The Upanishads are a collection of ancient philosophical texts that form the foundation of Hindu thought and spiritual exploration. They are considered the culmination of Vedic thought and are sometimes referred to as Vedanta, meaning “the end of the Vedas.” The Upanishads are written in the form of dialogues and discussions between teachers and students, focusing on profound questions about the nature of reality, the self (Atman), and the ultimate truth (Brahman).
Here are some key points about the Upanishads:
Origins: The Upanishads were composed in India over a period of several centuries, from around 800 BCE to 400 BCE. They are part of the larger body of Vedic literature, which includes the Vedas and other texts.
Philosophical Themes: The Upanishads explore metaphysical and spiritual concepts, such as the nature of reality, the relationship between the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman), the concept of karma, and the nature of liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
Non-Dualism and Dualism: Different Upanishads present varying philosophical viewpoints. Advaita Vedanta, founded by Adi Shankaracharya, emphasizes non-dualism, asserting that the individual self (Atman) is identical with the ultimate reality (Brahman). Dvaita Vedanta, on the other hand, emphasizes dualism, maintaining a clear distinction between the individual soul and God.
Methods of Knowledge: The Upanishads discuss different paths to knowledge and understanding, including meditation, self-inquiry, and contemplation. They often employ allegorical stories and analogies to convey deeper truths.
Influence: The Upanishads have had a profound impact not only on Hindu philosophy but also on the development of various other Indian philosophical systems, including Buddhism and Jainism. They continue to be studied and revered by scholars, philosophers, and spiritual seekers.
Key Upanishads: There are over 100 Upanishads, but around a dozen are considered the principal Upanishads. Some of the most well-known ones include the Chandogya Upanishad, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the Taittiriya Upanishad, and the Mandukya Upanishad.
Teachings on Reality: The Upanishads describe Brahman as the ultimate, unchanging, and all-pervading reality. They encourage individuals to seek self-realization and to recognize the oneness of all existence.
Renunciation and Action: The Upanishads discuss the balance between renunciation (sannyasa) and active participation in the world (karma). They suggest that both paths can lead to spiritual growth, depending on an individual’s disposition and stage of life.
The Upanishads are considered sacred scriptures in Hinduism and are often studied alongside other texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras. They have also captured the interest of scholars and philosophers worldwide due to their profound insights into the nature of reality and consciousness.
Upanishads Quotes
1. “What man dwelling on the decaying mortal plane, having approached the undecaying immortal one, and having reflected upon the nature of enjoyment through beauty and sense pleasure, would delight in long life?”
— The Upanishads
2. “He who is without discrimination and whose mind is always uncontrolled, his senses are unmanageable, like the vicious horses of a driver.”
— The Upanishads
3. “If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one should live performing Karma (righteous deeds). Thus thou mayest live; there is no other way. By doing this, Karma (the fruits of thy actions) will not defile thee.”
— The Upanishads
4. “Beyond the senses are the objects, beyond the objects is the mind, beyond the mind is the intellect, beyond the intellect is the great Atman.”
— The Upanishads
5. “After leaving their bodies, they who have killed the Self go to the worlds of the Asuras, covered with blinding ignorance.”
— The Upanishads
6. “They enter into blind darkness who worship Avidya (ignorance and delusion); they fall, as it were, into greater darkness who worship Vidya (knowledge).”
— The Upanishads
7. “Look back to those who lived before and look to those who live now. Like grain, the mortal decays and like grain again springs up (is reborn).”
— The Upanishads
8. “He who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings, he never turns away from It (the Self).”
— The Upanishads
9. “He who perceives all beings as the Self for him how can there be delusion or grief, when he sees this oneness (everywhere)?”
— The Upanishads
10. “The face of Truth is hidden by a golden disk. O Pushan
(Effulgent Being)! Uncover (Thy face) that I, the worshipper of
Truth may behold Thee.”
— The Upanishads
11. “O mind, remember thy deeds! O mind, remember, remember thy deeds! Remember!”
— The Upanishads
12. “Children (the ignorant) pursue external pleasures; (thus) they fall into the wide-spread snare of death. But the wise, knowing the nature of immortality, do not seek the permanent among fleeting things.”
— The Upanishads
13. “There is this doubt regarding what becomes of a man after death. Some say he exists, others that he does not exist. This knowledge I desire, being instructed by thee.”
— The Upanishads
14. “The Sages gave to the Supreme the name A-U-M which stands as the root of all language. The first letter ‘A’ is the mother-sound, being the natural sound uttered by every creature when the throat is opened, and no sound can be made without opening the throat. The last letter ‘M,’ spoken by closing the lips, terminates all articulation. As one carries the sound from the throat to the lips, it passes through the sound ‘U.’ These three sounds therefore cover the whole field of possible articulate sound. Their combination is called the Akshara or the imperishable word, the Sound-Brahman or the Word God, because it is the most universal name which can be given to the Supreme.”
— The Upanishads
15. “The good and the pleasant approach man; the wise examines both and discriminates between them; the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.”
— The Upanishads
16. “He about whom many are not even able to hear, whom many cannot comprehend even after hearing: wonderful is the teacher, wonderful is he who can receive when taught by an able teacher.”
— The Upanishads
17. “Fools dwelling in ignorance, yet imagining themselves wise and learned, go round and round in crooked ways, like the blind led by the blind.”
— The Upanishads
18. “Though the visible whole has come out from that Invisible Whole, yet the Whole remains unaltered.”
— The Upanishads
19. “He who has not turned away from evil conduct, whose senses are uncontrolled, who is not tranquil, whose mind is not at rest, he can never attain this Atman even by knowledge.”
— The Upanishads
20. “All this, whatsoever exists in the universe, should be covered by the Lord. Having renounced (the unreal), enjoy (the Real). Do not covet the wealth of any man.”
— The Upanishads
21. “As the sun, revealer of all objects to the seer, is not harmed by the sinful eye, nor by the impurities of the objects it gazes on, so the one Self, dwelling in all, is not touched by the evils of the world. (The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal, pg. 35)”
— The Upanishads
22. “As by knowing one tool of iron, dear one,
We come to know all things made out of iron –
That they differ only in name and form,
While the stuff of which all are made is iron –
So through spiritual wisdom, dear one,
We come to know that all of life is one.”
— The Upanishads
23. “This Self is never born, nor does It die. It did not spring from anything, nor did anything spring from It. This Ancient One is unborn, eternal, everlasting. It is not slain even though the body is slain.”
— The Upanishads
24. “As fire, though one, takes the shape of every object which it consumes, so the Self, though one, takes the shape of every object in which it dwells. (The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal, pg. 35)”
— The Upanishads