Dharm Kya Che

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Dharm Kya Che" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, in English:

The text "Dharm Kya Che" (What is Dharma?) by Sukhlal Sanghavi explores the nature and essence of religion. The author posits that religion has two aspects: a visible, external form (the "body") and an invisible, internal essence (the "soul").

The "Body" of Religion: The "body" of any religion, regardless of its size or specific practices, is generally composed of common elements. These include:

• Scriptures: Sacred texts that form the foundation of the religion.
• Scholars and Teachers: Pandits or Gurus who interpret and explain the scriptures.
• Sacred Places: Pilgrimage sites, temples, and other holy locations.
• Worship Practices: Specific forms of devotion and rituals.
• A Class of Practitioners: Individuals who follow and sustain these practices. These external elements, collectively, constitute the visible "body" of a religion.

The "Soul" of Religion: The "soul" of religion is its core essence, which is described as consciousness or life itself. It is characterized by virtues such as:

• Truth
• Love
• Selflessness
• Generosity
• Discretion and Humility

The author argues that while the "bodies" of different religions may vary greatly, the "soul" of religion is universally one. This single soul expresses itself through numerous bodies, or rather, imbues life into various forms.

The Problem of Internal Conflict: A key question raised is why, if the soul of religion is one and its purpose is to bring life, do different religious sects, which claim to hold this one soul, engage in conflict, disputes, and clashes? The author draws an analogy to the human body, where different organs, despite their distinct functions and locations, work harmoniously without internal conflict.

The Cause of Religious Discord: The text identifies the primary reason for internal religious strife: when religious groups become "corpses without a soul," merely clinging to their external forms and practices, they lose the true essence of dharma. This leads to:

• Narrow-mindedness: They begin to see other sects as adversaries and enemies.
• Dependence on External Authority: The scriptures, pilgrimage sites, and temples themselves are inanimate; it's the active individuals – the scholars, gurus, and ritualists – who give them impetus.
• Self-Serving Motives of Religious Leaders: When these leaders fall into delusion, mistaking the external for the internal, they are tempted to lead easy, comfortable, and irresponsible lives under the guise of religion. This is often enabled by an unthinking, uneducated, or unwise follower base.
• Desire for Personal Gain and Recognition: Clergy and scholars often seek to live comfortably, to hide their own flaws, and to appear important in the eyes of their followers.
• Defense of their Own Traditions: This insecurity drives them to create elaborate rituals and to constantly highlight the faults of other religious sects. They champion their own pilgrimage sites while denigrating or dismissing those of others, labeling them as places of "atheism."

The Cycle of Denial and Disdain: The text further illustrates this by noting that a proponent of Sanatan Dharma might glorify Kashi and Gaya but ignore or denigrate nearby Sarnath and Rajgir. Similarly, a Jain might emphasize Palitana and Sametshikhar but rarely acknowledge the significance of Ganga and Haridwar. A Christian priest might not consider Mecca and Medina as holy as Jerusalem. This pattern of rejecting or demeaning the scriptural importance and practices of other sects fuels millennia of historical disputes and animosity between different religious "bodies."

The Role of the Follower: While the leaders' complacency and preference for comfort are one reason, another significant factor is the "dullness and lack of spirit" within the follower base. The author suggests that if religious leaders have largely divided humanity rather than united it, it is the duty of the followers to take the "laws of dharma" into their own hands and think independently.

The Fear and Conformity within Religious Institutions: The text acknowledges that there isn't necessarily a complete lack of qualified individuals within religious leadership. However, the prevailing environment within each sect often becomes so interdependent that even a righteous priest, scholar, or guru hesitates to speak or act truly for fear of others. This creates a system where deviation from the norm is difficult, akin to navigating a place where everyone is accepting bribes, making it challenging for an honest person to survive.

The Contradiction of Words and Actions: The author points out the stark contradiction between the teachings of religious leaders and their actual conduct. While they preach universalism, impartiality, and selfless service, their actions often reveal a different reality. The wealth generated by followers through honest labor is often spent on useless rituals, ostentatious celebrations, and personal comforts, with the leaders deriving satisfaction from these acts as if they were true religious merit. This leads the discerning mind to question the very purpose of such displays.

The True Measure of Dharma: The text challenges the notion that elaborate rituals and the accumulation of wealth are the hallmarks of religiosity. If that were the case, then the more ostentatious the displays and the greater the wealth accumulated, the more religious a sect would be. However, the leaders of one sect rarely acknowledge the religiosity of another's wealth or practices. If both sides deem each other irreligious, then what should be believed?

The author concludes that any practice that does not unite humanity or foster qualities that promote connection cannot be considered religious. It cannot be called a "religious sentiment."

The Path Forward: The true education of dharma lies in fostering this understanding within the follower base and cultivating the humility and courage to accept this understanding and share it with others. This education reveals that dharma resides in its soul, which is virtuous conduct and moral behavior in everyday life.

• The Body's Value: The "body" of religion has value only when it is animated by the "soul." Without the soul, the body is no more valuable than a corpse.
• Freedom from Delusion: The author emphasizes that in this era, marked by a lack of spiritual resources and numerous challenges, the only way to achieve and live humanity is to quickly liberate oneself from the "delusion and superstitions of religion" and to truly understand dharma within the heart.

In essence, "Dharm Kya Che" is a call to look beyond the external forms and rituals of religion and to focus on its inner essence of truth, love, and virtuous conduct, advocating for unity and independent thought rather than sectarian division and blind adherence.