The True Nature Of Atman And Brahman In Advaita Philosophy

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What Is Atman:

Atman or Brahman is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute. It is different from the gross, subtle and causal bodies. It transcends the five sheaths (Pancha Koshas). It is the witness of the three states: waking, dreaming and deep sleep. It is the support of the twenty-four Tattvas. It is distinct from Jiva and Ishvara who are associated with Avidya and Maya respectively.

The Self appears to be finite on account of Avidya. But when the ignorance is dispelled, that one Atman shines by its own light, like the sun when clouds are dispelled. This Samsara which is filled with love, hatred, etc., is really like a dream. It appears to be all real, so long as one is involved in it, but when one awakes by acquiring true knowledge, it becomes unreal. Just as bubbles rise from, exist and dissolve in the water, so also the Supreme Lord who is the material cause for everything, the pure Atman, by the contact with the five sheaths, etc., appears to put on their respective qualities.

Just as we attribute blue color to the sky, so also we attribute on account of indiscrimination, the qualities and activities of the body and the organs to the pure, Satchidananda Atman. Passion, desires, happiness, misery, etc., exercise their functions only during waking and dreaming states when the intellect is present and are not present in the deep sleep, when intellect is absent. They, therefore, belong to the intellect and not to the Pure Nirvikara Atman. Egoism and the idea “I know” crop up by indiscriminately mixing up the Satchidananda aspect of Atman with the functions of Buddhi.

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What Is Brahman:

Most Hindus believe in one, all-pervasive Divine Reality that is formless (Brahman) or manifests and is worshiped in different forms (Ishvara or God/Goddess). A Hindu may choose to worship God in the form(s) of Shiva, Ganesha, Lakshmi, or any form that personally speaks to her.

Here are the qualities of Brahman:

• Satyam: Existence;
• Gyanam: Knowledge;
• Anantam: Infinite

In another way, this is also true with the Brahman, it has these three features according to the Dakshina Moorthy Stotram:
Nirvikara, nirguna and satya.

According to the Taittiriya Upanishad, 2nd chapter, 1st paragraph,

“Brahman is truth, knowledge, and infinite . One who knows that Brahman as existing in the intellect which is lodged in the supreme space in the heart, enjoys, in identification with the all-knowing Brahman, all desirable things simultaneously.” – 2.1.1

Brahman is that that expands infinitely. There are only three limits to anything according to Vedanta:

• Desa: Space: Boundary: Opp is omnipresent.
• Kala: Time: Between birth and death. Opp is eternal.
• Vastu: Object: A glass is a glass and cannot be anything else. It cannot assume any other identity. Opposite is nonduality. It is one and the same with everything else.

A Brahmatman is one whose Atman has become one with Brahman; One who has found his identity with the Self everywhere. He is called Brahmavid, the knower of Brahman.

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Tat Tvam Asi:

Panchadasi describes one of the 4 mahavakyas as this. Tat Tvam Asi – That Thou Art (originally mentioned in the Chandogya Upanishad)

In very simple terms, tat represents brahman and tvam identifies the divine soul (Atman) that resides ‘within’ the jIva. asi is an affirmation equating Brahman and Atman. In very subtle terms, Uddalaka tells us that by knowing the SELF (Self-realization) we will be able to recognize the entire Universe because of the fact that the Universe cannot exist without the presence of Brahman. It is just like saying there will not be a pot without clay and there will be no more golden ring without the gold!

Read more HERE.

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Alan Watts – Atman Is Brahman | Akira The Don:

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