Madison Mackay

RELS 2300- Bandara

E-Portfolio Assignment
Hinduism is considered one of the most widely practiced religions in the world.
Even though many of us refer to Hinduism as a religion it is also referred to as Dharma.
There are many differences between the terms religion and dharma, so what should
Hinduism be called?
What is Religion?
Most of us view religion as a universal term, but it does not have one universal
definition. Many scholars and philosophers have tried to explain what religion means, but
with so many different views its hard to condense it into one definition. Some say that it
is human response to the unknown, others say that it is a system of beliefs and practices
set within a community, and then there are the ones that simply claim that it has no
definition at all.
Throughout history people have been coming up with different theories on how
the universe works in an attempt to explain the unknown. Religion may be a good
example of this. The ancient Greeks came up with different gods and myths to explain
natural disasters and why life happened the way it did. Religion is also used as a way to
come to terms with death. Its human nature to try and explain the unexplainable, and so
religion can be defined as human response to life and death in general (Definitions of
Religion).
Along with attempting to explain the unknown comes a lot of different rituals and
practices. In the Buddhist community, there are many different ways you can practice the

religion, like through prayer or meditation. Religious rituals are also a way to bring the
community together and celebrate sacred beliefs. That community can then be defined as
a church that adheres to a set of morals and values (Definitions of Religion).
Though there are many attempts to define religion, there are some that say it just
cannot be done. Because there are so many different interpretations and beliefs, religion
cannot be condensed into one single definition. Instead it is just a collective title that
communities have given to their individual practices (Definitions of Religion).
After looking at all three different definitions of religion it is easy to see why
there is such a struggle between religious communities. Humans are, for the most part,
incapable of accepting all ideas of a certain concept. I dont believe that you can define
religion because there are just too many colliding views. Society can certainly try to
define it, but in the end it will just lead to a disagreement.
What is Dharma?
Now that weve identified what one may define religion as, we can now discuss
what dharma is. Both have similarities, but there are also quite a few differences.
In Hinduism the term dharma is used to describe the way Hindus live (Readings
in Eastern Religions, 81). It can also mean many other things when it is used in different
contexts. Dharma can be a set of ethics that the Hindu community follows or it can refer
to a deity (Readings in Eastern Religions, 82). It can even be translated simply into
English as religion (Living Religions, 71).
The term dharma appears in many early religious texts. The Dharma Sutras and
dharma shastras both mention dharma and have formed the basis for later Hindu laws
(Readings in Eastern Religions, 83). Many texts on dharma describe the duties and

responsibilities of Hindu culture and have divided the subject matter into various
categories (Readings in Eastern Religions, 82).
One of the earlies texts on dharma, Gautamas Dharma Sutra, explains the
ultimate importance of eight virtues. The virtues are compassion to all creatures, patience,
lack of envy, purification, tranquility, having an auspicious diposition, generosity, and
lack of greed (Readings in Eastern Religions, 85). A person who follows these virtues
will reach the ultimate goal of being with Brahman, the Supreme Being (Reading in
Eastern Religions, 85).
Dharma has many different components. It refers to many meanings, like social
welfare, wealth, power, natural law, health, and fulfillment of desires (Living Religions,
71). It also describes the duties of each gender in Hindu society. Dharma includes the
duties of women, marriage, ritual purity and impurity, and the relationship between
husband and wife (Readings in Eastern Religions, 82).
Dharma also includes Varna, which is the Hindu caste system. The highest caste is
the Brahmins, which are priests and philosophers. The next caste is the nobility called
Kshatriyas (Living Religions, 98). The third caste is the Vaishyas which includes farmers
and merchants. After them is the shudras, who are artisans and manual labors. The lowest
caste is the untouchables who fulfill the low quality jobs (Living Religions, 99).
Ashramas are also included in dharma, which are the four stages of life and goals. The
first stage for a males lifespan is a chaste student; then he becomes a householder where
he has his own family and contributes to society; then he is to detach from worldly
pursuits and study meditation and scriptures; the final stage is be able to completely
withdraw from society and become a sannyasin (Living Religions, 101).

Dharma is not a simple concept because in encompasses so many different ideals

and practices of the Hindu community. It is the ethical system which they live by, it is
their laws and their duties, and it is their history.
Conclusion
So with this information we can now make an educated guess as to what
Hinduism should be called. I believe that it is Dharma because Hinduism encompasses
more than just studying a religious text or following a few guidelines. Hinduism is a way
of life and it completely incorporates everything in ones life with the practice of
Dharma.

Works Cited
Coward, Harold, Ronald Neufeldt, and Eva K. Neumaier. <i>Readings in Eastern
Religions 2nd Edition</i>. Waterloo :: Wilfrid Laurier UP, 2007. Print.

"Definitions of Religion." Definitions of Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Fisher, Mary Pat. <i>Living Religions</i>. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2014.
Print.