Upanischaden

The interest of the ancient Indian Upanishadic thinkers was focused on understanding the inner connections of the world, the close relationship between the macrocosm and microcosm. Knowledge of the relationships between what directly determines human life and the forces beyond human influence was intended to ensure well-being in this life and the next, earthly and spiritual happiness, abundance of sons, cattle, and wealth, the removal of rivals, and a long life. The Upanishads are the first to speculate on the nature of being, to pose questions about the eternal ground of existence, to develop concepts of its materiality or immateriality, its worldly emanations, to make initial distinctions between matter and spirit, and to address the notion of reincarnation and the possibilities of avoiding it. In 1851, Arthur Schopenhauer positively initiated the European reception of the Upanishads with his enthusiastic judgment. Even today, these historically significant sources of Indian antiquity offer a fascinating insight into early conceptual frameworks and are subjects of research in Indology, philosophy, theology, religious studies, and depth psychology. This translation from Sanskrit includes the twelve oldest Upanishads, which are counted among the Vedic corpus of the Rig Veda, the Black and White Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.