Vrftsjtryk

Religion and Dharma --These words have different connotations but are often used interchageably.

In a site like this, we need a word to repesent 'Dharma'.

What are the pros and cons of translating 'Dharma' as 'Religion' in light of the Hindu Culture?

Has some English term for 'Dharma' been suggested earlier by any hindu sect?

Each word has one 'etymological' meaning and one 'current usage' meaning. First let us see the etymological meaning of dharma.

According to the sanskritdictionary.com, the word 'dharma' originally means

ध्रियते लोको$नेन, धरति लोकं वा (धृ-मन्;) : dhriyate loko'nena, dharati lokam vA, ie. by which the world is held or which holds the world.

According to the Oxford dictionary, the word 'Religion' originates from

‘life under monastic vows’,‘obligation, bond, reverence’, (perhaps based on Latin religare ‘to bind’).

'Holding' and 'binding' are very close indeed ! So there is some similarity in the etymological meanings of the two words, there is some dissimilarity though.

Next, let us come to the current usage. The sanskritdictionary.com provides the following meanings of 'Dharma':

1 Religion; the customary observances of a caste, sect, &c. -2 Law, usage, practice, custom, ordinance, statue. -3 Religious or moral merit, virtue, righteousness, good works (regarded as one of the four ends of human existence); अनेन धर्मः सविशेषमद्य मे त्रिवर्ग- सारः प्रतिभाति भाविनि Ku.5.38, and see त्रिवर्ग also; एक एव सुहृद्धर्मो निधने$प्यनुयाति यः H.1.63. -4 Duty, prescribed course of conduct; षष्ठांशवृत्तेरपि धर्म एषः Ś.5.4; Ms.1.114. -5 Right, justice, equity, impartiality. -6 Piety, propriety, decorum. -7 Morality, ethics -8 Nature. disposition, character; उत्पत्स्यते$स्ति मम को$पि समानधर्मा

The Oxford dictionary provides the following meanings of 'Religion'

1. The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.




2. A particular system of faith and worship.




3. A pursuit or interest followed with great devotion.

Many of the 'current usage meanings' of both the words sound similar.

Some of the meanings like 'Virtue', 'Duty', 'Righoutness', 'Nature' etc are of course entirely different.

This is a site where 'Hinduism' is an accepted word 'by default' and therefore 'Religion' can be a good translation of 'Dharma'. When used in some other sense, we can easily use some appropriate word like Virtue, Duty etc.

We must remember that the two words are coming from two different societies, traditions and culture and differences are obvious. Such differences are inherent in almost each and every translation of Sanskrit words to English.

As we have accepted the English language to express our ideas about Spirituality, I think we can safely use the word 'Religion' for 'Dharma' except certain cases where the word means something different as mentioned above.

To conclude, even though they are not exactly the same, they can be used interchangeably most of the time.