དོན་དམ་པ། | Glossary of Terms

Of final truth or reality. Also rendered as “ultimate reality.”

Of final truth or reality.

The ultimate is said to be inexpressible, nondual, transcending speculation, transcending difference and sameness, and of a single nature (i.e., anabhilāpya, advaya, sarva­tarka­samati­krānta, bhe­dābhe­dasa­mati­krānta, ekarasa).

“Ultimate” is preferable to the usual “absolute” because it carries fewer connotations than “absolute”‍—which, however, when understood logically, is also correct. It is contrasted with “superficial” (vyavahāra) or “relative” (samvṛtti) to give the two types, or “levels.,” of truth. It is synonymous with ultimate reality, the uncompounded, voidness, reality, limit of reality, absolute, nirvāṇa, ultimate liberation, infinity, permanence, eternity, independence, etc. It also has the soteriological sense of “sacred” as opposed to “profane” as is conveyed by its literal rendering “supreme” (parama) “object” (artha).

See “ultimate.”