The term “Brahman” refers to the supreme, ultimate reality in Hinduism. Brahman is the divine ground of all being, the eternal and infinite source from which all of existence arises, exists, and returns. Brahman is formless, ineffable, and unknowable through sensory perception or intellectual knowledge. Brahman transcends time, space, and causality and is beyond all dualities such as male/female, good/evil, mortal/immortal.
Some key points about Brahman:
– Brahman is the single binding unity behind all that exists in the universe. Brahman is the cosmological concept of a single principle responsible for the origin, existence, and end of the universe (Genesis 1, John 1:1-5).
– Brahman is said to have no form, no attributes, and no qualities. It is the invisible power sustaining everything, the reality that escapes all description (1 Timothy 1:17).
– Brahman is the ultimate, transcendent reality which is unchanging, infinite, immanent, and eternal (Psalm 90:2). Brahman is the unmanifested source of manifest existence (Colossians 1:15-17).
– Brahman is the supreme, universal spirit who is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe (Acts 17:28).
– Brahman is the singular, ultimate, indefinable, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipresent reality from which all things manifest (Jeremiah 23:24, Romans 11:33-36).
– Brahman is the fundamental substrate of all that exists. Brahman is the material, formal, efficient and final cause of the universe (John 1:3, Hebrews 1:3).
– Brahman is said to be perfect, infinite, omniscient, and blissful (Psalm 147:5, Matthew 5:48).
– Brahman is beyond the scope of human comprehension and cannot be adequately described in words (Isaiah 55:8-9). Any description of Brahman is at best a crude approximation and can never fully capture the limitless depth of this supreme reality (1 Corinthians 2:9).
The concept of Brahman as the ultimate reality is foundational to Hindu theology and philosophy. Different Hindu schools have various perspectives on the nature of Brahman:
– Advaita Vedanta conceives of Brahman as being identical to Atman, the true self of a person. There is no essential distinction between the personalized soul and the infinite Brahman. All multiplicity and differentiation are considered illusory.
– Vishishtadvaita Vedanta sees Brahman as the supreme reality with all sentient and insentient entities existing as finite modes contained within the infinite being of Brahman.
– Dvaita Vedanta considers Brahman as a different and higher reality than individual Atman and views the universe as a real manifestation of Brahman.
– Shuddhadvaita philosophy posits that the entire universe is real and is subtly Brahman only. Brahman and Atman are essentially two different realities.
So in summary, Brahman in Hinduism is understood as the supreme, ultimate, infinite, transcendent reality that is the divine ground of all existence. Brahman is beyond full comprehension, yet is the source, essence and end of all that was, is and will be.
The concept of Brahman as the supreme metaphysical reality can be compared to the Abrahamic religious conception of God:
– Like Brahman, God is understood to be the supreme being, the absolute infinite, and the omnipotent, omniscient ground of all existence (Genesis 17:1, Revelation 19:6).
– God is depicted as an all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent being beyond human understanding (Jeremiah 32:17-19, Psalm 147:5, Romans 11:33-36).
– God is the transcendent reality completely independent of and prior to the universe, space, time and matter (Genesis 1:1, Acts 17:24-25).
– God is conceived as the creator of the universe ex nihilo who sustains all of existence at every moment (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:17).
– The nature of God is said to be perfect, unlimited, eternal and unchanging (Psalm 90:2, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 5:48).
However, there are crucial differences between the Hindu notion of Brahman and the Christian concept of God:
– Christians believe God has revealed Himself in human history through divine incarnations, primarily through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 1 Timothy 3:16). Brahman has no incarnations.
– Brahman is an impersonal absolute reality. The Christian God is personal and relational, capable of emotions and intimacy with human beings (Exodus 34:6-7, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:8).
– God in Christianity is triune – one being existing in three co-equal persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Brahman has no distinctions within its nature.
– Christians affirm that while we cannot fully comprehend God, we can genuinely know Him through His self-revelation in Scripture and Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 29:29, John 17:3, Philippians 3:8). Brahman is unknowable and incomprehensible.
– Human beings in Christianity are distinct from God, created by Him (Genesis 1:27). In monistic traditions, Atman is essentially non-different from Brahman.
– Salvation in Christianity is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). There is no savior concept in Brahmanism. Enlightenment comes from self-realization of one’s identity with Brahman.
So in summary, Brahman and God share similarities as the ultimate reality, but differ substantially in Christianity’s affirmation of God’s personal nature, revelation through Christ, and salvation by grace alone. The nature of Brahman precludes any real knowledge, intimacy or relationship.
Many verses reveal aspects of God’s nature as the supreme being and source of reality, in ways that overlap with notions of Brahman:
– “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
– “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:33-34)
– “For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)
– “God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
– “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
In conclusion, Brahman refers to the supreme metaphysical reality in Hinduism – the singular, absolute infinite source and being underlying and encompassing all of existence. While similar in some ways to concepts of God in the Bible, there remain fundamental distinctions in the Christian understanding of God’s revelatory, personal nature and salvation found only through Christ.