How to Talk About the Ineffable

I recently posted in a public group that Advaita Vedanta describes Brahman (Ultimate Reality) as Sat-Chit-Ananda — Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss. A philosopher friend responded, “If Brahman is beyond description, how can it be described as Sat-Chit-Ananda?”

This is a profound question because it cuts to the core of why Brahman resists conventional understanding. Brahman transcends all labels, yet the tradition employs terms like Sat-Chit-Ananda not as rigid definitions, but as pointers — concepts meant to nudge the mind beyond duality. Let me clarify this paradox.

Beyond Conceptual Meaning

Words like Sat (Being), Chit (Consciousness), and Ananda (Bliss) do not attempt to classify Brahman within dualistic categories like existence/non-existence or happiness/sorrow. They function like a finger pointing to the moon — helpful only if one follows their direction rather than fixating on the finger itself. Their purpose is to dissolve, not construct, conceptual frameworks.

Ananda: Beyond Dualistic Emotions

Ananda is often misunderstood as a state of perpetual euphoria. However, as M. Scott Peck observed in The Road Less Traveled, life is not about avoiding suffering but embracing its inherent tensions. Similarly, Ananda is not a fleeting “high”…