Common misconception

Brahman is not 'a god' among others; it is the single ground of all gods, worlds, and selves alike.

The question it leaves you holding

Can the source of every word and thought ever be captured by a word or a thought?

Schools that center this concept

• Advaita Vedanta — Shankara's non-dualism: only Brahman is real; the individual self is that one Self, mistaking itself as many.
• Vishishtadvaita — Ramanuja's qualified non-dualism: souls and world are real, yet form the body of the one God they depend on.

Questions to explore

• What is the difference between saguna and nirguna Brahman?
• If Brahman is beyond words, how can scripture say anything about it?