How does belief in Brahman-Atman affect a Hindu?
Are Brahman and Atman the same or different?
Hindu’s believe that Brahman is the ‘ultimate reality’, Brahman lives in everything and everyone and is the energy in the universe. Brahman is considered to be the supreme God although there is many personalities that are within him he’s the supreme spirit.
Hindu’s also believe in an Atman which is the ‘soul’. This Atman is within everyone and again everything. Every Atman is considered special therefore should be treated with respect. This belief influences why many Hindu’s are vegetarians. All living things should be equal because of their Atman, this includes animals.
The belief in Brahman-Atman affects Hindu’s because some Hindu’s believe that the Atman is only a part of Brahman and isn’t all of it but other view that Brahman and Atman are one thing, the same thing. These opposite views can often cause controversy between Hindu worshipers.
In my opinion Brahman and Atman are not the same thing, Brahman does have an Atman but they’re not one thing. Brahman is the Universal Spirit, the thing that all Hindu’s can relate too and worship were as an Atman is something that everyone is considered to have that’s eternal.