Question: Sri Chinmoy, in the Hindu tradition one speaks of Atman equals Brahman — the individual soul equals the Universal Soul. Jesus Christ once said, "I and my Father are One." Are these two statements, coming from two different spiritual backgrounds... are they, in the spiritual light, one and the same statement?

Sri Chinmoy: It is the same statement. We say in Sanskrit Atman and Paramatman, the individual soul and the Supreme Self. God comes down into the manifestation and takes the form of the individual soul. Then the individual soul in the process of its evolution reaches and becomes the Supreme Self, Paramatman. But to fulfil Himself integrally and wholly in the material world, God needs the individual soul, Atman.

The statements are the same. When Christ says, "I and my Father are One", it is like saying that Atman and Paramatman are one. That is why in India we say "Atmanam Viddhi", Know Thyself. If you know yourself, then you have known God, because in essence there is no difference between you and God. Self-realisation is God-realisation and God-realisation is self-realisation. For this reason in India we also say "Soham asmi", He am I, and "Aham Brahma", I am Brahman.