Hindu American Foundation hails Srinivasan, Obama's potential pick for Supreme Court

Suhag Shukla, Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation, talks about what a first Hindu judge of the U.S Supreme Court could mean:How important (a landmark) is it that the US could have a Supreme Court justice of Hindu faith?

It's yet another moment in Hindu American history. The past few years have brought about many firsts - the first Hindu American congressman, the first Hindu American Surgeon General, the first Hindu American acting Solicitor General - Judge Srinivasan's nomination would signal another indication of not only our community's success, but arrival.

Does one’s religious background influence dispensing of justice? Say on an issue such as abortion or gun laws, will a Hindu judge see it differently than say justices from the Abrahamic faith?
Of course, one's knowledge, experiences, and upbringing influence judgment, as does one's way of understanding life's big questions. That's called being human. In fact, the religious beliefs of various justices historically have been in plain view through the way in which their questions are framed, decisions are worded, or scripture sometimes quoted. That said, our Justices are to base their decisions on the law and jurisprudence, and I have no doubt in Judge Srinivasan's ability to do so.

As to how a Hindu judge may approach issues differently from Abrahamic judges - I'm excited to see. I would venture to say it will be thoughtful, well-reasoned, and contextual. Hinduism, as a pluralistic tradition, has always held inquiry and a quest for truth in the highest esteem. So, every thought, word, or action is an opportunity to take account of duty and the surrounding context in order to arrive at a decision that seeks to serve the highest good.

Purely in terms of jurisprudence, will his orientation be any different from the Christian judges (and a few of Jewish faith) who have dominated the SC bench?

I can only speak from my own context in that if one's Hindu perspective is a part of the equation applied to the most pressing issues of our time, we are generally going to straddle the middle - landing right of center on some, and left of center on others.

Do Hindu scriptures or texts provide any guidelines about justice in the western sense? What is the difference between dharma and justice?

Dharma at its every essence is justice, so there is no difference. But dharma is also much more. It demands that we weigh truth, non-harming, and equanimity, in order to uphold that which is right and just, in every circumstance for every living thing. This is why dharma is difficult - it's not a set of absolute commandments, but a constant striving to selflessly weigh different facts and circumstances - essentially what we entrust our Justices to do.