Because the nature of ātmā is jñāna, it is self-luminous. The ātmā’s intrinsic “I” is called ahamartha and is not the same as the conditional “I” called ahaṅkāra, which is projected through the mind to form a knot between ātmā and a material body. Ahaṅkāra is tangible as the delusion that a material body is the true self.
Section 2: The Conception of Advaita-vāda Advaita-vādīs offer authoritative quotations: yo vijñane tiṣṭhan — “It is that which is situated within consciousness.” (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad,... Read More
Ātmā is nitya-nirmala, ever pure. This means it never mixes with the qualities (gunas) of matter (prakṛti), it is always distinct from matter, factually untouched by it. This is evident from a statement in Bhāgavata Purāna (5.11.12): “The pure self witnesses the activities of the impure mind.”
The first verse in this quotation describes what ātmā is not: It is not the physical body, mind, intelligence, life air or ego, because... Read More
By Satyanaryana Dasa Part 1: The Nature of Ātmā - Different schools of Indian philosophy and theology present different doctrines regarding the agency, enjoyership and knowership of ātmā, the individual self. Among them, the Vedānta schools accept the authority
Advaita-vādīs raise an objection to this necessity of accepting illuminating power (dharma-bhūta jñāna) as a quality possessed by ātmā: “Consciousness (jñāna) cannot be the... Read More
Verse Six evaṁ parābhidhyānena kartṛtvaṁ prakṛteḥ pumān karmasu kriyamāṇeṣu guṇair ātmāni manyate Prakṛti is the entity that carries out material activities, but the ātmā... Read More
