Ātman-Brahman

Samkhya	Kapila;
Yoga	Patanjali;
Vaisheshika	Kaṇāda, Prashastapada;
Secular	Valluvar;

Hindu philosophical concept

Ātman-Brahman is a cornerstone idea in Hindu religions, texts, and philosophies that Ātman (innermost self or essence) and Brahman (unchanging and eternal ultimate reality) are one and the same, or simulaneously different and non-different. This Ātman-Brahman synthesis is central to the Upanishads and various other traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta.^[3]

In the Upanishads, Brahman is either identical to Ātman or a part of Brahman without being identical to it.^[4] Other perspectives include dualistic and nondualistic interpretations of Ātman-Brahman.^[5] Among the non-dualistic interpretations is Advaita Vedanta, which believes that Brahman is divine and identical to Ātman, as well as nirguna (without attributes), eternal, love, "being-consciousness-bliss".^[6]

The Ātman-Brahman synthesis is rejected by nāstika traditions, such as Buddhism and Jainism, which reject the existence of a universal, unchanging Ātman.^[7]^[8]

References

^ Lindsay Jones (2005), Encyclopedia of religion, Volume 13, Macmillan Reference, ISBN 978-0028657332, page 8894, Quote: "In Hindu iconography the swan personifies Brahman-Atman, the transcendent yet immanent ground of being, the Self."
^ Denise Cush (2007), Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415556231, page 697
^ Fowler, Jeaneane D. (2002). Perspectives of Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hinduism. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-898723-93-6.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Koller, John (2012), "Shankara", in Meister, Chad; Copan, Paul (eds.), Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415782944
^ Michael Myers (2000), Brahman: A Comparative Theology, Routledge, ISBN 978-0700712571, pages 124–127
^ Deutsch, Eliot (1973), Advaita Vedanta: A Philosophical Reconstruction, University of Hawaii Press
^ Monier-Williams, Monier (2006), Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, Nataraj Books, ISBN 1-881338-58-4
^ Flood, Gavin D. (13 July 1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.

[1] Lindsay Jones (2005), Encyclopedia of religion, Volume 13, Macmillan Reference, ISBN 978-0028657332, page 8894, Quote: "In Hindu iconography the swan personifies Brahman-Atman, the transcendent yet immanent ground of being, the Self."

[2] Denise Cush (2007), Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415556231, page 697

[3] Fowler, Jeaneane D. (2002). Perspectives of Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hinduism. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-898723-93-6.^{[permanent dead link]}

[4] Koller, John (2012), "Shankara", in Meister, Chad; Copan, Paul (eds.), Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415782944

[mmyers-5] Michael Myers (2000), Brahman: A Comparative Theology, Routledge, ISBN 978-0700712571, pages 124–127

[6] Deutsch, Eliot (1973), Advaita Vedanta: A Philosophical Reconstruction, University of Hawaii Press

[7] Monier-Williams, Monier (2006), Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, Nataraj Books, ISBN 1-881338-58-4

[8] Flood, Gavin D. (13 July 1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.