Dharma
key concept in Indian philosophy and Eastern religions, with multiple meanings
Dharma (; Sanskrit: धर्म, pronounced [dʱɐrmɐ] ) is a key concept in various Indian-origin religions. The term dharma does not have a single, clear translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit dhr-, meaning to hold or to support, thus referring to the law that sustains things—from one's life to society, and to the universe at large. Most commonly, dharma refers to an individual's moral responsibilities or duties; the dharma of a farmer differs from the dharma of a soldier, thus making the concept a dynamic one. The antonym of dharma is adharma.
In Hinduism, dharma denotes behaviours that are considered to be in accord with Ṛta—the "order and custom" that makes life and the universe possible. This includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, and ethics, forming the "righteous way of living", which differs depending on one's identity, gender, and stage of life. The concept of dharma appears in the earliest Vedic texts, and its meaning and conceptual scope has evolved over several millennia. Dharma is believed to have a transtemporal validity, and is one of the puruṣārthas.
In Buddhism, dharma (Pali: dhamma) refers to the teachings of the Buddha and to the true nature of reality (which the teachings point to).
“Dharma” enters the record as key concept in Indian philosophy and Eastern religions, with multiple meanings. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Dharma, concept and Indian can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Dharma” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Dharma, concept and Indian provides the most credible route into that argument.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q134293. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Dharma”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Dharma primary sources, Dharma archive and Dharma research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Dharma”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Dharma” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.