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| '''Paramārtha''' (devanāgarī: परमार्थ) is a [[Sanskrit]] term that can be translated as "the highest or whole truth , spiritual knowledge".<ref>[http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/mwquery/index.html# Paramārtha] at Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary</ref> In [[The Secret Doctrine (book)|''The Secret Doctrine'']], [[H. P. Blavatsky]] writes:
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| <blockquote>“Paramârtha” is self-consciousness in Sanskrit. Svasamvedana, or the “self-analysing reflection”—from two words, parama (above everything) and artha (comprehension), Satya meaning absolute true being, or Esse.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 48, fn.</ref></blockquote>
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| In another passage, Blavatsky talks of paramārtha as being "true Self-Consciousness".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 44, fn.</ref> This true self-consciousness, however, should not be associated to any sense of egotism, as can be inferred from the following definition: "Absolute Being and Consciousness which are Absolute Non-Being and Unconsciousness".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 47.</ref>
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| == Mahāyāna Buddhism ==
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| In [[Mahāyāna Buddhism]] paramārtha is frequently used paired with the word "satya" (truth) to mean the absolute or ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya) as opposed to the relative or empirical truth (saṃvṛti-satya), in what is normally known as the doctrine of the "Two Truths".
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| Mme. Blavatsky explains this as follows:
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| <blockquote>In Tibetan Paramârthasatya is Dondampaidenpa. The opposite of this absolute reality, or actuality, is Samvritisatya—the relative truth only—“Samvriti” meaning “false conception” and being the origin of illusion, Maya; in Tibetan Kundzabchi-denpa, “illusion-creating appearance”.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 48, fn.</ref></blockquote>
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| This word has been used both by the [[Yogācāra]] and the [[Madhyamaka]] schools. H. P. Blavatsky says:
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| <blockquote>There is a difference in the interpretation of the meaning of “Paramârtha” between the Yogâchâryas and the Madhyamikas, neither of whom, however, explain the real and true esoteric sense of the expression.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 44, fn.</ref></blockquote>
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| <blockquote>The Yogâchâryas interpret the term as that which is also dependent upon other things (paratantral); and the Madhyamikas say that Paramârtha is limited to Paranishpanna or absolute perfection; i.e., in the exposition of these “two truths” (out of four), the former believe and maintain that (on this plane, at any rate) there exists only Samvritisatya or relative truth; and the latter teach the existence of Paramârthasatya, the “absolute truth.”<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 48.</ref></blockquote>
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| == Notes ==
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| <references/>
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| ==Further reading==
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| *[http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=Param%C4%81rtha# Paramārtha] at Theosopedia
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| [[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
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| [[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]
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| [[Category:Buddhist concepts]] | |
