Category Archives: The Divine Ātman

The Self and Brahman in the Dhammapada

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Vajragoni

Bhattacharya reinforces the truth that the Buddha brought to fulfillment the Brahmaic Truth that was the New Ātman, the Arahant; this was most clearly presented in the Dhammapada. read more

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The Nominalist Conundrum

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Vajragoni

An attack on Bhattacharya’s stance concerning the Ātman revolves around the philosophical position of the Nominalists. Nominalism rejects the reality of Universals positing that everything has to do with individual particulars as they are in themselves, ergo not really any Absolute but just distinct units of physical, tangible material. Nominalism is the direct antecedent of Modernism. Hence it is a rhetorical device at the expense of the Real and Absolute. read more

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Does the Lanka Deny the Ātman?

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Vajragoni

There is a familiar passage from the Lankavatara Sutra (Chapter two, XXVIII) that differentiates between the Tathagata-garbha and the ātman as taught by non-Buddhists. Once again the question needs to be addressed, “which ātman” is it referring to? The following is the translation from Suzuki followed by Bhattacharya’s own translation which will be copied out in full from his book. Notice how Suzkui uses “ego” as self while Bhattacharya has ātman: read more

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Will the Real Self please Stand-up

Posted on October 2, 2019 by Vajragoni

There are many standard definitions of Ātman but the most substantial has to do with Its Essential Selfhood. Standing alone as the First Principle, It is the Real-Self that at once transcends all phenomena while simultaneously serving a supportive function as the Essence that constitutes the very fabric of all Beingness. In this respect, it connotes the flavor of a most salient Upaniṣadic recipe: read more

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