Contemplating Brahman and Para-Brahman
In the profound depths of Indian philosophy, the concepts of Brahman and Para-Brahman emerge as pivotal ideas that transcend ordinary comprehension, inviting seekers to explore the very edge of cosmic understanding. Brahman is often described as the ultimate reality, the unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in this Universe. It is the singularity from which multiplicity flows, the essence that sustains and constitutes the cosmos and its myriad expressions.
Yet, within this already boundless concept lies the hint of something even more ineffable: Para-Brahman. This term goes beyond even Brahman, suggesting a reality that exists beyond the highest conception of the Absolute as known within the limits of human understanding. If Brahman is the white canvas upon which the universe is painted, then Para-Brahman is the very space that holds the canvas, the possibility of canvases yet untouched, and the idea of the canvas itself—both less tangible and more fundamental.
Para-Brahman is not just a step further; it is an exponential leap into the realm of the Absolute’s absolute. While Brahman can be approached through spiritual practice, described in scriptures, and meditated upon, Para-Brahman remains forever beyond the grasp of direct experience and intellectual articulation. It is the ‘Beyond’ in ‘Beyond the Ultimate’, the ‘Transcendence’ in ‘Transcendental’, where even the concept of ‘existence’ loses its footing.
The distinction between Brahman and Para-Brahman is not just of scholarly interest—it offers a radical perspective on the nature of enlightenment and the ultimate goal of spiritual pursuit. It challenges practitioners to question the very foundation of what they consider to be Absolute. In Brahman, we find the dissolution of the ego and the union with the divine; in Para-Brahman, there seems to be no ‘we’ to experience the union, no ‘divine’ to unite with, only an unmanifested potentiality that defies duality and description.
This philosophical delineation beckons us to reconsider the nature of reality and our place within it. It humbles our narrative-driven minds to accept that the ultimate truth may be a mystery that remains forever out of reach, something that can be hinted at but never fully explained or understood. Yet, this is not a cause for despair but an invitation to expand our perception, to live with a sense of wonder, and to find peace in the ineffable mystery that is the grandeur of existence.
In this light, the journey of life transforms into a sublime trek across the expanse of consciousness—with Brahman as the guide and Para-Brahman as the destination that was never apart from us, yet always beyond us. The seeker thus becomes the ultimate pilgrim, traversing an inner universe where questions and answers merge into the silent eloquence of Being.
Morgan O. Smith
Yinnergy Meditation & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!
Morgan O. Smith 