1785, from Sanskrit atma "essence, breath, soul," from PIE *etmen "breath" (a root found in Sanskrit and Germanic; source also of Old English æðm, Dutch adem, Old High German atum [..]

soul.

in Buddhist philosophy, is the noumenon of one’s own self. Not the Ego, but the ego divested of all that is objective; the “spark of heavenly flame.”

[Sanskrit] (n) A term used within Hinduism and Vedanta

(Sanskrit, literally "self") An ancient and important word that is grossly misinterpreted in much of Hinduism and Buddhism. Many have misunderstood this word as referring to a permanently existing self or soul. Yet the true meaning is otherwise.

The soul, which is everlasting and is subject to transmigration (meaning upon death, it moves to another body). See also Brahman..

and the Supreme Absolute (Brahman

The word atman has been used to denote the transcendental Self since the time of the ancient Upanishads. Even the etymology of the word predisposes toward this significance since “a” in this word is a [..]