Tatvamasi: You become that

Tatvamasi is a Sanskrit word that has been used throughout the history of Indian philosophy to express the idea of ultimate reality or the ultimate truth. The word is derived from the root “tat” which means “that” and “vam” which means “I am”, creating the meaning “I am that” or “That I am”. This concept of Tatvamasi is central to the Advaita Vedanta tradition, which is one of the most influential and widely studied philosophical systems in India.

Advaita Vedanta is a non-dualistic philosophy that holds that the ultimate reality is a single, unchanging, and non-dual consciousness. According to this philosophy, the world of plurality and diversity that we experience is an illusion (Maya) created by our limited understanding and perception. The ultimate reality, or Brahman, is the only reality that truly exists and it is the same as the individual self (Atman). The goal of Advaita Vedanta is to realize this ultimate reality and to experience the unity of the individual self and the ultimate reality. Tatvamasi is the statement that expresses this unity.

One of the key figures in the development of Advaita Vedanta was the sage Adi Shankaracharya, who lived in the 8th century CE. Shankaracharya was a brilliant philosopher and theologian who is credited with establishing the Advaita Vedanta tradition. He wrote a number of commentaries on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras, which are still widely studied today. In his commentaries, Shankaracharya emphasized the importance of understanding the concept of Tatvamasi as the key to realizing the ultimate reality.

One of the key arguments that Shankaracharya used to establish the concept of Tatvamasi is the “Neti, Neti” argument. Neti, Neti is a Sanskrit phrase that means “not this, not this”. Shankaracharya used this argument to show that the ultimate reality cannot be described or defined in terms of the limited and changing world that we experience. He argued that the ultimate reality is “not this” (not the world of plurality and diversity), “not this” (not the individual self), and “not this” (not any other thing). In other words, the ultimate reality is beyond our limited understanding and perception and cannot be described or defined.

Another important argument that Shankaracharya used to establish the concept of Tatvamasi is the “Updesh” argument. Updesh is a Sanskrit word that means “instruction” or “teaching”. Shankaracharya argued that the ultimate reality can only be known through the instruction or teaching of a qualified teacher (Guru). According to Shankaracharya, the Guru is the one who can reveal the ultimate reality to the student and guide them on the path to realization.

The concept of Tatvamasi has also been important in the development of other Indian philosophical systems such as Yoga, Samkhya, and Tantra. In Yoga, the ultimate reality is described as the union of the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman). In Samkhya, the ultimate reality is described as the separation of the individual self (Purusha) from the material world (Prakriti). In Tantra, the ultimate reality is described as the union of the individual self (Shiva) and the cosmic energy (Shakti).

In conclusion, Tatvamasi is a central concept in the Advaita Vedanta tradition that expresses the idea of ultimate reality or the ultimate truth