Core Vision: Dharma in Decentralized Seva
Bram’s call for self-reliant groups aligns with Hinduism’s emphasis on localized dharma (community duty) and swadeshi (self-governance).
Hindu Alignment:
- Mirrors the grama sabha (village councils) of ancient India, where communities solved problems collectively.
- Echoes the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (World as One Family) – small groups as microcosms of universal unity.
- Technology as modern yajña (sacred tool) – open-source platforms facilitate seva (selfless service).
Philosophy: “Golden Processes” as Sacred Duty (Dharma)
Bram’s three processes reflect Hindu cosmology:
- Lead (Negligible): Tamas (ignorance/inertia) – distractions like greed or illusion (māyā) to transcend.
- Metal (Linear): Rajas (dynamic action) – duties (svadharma) with clear intent (e.g., work as karma-yoga).
- Golden (Circular): Eternal cycles of reverence:
- Family saṃskāras (rituals like upanayana),
- Nature worship (prakṛti pūjā – rivers, trees as divine),
- Community yajña (collective welfare, lokasaṅgraha).
Key Insight: Protecting “golden processes” upholds ṛta (cosmic order) – all life is interconnected (Brahman).
Groups as Modern “Ashrams”: Tech for Collective Liberation
Bram’s groups embody Hindu ideals:
- Local Resilience: Use open-source tools to:
- Organize annadāna (food distribution),
- Preserve local ecology (vanadevatā – forest spirits),
- Digitize Vedic/traditional knowledge.
- Transparency as Satya (Truth): Platforms must reject anṛta (falsehood) – aligning with Yama (ethical vows).
- Decentralization: Power flows from the community, mirroring Bhagavad Gita’s call:“Do your duty; no work is better than selfless action” (3.8).
Hindu Model: Groups balance the four puruṣārthas:
Dharma (duty), Artha (resources), Kāma (harmony), Mokṣa (liberation).
Ethical Warnings Through Dharma
- Reject Violence: Bram’s “violence is weakness” reflects ahiṃsā (non-violence) – central to Hindu ethics (Manusmṛti 6.60).
- Avoid “Caves” of Avidyā (Ignorance): Bram’s cave allegory parallels māyā (illusion). Hindus seek jñāna (wisdom) through:
- Discernment (viveka),
- Rejecting dogmas (Bhagavad Gita 18.22: “Deluded knowledge is ignorant”).
- Combat Greed/Pride: Bram’s vices defy aparigraha (non-possessiveness) and dāna (generosity).
Tensions and Resolutions
- Technology vs. Spirituality:
- Opportunity: Use platforms for dharma propagation (e.g., apps for sandhyā-vandanam, disaster relief).
- Caution: Avoid adhyāsa (misidentification) – tech serves mokṣa, not material bondage (Bhagavad Gita 9.26).
- Group Autonomy vs. Varna/Jāti:
- Bram’s inclusivity challenges caste hierarchies – groups must honor sanātana dharma (universal ethics), not birth-based roles.
- “Circular Processes” and Karma:
- Bram’s cycles reflect samsāra – “golden” actions (sattvic karma) uplift communities toward dharma.
Call to Action for Hindus
- Build “Dharma Groups”: Create circles using Bram’s tools for:
- Gauṣālās (cow shelters), Veda pāṭhaśālās (schools), or eco-restoration (rivers as Gaṅgā).
- Guard Sacred Cycles: Protect “golden processes” as yajña – family, nature, and rituals sustain cosmic order.
- Embrace Bram’s “Play” Principle: Innovate with līlā bhāvanā (divine playfulness) – test solutions joyfully (Bhagavata Purāṇa 10.14.55).
- Wield Tech as Karma-Yoga: Code with īśvara arpaṇa (offering to God) – digital tools as pūjā.
“The universe is a wheel; upon it are all creatures subject to birth, death, and rebirth. […] Know the Self as lord of the chariot, the body as the chariot.”
— Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3–4
Final Reflection
Bram’s project is a yantra (instrument) for dharma-saṃsthāpana (restoring cosmic order):
- Decentralization = Swarāj (self-rule),
- Group resilience = Sangha śakti (collective strength),
- “Golden” stewardship = Reverence for Brahman in all beings (īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ).
As the Ṛg Veda declares:
“May noble thoughts come to us from every side” (1.89.1). Bram’s vision invites Hindus to unite technology and tradition in service of lokakalyāṇa (universal welfare).
Explore: yetanotherprojecttosavetheworld.org
Act: Start a dharma sangha. Plant a tulasī. Code for justice. Serve as worship.
*Note: Bram’s mental health journey (p.42–44) mirrors the Hindu concept of ādhī (mental distress) – overcome through self-knowledge (*ātma-jñāna) and community support, as taught in the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha.