culture

Upanishad

The philosophical concepts contained in the Upanishads served as the basis of one of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy, Vedanta.

The term "Upanishad" indicates knowledge acquired by sitting close to the teacher. They were revealed knowledge, which were imparted sitting near the Guru (Teacher). They contained more practical knowledge. Such knowledge as the disciples used to acquire from their teachers had been included in the Upanishads. They consisted of discussions on several problems such as the creation of the universe, the nature of God, the origin of mankind etc. There are five main Upanishads : Brahadaranyaka, Chandogya, Taitarya, Aitrya and Kena Upanishads.

Most are written in prose with interspersed poetry, but some are entirely in verse. Their lengths vary: The shortest can fit on 1 printed page, while the longest is more than 50 pages. In their present form, they are believed to have been composed between 400 and 200BC; thus they represent a comparatively late aspect of Vedic Hinduism. (Some texts, however, are believed to have originated as early as the 6th century BC.)

The underlying concern of the Upanishads is the nature of Brahman, the universal soul; and the fundamental doctrine expounded is the identity of atman, or the innermost soul of each individual, with Brahman. Formulations of this doctrinal truth are stressed throughout the writings of Upanishads. Other topics include the nature and purpose of existence, various ways of meditation and worship, eschatology, salvation, and the theory of the transmigration of souls.

Details of Upanishad