Dharm Aur Panth

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dharm aur Panth" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, based on the provided excerpt:

The text differentiates between Dharm (Religion/Inner Path) and Panth (Sect/Outer Creed). It argues that true religion stems from within the soul, is sustained by inner qualities, and naturally draws a person inward. Conversely, a sect originates from external influences, outward appearances, and the practices of others, leading one to focus externally.

Key Distinctions:

• Inner vs. Outer Focus:

  • Dharm: Internal focus, born from within the soul, self-sustaining, and inward-drawing.
  • Panth: External focus, arising from outward circumstances and imitation, drawing attention outward.

• Quality vs. Form:

  • Dharm: Based on inner qualities and dependent on them.
  • Panth: Based on outward form, appearance, rituals, attire, and possessions, emphasizing external markers.

• Unity vs. Division:

  • Dharm: Fosters feelings of unity and oneness, dissolving discrimination. It promotes empathy where others' joys and sorrows become one's own.
  • Panth: Creates divisions and disparities, leading to the forgetting of one's true interconnectedness. It fosters indifference to others' suffering and a focus on personal gain. Sectarianism reinforces the distinction between "self" and "other."

• Humility vs. Pride:

  • Dharm: Naturally leads to humility, where one feels small and insignificant, recognizing the vastness of true life. Even with achievements, one remains humble.
  • Panth: Tends to create pride, making individuals feel superior to others even without merit. Any humility displayed is often superficial and serves to maintain a sense of self-importance. Lacking an understanding of true life, individuals within a sect cannot grasp their own smallness, only feigning it.

• Truth vs. Partial Truth (Satyabhasa):

  • Dharm: Possesses a vision of truth, with the patience to consider all perspectives and the broad-mindedness to accept them.
  • Panth: Holds a partial truth, believing its own viewpoint to be the entire truth, lacking the inclination to explore other sides or the tolerance to accept them.

• Self-Faults vs. Other's Virtues:

  • Dharm: Focuses on recognizing one's own faults and appreciating the virtues of others.
  • Panth: Tends to overlook one's own faults while highlighting the faults of others, and exaggerating one's own virtues.

• Character vs. External Factors:

  • Dharm: Emphasizes character above all else, disregarding external factors like caste, gender, age, attire, language, etc.
  • Panth: Places significant importance on these external factors. Individuals with good character but belonging to a group not favored by the sect might be ostracized or even insulted.

• Purity and Exclusion:

  • Dharm: Views the entire world as pure, free from concepts of "untouchability" or hatred. The only impurity is one's own sin.
  • Panth: Is characterized by a strong sense of "untouchability" and segregation. Adherents are often oblivious to the negative aspects of their own sect, finding fault only with those outside it. Their chosen path and beliefs are perceived as inherently superior and fragrant, while all others are deemed foul and inferior.

The Metaphor of Water:

The text uses the metaphor of water to illustrate the difference:

• Panth: Is like water confined in a Hindu's drinking pot, so restricted that it fears becoming impure if touched by another. It is averse to other sources of water.
• Dharm: Is like rainwater falling from the sky, accessible to all without discrimination. It has a uniform taste and form, and can be received and assimilated by anyone.

The Relationship Between Dharm and Panth:

While sects may arise from religion and claim to propagate it, they can become detrimental. The author likens a sect to a nail growing from flesh and blood; if unchecked, it harms the host. Just as cutting away the excess nail preserves the skeleton, a sect that deviates from its religious core must be pruned for the well-being of society.

However, if a sect retains the life of religion within it, thousands of sects are not problematic. Differences in nature and characteristics would not cause strife but foster love, humility, and friendship. The problem arises when sects become detached from the essence of religion. The solution is to reintroduce the elements of religion into sects, or if this is not possible, to abandon the sects. A person without a sect is better than a person with a religionless sect, from the perspective of public welfare.

Satyagrahi (Truth-Seeker/Resister) Characteristics:

The text concludes by outlining the qualities of a Satyagrahi, which are essential for infusing religion back into sects:

1. Complete Understanding and Conviction: One must fully understand what they believe and practice, and have enough conviction to explain it clearly and firmly to others.
2. Absence of Agitation/Anger: The true test of one's understanding and belief is the absence of agitation or anger when explaining it to others. Any perceived flaws in one's own beliefs should be readily admitted.
3. Openness and Equal Consideration: Just as one should have the patience to explain their view, they must also possess the generosity and readiness to understand others' perspectives. All possible viewpoints should be considered equally to assess their strengths and weaknesses. If one's own position appears weak or erroneous, relinquishing it should bring greater joy than accepting it initially.
4. Synthesis of Truth: Complete truth is not limited by time, place, or circumstances. Therefore, one should strive to integrate all fragmented truths from different aspects, seeking to create a holistic understanding.

The Danger of Sectarianism:

Sects devoid of religion are detrimental to society and the nation, hindering unity and collective progress. Sects that were originally created to unite humanity are now obstacles to this very goal. Sectarianism is defined as a false pride arising from mental narrowness in the name of religion.

The author highlights how sectarian beliefs prevent common good initiatives and create conflict. He questions how sects would treat members who act with genuine compassion or adhere to principles that transcend sectarian boundaries. He concludes that it is people themselves, through their sectarian conditioning, who betray truth and unity. True religious leaders, instead of uniting, remain divided by their sectarian affiliations, while ordinary people can easily reconcile. When religious leaders show mutual respect, collaborate, and prevent disputes, it signifies the re-emergence of religion within the sect. The duty, therefore, is to bring religion back into sects, or failing that, to dissolve the sects.