dharma

American  

[dahr-muh, duhr-] / ˈdɑr mə, ˈdʌr- /

noun

Hinduism, Buddhism.

1. essential quality or character, as of the cosmos or one's own nature.

2. conformity to religious law, custom, duty, or one's own quality or character.

3. virtue.

4. religion.

5. law, especially religious law.

6. the doctrine or teaching of the Buddha.

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dharma British  

/ ˈdɑːmə /

noun

1. Hinduism social custom regarded as a religious and moral duty

2. Hinduism

   1. the essential principle of the cosmos; natural law

   2. conduct that conforms with this

3. Buddhism ideal truth as set forth in the teaching of Buddha

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Other Word Forms

• dharmic adjective

Etymology

Origin of dharma

1790–1800; < Sanskrit: custom, duty, akin to dhārayati holds, maintains

Example Sentences

He says he "had very mixed feelings…given what had happened" but was driven by Hindu belief in dharma which he says involves "doing your duty".

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2025

This means focussing on dharma, or the right way to act so that our larger, global communities can work.

From Salon • Nov. 11, 2023

Someone could move up or down within this hierarchy depending on their dharma and their accrual of karma during their lifetime.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

It is the dharma of fire to be hot, and of water to cool.

From New York Times • Feb. 16, 2023

The word rasa can never be adequately translated into English, and perhaps it should be adopted there as a loan-word, together with such others as karma, yoga, dharma, samsāra, nirvāna.

From Vidy?pati: Bang?ya pad?bali; songs of the love of R?dh? and Krishna by Vidy?pati Th?kura