What is Brahman?

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" One who says that I know Brahman does not know; one who knows the Truth says

that I do not know. Brahman is the unknown to a person of true knowledge; it is

known only to the ignorant " --- Ken Upanishad 2.01-03

 

 

An attempt by: Ramananda Prasad

 

In Sanskrit the meaning of a word is based on the verbal root from which the

word is derived. The word " Brahman " (also spelled as " Brahma " ) is a noun derived

from the verbal root " Briha " which means to become big. Thus the noun Brahman

derived from the verbal root " Briha " means " bigness " . In English, however, the

word Brahman is not translated as bigness, but as Absolute Reality. Let us first

examine the meaning of Absolute Reality. Absolute means ultimate, independent,

existing all by itself or complete by itself, and reality means nature, quality,

or substance of objects. Thus Absolute Reality means ultimate nature of objects,

called Brahman in Sanskrit. This word also means the substance that exists

independent of all other substances and from which all other substances are

derived. That from which the origin, sustenance, and dissolution of this

universe are derived is called the Absolute (BS 1.01.02, TaU 3.01.01). Thus the

Absolute Reality, the substance from which everything is derived, must be " Big "

or limitless, because everything else is either derived from it or is included

in it. Because it is absolute, there is nothing else other than the Absolute

Reality, the substratum of everything. Thus Brahman is all encompassing

substance --- the root cause of everything, known or unknown, seen or perceived,

feelings or emotions, thoughts or things. Everything is included in the

" Bigness " of Brahman. Nothing is left out --- including God.

 

Brahman is indestructible, dimensionless, beginningless, and limitless. It

cannot be measured, seen, or described by a human being that is limited in

everyway. Brahman is ever present and beyond time and space. Actually time and

space are included in Brahman. It is the ever-present reality of all objects and

is also called " Sat " or permanent in Sanskrit. It is also present in the form of

consciousness (Chit) or awareness in all living beings that cannot be seen or

felt. Brahman in the form of awareness is not present in non-living objects, but

Sat is present in both living and non-living objects. Brahman is also limitless

(Ananta). Thus Brahman is referred as Sat-Chit-Ananta, or Sacchidananta from

point of view of all objects, living or non-living.

 

Everything perceivable or non-perceivable in the cosmos, is nothing but an

apparent transformation of Brahman. It is the cause of all causes. Thus there is

Brahman and Brahman only and nothing else. Brahman has apparently assumed

different forms like water assumes different forms such as ice, vapor, ocean,

waves, ripples, etc. The entire creation is born in time and space, and the time

and space abides in Brahman. Thus Brahman is the absolute reality of everything

including me, you, the animals, plants, minerals, our thoughts, knowledge,

ignorance, happiness, suffering, etc. Thus there is nothing other than Brahman.

 

Brahman is often described as formless, because its transcendental or subtle

form cannot be perceived by our senses. It can take any form. All forms are

nothing but an apparent change of Brahman from one form to another. Thus it

cannot be formless in a real sense. Everything has a form --- visible or

invisible to human eyes. The process or the forces (Shakti) that cause this

apparent change or creation is called Lord, the creator. The product of the

change is called creation that includes both living and non-living beings.

 

Brahman itself is actionless awareness, and without Maya, the power of nature,

it cannot create the world of objects, emotions and thoughts. This Maya, the

efficient cause of creation is not separate from Brahman. Similarly, both the

material of creation or the material cause of the creation is also in Brahman.

Thus the Brahman is not only the entire creation, but also both the material and

efficient cause of the creation. It is the creator as well as the creation, all

in one. One who understands Brahman in this way can say: I am the limitless

Brahman, called Atma that dwells in the body-mind complex; and not this

body-mind complex, which is limited. With the dawn of the knowledge of Brahman,

one gets rid of want, unhappiness and limitations and attains full maturity and

bliss called Nirvana.

 

The purity of mind that comes from selfless service, KarmaYoga, is required to

gain the knowledge of Brahman or the Self-knowledge. " Truly, there is no

purifier in this world like the true knowledge of the Supreme Being. One

discovers this knowledge within, naturally, in course of time when one's mind is

cleansed of selfishness by KarmaYoga. (See also Gita 4.31, 5.06, and 18.78).

(Gita 4.38) "

 

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