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.

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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