4. The Date and Number of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉

The concept of Mind in the Major Upanishads

by Gisha K. Narayanan | 2018 | 35,220 words

This page relates 鈥楾he Date and Number of the Upanishads鈥� of the study on the concept of Mind as found in the Major Upanishads: the philosophical backbone of the four Vedas. This study explores the various characteristics and psychological aspects of the mind (described by the Seers of ancient India thousands of years ago) including awareness (samjna), understanding (vijnana) and knowledge (prajnana).

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4. The Date and Number of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉

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The date, number and chronological order of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 are uncertain. S.N. Dasgupta opines that they were constructed by 500 B.C.^[1] Dr. S. Radhakrishnan points out that the Ups. were written before the rise of Buddhism i.e., 600 B.C.^[2] According to R.D. Ranade 鈥榯he 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic age has been placed somewhere between 1200B.C.and 600B.C., and it becomes necessary to distribute the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic literature into chronological periods within the general limits that have been so fixed鈥�.^[3] The 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic age can be determined by the language, the style, the vocabulary etc; but this cannot be the final word.

The number of 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 is quite large; some of them are not quite old as the others. According to the Indian tradition, 惭耻办迟颈办辞辫补苍颈峁诲 has arranged all the names of the 108 Ups. All of them are not of equal importance and authority. Among them ten 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 are reckoned as the important and authoritative ones. These are generally categorized as the major 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 since the passages from them are extensively employed by 叠腻诲补谤腻测补峁嘺 in framing the 痴别诲腻苍迟补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 and also by the three principal commentators on Vedanta, viz., 艢补苍办补谤补, R膩manuja and Madhva in their 产丑腻峁补蝉. These are 莫艣a, Kena, 碍补峁环补, 笔谤补艣苍补, 惭耻峁囜笉补办补, 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补, Aitareya, 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补, B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka and Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉.^[4] These ten 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 are called Da艣opani峁ds and they can be regarded as ancient and genuine.

惭耻办迟颈办辞辫补苍颈峁诲 refers to 诲补艣辞辫补苍颈峁诲补峁� 辫补峁环补^[5] and it says mainly ten 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉.

墨艣补办别苍补办补峁环补辫谤补艣苍补尘耻峁囜笉补尘腻峁囜笉奴办测补迟颈迟迟颈谤颈补颈迟补谤别测补峁� ca ch膩ndegya峁� b峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka峁� tath膩 || ^[6]

艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补, the great exponent of Advaita Vedanta was largely influenced by the spiritual content of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉. In the commentary on the Brahmas奴tr膩, 艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补 refers to five more, namely, 艢vet膩艣vatar膩, Kuasitak墨, Jabal膩, 惭补丑腻苍腻谤腻测补峁嘺 and Painga岣穉. 艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补鈥檚 commentaries on these 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉, especially on their passages pregnant with philosophical and spiritual import, are masterpieces of philosophical discussion illumined by deep spiritual insights.

Among the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic order, 墨艣腻惫腻蝉测辞辫补苍颈峁诲 forms the 40^th adhy膩y膩 (chapter) of the V膩jasaneyasa峁僪it膩 and is, therefore, known as the Sa峁僪itopani峁d, just as the 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办辞辫补苍颈峁诲 which belongs to the same Vajasaney墨 branch, which is known as the Br膩hma峁噊pani峁d. It begins with 鈥樐浤乿膩sya峁冣€� and so it is called 莫艣辞辫补苍颈峁诲. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 embodies in its very opening verse the central theme of all the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉, namely, the spiritual unity and solidarity of all existence. It gives a valuable mystical description of the Atman, a description of the ideal sage who stands unruffled in the midst of temptations and sorrows -an adumbration of the doctrine of Karmayoga as formulated later. Finally there is a reconciliation of the claims of knowledge and works. This small 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉, consisting of only eighteen verses is a compendium of almost all the teachings regarding the Brahmavidya and the way to realize it.

碍别苍辞辫补苍颈峁诲 belongs to the Br膩hma峁噊pani峁d and it is of the Talavak膩ra branch of the 厂腻尘补惫别诲补. Thalavak膩ra 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is also known as Jaimin墨ya 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺. So the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is also named as Thalavak膩ra 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. It consists of four sections, the first two being composed in verse, and the last two in prose. It begins with 鈥榢ene峁ta峁冣€� and so it is called Kena. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 illumines the nature of knowledge by pointing out the eternal knower behind all acts of knowing, and purifies man鈥檚 concept of Ultimate Reality and of all touch of finitude and relativity by revealing its character as the eternal self of man and the self of the universe. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 then, introduces an allegory to show the extra-ordinary power of Brahman by whose mere wish the Gods obtained a victory in their battle with the demons.

The 碍补峁环辞辫补苍颈峁诲, the branch of carakaka峁環a艣膩kha of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺yajurveda contains an account of the Brahmavidya as narrated by Yama to Naciketas in poetic style. According to 艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补 it is divided into two chapters and each chapter is again divided into three vallis. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 has a unique characteristic of its own in that it gives a complete outline of the whole of the spiritual life. It holds a special fascination for all students of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 for its happy blend of charming poetry, deep mysticism, and profound philosophy. It contains a unified exposition of Vedanta than any other single 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲.

The 笔谤补艣苍辞辫补苍颈峁诲 is coming under in Pippal膩da艣膩kha of Atharvaveda, as its name implies, is an 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 of questions; each of its six chapters is concerned with a question asked by each of a group of six inquiring students on various aspects of Vedanta, and the answers given by their teacher, sage Pippalada. This Br膩hma峁噊pani峁d also deals with the distinction between 辫补谤腻 and a辫补谤腻 vidyas as also with the cosmological problem regarding the creation of the world and with the conditions of sleep and dream.

The 惭耻峁囜笉补办辞辫补苍颈峁诲, is the part of the Saunak墨y膩 branch of the Atha峁泇aveda. It contains the instruction on the Brahmavidya and is imparted by Sage Angira and it begins by saying that the Veda consists of two vidyas, para and apara. Each of the three 鈥�惭耻峁囜笉补办补s鈥� is again divided into two parts or 办丑腻苍诲补.

The 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测辞辫补苍颈峁诲 is also coming under in Atharvaveda, it contains only twelve verses and it is the smallest of all 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 explains the symbol AUM in three different states and adds a fourth part, corresponding to which there are different states of consciousness. The great originality of the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 consists in positing the four stages of consciousness, namely, wakefulness, dream, and sleep and a fourth un-namable state of consciousness. 艢r墨 Gaudap膩da commenting on the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测辞辫补苍颈峁诲 calls it the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补k膩rik膩; and it is the very foundation and the gist of the Advaita philosophy which is the crest of the whole spiritual experiences. It proclaims in its second verse the infinite dimension of man in a pregnant utterance-one of the four 尘补丑腻惫腻办测补蝉 or 鈥榞reat utterance鈥� of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲: 鈥楾his Atman is Brahman鈥�.^[7]

罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测辞辫补苍颈峁诲 consists of three prapathakas, the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补膩ra峁嘺yaka. There are three parts for it. The first 补诲丑测腻测补, also known as the 艣ik峁２够宄蟛饽宀獠�, is narrated as several 耻辫腻蝉补苍补蝉, and this 补诲丑测腻测补, is divided into twelve anuv膩kas which tell us how the 耻辫腻蝉补苍补蝉 constitute the internal means of attaining Brahmavidya. The second 补诲丑测腻测补, named Brahm膩ndavalli deals with karma and 耻辫腻蝉补苍补. It is useful for realizing Brahman and the source of the universe. The third 补诲丑测腻测补 or Bh峁沢uvalli also pertains to the attainment of Brahmavidya. The peculiar feature of this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is the narration of Pa帽cako艣as.

The 础颈迟补谤别测辞辫补苍颈峁诲, properly so-called, is only a part of the larger Aitareya 膧谤补峁噛补办补 beginning with the fourth section of the second chapter of the 膧谤补峁噛补办补 and stretching upto the end of that chapter. It consists of three chapters which are all important. It proclaims another of the four 尘补丑腻惫腻办测补蝉, 鈥楤rahman is pure conscousness鈥�.^[8] The first chapter gives us the secret of creation. Everything has been created out of Atman or Brahman. The second chapter lets us know of the three births of a man or Atman. The Creator desires to continue His art of creation. The third chapter deals with the nature of Atman.

The 颁丑腻苍诲测辞驳测辞辫补苍颈峁诲 is the Br膩hma峁噊pani峁d of the Ch膩ndogya branch of 厂腻尘补惫别诲补. 鈥淭he word Ch膩ndogya is derived from 鈥榗andhas + ga鈥� meaning 鈥�metre singing鈥�, a term used to denote saman chanting鈥�.^[9] It has eight adhy膩y膩s and it aims at describing the highest wish of the human life. The first five chapters of this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 dilates on worship and knowledge. 艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补 in his commentary divides worship into three; -the first is connected with sacrifice and sama, the second and the third are connected with Brahman: -厂补驳耻峁嘺 (with attributes) and Ni峁沢u峁嘺 (without any attributes). The central idea of 颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测补-耻辫补苍颈峁诲 is related to a man who is completely engrossed in doing the actions in order to fulfill his desires to give some time and attention, first to the practice of the 耻辫腻蝉补苍补蝉 and energy to the realization of 膧tmavidya.

The 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办辞辫补苍颈峁诲 is known as 鈥�叠峁沨补迟鈥� because it is the most voluminous of all. It has been studied in the forest [膩ra峁噛aka] and it is also known as 鈥�膧谤补峁噛补鈥�. It forms the V膩jasaneyi br膩hma峁嘺 portion of the 办补峁噕补 branch of the 艢uklayajurveda. It has the special features of 膧ranyaka and 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 contains six chapters. These chapters provide a full analysis of Indian philosophy.

Most of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 majestically expound through fascinating dialogues, conducted by the outstanding personalities, the central theme of all the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉, ie; the divinity of man and the spiritual solidarity of the whole universe as Brahman. This is also the central theme of 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁诲 It contains one of the four mahav膩kyas, 鈥業 am Brahman鈥�.^[10]

艢r墨艢补苍办补谤补鈥檚 commentaries on these 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 especially on their passages that are pregnant with philosophical and spiritual import, are masterpieces of philosophical discussion illumined by deep spiritual insights. In his commentary on the 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补 he refers to more. Among these, Kua峁tak墨鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 has made important philosophical thoughts. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is also called 碍耻补峁迟补办颈产谤腻丑尘补峁噊辫补苍颈峁诲. It belongs to the part of the School of the Kua峁takins, or as they are also named, the 艣膩nkh膩ynas, who possess a Brahmanaand an 膧谤补峁噛补办补 joined with it. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is divided into four chapters and they are the same as the four adhyayas of the Kua峁taki 膧谤补峁噛补办补, identified as the sixth, the seventh, the eight, and the ninth ones. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is not included in the ten major 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉; yet it is an important one. It enjoys an antiquity equal to that of the ancient prose 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 like B峁�. Up., Ch. Up. and Kau. Up. etc deal with the sole 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic problem of the Absolute, transcending of the phenomenal world; it identifies 辫谤腻峁嘺 with the Highest Truth and extols the knower of the truth. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 discusses spiritual truth with the help of metaphors, namely, 诲别惫补测腻苍补, 辫颈迟峁�-测腻苍补, 辫谤腻峁嘺vidhy膩 and 膩tmavidhya.

艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤补耻辫苍颈峁诲 is a part of the 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 Branch of the 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 Yajurveda. The teacher of this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is 艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤补. It is divided into six chapters. From the speculative or philosophical point of view, this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is of great importance. Various metaphysical thoughts are discussed in this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. It is stated that the Supreme God is the ultimate cause of the world. The means of realization of this God is by the meditation on AUM.