Oxford Centre for
Hindu Studies Online
Oxford Centre for
Hindu Studies Online
Dharma is one of the central ideas of Hindu thought, and one of the hardest to translate. It embraces the order of the cosmos, the ritual and social duties of daily life, the principles of pure virtue, and the pursuit of liberation. This course examines each of these strands of dharma in turn, and the tensions and reconciliations that arise between them.
We begin with dharma’s relationship to karma and to the order of the world, then turn to ritual, social duty, and the dharma-shastras, including the Manu Smriti and the questions it raises about the status of ancient texts today. Later sessions examine sanatana-dharma, the dharma of pure virtue, and the principle of ahimsa; the four goals of human life set out in the Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana, and Kama Sutra; Arjuna’s dilemma and Krishna’s response in the Bhagavad Gita; and finally moksha-dharma, the dharma of liberation, through the paths of jnana and bhakti.
The course is written and tutored by Dr Nick Sutton, Director of the OCHS Continuing Education Department. Dr Sutton received his PhD from Lancaster University for a thesis on the religious teachings of the Mahabharata, and has published translations of and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutra. The course runs over six weeks, with more than six hours of video lectures, a 160-page coursebook, an essay assessment, and optional live Zoom sessions with OCHS-affiliated scholars. Late enrolments are currently open, with recordings available to catch up.
Click here to download introduction (pdf)
We open with a consideration of the relationship between dharma and karma. In Hinduism, dharma pertains not only to human conduct but also defines the order of the world as a whole. The world has an identifiable order in terms of the lives of all beings, the changing of the seasons, and the progression of the cosmos. All of this is dharma.
We then briefly consider human dharma: as ritual action, as following sacred text, as acceptance of social and familial responsibilities, as action that is based on principles of pure virtue, and as the spiritual pursuit of liberation from this world. All of these are also dharma.
Session Two: Ritual, Social Duty, and Sacred TextWe begin this session with a focus on dharma as religious ritual. In the Indian context this relates primarily to the Vedic ritual of making offerings into a sacred fire, the Tantric rites in which sacred images are worshipped, and folk rituals practised in towns and villages. We then consider varṇa and āśrama – social class and stages of life – as the key to dharma, raising questions about social duty and the origins of the caste system. We conclude with a discussion of texts known as dharma-śāstras and the Manu Smṛti – raising the vital question of the status of ancient texts in the modern world.
We move on to consider sanātana-dharma, which can be defined as the dharma of pure virtue. Here dharma is understood as the universal mode of living that applies equally to all human beings, regardless of time, place, or social status. We look at a range of verses from the Mahābhārata and other texts, which seek to establish the exact precepts on which a life dedicated to dharma should be based, looking in particular at the principle of ahiṁsā, not harming, and the problems faced in trying to live a life based solely on dharma. We conclude with a consideration of the tensions that arise when the ideals of pure virtue conflict with ritual acts or sacred text.
The fourth session focuses on the four puruṣārthas – legitimate life goals – as established in early texts such as the Mahābhārata, Viṣṇu Purāṇa, and the Kāma Sūtra. These aims are:
Is it possible to reconcile the apparent contradictions between these goals of life? Does dharma give legitimacy to artha and kāma? Is dharma an essential part of the path to spiritual liberation?
We now consider dharma in the Bhagavad-gītā. We discuss Arjuna’s argument that engaging in battle against family members would be contrary to dharma. We then turn to look at precisely why Kṛṣṇa rejects Arjuna’s position and offers a contrasting understanding of dharma. We go on to review the Gītā’s insight into ahiṁsā and how actions based on a worldly ideal of dharma can be reconciled with transcendence of worldly concerns.
In our final session we consider liberation from this world and how this is achieved through adoption of different forms of mokṣa-dharma (the dharma of liberation). We consider two distinct yet related perspectives: enlightenment through realisation of our true spiritual identity (jñāna), and liberation through worship of the Supreme Deity (bhakti). Are these two paths dependent upon the sanātana-dharma of pure virtue? Do spiritual pursuits transcend ideas of right and wrong action on which all other forms of dharma depend?
Course Tutor
Nick is the Director – and the heart and soul – of the OCHS Continuing Education Department. He is a dedicated teacher with decades of experience in making sometimes-confusing traditions relevant. He has created over a dozen online courses and is working on many more. He has written translations and commentary on Bhagavad Gītā and the Yoga Sūtra. Nick received his Phd from Lancaster University (1995). His thesis was on the religious teachings of the Mahabharata.