INDIAN ETHICS
THE VEDIC ETHOS
Fountainhead
• Veda
• Upanishad
• Mahabharata
• Commentaries on scriptures by seers
VIDYA- Knowledge
Apara- Knowledge through worldly means
Para- Knowledge through the grace of the master
Apara Vidya
• Veda
• Upveda
• Upanga
• Shad Darshan
• Purana
• Itihas
Veda
• Rigveda
• Yajurveda
• Samaveda
• Atharveda
Each Veda has four parts
• Samhita-collection of chants
• Brahmana- Explanation of chants
• Aranyaka-Instruction for meditation
• Upanishad- Philosophical portions
Main Upanishads• Aitatareya Upanishad• Brihadaranyaka Upanishad• Chandyogya Upanishad• Isha Upanishad• Katha Upanishad• Kena Upanishad• Maitri Upanishad• Mandukya Upanishad• Manduka Upanishad• Prasna Upanishad• Svetasvatara Upanishad• Taittirya Upanishad
Upaveda – application of Veda
• Sthapatyaveda
• Dahnurveda ( Yajur veda)
• Ayurveda ( Rig veda)
• Gandharvaveda ( Sama veda)
• Arthaveda ( Atharva Veda)
Upanga ( the six limbs)
• Shaiksha ( phonetics)
• Kalpa (ritual)
• Vyakarana (grammar)
• Nirukta (etymology)
• Chandas ( meter)
• Jyotish ( astrology & astronomy)
Shad Darshana-six systems of philosophy
• Nyaya
• Vaisheshika
• Sankhya
• Yoga- Ashtanga ( eight limbs of yoga )
• Purvamimansa
• Vedanta
Puranas-18
• Srimad Bhagvatam• Garuda Purana• Linga Purana• Markandeya Purana• Matsya Purana• Parasara Purana• Shiva Purana• Skanada Purana• Vamana Purana• Vishnu Purana
Itihasa
• Ramayana
• Mahabharata
Key concepts relevant to Ethics
• Purushartha
• Asrama &Varna Vyavastha
• Rta -Dharma,
• Svabhava,Svadharma &Sanskar
• Purohita- dharma-danda-kshatriya
PURPOSE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE
Purpose of Human Existence is Purusartha
KAMA - Life purpose reflected as desires
ARTHA- Means to fulfill desires
DHARMA- Achieve Kama & Artha ethically
MOKSHA- To be liberated
Inference
• Purusartha makes human life enjoyable and purposeful and meaningful .
• It encompasses the entire scope of life at all levels .
• Ethics involves fulfillment of Purusartha in self and others
Ashrama Vyavastha
• Brahmachrya• Grihastya• Sanyasa
• Vanprastha
Bhagavada Gita
Yasmat trayo pyasramino
Jnanenannena canvaham
Grihasthaanaiva dharyante
Tasmat jyesthasrami grhui
The three ashramas are supported and nourished with knowledge and food by the grihasta alone ;whuch makes it the most excellent asharma
In the grihastha stage the trivarga of dharma , artha and kama ensures the happiness of all.
Inference
• Every stage in life has its own dharma – rights and responsibilities .
• We are ethical when we conduct our life as per the dharma of every stage in life.
PURPOSE OF AN ORGANIZATION
Organizations have two purpose
• To become a field for fulfillment of purushartha , Asrama and Varna Vyavastha
• Facilitates the fulfillment of dharma in the individual and social context
WHAT IS DHARMA?
• Dharma is a multilayered concept with a commonality in the underlying sense.
• It implies doing what one should be doing , as only this will ensure the harmony in the universe and happiness of individual.
The cosmic laws RTA are the laws of actuality.
When RTA is translated into laws of action to suit human affairs it becomes DHARMA
WHAT ARE COSMIC LAWS( RTA )
1. UNITY UNDERLYING DIVERSITY
The phenomenal manifest world (diversity)is the frontal aspect of the un manifest ground consciousness (unity ).
This is Brahman.
ISHOPANISHAD:7
yasmin sarvani bhutani
atmaevabhuda vijantah
tatra ko moha shok
ekat vamanup shayatah
He who acquires the supreme consciousness by
which the one self in him extends itself to embrace all creatures and realize the eternal act by which the one (Brahman) manifests itself in the multiple forms of the universal motion is enlightened.
Inference
Interdependence is the law of life. All actions that support interdependence are ethical .
Life is all about co creation
2.INVOLUTED PERFECTION
Every part of creation is a particularistic aspect of Brahman called Guna- Svabhava
The Brahman is anantaguna - containing all possible qualities.
KENOPANISHAD:1
keneshitam patati preshitam
Kenpranah prathmah preti yuktah
Kene shitam vachmimam vadanti
Chakshu shotramka udevau yunakti
By whom willed and directed the mind light on objects?
By whom commanded does life first move?
By whose will do men first speak the speech?
What intelligence directs the eye and the ear?
IT IS BRAHMAN
Varna-Svabhava
Brahmin - Knowledge Generator
Kshatriya- Knowledge Coordinator
Vaishya- Knowledge User
Shudra- Knowledge Server
Inference-1
The correct combination , proportion and proper functioning of all four varna collectively makes a society productive and , harmonious, while keeping individual fulfilled.
Inference-2
Nature and human beings are programmed for perfection. Following our constitution is dharma as only this integrates us with ourself self and others.
)
3.ORDERED CHANGE
The phenomenal world is sustained by progressive recreation which is the
simultaneous workings of
• BRAHMA- CREATER
• VISHNU- SUSTAINER
• MAHESH- DESTROYER
ISHOPANISHAD:5
Tade jatitane jatitadure tadantike
Tada tarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyaasya brahamatah
It ( Brahman) moves.It is motionless. It is distant.
It is near. It is within . It is without all this.
Inference
• Constant change is the law of life .
• Change is nothing but recreation and should be facilitated and not resisted .
IMPLICATIONS FOR ETHICS
SIN
Being in your SVABHAVA and acting it out SVADHARMA is dharma . To do anything opposite or less than this is sin.
Sam darshan vishama vartana -View all things impartially by treating each differently ; only then we are fair and ethical to all
The Play of Energy
Dharma needs Triguna of energy to be expressed as actions.
SATWIC RAJASICTAMASIC
ENERGY - Gunas
SATWIC RAJASIC TAMASIC
Equilibrium
Support
Essence
Holism
Happiness
“We”
Dynamic
Focused
Restless
Seeking
“ I”
Inertia
Narrow
Unchanging
None
Excellence and Ethical actions Excellence and Ethical actions
• The svabhava and Svadharma depend upon the gunas for expression
• The Satwic guna leads to clarity and perfection
• Rajasic and Tamasic gunas without the blessing of Satwic guna leads to steady deterioration and unethical action
SVABHAVA –GUNASSVABHAVA –GUNAS& ETHICS& ETHICS
• When the svabhava is not discovered we do wrong things
• When the svabhava is discovered but not expressed via the appropriate gunas we do right things in a wrong way
• When we stop others from expressing their svabhava we are unethical
SANSKARSSANSKARS
• Impressions and mental coding acquired through interactions with the external world
• Sanskars predispose individuals to act in particular ways
• Sanskars are inevitable and govern actions• Sanskar are both good and bad -good sanskars
take us towards svabhava and bad sanskars away
• SANSKARS DO NOT DEFINE THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE
ROLE OF LEADERS AND ETHICS
Order, Disorder & Leader
• Rta operates as dharma that is interpreted through human cognitions
• Obstructive habit tendencies - sanskars interfere with the implementation of dharma and thereby creates disorder
• Leaders are allies of dharma and work for its installation in society to create order.
Conjoint Principles of Vedic Ethos of Leadership
Dharma – Danda
Purohita- Kshatriya
Inner Sage- Outer King
Dharma
Dharma is kshatrasya kshatram - controller of leader. Is king of kings -adhirajo rajnam
Brihadararanyak Upanishad
Dharma is knowledge of rights and responsibilities in different stages and station of life - sadharna- dharma ,varna- dharma, ashrama-dharma, svadharma etc
When dharma prevails there is order
DandaDanda is laws & policies; structural, social, organizational &
institutional frameworks ,that enable and not obstruct people from pursuing their self interest peacefully and collaboratively.
• Danda is the prop of dharma & established by leaders .
• Danda is customized to place( desh) , time (kala) and agency ( patra).
jati janapadan dharman Sreni – dharmansca dharmavit/samiksya kula dharmamsea svadharmam pratipadayate.( Manu 10-47-50 )
Purohita-Kshatriya
Purohita is abhigantr ( knower ); leader is kartr (executer)
The half self of Kshatriya ( ardhatmo ha va esa ksatriyasya,( Aitareya Brahaman VII.26);who comes before the leader at all times.
Abhiseka is the rite of initiation by which the kshatriya is fathered by purohita
Inner Sage- Outer King
Inner Sage has virtue established in Satwic guna , while Outer King accomplishes great deeds through Satwic – Rajasic guna
Highest ideal in leadership is to posses the virtues of both.
Yasya nahadkrto bhavo bhudhiryasya na lipyateHatvapi sa imallaukann hanta na nibhyate
Bhagvada Gita XVIII.17
Leaders from Mahabharata
1. Bhisma 2. Dhritarastra
3. Duryodhana 4. Yudhisthira
5. Karna 6. Aswathama 6.
7. Bhima 7. Arjuna
8. Gandhari 9. Kunti
10. Draupadi 11.Vidura
Make groups (seven in each), in order of roll number
• Sketch the life story of each character.• Identify the critical junctures when they took
important decisions and performed certain actions.
• Based on outcomes of events evaluate the ethical conduct of each character ( use Indian concepts for analysis )
• To what extent the conduct restored order, harmony and equilibrium in society.
In the next class
• Submit a word document of analysis of the character assigned to the group.
• You will make a 10 minutes presentation of the analysis in class (5-10 slides only)
Presentation Plan
1. Brief biography of character
2. Critical junctures in life story
3. Decisions and actions at that point
4. Evaluation of ethical conduct exhibited and the outcomes thereof