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Introduction
The foundation of Hindu ethics is the Vedic teaching that God (Brahman) and the indwelling Self of man are one and the same. Behind the psychophysical man is the Self, which is divine. Ayam atma Brahma – “This Self is Brahman,” is a fundamental teaching of the Hindu scriptures.
The Self forms the very core of man’s being. It is different from his physical body, vita energy, senses and mind. Man’s ego is not this Self. The ego or I-ness is an idea only; it is purely mental. Being mental, it cannot be the Self. This Self of man is called Atman in Sanskrit.
If Brahman is compared to an infinite ocean, then Atman is a wave in it. The ocean is never different from its waves, and the waves are never different from the ocean. They are one and the same. Thus, Brahman and Atman are one and the same. It is Atman which has become the manifold universe. If I hurt anyone, I actually hurt myself. Therefore, I must not hurt anyone. This realisation is the basis of Hindu ethics.
The Isha Upanishad says very beautifully, “He who sees all beings in the Self, and the Self in all beings, hates no one.” It is possible for us to hate others only when that awareness of unity is not there. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad there is a dialogue between the same, Yajnavalkya, and his virtuous wife, Maitreyi. In that dialogue Yajnavalkya says that our awareness of the presence of the Self in all makes everyone dear to us. The spiritual goal of Hinduism is to experience this divine Self within and without.
Dharma or Religious Duties
The word dharma plays a very important role in Hindu ethics. Dharma usually means religion. It also means moral and ethical duty. One definition of dharma says, “Dharayati dharma ity-ahu” – “Whatever sustains is dharma.” The Divine Self is the very foundation of our being, and it is that which sustains us. Therefore, according this definition, the highest meaning of the word Dharma is the Divine Self in man, the Atman.
However, in regard to the day-to-day practice of morality and ethics, dharma has a relatively lower meaning in Hinduism. In mundane life there are different types of dharma, such as vyakti-dharma or the dharma of an individual, parivarika-dharma or family-dharma, samaja-dharma or society-dharma, rashtra-dharma or national dharma, and manava-dharma or the dharma of mankind.
The observance of moral and ethical principles sustains an individual’s mind. Following the rules of health and hygiene sustains his physical body. Such observances at the individual level constitute vyakti-dharma. There are also other observances, listed below, which also come under the category of vyakti-dharma.
Individuals make up a family. For the well-being of the individual the family has to be sustained. Codes of conduct to be observed by individuals to prevent the disintegration of the family are parivarika-dharma or family-dharma. The basis of family-dharma is mutual self-sacrifice and respect. Upanishadic statements such as “Treat your mother as a god” and “Treat your father as a god,” are included in the codes of family-dharma. If families do not survive, individuals cannot survive.
Families make up a society. If society disintegrates, families cannot survive. Therefore, individuals must observe codes of conduct to maintain a well-integrated society. This is samaja-dharma or society-dharma. Self sacrifice of various kinds made for the sustenance of society is the basis of society-dharma. The practice of nonviolence, non-stealing, truthfulness, refraining from speaking a truth which hurts, control of anger, control of the lower passions, practicing charity and kindness to all, refraining from backbiting, practicing hospitality, etc., constitute samaja-dharma.
If the nation disintegrates, society cannot survive. Individuals have to make some self-sacrifice for their country also in order to sustain its existence. This is rashtra-dharma or national-dharma.
If mankind does not survive, it is impossible for nations to survive. Individuals, therefore, have to behave in a manner which will be conducive to the sustenance of mankind. This behaviour comes under the category of manava-dharma. It also consists of self-sacrifice.
All these dharmas are like so many concentric circles at the center of which is the individual, who is performing the dharmas. An ideal Hindu is supposed to observe all these dharmas. It is a hard task, but pursuing a high ideal alone can make life noble and meaningful. Self-sacrifice is the common denominator among all these dharmas. Without self-sacrifice the survival of the individual is not possible. Such self-sacrifice is in fact self-sustenance and self-preservation; it is not self-deprivation.
Five Debts or Pancha Rina
According to Hinduism, man has five debts: (1) deva-rina or debt to God, (2) rishi-rina or debt to the sages, (3) pitri-rina or debt to the ancestors, (4) nri-rina or debt to mankind and (5) bhuta-rina or debt to the subhuman beings. A Hindu has to repay these five debts through the performance of certain moral duties enjoined by the scriptures. Hindu ethics believes that all life forms belong to one ecosystem. Man cannot exist without acknowledging his indebtedness to other human beings and life forms on earth. All lives are interdependent. One cannot survive without the survival of others. Wanton destruction of life, whether human or subhuman, is not permitted by Hinduism.
One of the scriptures of Hinduism says that a Hindu has to maintain ethical behaviour from his inception in his mother’s womb until his death.
God is the Upholder of Morality
The Vedas also declare God to be the creator and upholder of rita, the eternal moral order. The entire universe is controlled by rita. All laws which maintain the orderliness of this universe and the other subtler worlds are included in rita. None in this universe can escape this moral law. Therefore, Hinduism considers God to be the very foundation of ethics and morality.