Atman & Brahman

[Guest guest]

Hello group,

 

It's been said in the Vedas that Atman is Brahman. Does this mean

Atman is total Brahman or a piece of Brahman, like the wave is the

same water as the ocean but only a small part of it?

 

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

Richard

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " Richard " <richarkar wrote:

>

> Hello group,

>

> It's been said in the Vedas that Atman is Brahman. Does this mean

> Atman is total Brahman or a piece of Brahman, like the wave is the

> same water as the ocean but only a small part of it?

>

> Thanks in advance for any responses.

>

> Richard

 

Namaste Richard,

 

This is a good question. When it is said that atma

is brahman, it means that atma is the *total* brahman.

 

Even though the word atma is used in reference to the

individual, it does not mean that my atma is any

different from brahman. Nor does it mean that

that my atma is different from your atma. Atma

is brahman alone. There is only one atma.

 

The word 'atma' can be used in reference to the

individual as a pointer. What is it that is

actually the most dear to me in the whole world?

Atma. What is most dear to you? Atma. What is

most dear to every living being? Atma.

 

And there are not two atmas, only one.

 

This is nice to contemplate, although perhaps

difficult to understand.

 

To address wave/ocean which you used above.

In the teachings of Vedanta this illustration

is used, not to illustrate that my atma

is a small part of brahman, but rather to

illustrate that there is only water here.

That water is the truth of the whole thing.

 

Pranams,

Durga