Defining what God is in Hinduism- Infinities and Illusions
In order to define what God is (not his properties but what God is) we look at the phrase, 'Reality/truth knowledge infinity (not limited) is Brahman (God)' from the Taittiriya Upanishad. In Hinduism, we have 3 types of limits; space, time and object. So whatever this Brahman is, it needs to be everywhere (omnipresent), it needs to always be here (eternal) and nothing can be apart from it (non-dual). An object like a cup doesn't meet our definition as it isn't everywhere, it isn't eternal and a table is different to a cup (there is something apart from it so it isn't non-dual). Conventional religion has a way out by saying that God is not here but in Heaven and that you meet him after you die, but that breaks our rules of infinity. Only one thing really meets our definition and that is the sense of reality. Things we consider real (like the cup) don't follow our rules of infinity but existence itself is everywhere, has always been there (even before the big bang according to the Vedas as according to the Vedas there are infinite universes and each universe last about 3.5 trillion years) and is all-encompassing (anything apart from existence is non-existent so there's nothing apart from existence). So we have found Brahman in the existence of everything around us.
One final step. Out of 'Reality/truth knowledge infinity is Brahman', only knowledge is left. Knowledge is everything we think. You reading this is knowledge, 2+2=4 is knowledge etc. Unfortunately, knowledge doesn't meet our definition of infinity. There is some knowledge in a teacher's mind and not in a student's mind and there is some knowledge I know now and will forget in the future. So how can knowledge be Bhraman? Well, anything we know, is it not true it is in our consciousness? You are conscious of this text, you are conscious that 2+2=4, consciousness common to all knowledge (see attached image if you aren't convinced how being conscious of something means you have knowledge of it). While the objects of consciousness are different from each other and limited by space and time, pure consciousness is common to all knowledge. Knowledge is grounded in consciousness and this pure consciousness is not limited by space, time or object. Consciousness can be thought of as that which lights up our sense of existence - it allows us to experience existence. So conversely, existence can be thought of as a result of consciousness (kind of how when you dream, your consciousness makes another reality). Here people try to make an argument about how Hinduism explains the observer effect in Quantum Physics but it's a very weak argument in my opinion.
So we have established that not limited existence, not limited consciousness is God. But what does this mean for us? Well, the Taittiriya Upanishad goes on to explain that this not limited existence, not limited consciousness you yourself. You have to know it as 'I am Brahman'. Know it as 'I am that pure existence and consciousness in which this human personality shines, it appears in me, it exists in me and one day it will disappear into me. I am that infinite ocean of existence and consciousness in which all these beings arise like waves, they play with each other, fight with each other and they will disappear back into me'.- Ashtavakra Gita
One final step. Out of 'Reality/truth knowledge infinity is Brahman', only knowledge is left. Knowledge is everything we think. You reading this is knowledge, 2+2=4 is knowledge etc. Unfortunately, knowledge doesn't meet our definition of infinity. There is some knowledge in a teacher's mind and not in a student's mind and there is some knowledge I know now and will forget in the future. So how can knowledge be Bhraman? Well, anything we know, is it not true it is in our consciousness? You are conscious of this text, you are conscious that 2+2=4, consciousness common to all knowledge (see attached image if you aren't convinced how being conscious of something means you have knowledge of it). While the objects of consciousness are different from each other and limited by space and time, pure consciousness is common to all knowledge. Knowledge is grounded in consciousness and this pure consciousness is not limited by space, time or object. Consciousness can be thought of as that which lights up our sense of existence - it allows us to experience existence. So conversely, existence can be thought of as a result of consciousness (kind of how when you dream, your consciousness makes another reality). Here people try to make an argument about how Hinduism explains the observer effect in Quantum Physics but it's a very weak argument in my opinion.
So we have established that not limited existence, not limited consciousness is God. But what does this mean for us? Well, the Taittiriya Upanishad goes on to explain that this not limited existence, not limited consciousness you yourself. You have to know it as 'I am Brahman'. Know it as 'I am that pure existence and consciousness in which this human personality shines, it appears in me, it exists in me and one day it will disappear into me. I am that infinite ocean of existence and consciousness in which all these beings arise like waves, they play with each other, fight with each other and they will disappear back into me'.- Ashtavakra Gita
I know this is hair-splitting philosophy so you can kinda just think of it like a child playing with blocks. As he sets up his blocks, he delves into the world he creates (his dream/ Maya), he roleplays all sorts of things and characters in it, and as he gets bored, he destroys that world and creates a new one.
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