Brahman

===Brahman as an axiological concept===
''Brahman'' and ''Atman'' are key concepts to Hindu theories of [[axiology]]: ethics and aesthetics.<ref>R. Prasad and P. D. Chattopadhyaya (2008), ''A Conceptual-analytic Study of Classical Indian Philosophy of Morals, Concept'', {{ISBN|978-8180695445}}, pages 56–59</ref><ref>G. C. Pande (1990), ''Foundations of Indian Culture'', Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120807105}}, pages 49–50</ref> ''Ananda'' (bliss), state Michael Myers and other scholars, has axiological importance to the concept of ''Brahman'', as the universal inner harmony.<ref>Michael W. Myers (1998), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1400017 Śaṅkarācārya and Ānanda], ''Philosophy East and West'', Vol. 48, No. 4, pages 553–567</ref><ref>Robert S. Hartman (2002), ''The Knowledge of Good: Critique of Axiological Reason'', Rodopi, {{ISBN|978-9042012202}}, page 225</ref> Some scholars equate ''Brahman'' with the highest value, in an axiological sense.<ref>T. M. P. Mahadevan (1954), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1397291 The Metaphysics of Śaṁkara], ''Philosophy East and Wes''t, Vol. 3, No. 4, pages 359–363</ref>

The axiological concepts of ''Brahman'' and ''Atman'' is central to Hindu theory of values.<ref>Arvind Sharma (1999), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/40018229 The Puruṣārthas: An Axiological Exploration of Hinduism], ''The Journal of Religious Ethics'', Vol. 27, No. 2, pages 223–256</ref> A statement such as 'I am Brahman', states Shaw, means 'I am related to everything', and this is the underlying premise for compassion for others in Hinduism, for each individual's welfare, peace, or happiness depends on others, including other beings and nature at large, and vice versa.<ref>J. L. Shaw (2011), [http://www.sjsu.edu/people/anand.vaidya/courses/comparativephilosophy/s1/Freedom-East-and-West-by-J-L-Shaw.pdf Freedom: East and West], ''SOPHIA'', Vol 50, Springer Science, pages 481–497</ref> Tietge states that even in non-dual schools of Hinduism where ''Brahman'' and ''Atman'' are treated ontologically equivalent, the theory of values emphasizes individual agent and ethics. In these schools of Hinduism, states Tietge, the theory of action are derived from and centered in compassion for the other, and not egotistical concern for the self.<ref>Katherine L Tietge (1997), ''Ontology and Genuine Moral Action: Jñaña (Intuitive Perception) Ethics and Karma-Yoga in Sankara's Advaita Vedanta and Schopenhauer's On the Basis of Morality'', Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University (US), [http://philpapers.org/rec/TIEOAG Archive Link]</ref>

The axiological theory of values emerges implicitly from the concepts of ''Brahman'' and '''Atman'', states Bauer.<ref name=nancybauer/> The aesthetics of human experience and ethics are one consequence of self-knowledge in Hinduism, one resulting from the perfect, timeless unification of one's Self with the ''Brahman'', the Self of everyone, everything and all eternity, wherein the pinnacle of human experience is not dependent on an afterlife, but pure consciousness in the present life itself.<ref name=nancybauer/> It does not assume that an individual is weak nor does it presume that he is inherently evil, but the opposite: human Self and its nature is held as fundamentally unqualified, faultless, beautiful, blissful, ethical, compassionate and good.<ref name=nancybauer/><ref>Arvind Sharma (2000), ''Classical Hindu Thought: An Introduction'', Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195644418}}, pages 57–61</ref> Ignorance is to assume it evil, liberation is to know its eternal, expansive, pristine, happy and good nature.<ref name=nancybauer>Nancy Bauer (1987), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1399082 Advaita Vedānta and Contemporary Western Ethics], ''Philosophy East and West'', Vol. 37, No. 1, pages 36–50</ref> The axiological premises in the Hindu thought and Indian philosophies in general, states Nikam, is to elevate the individual, exalting the innate potential of man, where the reality of his being is the objective reality of the universe.<ref name=nikam/> The Upanishads of Hinduism, summarizes Nikam, hold that the individual has the same essence and reality as the objective universe, and this essence is the finest essence; the individual Self is the universal Self, and Atman is the same reality and the same aesthetics as the ''Brahman''.<ref name=nikam>N. A. Nikam (1952), A Note on the Individual and His Status in Indian Thought, ''Philosophy East and West'', Vol. 2, No. 3, pages 254–258</ref>