Ārya Samudāy
The Ārya Samudāy (Ārya Community) refers collectively to the members of the Ārya dharms. These dharms recognize Moksha is the ultimate state of the soul. Buddhism calls the quest to become an Ārya as Ārya-pariyesanā.
Scriptures of the Sanatan, Sikh, Jain, and Bauddh dharms mention the term Ārya. What they mean by it is someone who lives a "noble" or decent life.
- Sanatan Dharm
| He is Ārya who does not inflame the hatred or jealousy once subsided, who is neither egoistic nor depressed, who does not commit sin even in misery, who does not show too much happiness even in prosperity or gets out of control; who never takes delight in others. | ||
—Mahabharata | ||
Prahlad Maharaj was a Daitya by ancestry and son of Hiranyakashipu (whom Narasimha slayed), but by his deeds and faith in Parmatma, he was declared as a true Ārya (“Ārya-sammatā” or one whose activities are Ārya by nature.)[1]
- Bauddh Dharm
| He who harms living beings is, for that reason, not an Ārya (a Noble One); he who does not harm any living being is called an Ārya. | ||
—Verse 270, Dhammapada [1] | ||
Buddhism does not encourage a Buddhist to be a decent Buddhist per se, but to be a Ārya.
| Though one be born as a man, it is a rare chance to become an Ārya; for many are the Dasyus (bandits) and Mlêkkhas (ignoble.) | ||
—Verse 16, "Tenth Lecture," Uttaradhyayan Sutra [2] | ||
Jainism also does not encourage a Jain to be a decent Jain per se, but to be a Ārya.
| Fear not, the one destined to protect Arya Dharma is born. We will nurture the Kalpavriksha of Dharma with the blood of our heart. | ||
—Pantha Prakash [3] | ||
| Kahaniya Hinduan dari na ab tum aim likho pathon dil sain Guru Nanak ki gadi par ab hain Tegh Bahadur unko jo Muhummadi kar lihoon to ham hain sab sadar Arya Dharma |
||
—Guru Tegh Bahadur[4] | ||
Sikhism also does not encourage a Sikh to be a decent Sikh per se, but to be a Ārya. It was founded for persons of all religions to come together and worship God Almighty (Parmatma.)
- Zoroastrianism
| And the said (Khurshet) accepted him wholeheartedly as if she had likewise promised this, - "To the end of life never will I depart from my wifely duties and practice of love and obedience and devotion to the said (Ardeshir) as laid down by the rules of Aryan conduct and the Good Religion (Zoroastrianism.)" | ||
—Patmanak-i-Katak-Khutaih | ||
References[edit]
- ↑ Verse 270, Dhammapada
- ↑ Verse 16, "Tenth Lecture," Uttaradhyayan Sutra
- ↑ Pantha Prakash
- ↑ P. 109 Religion and Identity in the South Asian Diaspora By Chitra Sankaran and Rajesh Rai