ARE DHARMA AND RELIGION SAME ?
In its broadest definition, Dharma is moral ideal.
The scope of definition of Dharma is very wide. At its highest, it is the
universal standard of morality, which is 'goodness for goodness sake',
and at the lower, day-today practical level, it includes morality in its
lower forms, i.e. our ethical conduct in secular interest.
Ethical conduct in secular interest:
This is restricted definition of Dharma, and it is within the scope of
normal intelligence and common sense, e.g. observation of social rules
and conventions, obedience to government laws, etc.
This includes virtue, duty, etc.
Goodness for goodness sake :
This is a tall order, for it is guided by the highest definition of love,
i.e. unselfish/detached love for all. This is hard to achieve because
it requires of us a deep recognition of the spiritual relationship among
all beings and all things, without any regard to their physical color, gender, intelligence, name, form or kind. For most of us, achievement of this level of Dharma is neither possible nor practical. This is because it is not possible to reach this state of love by our ordinary human experience or just by using our reasoning mind, which is always limiting even at its best.
This love requires 'sadhana' of the highest order, i.e. our total understanding and acceptance of One Supreme Being dwelling in and representing every living form as well as every thing. What makes it even more difficult is that this is not something to be learned in theory, but it has to be EXPERIENCED and imbibed, and it has to show itself in our EVERY conduct, and I mean, EVERY.
RELIGION, as defined by Swami Vivekananda ji, is the manifestation of
the Divinity already in man. This means that we do not have to 'become',
we already are Devine, in our deepest core. The reason we are not in touch with this 'pure and perfect' us is because of the name and form and tendencies and modifications that each of us has acquired from the moment of our birth. None of us came into this world with a name already assigned. To reach the highest scope of dharma we have to peel off these acquired layers.
With the above high definition of religion, Dharma is SAME as Religion.
However, in our practical day-today life, religion has become a set of beliefs, less guided by highest dharma, and more by secular practices and needs, even to the point of serving the selfish needs of a certain group or sect or a leader.
Unfortunately, we all know religion in the shape and form it exists around us, and in the manner we have grown in it since our birth to date. That is, a religion tailored to suit certain beliefs, groups or individuals, thereby making room in it for dogmas, blind faith, etc.
Religion attempts ( note, attempts) to give structure to the very broad scope of Dharma. In this sense, the more any religion encompasses the scope of Dharma, the closer religion and Dharma get, and therefore, religion in its FULLEST will then be akin to Dharma ... i.e. at its highest, once religion incorporates THAT level of 'inclusion' of Dharma, totally devoid of dogmas, and superstition .....
then the religion and Dharma ARE one and the same.
Vijay Nikore
(original and unpublished)