noun
- Plural of atman; in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the eternal self or soul, believed to be the innermost essence of a person.
Usage: religious/philosophical term; from Sanskrit
Examples
- In Hindu philosophy, atmans are considered divine and eternal.
- The concept of atmans is central to understanding Vedantic thought.
- Different schools of Hindu philosophy interpret atmans in various ways.
- Buddhists and Hindus both discuss the nature of atmans, though with different conclusions.
- The Upanishads explore the relationship between individual atmans and Brahman.