Hindu Dharma by Bansi Pandit

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Table of Contents

Index

About the Author

Books by Bansi Pandit

What is Hindu Dharma?

Hindu View of God

Why Hindus Worship Deities

Hindu Scriptures

Principal Hindu Doctrines

Law of Karma

Popular Systems

Moral & Ethical Ideals of Hindus

Hindu View ...

Hindu Reverence for Elders

Daily Routine of a Devout Hindu

Hindu Dharma

Hindu View of Ecology

Some Philosophical Aspects

Hindu Response

Contribution of Hindus

Practicing Hindu Dharma

Timeless Wisdom

Swãmi Vivekãnanda's Address

Works Cited

Color Plates

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Mar 15, 2025: Saturday

Chapter 8: Moral and Ethical Ideals of Hindus

Ethics can be described as the science of morality, and morality as the living of a virtuous life. Hindus place greater emphasis on the attitude of the mind rather than on postulation of the elaborate theories of what is right and what is wrong. Accordingly, the Hindu vision of morality and ethics is characterized by the following considerations:

Morality proceeds from the inner spirit of man. In Hindu view, one's motive is as important in the performance of an action as the action itself. When the heart is pure and free from lust and greed, whatever one does to perform one's duties has a high moral value.
Harmlessness to all creatures is the highest morality.
There are four sources of right conduct: Vedas, the Smriti (secondary scriptures), the conduct of wise persons, and the individual's own judgment.⁸
In times of confusion and crisis regarding what is right and what is wrong, one's own conscience is the sole guide. "In times of doubt, O, son of Kunti [Arjuna], one must decide using one's own good sense." ⁹
An individual is ultimately responsible for his own actions, i.e. the Law of Karma. He is also responsible for the actions of others if he induces or forces them to perform such actions.
Hindus declare that loyalty to one's moral values is the highest loyalty, and of all the losses, loss of one's character and loss of judgment are the worse.⁷

Yamas and Niyamas¹⁶- Moral and Ethical Ideals of Hindus
1. Ahimsã (non-injury)	Don't harm others by word, deed or thought.
2. Satya (truthfulness)	Refrain from lying and betraying promises.
3. Asteya (nonstealing)	Don't steal, covet or enter into debt.
4. Brahmachãrya (controlling sex)	Observe celibacy when single, and faithfulness in marriage.
5. Kshamã (forgiveness)	Restrain from intolerance and ill will.
6. Dhriti (firmness)	Overcome fear, indecision, and fickleness.
7. Dayã (compassion)	Conquer callous and insensitive feelings.
8. Ãrjava (honesty)	Renounce fraud, cheating and stealing.
9. Mitãhãra	Refrain from overeating and consuming meat.
10. Shaucha (purity)	Observe purity of the body, mind and intellect.
11. Hrî (remorse)	Be modest and show remorse for misconduct.
12. Santosha (contentment)	Don't be a slave to the senses. Seek joy and serenity in the Self.
13. Dãna (tithing)	Give generously without thought of reward. The more you give, the more you get.
14. Ãstikya (faith)	Have unwavering faith in God's grace.
15. Pûjana (worship)	Perform daily worship and meditation.
16. Shravana (hearing of scriptures)	Study scriptures, listen to the teachings of the wise, and faithfully follow guru's advice.
17. Mati (cognition)	Sharpen the intellect with guru's guidance.
18. Vrata (sacred vows)	Observe scriptural injunctions faithfully.
19. Japa (chanting)	Chant God's names and sacred mantras daily.
20. Tapas (austerity)	Perform sãdhana (spiritual discipline) as outlined by the guru.