Part 1 - Atta In Brahmanism

We should understand the concepts of sakkaya ditthi and atta ditthi from the point of view of Hinduism.

According to Hinduism or Brahmanism, the whole world was created by Mahabrahma. This Mahabrahmahas many names such as, Isvara, Paramatmaand Prajapati. Pati means creator or master. Prajameans creatures or living beings. So he is the master of living beings because he created them.

Paramatma is a Sanskrit or Hindu term. In Pali it is Paramatta. When wedivide this Paramatma into two words, it is Parama and atma. Here parama means the noblest, the holiest; atma means soul or self. So Paramatma means the holiest soul. Some translate this word as the big self or big soul. This soul is big enough to create the world and living beings. When the condition of the world was good enough for living beings to live in, he created all living beings- men, decas, Brahmas,and animals. He even created tigers, lions and poisonous snakes, which are a great danger to man. When Mahabrahma or Paramatma first created living beings, they were like corpses; they could not move, sit or stand. Then Mahabrahma wanted to make these creatures come to life. So he put a soul into each creature or living being. Then all the creatures got up and moved, stood, sat and so on. In this way, that small soul or self existed in every living being according to Brahmanism. Even an insect has a small soul in it. That soul is called Jiva atta. It is everlasting and indestructible and cannot he destroyed by any means, even an atomic bomb, because it is supported by Mahabrahma or Prajapati. But when this body is about to disintegrate, that soul knows that the body is about to disintegrate - so it has to be prepared to leave that body and reincarnate into another body. It has to take existence either in a lower or higher world, depending on its kamma in this life. If that soul performs meritorious deeds in this life, these meritorious deeds are good kamma so they lead the soul to a higher level of existence. When the soul reincarnates into another body, we call it reincarnation. But that everlasting soul, jiva atta or self cannot be destroyed in the next existence either. So the cycle of reincarnation continues.. This is what Brahmanism believes about soul. In short. according to Brahmanism, there is an everlasting entity in us, the so called self, soul or ego.

That belief or concept of an everlasting entity, soul, self or ego, known as Atta ditthi, is due to the non realisation of the true nature of the natural processes.