Pāramārthika

By Swami Harshananda

Pāramārthika literally means ‘relating to the highest truth’.

Truth according to Advaita metaphysics is of three types:

1. Prātibhāsika - It means apparent. When we wrongly perceive the upright ears of a hare as its horns, it is ‘prātibhāsika’ sattā.
2. Vyāvahārika - It means practical. This world of senses is ‘vyāvahārika’ sattā since it is real for all practical purposes.
3. Pāramārthika - It means the highest. Brahman or God which is the highest and unchanging truth is ‘pāramārthika’ sattā.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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