Tag: Consciousness

aham brahmāsmi I am Brahman or …

aham brahmāsmi – “I am Brahman”, or “I am Divine”

Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 , Yajur Veda

A Mahâvâkya from the Yajurveda

Brhadâranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10

aham brahmasmi

brahma vâ idam agra âsît, tad âtmânam evâvet, aham brahmâsmi iti; tasmât tat sarvam abhavat.Olivelle (p. 15): “In the beginning this world was only brahman, and it knew only itself (âtman), thinking: ‘I am brahman.‘ As a result, it became the Whole.”

Hume (p. 83): “Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma. It knew only itself (âtmânam): ‘I am Brahma!’ Therefore it became the All.”

Radhakrishnan (p. 168): “Brahman, indeed, was this in the beginning. It knew itself only as ‘I am Brahman.‘ Therefore it became all.”

A variant of this mahâvâkya is so ‘ham, “I am that,” which in its inverted form hamsa has connections with the goose used as a symbol of the Srngeri monastery founded by the nondualist master Sankara, and with the Paramahamsa line of ascetics tracing their lineage to him and including nondualist teachers such as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

tat tvam asi – That Thou art

tat tvam asi – “Thou art That”

Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7, Sama Veda

A Mahâvâkya from the Sâmaveda

Chândogya Upanisad 6.8.7, etc.

sa ya eso ‘nimâ aitadâtmyam idam sarvam, tat satyam, sa âtmâ. tat tvam asi, Svetaketo.
Olivelle (p. 152): “The finest essence here—that constitutes the self of this whole world; that is the truth; that is the self (âtman). And that’s how you are, Svetaketu.”

Hume (p. 246): “That which is the finest essence—this whole world has that as its soul. That is reality (satya). That is Âtman (Soul). That art thou, Svetaketu.”

Radhakrishnan (p. 458): “That which is the subtle essence (the root of all) this whole world has for its self. That is the true. That is the self. That art thou, Sv

prajñānam brahma Prajña is Brahman or …

prajñānam brahma – “Prajña is Brahman”, or “Brahman is Prajña”

Prajñānam Brahma

Several translations, and word-orders of these translations, are possible:

Prajñānam:
jñā can be translated as “consciousness”, “knowledge”, or “understanding.”
Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as “higher”, “greater”, “supreme” or “premium”, or “being born or springing up”,referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.

Prajñānam as a whole means:
प्रज्ञान, “prajJAna”, Adjective: prudent, easily known, wise
Noun: discrimination, knowledge, wisdom, intelligence.
“Consciousness”
“Intelligence”
“Wisdom

Related terms are jnana, prajna and prajnam, “pure consciousness”.
Although the common translation of jnanam is “consciousness”, the term has a broader meaning of “knowing”; “becoming acquainted with”, “knowledge about anything”,”awareness”, “higher knowledge”.

Brahman:
“The Absolute”
“Infinite”
“The Highest truth”

Most interpretations state: “Prajñānam (noun) is Brahman (adjective)”.

Some translations give a reverse order, stating “Brahman is Prajñānam”, specifically “Brahman (noun) is Prajñānam (adjective)”.

“The Ultimate Reality is wisdom (or consciousness)”.

Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda

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Mahâvâkya from the Rgveda

Aitareya Upanisad 3.3

prajnanam brahma

sarvam tat prajñânetram prajñâne pratisthitam, prajñânetro lokah prajñâ pratisthâ, prajñânam brahma.
Olivelle (p. 199): “Knowledge is the eye of all that, and on knowledge it is founded. Knowledge is the eye of the world, and knowledge, the foundation. Brahman is knowing.”

Hume (p. 301): “All this is guided by intelligence, is based on intelligence. The world is guided by intelligence. The basis is intelligence. Brahma is intelligence.”

Radhakrishnan (p. 523): “All this is guided by intelligence, is established in intelligence. The world is guided by intelligence. The support is intelligence. Brahma is intelligence.”

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