Atman

Atman, in both Hinduism and Buddhism, refers to the human soul. While Hindus believe that the soul represents the life-force within all human beings and animals which survives death in a cycle of reincarnation, Buddhists believe that no such soul exists, a doctrine referred to as anatman. In some schools of Hinduism, such as Advaita Vedanta, it is held that atman is fully identical to Brahman, the supreme monistic principle or deity, while other schools such as Visistadvaita and Dvaita Vedanta, claim that this is only partially true or not true at all, respictively.

Atman and Brahman

Perhaps the most famous claim made in the Upanishads is that atman is the very same as Brahman. The ninth chapter of The Taittiriya Upanishad reports this as follows: "He who knows the Bliss of Brahman, whence words together with the mind turn away, unable to reach It? He is not afraid of anything whatsoever. He does not distress himself with the thought: 'Why did I not do what is good? Why did I do what is evil?'. Whosoever knows this regards both these as Atman; indeed he cherishes both these as Atman. Such, indeed, is the Upanishad, the secret knowledge of Brahman."