Brahman, Atman, Karma and Moksha

Several connected ideas form the core vocabulary of most Hindu traditions. Brahman is ultimate reality, the source and ground of everything, while atman is the eternal self within each living being. Most Hindus believe the atman is reborn many times in a cycle called samsara, and that karma, the principle that actions have consequences, shapes the circumstances of future lives. The ultimate goal is moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth.

Schools disagree about what liberation means: Advaita Vedanta holds that atman and Brahman are identical, so liberation is realizing that oneness, while devotional schools such as Ramanuja's teach that the soul remains distinct and lives eternally in loving relation to God. These ideas offered explanations for suffering and inequality, encouraged ethical conduct, and gave life a long-term purpose. Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism share and reinterpret many of these concepts, showing how ideas move between related traditions.