Aham Brahmasmi
Have you ever pondered how you can achieve your completeness? That is, attaining something that calms your restless mind and leaves nothing else to be desired in life.
"Aham Brahmasmi," meaning "I am Brahman," is the ultimate truth of your existence. By realizing it, you attain self-realization. Finding yourself is the greatest achievement in this mortal world. When you discover your true self, you transcend worldly desires and attain inner bliss. You become so self-sufficient that no material object or external subject can exert control over you anymore. You free yourself from the clutches of illusion (Maya) and become the master of your own self.
What does "Aham Brahmasmi" mean in Vedanta?
It is your completeness. When you become complete, you experience the true essence of the phrase "Aham Brahmasmi," meaning "I am complete." However, completeness cannot be fully expressed in words; it can only serve as a pointer to the truth within you. Words merely guide you to experience the essence they signify. Completeness is not external—it is you.
I am going to explain the true meaning of this phrase. It not only helps you understand the reality of life but also liberates you from the cycles of life and death, pleasure and pain, gains and losses, and victory and defeat.
The Human Experience
Seekers, we have taken the form of human beings in this world. But do you consider this your completeness? Observe how nature governs you. The first and foremost bondage imposed by nature is that of the body. As long as you have a body, nature will have authority over you. But when you realize that freedom from the body is possible, the self must merge with the ultimate reality known as Brahman. Whoever merges with Brahman becomes Brahman.
Brahman signifies that freedom which is beyond the control of nature. It transcends the body, the mind, and the ego. It is beyond the world and yet illuminates all forms of existence. It is completeness, the blissful root cause of existence, and the very base in which all existence resides. However, Brahman is not knowledge that can be attained merely through words. Brahman can only be known through self-realization, and this event unfolds within you.
What does "Brahman" mean?
It is essential to understand that your quest is for yourself. You always strive for completeness, but what you seek in this world is bound to the body. The body belongs to nature. Your identity, actions, thoughts, and decisions are all based on physical existence.
When we say "Aham Brahmasmi," it does not pertain to your physical identity. Instead, it stems from your truth. Your true essence is what is referred to here as Brahman. When you turn inward and begin your search, you realize that the name and identity you carry around fade quickly. These are mere outer coverings of your physical existence.
The inner self retains all the knowledge of the world. This inner self, illuminated by your true existence, is the consciousness and awareness that defines your true identity. This consciousness has no name, no address, no worldly existence. This absolute awareness is referred to as Brahman. Brahman, your true existence, illuminates your intellect, reveals your mind, and helps you transcend worldly identities.
In essence, your true existence is what is called Brahman. Knowing this essence is self-realization. It can only be known when you experience it, by shedding all that you are not and all that you have falsely identified as "I"—in other words, the ego. At this point, breaking free from the bonds of the illusory "I" becomes natural. This experience is referred to as the realization of Brahman or self-awareness.
Brahman is The Liberation of "I"
Through this realization, the bonds of "I" begin to dissolve. These bonds are rooted in illusion (Maya), including ego, attachment, and ignorance. Liberation from these worldly bonds leads to the state of pure consciousness. This ultimate liberation is described as Sat-Chit-Ananda—where Sat is truth, Chit is consciousness, and Ananda is eternal bliss. It signifies liberation from the dualities of pleasure and pain, worldly attachments, and the ultimate attainment of true bliss.
Sat-Chit-Ananda is Brahman—neither born nor destroyed, infinite, formless, and attributeless. Brahman is the supreme consciousness, the root cause of all existence.
The Origin of "Aham Brahmasmi" Saying
The phrase "Aham Brahmasmi" is one of the four Mahavakyas (great sayings) of Advaita Vedanta, a school of non-dualistic philosophy systematized by Adi Shankaracharya. However, these Mahavakyas existed even before Advaita Vedanta. "Aham Brahmasmi" is found in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Yajurveda.
The Upanishads, the pinnacle of Vedic wisdom, offer profound insights into spirituality and self-realization. These texts guide seekers toward the light of truth by dispelling ignorance.
Adi Shankaracharya elaborated upon the essence of Vedanta through his works. Alongside "Aham Brahmasmi," the four principal Mahavakyas found in the Upanishads are:
- Aham Brahmasmi – "I am Brahman"
- Tat Tvam Asi – "That (Brahman) you are"
- Ayam Atma Brahma – "This Self is Brahman"
- Prajnanam Brahma – "Consciousness is Brahman"
Who Proclaims "Aham Brahmasmi"?
The proclamation of "Aham Brahmasmi" is made by a seeker who has eradicated ignorance and inner conflicts through spiritual practice. As the fire of knowledge awakens within, it burns away ignorance, allowing the seeker to experience oneness with Brahman.
"Aham Brahmasmi" is not merely a statement but a reflection of the one with Brahman. It signifies that the seeker has liberated the self and attained the state of Brahman. Brahman, being free from the illusions of the material world, merges with the consciousness.
In essence, it is the ultimate realization achieved through meditation and yoga. The purpose of these practices is to guide seekers beyond the restlessness of the mind toward supreme peace. Brahman is that supreme peace and ultimate state where worldly suffering ceases to exist.
"Aham Brahmasmi" is the Attainment of Divine Nature
The experience of Brahman is nothing less than a divine event. When one merges their consciousness into the infinite ocean of Brahman, they attain divine nature.
The dimensions beyond material existence are the ultimate reality—complete and absolute.