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Philosophy / Unit 1   Philosophy 0014 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Upanishads: Atman and Brahman

Captions available

The idea

The Upanishads teach that atman, the innermost self, is identical with brahman, the ground of all reality—and liberation lies in realizing it.

In practice

The Chandogya Upanishad's refrain, "tat tvam asi"—"you are that"—delivered by a father teaching his son.

Where people slip

Later Indian schools disputed this identity for centuries. The darshanas are traditions of argument, not one settled creed.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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