The Dharma (Sanskrit) or dhamma (Pali) means Natural Law or Reality. With respect to its spiritual meaning, can be regarded as the path to the Supreme Truth. The Dharma is the basis of philosophies, beliefs and practices that originated in Indian subcontinent.
The oldest of these is Hinduism the Sanatana Dharma (or Dharma Eternal). In Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism in the Dharma also has a role thrust. In these traditions, living beings in harmony with the Dharma reach more rapidly the Moksha, the Dharma Yukam, the release of Nirvana or Wheel of Samsara or cycle of reincarnations.
Dharma Wheel
The Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of several founders of traditions, as Siddhartha Gautama in Buddhism and Jainism in Mahavira. How moral doctrine on the rights and duties of each of the Dharma refers generally to pursue a spiritual task, but also mean social order, conduct straight, or simply virtue.
The Dharma can also be interpreted as virtuous actions made both in past lives (previous incarnation), as in life today, and will receive all of the new universe also with good deeds, and the karma can be considered a bad result if that had, has or will have, with all the consequences of bad actions which was also in that or in past lives.
Meanings and origins of the word “Dharma”
The word Dharma is used in most philosophies or religions of Indian origin Religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainismo and Sikhism and its oldest form is Dharman, the term appeared for the first time in the Vedas.
It is difficult to provide a summary and comprehensive definition for “Dharma” fact is that the word has a long history and articulated and a complex set of meanings and interpretations. Many people, both Westerners that Eastern, have made varying quantities of possible transpositions, from justice to religion; terms, however, with a moral connotation that does not express fully the meaning metaphysical. With the word dharma fact also indicates religion, but not limited to this, it indicates a sort of “law of nature”, under eternal and “order” of the cosmos is that of individual and social life of human beings.
You can then locate two dimensions in the concept of Dharma: one that concerns the legitimate acquisition and use of goods of this life, and another, type eschatological, which concerns the ultimate goal of every soul, the final liberation from Samsara.
“Dharma” derives from the root dhri, which means support, sustain. The word must first be understood in its original context metaphysical, that of being “conform” to that Divine Principle Creativo which operates from within the individual. It represents the “inner law” of the individual, to which law should be obedience, if his life is in agreement with the Divine Will. This is what Hindus (or other metaphysical traditions) consider the main purpose of life. About this, it is interesting to note that the Hindu tradition identifies four main purposes of human life (Purushartha), the last of them is Moksha, the final liberation of the soul. Subordinati for this purpose if they recognize other two: Artha, welfare (the man has need of material goods to sustain life) Kama, the desire, pleasure (the man needs to be happy and enjoy things good and the pleasures of the world). These two concepts must be seen in relation to the ultimate goal, which means that they must be driven and adjusted according to the principles of moral and religious values, or Dharma, in order to effectively lead to Liberation.
In “Dharma” Moreover, we find the founding principle of the system of castes - or categories of persons within which individuals were faithful to a “decree interior” that could not rebel.