Home » Culture & Society » Religion » Hinduism

The Upanishads quotes, sayings and concepts

Ranked #637 in Culture & Society, #15,670 overall

The philosophical basis of Hinduism and Advaita

After the Vedas the Upanishads are the most revered texts in Hinduism.
What are the Upanishads?
The Upanishads are texts which contain the basis of the later philosophy of the Hindus. Vedanta especially is based on the Upanishads.
This lens illustrates the basic thought in the Upanishads with quotes from the principle Upanishads.

The Vedas - the books it all started with

Loading

Tradition about the Upanishads

Also spelled: upanisad, upanisads

The Upanishads were said to be the reflection of teachings given by the teacher (or guru) to the student. The word Upanishad can be said to mean 'sitting near'.

Key concepts talked about in the Upanishads include: the soul, reincarnation, karma, Brahman and liberation.

The insights in the Upanishads were later put into systematic form by the Vedandanta (which means "end of the veda's"). In other words: the most famous of Indian philosophies - Advaita Vedanta - goes back to these teachings.

The Upanishads (Penguin Classics)

The Upanishads (Penguin Classics)

The Upanishads (Penguin Classics)

by: Anonymous

Amazon Price: $6.67 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

I can't rave about Penguin Classics enough.

In this case they did the job again. They gathered the most important Upanishads together, had them translated by a real professional and made the result affordable as well.

What more can you ask for?

Aum in the Upanishads

Many of the key ideas and religious concepts were first formulated in the Upanishads. For instance:

Chandogya Upanishad 1:1:1 quote

Aum. One should meditate on this syllable, the udgitha, for one sings the loud chant beginning with Aum.

Aum or Om - the sacred Hindu Mantra

Loading

Self Realisation and Health

The basic Hindu concept or deliverance (moksha) is also introduced in the Upanishads:

Isha Upanishad Verse 2 quote

Every person should live a complete life span of hundred years. And he should constantly strive to fulfill the purpose of life i.e. Self-Realization.


Also:

Katha Upanishad 1:2:1

There is a path of joy and there is the path of pleasure. Pondering on them, the wise (one) chooses the of joy; the fool takes the path of pleasure.

Katha Upanishad 1:2:2

Both the good and the pleasant approach a man. The wise man, pondering over them, discriminates. The wise chooses the good in preference to the pleasant. The simple-minded, for the sake of worldly well-being, prefers the pleasant.



Mundaka Upanishad 2:2:8

One who meditates, all his knots of his heart, the bondages are opened; all the doubts are eliminated and one becomes gradually free from the fetters of action with ego.

More Upanishad quotes

Key Passages from the Vedas and Upanishads
Quotes
Maitri Upanishads Quotes
Maitri Upanishads
Bhagavad Gita quotations Upanishads
Bhagavad Gita, quotes, UpanishadsVedic mysticism, Hindu mysticism, quotationsHome > World Faiths Mysticism Index > "Central" Vedic or Hindu insights
Famous Quotes and Quotations by Maitri Upanishads
Online library of Famous Quotes and Quotations by Maitri Upanishads
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad quotes
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad quotes,Brihadaranyaka, Upanishad, author, authors, writer, writers, people, famous people

The Self (Atman) is the All (Brahman)

The famous central insight in Hinduism is that Atman (the highest Self) is identical to the essence of the universe (Brahman), as is illustrated by these quotes.

Mundaka Upanishad 2

All this is, verily, Brahman. This self is Brahman. This same self has four quarters.



And to make the meaning of this Brahman clear:

Narashimha Upanishad 7:3

"Everything is God"

The Ashram - the place for spiritual instruction today

Loading

Bhagavad Gita

Of all the upanishads the Bhagavad Gita is the most famous. It sums them all up and it is also in modern times become a kind of Bible to Hinduism.

The Penguin Classics are always excellent translations of classic texts. This text is no exception. Juan Mascaro is a poet who loves the Gita and learned Sanskrit to be able to read it. This doesn't mean he stopped there: he studied Sanskrit for years and years before finally finishing this translation.

Anyone interested in Hindu Spirituality or even just alternative spirituality should have a copy of the Gita at home, within reach.

And if you are going to have a Bhagavad Gita - this is truly one of the best translations to have. Why settle for less?
The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics)

The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics)

by: Anonymous

Amazon Price: $4.93 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Buy in Europe (Amazon.co.uk)

More about this translation: with quotes

Loading

More about Indian spirituality

What did I miss about the Upanishads?

Ganesh Statues

submit
  • Reply
    waldenthree.net Dec 25, 2011 @ 10:58 pm | delete
    "May we hear only what is good for all. May we see what is good for all. May we serve you. Love of Love, all of our Life. May we be used to spread your peace on earth.
    Om shanti, shanti, shanti The Prashana Upanisad, Upanisad translated by Eknath Easwaran, Nilgiri Press, 1987 (available in many public libraries).
  • Reply
    VKumar Oct 25, 2011 @ 2:10 pm | delete
    Indian philosophy is one of the most ancient spiritual philosophies of our world. What makes it unique is that it is totally apolitical and does not attempt to mix itself with any sort of power struggles. Great share.
  • Reply
    onlyhinduism Oct 8, 2011 @ 12:49 pm | delete
    A quick tour of a some basics...nice work :-)
  • Reply
    MariaZuzeena Jan 5, 2011 @ 1:33 pm | delete
    I believe this is a good genearl overview to better understand the Upanishads, for us westerners. I'm glad you included a lense about Ashrams. I'll check it right away.
  • Reply
    RLWalker Dec 24, 2010 @ 10:25 am | delete
    I spent allot of time reading on self-realization and some Advaita or Nondualism and saw allot of references to the Upanishads. I never really took the time to read them but this lens inpires allot of interest.

    You seem have studied this material so I was wondering do you agree with the modern day outlook and literature that relates to all this like Nisargadatta and his books or the Americans Robert Adams and Edward Muzika?
  • Load More
Show All

More religion and spirituality

More spiritual inspiration, mostly from India

The Vedas - ancient sacred literature from India
The Vedas are however some of the oldest texts to have survived as living literature till our time.
Aum, the sacred Indian mantra ; Om, Ohm - meditating unity
Who doesn't know the Indian mantra 'aum' - and use it when they want to make fun of new age spirituality?
The Bhagavad Gita, Juan Mascaro translation: quotes
The Bhagavad Gita has been translated into Western languages numerous times.
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
Great book if you want to go to India yourself - especially if you're interested in India as the home of spirituality.
Yoga Sutras by Patanjali - Science of Yoga - Taimni
A very scholarly translation and commentary on THE yoga classic: the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. Taimni not only explains each sutra, but also puts them in the context of Indian philosophy in general. As a scientist he also uses graphs to explain his interpretation and relates his insights to the scientific insights of his day (20th century).
Gifts for Hindus
There are numerous gods in Hinduism, but the two most popular are Krishna and Ganesha.
The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Ravi Ravindra
The yoga sutras are two thousand year old spiritual classic. In India every spiritual teacher of any note has written a commentary on it. Ravi Ravindra is the latest of Jiddu Krishnamurti's students to do the same. For that reason alone this book will be read in theosophical circles at least.
Best Yoga Gifts - great presents for yogis
For your faithful yoga practitioner, or someone who wants to start, here are some great yoga gifts. From yoga gear to unique yoga interior design ideas, from OM Jewelry to a yoga gift basket. If you don't find a great yoga gift on this page, I don't know where else you would.
Yoga t-shirts for men
If you're doing yoga and you're a man, you will want to go to class well dressed. After all, there's all those ladies there. Don't worry about us thinking ill of you: yoga is difficult enough that we'll think any man brave enough to do it manly. And all those bulging muscles ;)
Best Selling Yoga Books for Beginners
Can you learn yoga out of a book? Well, perhaps you can. Just be VERY careful to not force things. Have some fun and relax into the poses. Accept where you are.
Hindu Religious Books for Children
The Guru Shishya Parampara/Tradition is a very important part of the Hindu culture and religion. The oral transmission of sacred knowledge, from the teacher to the student, continues till today.
The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Ravi Ravindra
The yoga sutras are two thousand year old spiritual classic. In India every spiritual teacher of any note has written a commentary on it. Ravi Ravindra is the latest of Jiddu Krishnamurti's students to do the same. For that reason alone this book will be read in theosophical circles at least.
Valentine's Day Spiritual and Religious Gifts for Hindu Men
Kamadeva carries a Sugarcane Bow and Floral Arrow, and like his Roman counterpart Cupid - the arrows give birth to desire.
Makar Sankranti and Makar Sankranti Gifts
Makar Sankranti is an ancient Hindu festival which has been celebrated for thousands of years.
Best Spiritual Christmas Presents and top Religious Birthday Gift Ideas 2011
My collection of spiritual gift recommendations: web pages with spiritual products. Browse at your leisure. I also list the most popular products here. You will find spiritual books, cards, quotes, jewelry, posters and calendars.
The best spiritual books of all time
Most popular spiritual and religious books, bought by my audience.

by

spirituality

I'm a webmaster and student of religion and spirituality. See my website on religion and spirituality: www.katinkahesselink.net or my spiritual blog: All... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags