Types of Dharma

In Hinduism, various Dharam shastra texts (books explaining laws of conduct) such as the Manusmriti dictate and govern a believer's behavior. 

The Manusmriti (book containing laws laid down by the first man, Manu) explains not only the creation of the world but also Sanskriti (civilization). It also jots down the source of Dharma, the Dharma of the 4 social castes, and the law of karma, rebirth and final liberation.

Dharma in Hinduism

Dharma or Dhamma in Buddhism basically refers to the 4 noble truths and the 8-fold path set by Buddha.

Dhamma in Buddhism

Dharma here refers to the teachings or the spiritual path set by one's guru when one sets out on a spiritual path. According to the Tattvartha Sutra (religious book), there are 10 righteous virtues which classify themselves under Dharma.

Jainism also goes on to mention that upon following one's Dharma, it provides more meaning to one's Dravya  (Aatma-gyaan).

Dharma in Jainism

Dharma plays a vital role in all religions that arise from Sanatana Dharma.
It refers to the moral law that governs social conduct, and is one of the four pillars of a well-balanced life (the others being artha, kama and moksha).

State University of New York at Buffalo

Originating in the Indian subcontinent, these encompass philosophies that are adopted by the followers of the Sanatana Dharma. Arguably so, each religion has adopted either the entirety of these philosophies or a varied set or in some cases, have rejected all of them. 

- Astik/Nastik

- Aatma/Brahman

- Dharma

- Karma

- Samay (Cosmic Time), States of Consciousness and Yuga cycles

- Samsara and Reincarnation

- Dhyana 

- Darshan

- Samadhi or Renunciation

- Liberation or Enlightenment



South Asian/ Indian subcontinent's Philosophies

Britannica

Astik, derived from Asti, which means "there is", refers to a school of thought that accepts the authority of the leading belief pattern established during that period.

The concept of atheism is fluid among the Indian philosophies. Depending on their period of reference, this belief evolved. 


For example, during the Vedic ages (1500-1100 BC), the belief in the spiritual texts, the Vedas, reference Astik as believers or Nastiik as non-believers. Similarly, those who believe in Karma or in the existence of God are referred to as Astik and those who don't Nastik. 


Across the world, atheism has gathered a negative vibe in spirituality, while in the Indian subcontinent there has been a long standing tradition of atheism. Few of the religions that are solely based on atheism are Buddhism, Jainism and Charvak. The Indian Philosophy states that every person is entitled to choose their own belief/s, are encouraged to question and to establish their own meaning to spirituality.

Astik or Nastik

Some refer to it as the soul, but when you dig deeper into its philosophy, it is refers to Consciousness. 
One is differentiated as living from the non-living when this consciousness awakens the hunger within the being. This consciousness awakens ones senses, thus allowing them to partake in this world and its associated materialistic life. 


Aatma

Dharma/Dhamma

Karma is a philosophical concept where karma is the cumulative of all the actions one performs in a given timeframe. Its adherents view it as a universal causal law by which good or bad actions determine the future modes of one's existence. 

Just as your genetic code that is passed down as a memory for generations, codes for your phenotype, Karma is the memory of the sum of all the actions performed within a given timeframe that gets etched upon one's Aatma/Dravya/Aham.

Karma

The concept of time is an independent variable that is often represented in a cyclical form. There are two dependent variables:

1. Nitya (Permanent)- Example: the Ultimate Consciousness (Brahman)

2. Anitya (Not permanent)- All other states of consciousness. It is a f(t). Can be nullified.

In Jainism, Time is serpentine. Culturally, when one experiences good events as a f(t), time is referred to as Uttasarpini, while during the occurrence of bad events, time is then referred to as Avasarpini. 

When one references time as a serpentine movement, one is technically referring to its Cosine waveform. 
 

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