nondual

Nondual is a term used in philosophy and spirituality to describe the perceived absence of fundamental dualities in reality or experience. Etymologically, it comes from non and dual, meaning not two. In broad use, nondual refers to the idea that apparent divisions—such as self and world, mind and object, or subject and object—are not ultimately real and arise from conditioning, perspective, or ignorance. The term is applied across traditions with varying emphases, from metaphysical claims of unity to experiential descriptions of perception.

In Advaita Vedanta, nonduality (advaita) asserts the essential oneness of the self (atman) and the ultimate reality (brahman), such that individuality and separation are seen as misperceptions rooted in ignorance or maya. In Buddhism, nonduality often points to the dissolution of fixed dichotomies between phenomena, or to the realization of emptiness (shunyata) that transcends ordinary dualistic thinking. Zen, Mahamudra, and Dzogchen traditions emphasize direct, nonconceptual experience of reality beyond subject-object distinctions. Islamic mysticism and some Sufi paths speak of tawhid, a nondual unity of creation and the divine.

In modern usage, nondual is commonly associated with meditation and contemplative practice, where practitioners report a shift toward perceiving a unified field of experience rather than separateness. Some critics question the claim of ultimate nonduality or view it as a metaphor rather than an ontological fact. Nonetheless, nondual serves as a cross-tradition category for ideas and experiences that challenge rigid dualistic frameworks.