Brahman (Skt. ब्रह्मन्) is a Vedic term pointing to the ultimate reality the unmanifested, formless, and boundless ground of all existence. In the nondual framework of the path of knowledge, Brahman represents the supreme conscious presence in which the entire illusion of the world arises and dissolves.

Nirguna and Sagun Brahman

To explain the nondual nature of reality using the limited instrument of the mind, the ancient sages categorized Brahman into two aspects:

• Nirguna Brahman: The unmanifested, attribute-free, and zero-dimensional emptiness (Skt. निर्गुण Nirguna - without qualities). It is the pure, silent background of the experiencer that cannot be seen, named, or objectified.

• Sagun Brahman: The manifested reality containing all qualities, forms, and contents (Skt. सगुण Saguna - with qualities). It is the infinite potential of the unmanifested expressing itself as the experience of name and form.

Identity of Atman and Brahman

The core realization on the Path of Knowledge is the absolute identity of the individual and the cosmic:

• Atman is the individual self, the witness of personal mental and physical activities.

• Paramatman (or Brahman) is the supreme, universal Self.

• The Great Equation: When the dividing activity of the mind is quieted, the boundary between the internal witness and the external world dissolves. The seeker realizes the ancient formula: Atman is Brahman. The individual is not a separate entity but an expression of the single, all-pervading conscious Presence.

See also

Existence, experiencer, atman, emptiness, oneness, reality, maya.