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I. The Vedic path offers personal freedom for one to make his or her own choice of how he or she wants to pursue their spiritual approach, and what level of the Absolute Truth he or she wishes to understand. This is the height of spiritual democracy and freedom from tyranny.

I. The Vedic path offers personal freedom for one to make his or her own choice of how he or she wants to pursue their spiritual approach, and what level of the Absolute Truth he or she wishes to understand. This is the height of spiritual democracy and freedom from tyranny.

   

   

J. Recognizing the value and sanctity of all forms of life, as well as the Eternal Divine Being that is their true Self, the Vedic principle is that we should therefore strive in every possible way to peacefully co-exist with all other species of living entities.

J. ''Recognizing the value and sanctity of all forms of life,'' as well as ''the Eternal Divine Being that is their true Self'', the Vedic principle is that we should therefore strive in every possible way to peacefully co-exist with all other species of living entities.

 

K. The Vedic path consists of ten general rules of moral conduct. There are five for inner purity, called the yamas—which include satya or truthfulness, ahimsa or non-injury to others and treating all beings with respect, asteya or no cheating or stealing, brahmacharya or celibacy, and aparighara or no unnecessarily selfish accumulation of resources for one’s own purpose. The five rules of conduct for external purification are the niyamas—such as shaucha or cleanliness and purity of mind and body, tapas or austerity and perseverance, swadhyaya or study of the Vedas and self-analysis, and santosh or contentment, as well as Ishwara-pranidhana, or acceptance of the Supreme.

== Ten general rules of moral conduct of the Vedic path ==

Of the ten rules of moral conduct five are for inner purity (Yamas) & the other five for external purification (niyamas)—<blockquote>'''''Yamas (for inner purity)''''' </blockquote>

# ''Satya'' or truthfulness,  

# ''Ahimsa'' or non-injury to others and treating all beings with respect,  

# ''Asteya'' or no cheating or stealing,  

# ''Brahmacharya'' or celibacy,  

# Aparighara or no unnecessarily selfish accumulation of resources for one’s own purpose.  

<blockquote>'''Niyamas (for external purification)'''</blockquote>

# Shaucha or cleanliness and purity of mind and body,  

# Tapas or austerity and perseverance,  

# Swadhyaya or study of the Vedas and self-analysis,  

# Santosh or contentment,  

# Ishwara-pranidhana, or acceptance of the Supreme.

L. There are also ten qualities that are the basis of dharmic (righteous) life. These are dhriti (firmness or fortitude), kshama (forgiveness), dama (self-control), asteya (refraining from stealing or dishonesty), shauch (purity), indriya nigraha (control over the senses), dhih (intellect), vidya (knowledge), satyam (truth) and akrodhah (absence of anger).

L. There are also ten qualities that are the basis of dharmic (righteous) life. These are dhriti (firmness or fortitude), kshama (forgiveness), dama (self-control), asteya (refraining from stealing or dishonesty), shauch (purity), indriya nigraha (control over the senses), dhih (intellect), vidya (knowledge), satyam (truth) and akrodhah (absence of anger).