The four "great sayings" of the Upanishads declaring the identity of the self (atman) and ultimate reality (Brahman).
Tagged: Creeds and Confessions Sacred Sayings Hindu
The Text
Prajnanam Brahma — "Consciousness is Brahman" (Aitareya Upanishad). Aham Brahmasmi — "I am Brahman" (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). Tat tvam asi — "You are that" (Chandogya Upanishad). Ayam Atma Brahma — "This Self is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad).
Historical Context
The mahavakyas, "great sayings," are four statements drawn from the Upanishads, the philosophical texts at the end of the Vedas, and later tradition assigned one to each of the four Vedas. Hinduism has no single creed, and these sayings are presented here as creed-like affirmations only by analogy: they are not a confession all Hindus recite, but condensed teachings on the identity of atman and Brahman that a teacher imparts to a student, interpreted differently by the various schools of Vedanta.
Use and Practice
The mahavakyas are studied, explained by gurus, and meditated upon rather than recited congregationally. "Tat tvam asi" is repeated nine times as a refrain in its Upanishadic dialogue, and the sayings anchor instruction in Advaita Vedanta in particular.
References
- Oxford Bibliographies — Vedanta Subscription
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