dharma
Sacred ethical path
Dharma is the cosmic order or natural law in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy—the way things are and ought to be.
In Hinduism, it encompasses moral duty, righteous conduct, and the obligations specific to one's caste and stage of life: Following your dharma brings spiritual merit.
In Buddhism, dharma refers to the Buddha's teachings and the path to enlightenment.
The word appears in Western contexts when discussing Eastern philosophy or in yoga and meditation circles: She's been studying dharma for years. (Capitalized Dharma may appear as a proper noun in religious contexts.)
Moral correctness or virtue
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- justiceFair treatment under law
ethical duty · ahimsa · satya · truthfulness · nonviolence · compassion · rectitude · goodness
Profound spiritual awakening
- liberationRelease from constraint
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- asceticismSevere self-denial practice
Spiritual cause and effect
- samsaraCycle of rebirth
- mokshaRelease from rebirth cycle
- atmanEternal inner self
- reincarnationSoul's rebirth after death
cosmology · causality · cosmic order · natural law · harmony · balance · cyclical · timeless
Enlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
- HinduismAncient Indian spiritual tradition
- JainismIndian religion emphasizing nonviolence
- SikhismPunjabi monotheistic religion
- pujaHindu worship ritual
ritual · temple · monastery · meditation · mantra
Required task or commitment
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- rolePosition or part
- callingStrongly felt purpose
- stationFixed stopping point
Eastern religious discourse
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- sacred textHoly religious writing
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
Vishnu's seventh incarnation
- guardian deityProtective divine being
- moral taleStory conveying ethical instruction
righteousness
Moral correctness or virtue
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- moralityRight and wrong principles
justice · ethical duty · ahimsa · satya · truthfulness · nonviolence · compassion · rectitude · goodness · merit
enlightenment
Profound spiritual awakening
- liberationRelease from constraint
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
karma
Spiritual cause and effect
reincarnation · cosmology · causality · cosmic order · natural law · harmony · balance · cyclical · timeless · immutable
Buddhism
Enlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
obligation
Required task or commitment
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- rolePosition or part
- callingStrongly felt purpose
sutra
Eastern religious discourse
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- sacred textHoly religious writing
doctrine · precepts · transmission · lineage
Rama
Vishnu's seventh incarnation
- guardian deityProtective divine being
- moral taleStory conveying ethical instruction
- BuddhismBuddha, Four Noble Truths, nirvana, Mahayana, Siddhartha Gautama
- Dharmic Traditionskarma, moksha, samsara, atman, Brahman
- Hindu spiritualityatman, moksha, karma, yoga, mantra
- HinduismVishnu, Shiva, Krishna, Ganesh, Ganesha
- Indian Societycaste, varna, Dalit, untouchability, caste system
- belief systemsobjectivism, bushido, utilitarianism, transhumanism, solipsism
dharmachaos
Complete disorder and confusion
disorder · entropy · anarchy · disharmony · lawlessness
dharmapapa
Informal term for father
sin · unrighteousness · vice · immorality · transgression
- Dharma transmissionZen teacher authorization ceremony
- dharma wheelSymbol of Buddhist teachings