Certain universal principles of Dharmic religions: (Hindu, Jaina, Buddha and Sikh)

Certain universal principles of Dharmic religions: (Hindu, Jaina, Buddha and Sikh)

First - Dharma
One can be a non-believer in Veda or God, etc and still be part of the Dharma. Unlike the organised religions where the God, messenger and the message (holy book) are supreme where as in Dharmic religions (way of life) it is dharma that is supreme. One can be an atheist and still be a Hindu /Jain /Buddhist /Sikh, because the lifestyle is based on Dharma and not God. So dharma is more important than any God or Book or Ritual or a Messenger, etc.

What is dharma - in simple terms it means 'Meta rules' - which in-turn means "Rules of Rules" (encompassing social, personal, family parts of life) - this depends on one's times, place, society and family structure. - But the paramount among them is "ahimsa" and then Satya and moksha.

Second - Ahimsa
What is the single most important rule of dharma? that is Ahimsa. "अहिंसा परमो धर्मः". No voluntary harm to other living beings for Entertainment, Food, etc. Even though this is at psychological level but has to be cultivated from the physical level upwards.

How to practice Ahimsa - "we are what we eat". Starting with Vegetarian food, gradually moving to Yukta-Aahaara or Saatvic food, from that one can further move towards  the "ideal Yogic diet".

[Today Cows undergo a great deal of suffering for our milk and therefore the milk that comes out of a cow is also toxic in some sense. Desi cow that which is nurtured and grown in one's home like a family member, grassivorous, and most importantly the milk which is leftover after the calf is fully fed is what is "amrta" (elixir) - such milk and milk products can only be suitable as food /medicine. Else it is more appropriate to avoid milk to not to contribute to the 'himsa' of cows]

What is ideal Yogic diet - that which is just enough to sustain the body, that which doesn't create hurdles to the path towards ultimate purpose of Yoga - Moksha. A food that won't make one think about food till one is really hungry and physically weak due to hunger, that which is consumed just once a day. Note that in Yogic diet, milk is advised only for very few advanced yogic practitioners.

Food has great influence on our thoughts, words and actions - Thus such an ideal Vegetarian food not only nourishes our body but also our mind and speech. Thus our anger, rage, restlessness, etc. will come down and as a result our lifestyle disorders like Hypertension, Diabetes and cholesterol will come down. So this can help to practice real Ahimsa - means even harmful thoughts in our minds are purged and overtime they don't arise.

Third: Satya
This means both universal ultimate truth and individual worldly factual truth.

Vedic edicts such as Satya (universal truth), Self study, are also been adopted as core parts of all dharmic religions

सत्यं वद धर्मं चर स्वाध्यायात् मा प्रमदः मातृदेवो भव पितृदेवो भव आचार्यदेवो भव अतिथिदेवो भव

To practice all these one need to inculcate Self control, Mindfulness, etc. Food helps in a major way here - thus it is "Saatvic"

Forth: Moksha
Purpose of Life =  "Purushaartha" (पुरुषार्थाः). So what is "Purushaartha" - dharma, artha (means - making the living within the boundaries of dharma and also to maintain dharma), kaama (desire - and its fulfillment within the boundaries of dharma), moksha (liberation from the cycles of birth and death). The first 3 are there for propelling one towards the 4th in Sanatana Dharma. In Jainism and Buddhism Artha and Kaama are not given any importance as they could become hindrance for one's journey towards Moksha /Nirvana /Kaivalya etc.
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So what is really "Dharma" - the cyclical order of the universe - which existed before our birth and will be governing after our death also. The cosmic order such as being, birth, growth /change, aging, death and destruction (षड् भाव-विकाराः) - the 6 inevitable universal changes that everything undergoes. Our primary duty is not to disturb this order in anyway in the process of living. But we are disturbing it in every step in our process of living. Being aware of this and making necessary (even minor) changes to one's own living style so that the universal order is not disturbed or least disturbed due to one's living - this is mindful living.

Others are disturbing, what I should do - if possible try to prevent by reasoning with the others in a non-violent way - if not - accept both the disturbance and the disturber. May be the disturbance is also part of the cosmic order. Creating awareness is the only thing which one can do.

These are the primary 4 - rest like Saucha (cleanliness) etc. or the Yama /Niyama of Yoga all would automatically follow if one is steadfast on these four.

Om is considered to be universal sound in Dharmic religions
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Few other religions of Asia could also be considered on par with Dharmic religions, they are Zorashtriyan, Taoism and Shinto.

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Food for thought - How far we have moved away from the core principles ?? Today if one to asks Hindus, how many could answer these 4 core principles correctly ???