anātman

  Anātman is a Sanskrit term meaning "non-self" or "the absence of a permanent, unchanging soul," central to Buddhist philosophy.

Meaning and Etymology

The word anātman (अनात्मन्) is a compound of ‘a-’ meaning “non-“ 

or “without,” and ‘ātman’, which means “self” or “soul.” Thus, anātman 

literally translates to “not-self” or “non-self”. In contrast to Ātman 

in Hindu philosophy, which signifies the eternal and unchanging self, 

anātman asserts that no permanent, independent self exists.

Philosophical Context

• In Hindu philosophy, particularly Advaita Vedānta, ātman is the 
• unchanging, eternal soul or self, ultimately identical with 
• Brahman, the universal essence.