Hindu concept
Brahmanब्रह्मन्
brahman — the ultimate reality underlying all that exists
In short
Brahman is the ultimate, infinite reality in Hindu thought — the unchanging ground from which all things arise, in which they exist, and into which they return. Formless and beyond full description, it is approached as pure being, consciousness, and bliss (sat-chit-ananda), and known within as the true self.
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What it means
Brahman is not a god among gods but the absolute reality itself — the source and substance of everything, beyond name and form, yet not separate from the world it pervades. The Upanishads point to it indirectly, often by negation ('not this, not this' — neti neti), because it exceeds every category the mind can hold.
The decisive teaching of the Upanishads is that this ultimate reality is not remote: the self within (atman) is, in essence, Brahman. The saying Tat Tvam Asi — 'That thou art' — declares that the ground of all being is one's own deepest nature, and realizing this is the heart of liberation.
A verse on Brahman
“tat tvam asi”
Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 · Sama VedaThat thou art — the boundless Divine that pervades all is your own true Self.
Taught by the sage Uddalaka Aruni to his son Shvetaketu — again and again he repeats 'that thou art,' pointing to the boundless Self within.
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About Brahman
What is Brahman in Hinduism?
Brahman is the ultimate, infinite reality — the unchanging ground from which everything arises and into which it returns. Formless and beyond full description, it is approached as pure being, consciousness, and bliss.
Is Brahman the same as Brahma?
No. Brahman is the formless ultimate reality; Brahma is the creator deity of the trinity (Trimurti). One is the absolute ground of all being, the other a personal god.
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