In Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the concept of ego or self-centered identity that clouds judgment and causes suffering in the world.
From Sanskrit 'aham' (I) and 'kara' (maker), literally 'I-maker,' reflecting the idea that ego creates a false sense of separate self. This term appears throughout Hindu texts including the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
This is a concept that shows up across multiple Eastern philosophies because thinkers independently noticed the same problem: our egos trick us into thinking we're more separate and important than we actually are. When you understand ahamkara, suddenly a lot of human conflict makes sense—it's literally ego vs. reality.
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