Wikipedia defines “Dharma” as “a term used to describe an ethical principle or practice that promotes knowledge and action.” With this definition in mind, one can see that it encompasses the concepts of all the major religions. However, as is evident from the countless scriptures, books, websites and other references that we consult everyday, there are differences between the true meaning of dharma and what many people call “Theta.” The “Theta” is usually interpreted to mean “that which is beyond,” but “Dharmas” can also mean “actions” and can even mean the combination of actions. These definitions can be used to explain the inner journey of man, his making of himself, his interactions with others and his ultimate liberation from the Wheel of Samskara (reincarnation).
According to the dictionary and reference sources, the word “Dharmas” means “what is good, beneficial, useful, beneficial.” This explanation provides the basis for understanding the origin of dharma; however, another interpretation believes that the word “Dharmas” actually means “the truth.” This interpretation is based on the Buddhist principle of karma, which is the principle that things which are performed in the past have effects upon people who perform similar actions in the future. Since the Buddha established the precepts of Buddhism in the first sermon of the Gita, known as the Pari transcripts, all of the Buddhas had revealed the truth.
Many people mistakenly think that the Gita is the definitive work on the path to theosis, or enlightenment, and so they substitute “Dharmas” with “the truth.” Unfortunately, they do not realize that they have substituted an ideology with a meaning. They fail to see that true dharma is the timeless teachings of the Gita and the teachings of all the Buddhas, and that the term “Dharmas” simply signifies that which has been spoken (or written) in the Gita. By this logic, we could say that the true dharma is what the Buddha said it would be, and that those who follow the Buddha’s path would be practicing the true dharma. Those who follow other religions, including Buddhism, should note that all these paths eventually lead to the same ultimate destination, which is the dissolution of the threefold mind into the single mind.
The true dharma-nantrana is the road to liberation from suffering. It is the path that leads to enlightenment, but that which we must journey toward is not the road to salvation but the road to liberation. If we were to stop at the beginning of this road, where it is merely the beginning, then what would remain would be merely the road to becoming a Bodhisattva, or a Bodhisattva being. That would be unacceptable to the enlightened. We should accept that the true dharma-mantra is not only the road to liberation from suffering, but the road to liberation from suffering and ignorance, and even to nibbana, or complete enlightenment.
The difference between the truth of the Sanskrit dharma and that of the Hindu truth is this: while the former is static, the latter is changing. While the former holds fast to the truth irrespective of whether or not the external circumstances alter, the latter understands that things do change, but holds fast to the truth regardless of whether the external circumstances change. It is this very understanding that underlies the differences between the Hindu and the Sanskrit dharma. While the Hindus believe that truth is permanent, the Sanskrits believe that truth is variable and is only static in nature. Thus, whereas the Hindus are able to realize their goals through control over the forces that move them, the Sanskrits are unable to achieve their goals due to their inability to control the forces that move them.
The third aspect that characterizes dharma in the Hindu tradition is the concept of brahma jati or class distinction. Brahma jati signifies the relation between the brahmanas or the higher castes of Hindu society and the lower castes or the jati. While the Brahmins were at one time considered as the superior class, the brahminical institutions were at the same time torn between themselves as the society was torn between the progressive and the regressive forces. In the Indian social order, Brahma jati signifies that there is a hierarchy of classes and castes in Hindu society, and this hierarchy is based on the concept of brahma jati.