Brahman in Hinduism

Study Notes

Brahman is the concept of ultimate reality in Hinduism, an all-pervasive force and entity embodied in all beings, whether humans or deities.
Brahman is related to the concept of atman, the soul or self, where each person is connected to Brahman.
Brahman is not synonymous with "God" in Hinduism, as there are many Hindu deities, but some Hindus consider Brahman to be one of the gods.

Most Hindus believe that Brahman means all living things are part of a greater whole.
The other deities are all manifestations of Brahman, but Brahman on its own is sometimes considered a deity called Brahma, the creator god.
Hinduism teaches reincarnation, where the soul (atman) is reborn into a new body after death, based on karma.
One can escape the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara) by perfecting their karma to achieve moksha, reuniting with Brahman.

Brahmanism was formed from Vedic traditions in the Indo-European region around the second millennium BCE.
It was a culmination of various traditions from India and the Indus Valley Civilization.
The Aryans, who came to India around 1500 BCE, further formed Brahmanism.

Brahmanism is an ancient tradition that still has practices and rituals today.
In the South Indian state of Kerala, Brahmanic traditions have persisted for about 10,000 years.
The concept of moksha is essential to the worldview of Brahmanism.

Brahmanism was primarily focused on metaphysical and philosophical ideas.
The teachings of Brahmanism were written down into scriptures called the Vedas.
Hinduism developed from Brahmanism, adding more developed ideas on societal functioning.
The caste system was directly related to the concept of reincarnation.

There is a distinction between "Brahman" and "brahmin" in Hinduism.
Brahmans are religious followers who worship the supreme god Brahman.
Brahmins are people from the priestly caste in Hinduism, the highest-ranking caste.

The concepts of Brahman, reincarnation, and moksha are integral parts of Hinduism.
The teachings of Brahmanism, despite being thousands of years old, are a major building block of modern Hindu religion.