To say Hinduism is complicated is like saying the universe is big. That might be true, but it doesn’t give you an idea of just how big it is. Then again, what else would you expect from one of the world’s oldest, best-preserved religions with thousands of pages to pour over and dozens of divisions in thinking?
This is why I’m covering just the basics of Hindu philosophy, the profound ideas of Brahman, Atman, and the illusion of separateness, and how these concepts encourage peace.
It all starts with Brahman.
Brahman versus Brahma
To understand Hinduism, we have to understand Brahman, which can be somewhat confusing because there’s also a god named Brahma but they’re not the same thing.
Brahma is an aspect of a Brahman, but Brahman is viewed as the true reality of things. It is shapeless, genderless, and bodiless. It cannot be described, only experienced.
Confused? I got you.
Basically, Brahman is everything that exists. In scientific terms, Brahman would be the entire cosmos and everything it’s made up of while Brahma would be something more specific within it…
