Three sources of axioms with epistemic authority, for the Vedanta schools.
They are:
The Upanishads, known as Upadeśa Prasthāna (injunctive texts), and the Śruti Prasthāna (the starting point for axioms of revelation), especially the Principal Upanishads.
The Bhagavad Gita, known as Sādhana Prasthāna (practical text), and the Smṛti Prasthāna (the starting point for axioms of remembered tradition)
The Brahma Sutras, known as Sūtra Prasthāna (formulative texts) or Nyāya Prasthāna or Yukti Prasthāna (logical text for axioms of logic)
The ten Upanishads are
Īśā,
Kena,
Kaṭha,
Praṣna,
Muṇḍaka,
Māṇḍūkya,
Taittirīya,
Aitareya,
Chāndogya
Bṛhadāraṇyaka.
Aitareya,
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5. In the beginning, all this was, verily, the Atman alone. There was nothing else living. Nothing else, whatsoever, living, existed. There was no other thing that winked at all.
26. Then he tried to catch it (food) by Apana, and he caught it. It is this Apana which catches food. This Apana is the giver of life, by food.
Bṛhadāraṇyaka.
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Yajnavalkya-Maitreyi Samvada
The Inner Ruler
19. Gautama asked: O Yajnavalkya, tell me who is the Inner Ruler?
22. He who dwells in all beings and within all beings, whom all beings do not know, whose body are all beings, and who from within rules all beings, is thy Self, the Inner Ruler, Immortal.
The Indestructible Being
28. Gargi said: O Yajnavalkya, that of which they say it is above the heavens, beneath the earth, embracing heaven and earth, past, present and future, tell me in what is it woven like warp and woof?
29. Yajnavalkya replied: In ether (Akasa).
40. But he who departs from this world, knowing this Indestructible Being, is a true Brahmana.
The Guiding Light
41. Janaka said: Yajnavalkya, what is the light of this Purusha?
42. Yajnavalkya replied: The sun, O king; for by the light of the sun man sits down, moves about and does his work and returns home.
49. When the sun has set and the moon has set, and the fire has gone out and sound is hushed, what is then the light of man?
50. The Self indeed is his light; for by the light of the Self he sits down, walks about, does his work and returns home.
51. What is that Self?
52. He who is within the heart, surrounded by the Pranas, the Purusha who is light, who is of the nature of Knowledge.
101. Therefore, let one learn the triad of restraint, liberality and mercy (da, da, da).
Chāndogya
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6. In the beginning, all this was Pure Being, One without a second.
7. It thought: 'May I be many, may I grow forth.' It created fire.
8. The fire thought: 'May I be many, may I grow forth.' It created water. Therefore, whenever anybody is hot, he perspires and water is produced on him from fire alone.
The Tri-Colour Analysis
11. The red colour of the sun is the colour of fire. The white colour of water. The black of the earth. Thus vanishes what we call the sun, being only a modification which is a mere name based upon words, the only truth being that there are three elements. So are moon, lightning, fire, etc., mere combinations of these elements.
78. Hope is greater than memory. Fried by hope does memory read the Mantras, perform sacrifices, desires sons and cattle, desire this world and the next.
79. Meditate on hope. He who meditates on hope as Brahman, all his desires are fulfilled by Hope. His prayers are never vain. He becomes independent so far as hope reaches.
104. Indra, chief of Devas, and Virochana, chief among Asuras, went to Prajapatji, with fuel (samidhas) in hands, as was the custom for pupils approaching their Guru.
105. They dwelt there as religious students observing the vow of celibacy for a period of thirty-two years.
106. When questioned by Prajapati, they said: It is with the purpose of knowing the Self that we have dwelt here.
107. Prajapati said: The person that is seen in the eye, that is the Self. This is the Immortal, the Fearless. This is Brahman.
108. They asked: Sir, He that is perceived in the water, and He that is seen in the mirror which of these is That?
109. He said: He himself indeed is seen in all these.
110. They went away satisfied. Virochana with a satisfied heart went to the Asura and preached this doctrine to them. The body alone is to be worshipped (as the Self).
111. Therefore, they call even now a man who does not give alms here, who has no faith, and offers no sacrifices, an Asura, for this is the doctrine of the Asura.
119. At Prajapati's command, Indra remained with him for a further period of five years.
120. Then Prajapati said to Indra: Indra! This body is mortal. It is subject to death. It is the abode of that Self which is Immortal and bodyless.
121. The embodied self is subject to pleasure and pain. But Self without the body is not troubled by pleasure and pain.
122. The wind is without body; the cloud, lightning and thunder are without body. Now, as these, rising above, appear in their own form, as soon as they have approached the highest light.
123. Thus does this Being, rising above this body, and having reached the Highest Light, appear in Its own form.
124. This is the Uttama-Purusha, the Supreme Person.
125. He moves about there laughing, playing and rejoicing, never minding that body in which he was born.
126. Just as a horse is attached to the cart, so also the Prana is attached to this body.
127. Now where the eye has entered into Akasa, (in the act of seeing), that is the person in the eye, the eye itself is the instrument of seeing.
128. He who knows: May I smell this, he is the Self, the nose is the instrument of smelling.
129. He who knows: May I think, he is the Self, the mind is his divine eye. And it is by means of his divine eye of the mind that he sees desires and rejoices.
130. The Devas who are in the world of Brahman meditate upon this Self (as taught by Prajapati to Indra, and by Indra to the Devas).
Īśā,
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The whole is all That. The whole is all this. The whole was born of the whole. Taking the whole from the whole, what remains is the whole.
4. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.
7. This world is indwelt by Para-Brahman or the Absolute.
8. Renounce all desires. Renounce egoism, selfishness and identification of self with the body (Deha-Adhyasa). Then alone will you attain Moksha or release.
9. Desire for liberation will destroy all earthly desires.
Nature of The Atman
17. The Atman is very subtle. It is Antaratma, the inner self of all beings. It fills and covers everything. It is all-full. Hence it is within and without.
18. The Atman is the substratum or support (Adhishthana) of all beings.
19. The sage sees all beings in the Atman and the Atman in all beings.
46. Brahman, the only real entity, cannot be attained by any other means than the removal of ignorance through knowledge of the Self.
47. When one attains the supreme Brahman which is unborn, unchangeable, birthless, undecaying, immortal, fearless, eternal, self-luminous, all-blissful, and all-pervading, one is freed from births and deaths.
50. Having abandoned the sense of I-ness in these, and rising above sense-life, the wise becomes immortal.
Kaṭha,
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The Pleasant vs. The Good
4. One is good while another is pleasant. Blessed is he who, between them, chooses the good alone (Sreyas); but who chooses what is pleasant (Preyas) loses the true end.
32. Brahma-Vidya is the most wonderful science. This is the science of sciences.
46. Brahma-Jnana or knowledge of the Self cannot be obtained by mere reasoning or argument. One has to
feel and realise the Brahmic consciousness through spiritual experience or direct intuitive perception.
Who Gets Atma-Jnana
104. This Atman cannot be attained by studies of the Vedas, nor by intelligence, nor by much hearing. He whom the Self chooses, by him the Self can be attained. To him this Atman reveals its true nature
The Inner Order of Priority
132. Here is given the ascending degree of the subtlety of things. Beyond the senses are the rudiments of objects, beyond rudiments is the mind, beyond the mind is the intellect; beyond the intellect is the Cosmic intellect.
133. Beyond the cosmic intellect is the unmanifested (Avyaktam). Beyond the unmanifested is the Purusha; beyond the Purusha there is nothing; that is the end; that is the highest goal.
153. The Purusha is the cause of all causes. He fills all. Hence he is called Purusha.
Unity of Brahman, Man and World
231. Brahman appears as the Jiva through Upadhi or a limiting adjunct, viz., Avidya.
232. Brahman appears as Hiranyagarbha through the Upadhi or limiting adjunct of Maya.
233. The sum total or aggregate of Jivas (Samashti) is Hiranyagarbha.
234. The Jiva is a microcosmic aspect of Brahman.
235. When the limiting adjunct drops, Hiranyagarbha and Jiva become identical with the transcendent Brahman.
242. He who thinks: I am different from Brahman, is again born and dies; but he who feels; I am verily the all-pervading immortal Satchidananda Brahman, attains immortality.
281. The real source of life is the Atman. The Prana, Apana, etc. cannot be the source of life. Their work conjointly for the benefit of the Atman only, which is distinct from them.
419. Nachiketas, having acquired this knowledge imparted by Yama, and also the whole teaching about Yoga, attained Brahman, having become free from all impurities and from death. Thus it will be with others also who thus know the nature of Brahman.
Kena,
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10. You will become immortal while living in this body, if you attain knowledge of Brahman. You need not wait till you leave this body.
11. Just as the water in a cup borrows its heat from the sun or the fire, so also the mind. Prana and senses borrow their light and power from the Atman.
12. The ear hears through the light of the Atman, the tongue speaks through the power of the Atman, the mind thinks through the power of the Atman, and the Prana performs its functions through the power of the Atman only.
13. The mind and the organs are inert and non-intelligent. They appear to be intelligent through the light and power of the Atman.
29. Brahman is the only Reality. It is the basis and source for everything.
30. Brahman is not an object. It is all-pervading, mysterious, incomprehensible, Chaitanya or pure consciousness.
31. Brahman must be known through intuition.
39. The soul of man is the Atman. The soul of the universe is Brahman. The Atman is identical with Brahman.
48. Vedanta is not hostile to devotion. It only deprecates worship with selfish interest.
49. A Vedantin or a Sage is a perfect devotee.
50. Para-Bhakti or supreme devotion and Jnana or wisdom are one.
51. Vedanta says that Isvara whom people worship is one's own Self. It teaches an expanded form of Bhakti, the highest form of devotion.
64. Brahman is the Lord or the Proprietor of this mind-factory. The eyes, ears, etc. are ordinary clerks. The mind is the head-clerk. The intellect is the managing director.
65. What cannot be heard by the ears, but by which the ears are able to hear, know that alone is Brahman.
104. If one does not know Brahman, he is caught in the round of births and deaths.
126. Truth excels others as an aid to knowledge.
Māṇḍūkya,
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1. Om, the word, is all this. Its further explanation is this. All that is past, present and future is verily Om. That which is beyond the triple conception of time, is verily Om.
2. All this is verily Brahman. This Atman (the Supreme Self) is Brahman. This Atman has four quarters, four feet, not like those of a cow, but like the fractions of a coin
8. This is that Atman even with regard to the letters (of the word Om); it is the Omkara with its parts. The quarters are the parts, and the parts the quarters. The parts of OM are 'A', 'U' and 'M'.
12. That which has no parts is the fourth, transcendental, destitute of phenomenal existence, all bliss and non-dual. This verily is Omkara. He who knows this merges his self in the Self.
Muṇḍaka,
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1. The knowledge which is a means to the attainment of the highest Brahman can be attained only by the grace of the preceptor, after one's having renounced all desire and egoism, and having acquired the four means of salvation.
6. Cultivate discrimination, dispassion, austerity, faith, concentration, love for solitude, for the attainment of immortality and eternal bliss.
7. Seek the knowledge of Brahman from a qualified teacher who is versed in the Vedas (Brahma Stotriya) and is established in Brahman (Brahma-Nishtha).
8. There are two kinds of Vidya Apara (the lower) and the Para (the higher). The former is founded on the four Vedas and the six Vedangas. The latter refers to Brahman which is all-pervading, immortal, indivisible and self-luminous.
9. Just as a spider projects the web out of its body and then again withdraws it into itself, so also Brahman projects this world and then withdraws it into itself.
10. Brahman is a target to be penetrated by meditation on Om.
14. Brahma, the creator and protector of this universe, arose as the first among Gods. He expounded the science of the knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-Vidya), the foundation of all knowledge (all sciences) to Atharvan, his eldest son.
15. Whatever Brahma told Atharvan, that knowledge Atharvan gave to Angir. Angir taught it to Satyavaha of the family of Bharadvaja, and Satyavaha taught to Angiras the knowledge traditionally obtained by the success on of teachers.
16. Saunaka, the great householder, approached Angiras in the manner laid down by the scriptures and questioned; What is that, O Bhagavan, which being known, all this becomes known?
The Origin of Things
30. As a spider sends forth and draws in its web, as herbs grow from the earth, as hair grows from living man, so this universe proceeds from the immortal (Brahman).
31. Creation is not a real transformation (Parinama) but only a projection of a certain inscrutable, illusory power of Brahman.
32. Just as seeds remain latent underground in winter and burst forth into herbs and plants in the rainy season, so also the Jivas remain latent in Pralaya with their different Karmas as their seeds, and come out at the time of creation as trees of different kinds, but with their roots always in Brahman.
60. But sages who have attained the knowledge of the Self attain Kaivalya Mukti. They do not go to any Loka or world. Their Pranas, etc. are directly absorbed in Brahman. They become one with the supreme Self. They attain liberation in this very life.
78. Knowledge of Brahman is not mere intellectual knowledge. To know Brahman is to become Brahman.
79. Know this Brahman which is beyond the reach of the intellect and senses, through intuition or direct spiritual experience in deep meditation.
90. There are three kinds of Karmas, viz., Sanchita (accumulated works) Prarabdha and Agami or Kriyamana (current works done in this present life, which will bear fruit in future lives).
91. Prarabdha is the name given to the effects of one's works which brought about this birth which have already begun to germinate and bear fruit in this life.
Auxiliaries to Wisdom
118. The realisation of Brahman as the one common consciousness in all beings, the knowledge of the Atman alone, is real wisdom.
158. He who knows the highest Brahman becomes even Brahman. In his line no one who does not know Brahman will be born. He overcomes grief, good and evil, and being freed from the fetters of the heart, becomes Immortal.
159. Let one teach this knowledge of Brahman to those only who perform the Karma enjoined, who are versed in the Vedas, and firmly established in the Brahman (lower), who, endowed with full faith, offer oblations, themselves, to the fire called Ekarshi, and who perform the vow called Sirovrata (who carry fire on the head) according to the rule (of the Atharvanas).
Praṣna,
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1. Six seekers of Brahman go to a sage called Pippalada and put him six questions. These questions and answers form the substance of this Upanishad.
18. Sukesa, Satyakama, Gargya, Kausalya, Bhargava, Kabandhi, all these devoted to Brahman and centered in Brahman, seeking the highest Brahman, approached the revered Pippalada with offering (Samit) in their hands, thinking that he would explain all to them.
Life and Matter
27. Life has no beginning. The world is not created. It is simply projected by God.
28. Then Katyayana Kabandi approached Pippalada and asked; Venerable master, whence are these creatures born?
29. He replied: Prajapati (the Lord of creatures) was desirous of offspring. He performed penance (thought) and having performed he created a pair-matter (Rayi) and life (Prana), food and eater, thinking that these together would produce creatures for him in many ways.
Prana: Greater than Senses
70. Then Bhargava, son of Vidarbha questioned Pippalada.: O Bhagavan, how many Devas support the creation? Which of them enlighten that? Who, again, is, amongst them, the greatest?
72. He replied: Those Devas verily are the ether, wind, fire, water, speech, mind, eye and the ear. They, manifesting their glory, disputed among each other and said, we hold together and support this body.
73. Prana, the greatest, said to them: Be not lost in delusion
The Mystery of Life
92. Then Kausalya, son of Asvala, questioned Pippalada: O, Bhagavan, where is this Prana born? How does it come into the body? How does it abide after it has divided itself? How does it go out? How does it support what is without, and all within the body?
94. This Prana is born of the Atman. As is this shadow in the man, so is this Prana in the Atman. By the action of the mind this enters into the body.
Functions of Prana
96. As a king commands his officers, saying to them, Reside in and govern these or those villages, so does this Prana dispose the other Pranas each for their separate work.
97. The Apana dwells in the organs of excretion and generation; the Prana itself abides in the eye, ear, mouth, and nose. In the middle is Samana. It. distributes the food supplied equally and the seven flames proceed from it.
98. Apana dwells in the anus and the generative organs. It does excretion. Prana does the sensory life function. It dwells in the eye, the ears, etc. Samana dwells in the navel. It does the digestive function. Vyana does the circulation of blood. It is all-pervading. Udana helps swallowing of food and drink. It takes the Jiva to Brahman during deep sleep. It takes the Jiva out of the body during death and conducts him to the other world. It abides in the throat.
Glory of Meditation on Om
130. Then Satyakama, son of Sibi questioned Pippalada; O Bhagavan, what world does he who, among men, meditates on Om until death, attain by that.
131. Om is the Pratika or substitute for Brahman. It is the symbol of Brahman.
132. Meditation on Om with Bhava (feeling) and its meaning is really meditation on Brahman.
133. Meditation on Om is the keeping up of the continuous flow of the one idea of the supreme Self, like the flow of oil from one vessel to another (Tailadharavat) .
134. The mind should be steady like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.
135. Meditation can be practised only by that aspirant whose senses are turned away from external objects, who has a calm mind, who is endowed with discrimination, self-restraint, purity, faith, endurance and a strong yearning for final emancipation.
136. Pippalada replied: O Satyakama, the syllable Om is indeed the higher and the lower Brahman. Therefore, he who knows it by this means, surely attains either of them.
137. Om primarily signifies Para-Brahman and secondarily denotes Hiranyagarbha.
Fundamentals of Sankhya Philosophy
152. According to the Sankhya philosophy, Prakriti or Pradhana is the creator and Purusha is the enjoyer.
153. Prakriti transforms itself into Mahat (intellect), mind, egoism, Tanmatras, elements, etc., for the benefit or enjoyment of the Purusha.
154. He created Prana, from Prana faith, ether, air, fire, water, earth, senses, mind and food; and from food, strength, penance, Mantras, Karma and the world, and in the world, name (i.e., the individual) .
155. Akasa, ether, has the attribute of sound.
156. Air is born of Akasa. It has two attributes, its own, touch, and that of its cause, sound.
157. Fire is born of air. It has three attributes, its own, form, and the two attributes of previous elements, sound and touch.
158. Water is born of fire. It has four attributes its own, taste, and the three attributes of the elements previously named.
159. Earth is born of water. It has four attributes its own, smell, and the attributes of the four previously named.
162. Then Pippalada said to them: This much alone I know of this highest Purusha; there is nothing higher than this.
163. They, worshipping him, said: Thou art our father who helps to cross over the ocean, of ignorance. Salutations to the highest Rishis! Salutations to the highest Rishis!
Taittirīya,
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2. This Upanishad is divided into sections called vallis, viz., (1) Siksha-valli or the section on instruction. (2) Brahmananda-valli or the section on Brahma-bliss. (3) Bhrigu-valli or the section on Bhrigu.
9. Vayu is Hiranyagarbha or Cosmic Prana.
10. The repetition of �Om-Santi' thrice is to remove the three kinds of obstacles, viz. Adhyatmika (from our self), Adhidaivika (from the heavens) and Adhibhautika (from living beings).
11. Mitra is the presiding deity of the activity of the Prana and the day. Varuna is the presiding deity of the activity of Apana and of the night. Aryama (the sun) is the presiding deity of the eye and of the sun. Indra is the presiding deity of strength and of the hands. Brihaspati is the presiding deity of speech and intellect. Vishnu is the presiding deity of the feet.
The Exhortation
12. Now comes the final instruction which the students in those days received when they completed their studies under the preceptor. Having taught the Vedas the preceptor exhorts the disciple.
13. Speak the truth. Do your duty (righteousness). Never swerve from the study of the Vedas. Do not cut off the thread of the offspring after giving the preceptor the fee he desires. Never swerve away from truth. Never swerve from duty (righteousness). Never neglect your welfare. Never neglect your prosperity. Never neglect the study and the teachings of the Vedas.
14. Never swerve from your duties to the gods and to men. May the mother be thy god (Matrudevo bhava). May the father be thy god (Pitrudevo bhava). May the preceptor be thy god (Acharyadevo bhava). May the guest be thy god (Atithidevo bhava). Let only those actions that are free from blemish be done, and not others. Only those that are good acts to us should be performed by thee, and not others.
15. You should remove the fatigue of Brahmins who are superior, by serving them with seats, etc.
16. Gift should be given with faith; it should never be given without faith. It should be given in plenty, with modesty, with reverence, with sympathy.
17. Now, if there should arise in thee any doubt as regards any action or conduct, thou shouldst act in those matters as do those Brahmins there, who are thoughtful, religious, not cruel, and devoted to Dharma.
18. Now as regards persons accused of sin, do thou deal with them as do the Brahmins there, who are thoughtful, religious, not cruel, and devoted to Dharma.
19. This is the injunction. This is the teaching. This is the secret of the Vedas. This is the word of command. This should be observed. Thus is this to be meditated upon.
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