UPANISHADS
The Rig Veda is generally regarded as the oldest teaching in the yoga tradition, dating from earliest times, along with the other three veda: Atharva, Yajur and Sama.
It is from the Rig Veda that other developments first gave rise to the Brahmanas. These writings date from the period 2500 - 1500BCE and are concerned with theological, and ritual aspects of worship and sacrifice which became the prerogative of the priest class – the Brahmins. A further series of writings, the Aranyakas were the ritual texts for the forest dwelling ascetics.
After 1500BCE the Upanishads began to appear. The word `Upanishad` means `to sit with the guru or teacher` when oral transmission of the teachings would take place. The Upanishadic Age is dated from about 1500 - 1000 BCE, although some Upanishads are considered much older and others have been added in modern times.
The oldest Upanishads include Brihad-Aranyaka (The Great Forest), Chandogya, Taittiriya, Kaushitaki and Kena Upanishads. Later ones include the Katha, Isha, Mundaka and Mandukya Upanisahds.
In their various groups they are concerned with explanations of Vedanta, the ideals of renunciation, Shakti (the feminine aspect of the Divine, teachings of particular sects and religious orders, and among the more recent ones, yoga (although not as we know it today).
These writings along with the veda, brahmanas and aranyakas are all regarded as Revelations by God to man and are called `shruti` - revealed knowledge. As such they hold particular significance to Vedantists and even today scholars and teachers will often be able to recite from memory huge sections of teaching.
Most of the Upanishads are now translated into English although most popular texts include only a small proportion of the 108 – 200 plus known.
As with all translated works students are recommended to read sections from several different translations to find a style with which they are comfortable.
The Rig Veda is generally regarded as the oldest teaching in the yoga tradition, dating from earliest times, along with the other three veda: Atharva, Yajur and Sama.
It is from the Rig Veda that other developments first gave rise to the Brahmanas. These writings date from the period 2500 - 1500BCE and are concerned with theological, and ritual aspects of worship and sacrifice which became the prerogative of the priest class – the Brahmins. A further series of writings, the Aranyakas were the ritual texts for the forest dwelling ascetics.
After 1500BCE the Upanishads began to appear. The word `Upanishad` means `to sit with the guru or teacher` when oral transmission of the teachings would take place. The Upanishadic Age is dated from about 1500 - 1000 BCE, although some Upanishads are considered much older and others have been added in modern times.
The oldest Upanishads include Brihad-Aranyaka (The Great Forest), Chandogya, Taittiriya, Kaushitaki and Kena Upanishads. Later ones include the Katha, Isha, Mundaka and Mandukya Upanisahds.
In their various groups they are concerned with explanations of Vedanta, the ideals of renunciation, Shakti (the feminine aspect of the Divine, teachings of particular sects and religious orders, and among the more recent ones, yoga (although not as we know it today).
These writings along with the veda, brahmanas and aranyakas are all regarded as Revelations by God to man and are called `shruti` - revealed knowledge. As such they hold particular significance to Vedantists and even today scholars and teachers will often be able to recite from memory huge sections of teaching.
Most of the Upanishads are now translated into English although most popular texts include only a small proportion of the 108 – 200 plus known.
As with all translated works students are recommended to read sections from several different translations to find a style with which they are comfortable.
