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The Great Works of Literature

The Great Works of Literature . Upanishads Development of the Initial India Metaphysics Centered on the relationship between Self and Not Self Brahman/ ātman Also very distinct in their construction of the notion of self/soul/ ātman Bṛhadāraṇyaka ( Brhadaranyaka ) Upanishad

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The Great Works of Literature

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  1. The Great Works of Literature • Upanishads • Development of the Initial India Metaphysics • Centered on the relationship between Self and Not Self • Brahman/ātman • Also very distinct in their construction of the notion of self/soul/ātman • Bṛhadāraṇyaka (Brhadaranyaka) Upanishad • ChandogyaUpanishad

  2. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad • Cākrāyana • Gives us a very clear, precise explanation about the relationship between Ātman/Brahman • “The self within all is the self of yours” • “You can’t see the seer who does the seeing….” • This also introduces us to an idea that will later be recognized as • Puruśa • Prakrti

  3. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad • Gārgi • Female • She takes on Yājñavalkyatwice • First wave • A stanch ontological inquiry into the nature of reality • “upon what is ‘X’ woven upon?” • Yājñavalkyawarns her not too press too hard • She concedes

  4. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad • Gārgi • Second wave • A pressing ontological assault • Two questions • Yājñavalkyagives her two answers • Time/Space is woven on Brahman Consciousness • Brahman Consciousness is woven on the ‘imperishable’ • Puruśa/Witness Consciousness

  5. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad • Śākalya • This passage begins with the famous ‘how many gods are there’ question • 303,303 • 33 • 6 • 3 • 2 • 1 and a half • 1 • Just their powers, no gods • 33

  6. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad • Śākalya • He goes on to aggressively deconstruct several complex factors of Indian Metaphysics • Yājñavalkyaanswers all the questions except those regarding the nature of self • NetiNeti

  7. ChandogyaUpanishad • Nature of Self and its relation to Brahman • Central Metaphors • Clay in pottery • Heart of a seed • Salt in water • “Tat TvamAsi”

  8. Understanding the Self • The point of Samkhya Yoga is to unify yourself with your most inner self • This comes from recognizing the three gunas which make up prakrti • Sattva • Clarity, light, lucidity • Rajas • Passion, spice, engagement • Tamas • Inertia, dullness, darkness

  9. Understanding the Self • So, the gunasin, for example, food, would work like this • Sattva • Water, Couscous, Salt • Rajas • Peppers, Tomatoes, Sugar • Tamas • Potatoes, Butter, Red Meat

  10. Understanding the Self • The aim of learning about the gunas • If you can identify the three components of a given event, be it mental or physical, then you can see that none of it is you • It may seem like it’s your passion, but in truth it’s just passion, and you’re watching it • This becomes most clear when you ‘balance’ the gunas, as you do in yoga • Well, yoga as we think of it anyway

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