Dharma


". . . Now this idea of Dharma - this knowledge that " right " and " wrong " are relative and changeable, instead of absolute and fixed, does not give anyone an excuse for doing anything "bad" or "wrong" that he would not have done under the old idea. On the contrary, Dharma holds one up to his highest conception of "right", and expects him to do what seems "right" for rights sake, and not because the law compels him to do so - it expects right-action from him, even though the law has not as yet reached so high a stage. It teaches him that if he sees a thing to be "wrong," it is wrong for him even though the law and public opinion have not yet reached so high a standard of ethics. The advanced man will always be a little ahead of the average conception -- never behind it...

. . . And another rule of Dharma is to refrain from criticising or condemning the Dharma of another man less developed than yourself. He is not looking through your eyes. He may be living nearer to his spiritual ideal than your are to yours -- how dare you judge him? Are you so near perfect that you set your standard up as absolute? . . .

Yogi Ramacharaka, "Advance Course
in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental
Occultism"


The Buddha