Firstly, To Maya3 who said the Upanishads would blow my mind in a good way, you are wholly correct! I'm so glad I've finally started to read the Upanishads. I really loved the Mundaka Upanishad and it's hard for me to imagine the Upanishads getting any better than this one, I really enjoyed reading it. I'm not trying to compare the two, but just when I had thought I would never find a sacred text that I feel more drawn to than the Bhagavad Gita, I've found the Upanishads.. which is another gem of Hindu wisdom. I like it's philosophical sutras that are straight and to the point - impregnate with immense meaning and wisdom. Man I am so envious of Indian culture and how amazing it is! I wish more people were exposed to the wisdom of the Upanishads or the Gita.. It is easy for me to see how much of the wisdom in these sources may have heavily influenced various philosophical schools of thought, and religious schools of thought throughout history. I do not know enough about the history of world religions, but I do know the Upanishads are one of the oldest sacred texts that are still commonly studied today - and it's easy for me to see how they could have been a resource of inspiration for Pantheism, Panentheism, Monism, mysticism, Kabbalah, Science... any sort of philosophy that focuses on the oneness and connectedness of all things. But then again, I also believe many other philosophical/religious schools of thought, despite sharing commonalities with the Upanishads or Gita, were largely developed independent of them - for I believe there is a metaphysical truth/reality that pervades all things, hence why there are often core truths shared in what are largely independent cultures, but anyways, I digress.. this was an awesome read. I will now offer a few brief comments on what stuck out to me the most while reading this:
Verse 1.1.3 sort of starts the Upanishadic journey IMO, asking "What is that by knowing which all is known?" - By stilling ones being and plumbing the depths of one's consciousness, one can come face to face with the Truth that pervades all of existence... and infinite bank of knowledge and wisdom.
2.1.2 "...Unborn, without body and mind, from him [the Self] comes every body and mind." Every "thing" or "being" is rooted in the Unborn - Pure Being, Pure Is-ness.
2.2.5 "...Realize him as the One behind the many and stop all vain talk." - Stop over thinking things so much, realize there is a blatant truth right in front of your face that pervades and connects all Life and existence... Shut up and become still, and aware of this Transcendent Fullness to life.
2.2.8 "It is his power that moves body and mind." - Totally reminds me of Tao.. think of the force/power that automatically makes all of your organs function, that regulates your entire body and keeps it in homeostasis.
3.1.6 reminds me of speech from Ghandi that some metal band I used to listen to put in the middle of one of their "atmosphericy" sounding instrumental songs: "For I can see that in the midst of death life persists, in the midst of untruth, truth persists, in the midst of darkness light persists."
Great read. And as I duly noted in the introductory commentary of my translation: The Upanishads are not philosophy, they are darshana – ‘something seen,’ the student to whom they were taught are expected to realize these truths.... the reading of the Upanishads is not for mere intellectual amusement, but its teachings should be meditated upon and realized with the core of ones being.
