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Upanishads
SwamiJ.com
Upanishad is the subtler, mystical or yogic
teachings of the philosophy and practices leading to the direct
experience of the center of consciousness, the absolute reality. "Upa"
means "near;" "ni" means "down;" "shad" means "to sit." Thus, Upanishad
is to sit down near the teacher to discuss, learn, practice and
experience the means and goals of Yoga sadhana or practices. The Upanishads
are also known as Vedanta, which means the end or culmination of the
Vedas.
There are some 200 or more
texts entitled as Upanishads, although some are lost, only known about
because of being referenced in other Upanishads. It is estimated that
the Upanishads were written in the period from the fifth to tenth
centuries BCE, although the principles had been taught orally for a very
long period prior to that; some say by thousands of years more. There
are 108 Upanishads (listed in Muktika Upanishad) traditionally studied and practiced, and of these,
there are twelve (some say ten or eleven) known as "major" Upanishads. These twelve are
considered thorough in themselves.
The twelve major
Upanishads are: Aitareya, Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya, Isha, Katha,
Kauhsitaki, Kena, Mandukya, Mundaka, Prasna, Svetasvatara, and
Taittiriya. It has been said that most important, all inclusive of these
is the brief twelve verses of the Mandukya Upanishad.
Here are a few of the
Major Upanishads:
Tripura:
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This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters in simple, understandable and
beneficial ways, while not compromising quality or depth. The goal of
our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.
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