Atman
/ˈɑːt.mən/noun
In Hindu philosophy, the individual self or inner essence, often understood as the eternal self.
Did you know?In the Upanishads, atman is identified with Brahman, the ultimate reality—a philosophical formula suggesting that the deepest self and the cosmos are one.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European, proposed
PIE
*h₁et-men- / *h₁enh₁-
“A debated ancestral connection involving breath or vital movement; the exact origin of atman remains uncertain.”
Late 2nd Millennium BCE
Vedic Sanskrit
ātman-
“Breath, vital essence, self; in early Vedic texts, the word could refer to the life-breath or inner being.”
c. 700 BCE
Sanskrit
ātman
“The inner self or essential person, especially in the early Upanishads.”
c. 500 BCE onward
Sanskrit
ātman
“The enduring self or spiritual principle, contrasted with the changing body and mental states.”
19th Century
English
ātman / atman
“A transliterated philosophical term adopted into English discussions of Hinduism and Indian philosophy.”
Modern English
English
atman
“The individual self or soul, especially in Vedanta, where it is often identified with Brahman.”