DHARMIC PATH
Dharmic path temperament comes from dharmic philosophy —
particularly the tension between Buddhist and Vedantic approaches to
change. And due to the efforts of many Rishis and siddaanthis.
Hinduism teaches 16 qualities of dharma; B G rings the bell as,
The 16 Divine Qualities
Fearlessness (Abhayam): Freedom from psychological fear and anxiety, rooted
in firm faith.
Purity of Heart (Sattva Samsuddhi): Internal and external cleanliness, free
from deceit.**
Steadfastness in Knowledge (Jnāna Yoga Vyavasthiti)**: Firm grounding in
spiritual wisdom and self-realization.
Charity (Dānam): Giving generously without expectation of reward.
Self-Control (Dama): The discipline and restraint of one's senses.
Sacrifice (Yajña): Performing selfless duties and dedicated actions.
Study of Scriptures (Svādhyāya): Dedication to learning and understanding
sacred wisdom.
Austerity (Tapas): Simple, disciplined living that purifies the mind and
body.
Straightforwardness (Arjavam): Honesty and simplicity in one's life and
interactions.
Non-violence (Ahi⋅ msā): Avoiding causing harm to any living creature in
thought, word, or deed.
Truthfulness (Satyam): Speaking the truth in a gentle and beneficial manner.
Absence of Anger (Akrodha): The ability to maintain composure even when
provoked.
Renunciation (Tyāga): Relinquishing attachment to the ego and the fruits
of one's actions.
Peacefulness (Sānti): A quiet, tranquil, and composed state of mind.
Compassion (Dayā): Kindness and empathy towards all living beings.
Absence of Greed (Aloluptva): Freedom from covetousness and excessive
material desires.
Bg. 16.24तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ ।ज्ञात्वा
शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २४ ॥tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te
kāryākārya-vyavasthitau jñātvā śāstra-vidhāoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi
One should therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the
regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one
should act so that he may gradually be elevated.
Buddhism teaches anicca — impermanence. Everything conditioned
arises and passes. Clinging to continuity, in that sense, could be the root
of suffering. The path is to see clearly that nothing lasts, and to find
freedom in that recognition.
Vedanta teaches sat — unchanging being. Beneath all the flux of
appearances, there is something that doesn’t change. The search is for that
ground of permanence, the witness that remains constant even as everything
else transforms.
These aren’t contradictory. They’re complementary truths about different
levels of reality: At the level of form, everything changes. Societies,
relationships, bodies, ideas — they are all impermanent. At the level of
essence, something remains. The capacity for awareness, for compassion, for
meaning-making — these don’t disappear even as their expressions evolve.
Living between these truths means:
Accepting that change is inevitable (Buddhist insight);
While seeking what endures (Vedantic inquiry);
And learning to hold both simultaneously.
This is what dharmic philosophy calls the Middle Path — not a compromise
between extremes, but a third position that transcends the binary.
Different societies have different relationships with change, continuity,
and collective welfare. Any governance system — whether for nations or for
AI — needs to make space for these differences rather than forcing
everything into one ideological mould. This isn’t relativism. It’s
pluralism. There are still better and worse ways to organise societies. But
“better” doesn’t always mean “more like the West” or “more revolutionary”
or “more traditional.” Sometimes it means finding the synthesis that works
for a particular context, at a particular moment. The dharmic approach
offers this: a framework that values both/and over either/or.
That asks us to hold multiple truths. That resists the seduction of
ideological purity in favour of contextual wisdom. It revealed the deeper
truth that my instinct — in governance, in ethics, in relationships, in
life — is to hold the middle space where compassion meets responsibility,
and where change is steady enough to trust. A worldview shaped by:
the dharmic idea of sustainable action;
the Vedantic search for the unchanging;
the Buddhist acceptance of impermanence;
and the human yearning for continuity in an impermanent world.
This is the axis I live on.Not left or right. Not pro or anti. Not
revolutionary or reactionary. Just a quiet belief that the most enduring
transformations are the ones that honour what came before while still
having the courage to let go of what no longer serves.
This is the work: learning to change without fracturing. To evolve without
abandoning. To stay true to core principles while adapting their
expression. It feels more contemporary too, more post-modern in its
humility. And perhaps, above all, more kind.
Satyam vadha dharmam chara is the route of life .
K RAJARAM IRS 12626
On Fri, 12 Jun 2026 at 04:11, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> “If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere
> else.”
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
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