The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (642 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Dhamma-cakkappavattana-sutta
.
‘The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma’, the title of what is regarded as the
Buddha's
First Sermon
, preached in the Deer Park at Isipatana (
S
rn
th
), near Benares. The sermon is recorded in
Sa
yutta-Nik
ya
5. 420.
Dhammapada
(Teaching of the Verses). A collection of 423 key Buddhist texts (verses), of wide influence and importance throughout the Buddhist world. Spiritual teachers in India were expected to conclude a discourse with a key verse (
gatha
), and the
Buddha
frequently followed that custom. The
Dhammapada
is a collection of such verses.
Dhanvantari
.
The physician of the gods in Hinduism, who emerged from the
Churning of the Ocean
bearing the cup of
am
ta
.
Dharam yudh
(‘war of righteousness’). Sikh recognition that in some circumstances war is necessary. Gur
N
nak
insisted that tyranny and injustice must be resisted, and Gur
Amar D
s
told members of the
K
atriyas
that it was their
dharma
to establish a protective fence of justice. However, it was not until the time of Gur
Gobi
d Singh
(10th Gur
) that the rules of war were drawn up. He laid down five conditions of a justifiable war:
(i) it must be action of the last resort;
(ii) the motives must be pure;
(iii) it must not be for the purpose of gaining territory;
(iv) the soldiers must be committed Sikhs who therefore conduct themselves according to Sikh standards;
(v) minimum force must be employed. See, in comparison,
JUST WAR
.

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