Dharma of acceptance
By Taru Bahl

THE word dharma probably has more meanings than any other term in the entire vocabulary of Buddhism. As the second of the three Refuges ( The first being Buddham sharnam, the second-- Dharmam sharnam, and the third Refuge is Sangham sharnam), it has been variously translated as Law, Truth, Doctrine, Gospel, Teaching, Norm, True Idea, Fate and Destiny. All of them touch upon some aspect of its overall significance. The results of dharma, when put into practice, are visible in this very life, though it in itself is timeless. It is not stagnant but progressive and leads from lower to higher states of existence.

The concept of dharma in the Upanishads tells us not to give up or renounce the world but engage in it, always aiming at the spiritual goal and subordinating all other desires to the strongest desire or love for God. Artha, kama and dharma are instrumental values but at the same time essential for the attainment of moksha.

Dharma consists of various doctrines or teachings. These represent neither speculative options nor generalisations on the nature of existence as seen by a fully enlightened being, who out of compassion makes known to humanity the Truth that he has discovered. The Mahabharata notes that the rules of dharma or virtuous conduct taught by the great seers, each of whom relied on his own illumination, are manifold. The highest among them is self-control. Dharma is, therefore, that which is morally proper — it is the ethical duty. Sometimes it is religious virtue identical with God and Absolute Truth; or a Universal Law. It can also be a compromise between the ideal and actual conditions, or a code of customs and traditions.

Dharma is also Divine Justice — the law of cause and effect which will tend to equilibrium and which will bring in due time the fruits of our karmas. It is said in the scriptures that dharma when violated destroys, when preserved preserves. Therefore, dharma must not be violated for it can destroys us. Human justice is based on the intuitive recognition of this Divine Justice or of the law of moral cause and effect and the law of karma.

It is essential for each one of us to be aware that there is a divine plan in store for us waiting to unfold itself. Once we accept this, we will begin to be consciously in tune with every incident in our professional and personal lives. By trying to unveil the mystery of our fate we would be following our dharma and discovering our destiny and life’s path.

Most saints say, "Do what you love and put your heart and soul into what you do". But this is not as simple as it sounds. Most of us have not reached a clear understanding of what precisely we love to do. Our dharma in moments of confusion, mental conflict and uncertainty guides us by telling us to keep on doing our work with dedication and devotion, even if at some point of time we feel stifled and trapped. This total commitment to the task at hand and the resultant experience which we accumulate will serve as a springboard for the unfolding of a greater destiny.

By giving our 100 per cent to our job, we are bound to feel good about ourself and our ability to focus, irrespective of the bottlenecks and hurdles that may have come our way. Even if the job is unimportant and trivial, our effort and dedication will uplift us and give us satisfaction. This satisfaction will in turn work as our anchor for greater accomplishments. Without getting discouraged, we must allow the flow of tide to decide the direction of our movement. Doors may open, new opportunities may rise, hope may be rekindled and things may eventually turn out the way we wanted them to.

Seers, philosophers and thinkers have maintained that once you have done everything within your power to realise your life’s vision, all that remains to be done is to graciously accept the outcome and proceed therewith. In other words, it is wise to understand the dharma of acceptance and benefit from it. By imbibing it, we are throwing open all channels of communication. We, thus, become more receptive to the forces operating around us as we begin to sensitise ourselves to change. This will help us to endure life’s challenges and emerge victorious at the end.

Oriental philosophers often propound the philosophy of ‘letting go’ and ‘flowing with the tide’. They feel it requires strength, inner conviction and intelligence to do so. To quote from the Tao of Leadership, "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be; when I let go what I have, I receive what I need. By yielding, I endure and the empty space is filled. When I give of myself, I become more. When I feel most destroyed, I am about to grow. When I desire nothing, great deal comes to me." It further asks, "Have you ever struggled to get work or love and finally given up and found both love and work were suddenly there?"

Taking this line of thought into the field of management of our personal and professional lives, we derive that when a leader stops trying to impress the group, he becomes impressive. His best work gets done when he forgets his own point of view. The less he makes of himself, the more he becomes. When he yields to the wishes of the person he is working for, he encounters least resistance. He learns to let go in order to achieve. He knows the paradox of pushing and that too much force will only backfire. Constant interventions and investigations will not make a good group. The best group force is delicate -- it cannot be pushed around, argued over or won in a fight. The leader who tries to control the group through force does not understand group dynamics. Force does not facilitate. It only blocks and chokes. It destroys coherence and creates factions. The show has to be run with as little force and with minimum interference and pressure. When force is used, conflict and argument follow and there is hostility. People who surrender all their blocks and conflicts experience a free flow of vital energy.

Each one of us is born into a certain environment in order to fulfill our intended destiny. It is possible that self-effort which incorporates human will, desire and ability is part of pre-destination. However, this destiny cannot unfold on its own accord. Even if you know your destiny, it is only as good as the effort you make to bring it to reality. Therefore, pre-destiny and self-effort become two wheels of the same cart. The dharma of self-effort then includes striving to know when to exercise the discrimination of acceptance and surrender to a disappointing outcome. However, this does not mean giving up. It rather means finding harmony within oneself in order to re-gather the necessary strength and move on to the next level of life. Our efforts to mould and shape the outcome of given situations is nothing compared to what the Almighty can do -- and this is one reality we must acknowledge. It allows us to retain our sanity and our balance when everything else is going topsy-turvy. When things don’t turn out as expected, it might just be a blessing in disguise. Don’t we say, with resignation in moment of great distress, grief and defeat, "Whatever happens happens for the best ", or "There must be some good in this". It is essential to understand the wisdom of the dharma of acceptance and surrender --to know when you cannot change things, to recognise forces against you and to surrender to them. When we do this, only then will a new chapter begin, bringing with it a renewed vigour and a new direction.