[3] Richard William Paul and Linda Elder define ethics as "a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what behavior helps or harms sentient creatures".
[4] The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy states that the word ethics is "commonly used interchangeably with 'morality' ... and sometimes it is used more narrowly to mean the moral principles of a particular tradition, group or individual".
However, Paul the Apostle speaks of two ways, at least in theory, to achieve righteousness: through the Law of Moses (or Torah), and through faith in the atonement made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:3–13).
[8] For example, just a few verses earlier, he states the Jews did not attain the law of righteousness because they sought it not by faith, but by works.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, "Righteous" is a type of saint who is regarded as a holy person under the Old Covenant (Old Testament Israel).
According to Orthodox theology, the Righteous saints of the Old Covenant were not able to enter into heaven until after the death of Jesus on the cross (Hebrews 11:40), but had to await salvation in the Bosom of Abraham (see: Harrowing of Hell).
But righteous is the one who believes in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture and the Prophets; who gives his wealth in spite of love for it to kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the wayfarer, to those who ask and to set slaves free.
And (righteous are) those who pray, pay alms, honor their agreements, and are patient in (times of) poverty, ailment and during conflict.
[16][17] Yi resonates with Confucian philosophy's orientation towards the cultivation of reverence or benevolence (ren) and skillful practice (li).
Yi represents moral acumen that goes beyond simple rule-following, as it is based on empathy, it involves a balanced understanding of a situation, and it incorporates the "creative insights" and grounding necessary to apply virtues through deduction (Yin and Yang) and reason "with no loss of purpose and direction for the total good of fidelity.
Yi represents this ideal of totality as well as a decision-generating ability to apply a virtue properly and appropriately in a situation.
It encompasses ideas such as duty, rights, character, vocation, religion, customs and all behavior considered appropriate, correct or "morally upright".
yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharata, And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth In Hindu philosophy and religion, major emphasis is placed on individual practical morality.
[sentence fragment] The Sanskrit epics contain themes and examples where right prevails over wrong, good over evil.
In an inscription attributed to the Indian Emperor Ashoka from the year 258 BCE, in Sanskrit, Aramaic, and Greek text, appears a Greek rendering for the Sanskrit word dharma: the word eusebeia This suggests dharma was a central concept in India at that time, and meant not only religious ideas, but ideas of right, of good, and of one's duty.
[citation needed] The Epics of Hinduism are a symbolic treatise about life, virtues, customs, morals, ethics, law, and other aspects of dharma.
There is extensive discussion of dharma at the individual level in the Epics of Hinduism, observes Ingalls; for example, on free will versus destiny, when and why human beings believe in either, ultimately concluding that the strong and prosperous naturally uphold free will, while those facing grief or frustration naturally lean towards destiny.
For others still, they see the dharma as referring to the "truth", or the ultimate reality of "the way that things really are" (Tibetan: ཆོས, THL: chö).[relevant?]
A right believer should constantly meditate on virtues of dharma, like supreme modesty, in order to protect the soul from all contrary dispositions.
He should also cover up the shortcomings of others.For Sikhs, the word Dharm means the path of righteousness and proper religious practice.