| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| SARVA DHARMA SAMABHAVA : UNITY OR CONFUSION OF RELIGIONS | |
| Belief
and Dharma
The correct term for the common Western idea of religion, which is a particular belief, in Hindu thought is not be Dharma but "mata" meaning a belief, view or opinion. There is no such possible statement as "Sarva Mata Samabhava" or the equality and unity of all opinions. Opinions are as diverse as the minds of creatures. Nor need we seek to make all opinions one and the same. A diversity of opinions is an essential part of the freedom necessary for seeking the truth. Opinions are various and even contradictory. Some may be right, others may be wrong. They are speculative views that must be proved in practice. That fire burns is a Dharma. It is its natural quality. If some one has the opinion that fire does not burn we do not have to respect that idea in order to maintain the universality of all Dharmas. We should allow everyone to have his or her own opinion about religion, because the minds of living beings are unique and move in different paths, but we don't have to sanction all religious opinions as true in order to do this. |
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