dharma

Where does the word "dharma" come from? It comes from Sanskrit dharma, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).

Dharma’s story begins in Sanskrit: dharma meant “duty, law, cosmic order.” Duty, law, or cosmic order, a central concept in Hindu and Buddhist thought. It reached English by 1800s as dharma. Sanskrit 'that which holds up'; the Buddhist sense of teaching entered English through Pali 'dhamma'. Today, dharma means one's righteous duty or the cosmic law underlying right conduct, in Hindu and Buddhist thought.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient dharma "duty, law, cosmic order", duty, law, or cosmic order, a central concept in Hindu and Buddhist thought.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1800s dharma "one's duty or righteous path in life", Sanskrit 'that which holds up'; the Buddhist sense of teaching entered English through Pali 'dhamma'.