The sacred syllable and symbol ॐ, representing the totality of existence in Hinduism, and used with distinct meanings in Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
Also known as: Ik Onkar
'Om' and 'Aum' are the same symbol and sound, not two different symbols. Attested across the Vedic corpus and central to the Mandukya Upanishad in Hinduism, but carrying genuinely distinct meanings in Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism (as Ik Onkar) — traditions that should not be flattened into one description. The deeper etymological origin of the sound itself is a live, unresolved scholarly disagreement.
In Hinduism, represents Brahman (ultimate reality), Atman, and the totality of past, present and future — attested across the Vedic corpus and the subject of the entire Mandukya Upanishad, which maps its three constituent sounds (A-U-M) onto sacred triads such as waking/dreaming/deep-sleep states. Central to worship, rites of passage, and meditation.
The primary Hindu meaning, presented alongside — not in place of — the distinct Buddhist, Jain and Sikh readings below.
Contexts: Religion
In Buddhism, used as a mantra component (most prominently in Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhism, e.g. opening 'Om mani padme hum') — but does not carry the same metaphysical weight as in Hinduism and does not represent an eternal Self or absolute reality in Buddhist doctrine, a meaningful theological distinction rather than a minor variation.
Buddhist usage is a distinct theological framing from Hinduism's, not a lesser version of the same meaning.
Contexts: Religion
In Jainism, represents the Pañca-Parameṣṭhi (five supreme spiritual authorities) and is used as a devotional mantra honouring Tirthankaras, acharyas and ascetics — a distinct referent from the Hindu 'Brahman' framing.
A meaning specific to Jain tradition, distinct from Hinduism's Brahman-centred framing of the same symbol.
Contexts: Religion
In Sikhism, appears as Ik Onkar (ੴ, 'One Om-maker'), an epithet for the singular God in Sikh theology, influenced by Vedic tradition but reframed within Sikhism's monotheism — a Sikh-specific adaptation, not an identical borrowing.
A Sikh-specific theological adaptation of the same underlying sound, not identical to the Hindu meaning of Om.
Contexts: Religion
The deeper etymological origin of the sound/symbol is genuinely disputed among scholars: Maurice Bloomfield (1889) proposed a Proto-Indo-European origin, while Indologist Asko Parpola has proposed a Dravidian-language borrowing (roughly 'it is so'/'let it be so') — both are reported here as competing hypotheses, not a settled question.
An unresolved scholarly disagreement about etymology, not a claim about the symbol's religious meaning.
India's trademark authority restricts registering 'Om' as a commercial trademark on grounds it would offend religious sentiment (Trademarks Act, 1999) — evidence the symbol is treated as sacred at a legal/state level, not only devotionally.
A legal/regulatory fact about trademark restriction, not a claim about any single tradition's theology.
India
Related forms that are not treated as separate canonical symbols — see our variant rules.
Devanagari form (ॐ)
The standard Hindi/Sanskrit ligature combining 'a', 'u' and a nasalisation mark.
Tibetan form (ༀ)
A distinct script rendering used in Tibetan Buddhist contexts, genuinely different in glyph shape from the Devanagari form, not merely a font variation.
A curved Devanagari ligature combining the sounds 'a', 'u' and a nasalisation mark, topped with a crescent-and-dot; script variants differ meaningfully across Tamil, Bengali, Tibetan and Sikh Gurmukhi traditions rather than being one universal glyph.