following these laws. In both of the principles, there is an end goal of reaching a spiritual end. When one leads a good life through laws, they are able to become closer to God and eliminate suffering. When one practices dharma, there is the ability to eliminate one’s own suffering and to stop the suffering of those around. This is the same concept with the Laws of God. While the principles and actions differ, one is able to reach the end goal that eliminates suffering and stops one from difficulties in life. The human thought with both of these further shows the end goal by one continuing to practice a life of good, happiness and contentment with the expectation of reaching a spiritual end. These concepts then trace to an individual acting with specific ideologies over a lifetime in order to reach the end goal of enlightenment and happiness (Horsch, 423). Differences in the Good Life Even though there are a variety of similarities with dharma and the Law of God, there are also differences in what this means and the associations which are created between the two. The foundational principles between both remain the same. However, differences in expression and expectations remain a main difference with both of the laws and principles which are followed. Understanding the cultural differences and implications with interpretation creates some of the main differences between the two. This is furthered with other interpretations and actions which each individual can follow when believing in principles of dharma or the Laws of God when applying them to their own life. The first difference associated with both is based on the individual interpretations and practices which stem from the religious beliefs. While there is a general principle that relates to both, one can interpret and act within these in different ways. For instance, one may say they are acting in a form of dharma by making a large amount of wealth while others may say their dharma is being content without wealth. The individual responses, definitions and understandings alter according to one’s background and beliefs. This is dependent on the religion which one is associated with and how they relate to this. This is furthered with the individual interpretations of the Laws of God and how this associates with one’s beliefs, relationships to the environment and the understanding of the laws that are associated with one’s individual life. The difference then becomes dependent on how one decides to live and interpret the meanings of ethics, laws and the ideology of dharma (Arthur, Hewson, 4). The difference which is created in interpretation is furthered by the cultural differences associated with both beliefs. The ethical culture which grabs to dharma as a main belief system is known to have an association with Eastern principles. The cultural life that is associated with this then changes the understanding of what dharma means and how one should act. There is a known representation that is associated with both dharma and the Laws of God. These representations are based on cultural belief systems, civilizations and ethical codes that are within the system. For instance, the Laws of God are often associated with Western morals such as not stealing or killing. This particular sense of morality is not directly stated with the understanding of dharma, instead being based on life lessons and serving others. The difference is one which is based on the cultural understanding of what it means to follow the laws. The actions and interpretations which follow then become a component of society and how each individual reacts in relation to the systems which are established (Redner, 2). The ethical relationship to society and culture is furthered by the expressions and expectations that are associated with the understanding of laws or dharma. For instance, in the Western culture, there is an expectation that virtue and laws should be based on the cultural expectations of the land. This occurred when philosophers such as Socrates and Plato began to bring the age of reasoning. In this age, there was an association with virtue and ethics that were straight forward and which defined how one should live. If one lives by these principles, then there is an automatic reward from God which occurs. However, this is not directly linked to religious beliefs but has altered through the culture and the historical figures which have occurred. Dharma has a different association and expression with this, specifically because of the ancient beliefs from Buddhism and Hinduism. The dharma and karmic principles are based more on the traditional ethics and expectations that come from the Eastern culture. These range from community building to developing things with others in the community for the collective, instead of individual associations with laws and virtue. The difference in society then expands to the expressions and expectations which are related to the relationships which one holds (Redner, 7). The cultural differences between Eastern and Western culture expand into the religious beliefs that are associated with both. In the Western system, the Laws of God translate into specific actions and morality codes which one should follow. Living the righteous life then has direct, physical changes which one goes through and is able to link to. When one is able to have this sense of righteousness, then they are rewarded with health, wealth or goodness from the community. In the Eastern system, the rewards may be more mysterious or create an alteration in how one acts or reacts. The mysticism associated with dharma is one of the prevailing beliefs which are associated with Buddhism and the beliefs associated with dharma. There isn’t a direct link to showing or living a virtuous life. Instead, there is the belief that each individual understands only their own path and creates a life according to the spiritual beliefs which they have. There is a belief in reaching toward nothingness and in creating a sense of spiritual experiences through the dharma which one has. The mystical element of dharma becomes one of the main distinctions between the Eastern philosophy and the beliefs of the Laws of God (Randrup, Baghchi, 36). With the mystical differences are also alterations in the outcomes which are associated with the Laws of God and dharma. In both traditions, there are goals which are reached when one leads the good life through the Laws of God and dharma. However, the goals differ according to both and cause one to overcome the association with the good life which one has. In the dharmic belief, there is the ability to reach enlightenment or nirvana when practicing dharma. However, this only happens after one is able to move into the performance of supernatural events, miracles, happiness and contentment, as well as the movement into nothingness. Each of these concepts are based on the deliverance from suffering which one achieves then moves into when moving into the good life. While the Laws of God also have an elimination of suffering, the expression is not based on mystical experiences or pertaining nirvana. There are also direct associations with powers and beliefs that one stops all suffering by living a virtuous life. The individual responses are one which is shown within culture and society and allows for peace and good will to be associated with the social order which one is under. Instead of the movement into nirvana, there is an elimination of suffering by changing the external environment and the happiness which one has within their own life (Nakamura, 63). Conclusion The concept of dharma and the Laws of God both have an association with reaching goals of happiness and peace by following actions that are based on good. The similarities between both are based on the foundational principles that identify what one is able to do in their life and how this helps to reach complete peace, happiness and prosperity. The differences; however, link to the differences in individual perception, cultural and social expectations and the application of the principles into daily life. These similarities and differences show that while the foundation is the same, the mechanics, actions and end goals create differences between the two. This links to cultural values and expectations that are defined among religions and society, creating a different association with morality and virtue which one carries out with their daily actions. Works Cited Arthur, Sheryl, Gina Hewson. Themes in RE: Learning from Religions. Heinemann: UK, 1998. Horsch, Paul. “From Creation Myth to World Law: The Early History of Dharma.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 32 (5), 2004. Jackson, Bernard. “From Dharma to Law.” The American Journal of Comparative Law. 23 (3), 1975. Kazez, Jean. The Weight of Things: Philosophy and the Good Life. Wiley – Blackwell: UK, 2000. Nakamura, Hajime. “The Goal of Meditation.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 13 (1), 1986. Randrup, Axel, Tisa Bagchi. “Comparative Religion: Correspondences Between Jewish Mysticism and Indian Religion Philosophy.” Cogprints. Redner, Harry. Ethical Life: the Past and Present of Ethical Cultures. Rowman and Littlefield: UK, 2004. Samovar, Larry, Richard Porter, Edwin McDaniel. Intercultural Communication: A Reader. Cengage Learning: New York, 2003. Schoch, Richard. The Secret to Happiness: Three Thousand Years of Searching for the Good Life. Simon and Schuster: New York, 2006. Whybray, Roger. The Good Life in the Old Testament. Continuum International Publishing: New York, 2002. Read More