In classical Indian philosophy, the term *dharma* has two distinct primary uses, one Buddhist and one Brahmanical. In Buddhist Abhidharma, particularly the Sarvāstivāda school, *dharmas* (plural) are the ultimate, irreducible, and momentary constituents of all that exists; this atomistic view posits that only these fundamental elements are real, while complex entities like persons are non-existent composites. In contrast, the Brahmanical Vaiśeṣika school demonstrates a significant evolution in the concept of *dharma* (singular). Initially understood as 'merit' defined by Vedic injunctions, similar to the Mīmāṃsā school's view, *dharma* was later transformed by Vaiśeṣika's ontological concerns. In its classical formulation, *dharma* became a specific quality inherent in the soul (*ātman*), paired with its opposite *adharma* (demerit), absorbing the older, distinct concept of *adṛṣṭa* ('the unseen') to become a precise causal factor in a person's psychological functioning and path to liberation.
