Tanmlamaya

Tanmlamaya is a term used in contemporary philosophy of mind and spiritual discourse to describe a layered model of reality in which surface appearances (maya) arise from an underlying substrate called tanm. The term is not widely standardized and appears most often in speculative essays and new-age publications that seek to synthesize cognitive science with traditional metaphysical ideas.

Etymology and usage: The word blends tanm with maya, drawing on Sanskrit-inspired vocabulary while remaining a modern neologism. Tanm is commonly interpreted as an embodied or tactile layer—an index of sensory and motor processes—while maya denotes illusion or misperception in many classical traditions.

Conceptual framework: Proponents describe tanmlamaya as comprising several strata: a physical substrate; a phenomenological layer in which perception is shaped by attention, emotion, and expectation; and a cultural-interpretive layer where language and symbols add meaning. The model emphasizes that what we take to be reality is generated by interactions across these levels.

Relation to existing ideas: The term is often presented as a synthesis of the kosha or sheaths, and the Buddhist/Advaita notions of perception, but it remains distinct in its emphasis on tanm as an active substrate rather than a mere epistemic veil.

Reception and critique: Critics view tanmlamaya as a metaphor rather than a testable theory, cautioning that it risks overcomplicating perceptual explanation and blurring lines between ontology and epistemology.

See also: maya; perception; philosophy of mind; kosha.