The Virtual and The Ritual

Virtue and Sin. 

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A religion that is practiced and a religion that is performed spontaneously, inspired by the nature are far more different from one-another.

No wonder, in the Religion that is but prompted by understanding the nature of being and life is quite from the one that is forced upon one by the tradition and custom

According to the Kathopanishat / कठोपनिषद् 1/2/1 :

अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेय-

स्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरुष्ँसिनीतः ।

तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु

भवति हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयो वृणुते ।।

The verb-root 'सिन्' -सिनीते means बद्ध्यते  to bind. 

The word 'sin' in English, could be a derivative of this Verb-root, सिन् as it has the same meaning. 

The two words in Sanskrit for virtue and sin are  respectively :

पुण्य and पाप .

पुण्य comes from पुनाति - what purifies. 

पाप / पातकं comes from :

What takes one to a downfall.

But according to धर्म / सनातन चिरन्तन धर्म, this is not moral / ethical point of view.

It is rather the Law of धर्म, that is spontaneous and should come from right understanding of what in the end results in good and / or in bad.

That is why this Religion Perennial suggests that one should follow one's natural tendencies even if this looks inferior to some other how-so-ever superior one. Gita chapter 3 points out:

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात् स्वनुष्ठितात् ।

स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ।।३।।

The Religion of Gita is therefore always the very practical in that it prompts one to discover our inherent real Dharma and not the one that has forced upon us by tradition or custom.

The very idea of 'convertion' is abominable, -not only in the Gita, but in the सनातन, चिरन्तन, धर्म and all its scriptures.

The 'virtual' and the 'ritual' means what is in the वृत्ति, and what is the way, - रीति !

So, the 'virtual' may be aimed at performing some desired result, and the 'ritual' may mean the way it is done at the formal, practical level.

Presently, there are no concepts in our religions about what makes one pure in mind, heart and spirit and what falls one down.

There are do and don't do in these religions but nowhere it is suggested that one should find out the truth within oneself by means of inquiry and discovery.

That is how the contemporary religions keep on having different teachings, ideals, ideologies and as a result there is conflict and confusion.

Conflict is essential and inherent in belief and faith. Be it a scientific one also.

Science begins with a premise, a hypothesis or an idea, but ignores the very CONSCIOUSNESS where-in the idea takes place. 

The Consciousness, that manifests in the three states of mind and yet also transcends all the three is the foundation of all Life and Existence.

This is how 'धर्म' is nature and spontaneity.

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