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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:
#redirect [[Paramartha]]
 
<blockquote>“Paramârtha” is self-consciousness in Sanskrit.  Svasamvedana, or the “self-analysing reflection”—from two words, parama (above everything) and artha (comprehension).<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 48, fn.</ref></blockquote>
 
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>
 
== Mahāyāna Buddhism ==
 
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".
 
 
Mme. Blavatsky explains this as follows:
 
<blockquote>Satya mean[s] absolute true being, or Esse. 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>
 
This word has been used both by the [[Yogācāra]] and the [[Madhyamaka]] schools. H. P. Blavatsky says:
 
<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>
 
<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>
 
== Notes ==
 
<references/>
 
==Further reading==
 
*[http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=Param%C4%81rtha# Paramārtha] at Theosopedia
 
 
[[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine]]
[[Category:Buddhist concepts]]

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