In very few words, Brahmanism, the old Indian religion, was a pantheism with Brahman (the eternal, absolute, unchanging principle) as the first cause of the universe. The manifestation of this Brahman is sometimes personified and is called Brahma (God, or the Great Self). Every human being has atman (little self). Brahman and atman are one, and of the same substance. Brahmanism, therefore, is an effort to seek the ultimate principle, Brahman, by studying one’s Self, atman.

The Buddha denied the existence of Brahman and atman, and advanced a new theory of anatman (no-self), for, he declared, all things are changing and it is unreasonable to look for an absolute unchanging principle or an eternal self.