The Absolute is a philosophical concept referring to unconditional reality that transcends limited, everyday existence. It is represented through concepts like the source, center, one, all, origin, principle, sacred, form of the good, mystery, nirvana, will, ultimate, and ground. Symbols used to represent the Absolute include the swastika symbolizing its action as a whirlwind around the center, and the axis mundi or world tree symbolizing its manifestation. The Absolute may or may not have a personal nature depending on the specific doctrine, and is sometimes conceived as the source from which all being emanates, contrasting with finite and relative things.
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Absolute (philosophy)
1. Absolute (philosophy)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"The Absolute" redirects here. For the Animorphs novel,
see The Absolute (Animorphs). For other uses,
see Absolute (disambiguation).
The Absolute, also represented through other concepts
as the Source, Fountain or Well, the Centre,
the Monad or One, the All orWhole, the Origin (Arche)
or Principle or Primordial Cause,
the Sacred or Holy or Utterly Other (Otto), the Form of
the Good (Plato), the Mystery, Nirvana, the Will,
the Ultimate, the Ground or Urground ("Original
Ground"), is the concept of an unconditional reality
whichtranscends limited, conditional, everyday
existence. The manifestation of the Absolute has been
described as the Logos, Word,
the 畊ta orRatio (Latin for "reason").
It is sometimes used as an alternate term for the more
commonly used God of the Universe, the Divine or
the Supreme Being ("Utmost Being"), especially, but by
no means exclusively, to express it in less personal and
more impersonal representations. The concept of the
Absolute may or may not (depending on one's specific
doctrine) possess discrete will, intelligence, awareness,
or a personal nature. It is sometimes conceived of as the
source through which all being emanates. It contrasts
with finite things, considered individually, and known
collectively as the relative. This is reflected in the
name's Latin etymology absol笛tus which means
"loosened from" or "unattached" (from a subject-
object dualism).
2. A swastika (Sanskrit: "It Is the Good") drawn by the
rotation of the seven stars of the Big Dipper andUrsa
Minor around the pole star, in the four phases of a day.
Both theswastika symbol and the mentioned asterisms
are known since immemorial times and in many cultures
of the world to represent the Absolute principle of reality,
theGod of the Universe, in its action of manifestation as
a whirlwind around the Centre.[note 1][note 2]
Another symbol of the Absolute in its manifestation or
generation is the axis mundi or imago mundi, here in the
version of the tree of lifeor world tree with
the sundialengraved at the Yerevan Cascade.[note 3]
The Absolute, also represented through other concepts
as the Source, Fountain or Well, the Centre,
the Monad or One, the All orWhole, the Origin (Arche)
or Principle or Primordial Cause,
the Sacred or Holy or Utterly Other (Otto), the Form of
the Good (Plato), the Mystery, Nirvana, the Will,
the Ultimate, the Ground or Urground ("Original
Ground"), is the concept of an unconditional reality
whichtranscends limited, conditional, everyday
existence. The manifestation of the Absolute has been
3. described as the Logos, Word,
the 畊ta orRatio (Latin for "reason").
It is sometimes used as an alternate term for the more
commonly used God of the Universe, the Divine or
the Supreme Being ("Utmost Being"), especially, but by
no means exclusively, to express it in less personal and
more impersonal representations. The concept of the
Absolute may or may not (depending on one's specific
doctrine) possess discrete will, intelligence, awareness,
or a personal nature. It is sometimes conceived of as the
source through which all being emanates. It contrasts
with finite things, considered individually, and known
collectively as the relative. This is reflected in the
name's Latin etymology absol笛tus which means
"loosened from" or "unattached" (from a subject-
object dualism).
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