Aham Brahmasmi -- I Am Brahman

aham brahmasmi

Aham Brahmasmi

Translation. I am Brahman.

Meaning

The second of the four Mahavakyas, from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. This saying does not assert an ego-claim. Rather, it is the recognition that arises when the ego is seen through: in that transparent moment, what remains is the clear knowing that the essential "I" -- the witness, the ground of awareness -- is identical to Brahman, the ground of all existence.

Commentary

This Mahavakya appears in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.10), one of the oldest and most comprehensive Upanishads, traditionally attributed to the sage Yajnavalkya. The philosopher Adi Shankaracharya emphasized that this Mahavakya is not a statement to be merely believed or repeated -- it is a recognition to be arrived at through sustained inquiry, purification of the mind, and the grace of a qualified teacher. It is the summit statement of non-dual realization.

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Reference: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 · Tradition: Upanishad