What is Brahman
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Questioner: Kat
Subject: What is BrahmanQuestion:
what is brahman? thanks
- Kat
Jagannatha Prakasa's reply
Hi Kat,
Brahman is "Supreme Reality." There are two basic ideas:
In Hinduism (the Sanatana Dharma) there are two "planes of existence." These are based on the existence or lack of existence of dualistic qualities (gunas). Our shared material realm is known as sa (with) guna (qualities). There is another realm known as nir (without) guna.
The Sanatana Dharma is divisible into 5 basic schools of thought, for clarity however, we'll say there are only two (Dvaita and Advaita). Both of these are considered Hindu Orthodoxy and both view this matter in fundamentally different ways.
According to both schools, Brahman is Supreme Reality. It is utterly undifferentiated Unity. How the two basic schools present Brahman is the first question we need to consider. According to Advaita, everything that is ultimately merges into the Oneness of Brahman, "Tat Tvam Asi" or I Am That. It is only due to ignorance (or illusion) that we perceive ourselves to be individual, separate beings. Once this ignorance is gone we, as falsely perceived individual beings, merge into the totality of Brahman and "transcend" individualized consciousness and seeming existence.
In the traditional Christian context, God is 'Not this and Not that," which is to say that there are "things" other than God, you, me, the trees etc. Hence, "God" is not Brahman in the context of Advaita (or Non-dualism) because, since everything is One there are no differentiated existence. With this understanding, it is explained that saguna (material reality) is but an illusion.
The other school, which we can here call Dvaita (Dualism) also teaches that Brahman is absolute Unity, however within this Unity there is a two-fold nature. Saguna and nirguna exist as light and shadow, nirguna (without quality) being permanent, saguna (with quality) being real, but temporary as a shadow or dim mirror of the other.
Exactly how this dualism works has spawned many different philosophies. Among these is the Acintya Bheda Bhdea Tattva understanding championed by Srila Caintanya Mahaprabhupa and his followers. This is the view I personally hold. This teaching says the nature of Brahman is acintya bheda bheda tattva (the Inconceivable Form of Oneness and Diversity. This view deems nirguna as having no material qualities, but replete with spiritual qualities. It is in Saguna that the Ek Devata (the One God) exists.
By this understanding, Brahman is not exactly God in the Christian context, but is more the "nature of God." Within God all of existence resides as "part and partial of the Whole." This works well with verses like Psalms 82:6 and John 10:34. God is eternally the same and the creation is eternally the same, and yet while all of creation exists within God, God is in no way reduced by the creation.
Of this utterly transcend God the Bhagavad Gita speaks:
11:15-31: Arjuna said: O God, I see all the gods within Your body, as well as the diverse classes of living beings. There is Lord Brahma, seated on the lotus flower, Lord Shiva, as well as the holy seers and divine serpents.
I behold innumerable arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes; I see You all around me manifesting limitless forms, devoid of end, middle or beginning, O God of the universe, O Universal Form!
I see You with diadems, maces and discs. Your massive effulgence is blazing all around and is difficult to behold, like blazing fire, like the immeasurable radiance of the sun.
In my opinion, You are imperishable, supreme and worthy of being known.
You are the highest reservoir of this inexhaustible universe, guardian of Truth and the eternal Person.
I behold You as being without beginning, middle or end, of infinite glory, with limitless arms. The moon and sun are Your eyes; Your mouth is blazing like fire and by Your brilliance this universe is being heated.
The heavens, the earth, and everything in between is pervaded by You alone. By seeing this wonderful and terrible Form of Yours the three worlds are shaking with fear, O Great Soul.
The community of devas are entering into You. Some, due to fear, offer praise to You with folded hands saying: "All glories to You!" The great seers as well as the community of perfected beings are singing hymns unto You with copious prayers.
The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvadevas, Ashvins, Maruts, Usmapas, Gandharvas, Yaksas, Asuras and Siddhas are all beholding You in amazement.
O mighty armed, this magnificent Form of Yours has innumerable faces and eyes, limitless arms, thighs and feet, as well as myriad stomachs and countless terrible teeth. Beholding it the planets are shaking with fear, even as am I!
Beholding You touching the sky, with myriad colors, mouths agape and with vast glowing eyes, I am disturbed at heart and can find no inner peace, O Supreme Vishnu!
Beholding Your terrible teeth and mouths blazing like the apocalyptic fires in all directions, I obtain no happiness.
O Lord of lords, show mercy unto me, O refuge of the universes!
All these sons of Dhritarastra, along with the community of guardian kings, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, plus our own chief warriors,
They are hurriedly entering into Your fearful mouths, some are clinging between Your terrible teeth, their heads thoroughly crushed.
As river water flows into the ocean, so too these heroes of the mortal world are entering into Your blazing mouths.
As moths rush into a blazing fire to their destruction, so too do the world's inhabitants plunge into Your mouths to their destruction.
With Your mouths You are licking up and devouring the inhabitants of the world on all sides. You are blazing with brilliance, illuminating the entire universe with Your awesome rays, O Lord Vishnu!
O fierce of form, please tell me who You are. Kindly accept my humble obeisances, O best among the gods. Be gracious unto me. I wish to know You, the Primeval One, and Your engagements.Read this section at my http://www.allfaith.com/Religions/Hinduism/gita11.html
According to this understanding therefore Brahman (existence) is "within the Person of God" and yet God utterly transcends even this.
This is a rather deep topic and I've tried to simplify it here. If you have further questions please feel free to write back,
~ Jagannatha Prakasa
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