What is Atman?
Atman (or Atma) is the innermost core of an individual. It is often referred to as the soul or self. In Hinduism, Atman is the eternal, unchanging, and infinite self. The Atman is considered to be the true identity of an individual, as opposed to the body or mind.
The concept of Atman is one of the most important in Hinduism. It is central to the Upanishads, which are a collection of ancient texts that form the basis of Hindu philosophy. The Atman is also mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, another key Hindu text.
The concept of Atman is closely related to the concept of Brahman, which is the absolute reality in Hinduism. Brahman is the infinite, eternal, and unchanging ground of being. The Atman is considered to be a part of Brahman, and it is through realizing the Atman that one can achieve liberation (moksha).
There are several different ways to think about the relationship between the Atman and Brahman. One way is to think of the Atman as being like a drop of water in the ocean. The drop of water has its own individual identity, but it is also part of the much larger whole of the ocean. In this analogy, Brahman would be the ocean and the Atman would be the drop of water.
Another way to think about the relationship between the Atman and Brahman is to think of Brahman as the sun and the Atman as the rays of the sun. The rays of the sun are all part of the same sun, but they each have their own individual identity. In this analogy, Brahman would be the sun and the Atman would be the rays of the sun.
The Atman is considered to be immortal and eternal. It is not subject to birth or death, and it is not affected by the changes that happen in the body or mind. The Atman is also said to be beyond time, space, and causation. The Atman is said to be the true identity of an individual. It is what remains after the body and mind have been abandoned at death. The concept of Atman is central to Hinduism. It is through realizing the Atman that one can achieve liberation (moksha).
