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atman

atman

9.9
A true inner self that never ends and is not the physical body
  • noun
  • /ˈɑːtmən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : atman
  • In Hindu philosophy, the concept of atman refers to the true self or soul that transcends the physical body.
  • self, atman
  • nature of atman

And then on either side of that is the is the monad, is the Atman.

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Examples

  • Hinduism, on the other hand, affirms that the deepest self, our innermost soul or atman, is fundamentally identical with Brahman, the infinite and eternal (but nonpersonal) World Soul or Supreme Reality.

    Blog text (23)
  • For example, nondualistic Vedanta holds that the individual self (jiva) is illusory and that our true self (atman) is identical with reality (Brahman).

    Academic text (1990)
  • However, the experience of Daniel and the devotees also exactly fits the description of the realization of the nature of atman and the process.

    Academic text (2004)
  • This Self, this atman, is the locus or state of being from which the person continues to perceive objects after this realization.

    Academic text (2004)
  • "Know thyself" became the watchword of Greece; the Upanishads identified the atman, the transcendent center of the self;

    Academic text (2015)
  • The goal of yoga is the realization of atman or the nature of the true self, not the indulgences of the Western construction of atomized, isolated hyper-individualism.

    Blog text (32)
  • A Hindu jnana yogi might reflect on his or her assumptions about the nature of the self, considering the thesis found in the Upanishads that the deepest aspect of the self, the atman, is being or ultimate reality itself.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The teachings of the Upanishads emphasize that understanding one's atman leads to spiritual enlightenment.

  • Many believe that meditation helps individuals connect with their atman, revealing their eternal nature.

Synonyms

jiva
vsatman
  • Indian
1 9.9

A living soul that is separate from the body

stresses eternal self beyond the physical body rather than a living being
atma
vsatman
  • Specialized
9.9

The soul of a person that is separate from the body and mind in Hindu belief

emphasizes eternal nature and being beyond the physical body

Surface Forms

atman singular
atmans plural

Etymology

Atman comes from an old Indian word ātman, meaning 'self' or 'soul'. It names the true, never-changing inner self of a person, so atman is a way to think of the deep 'self' or 'soul' that is beyond the body.