About The Book
The Mandükya Upanisad, the shortest among the principal Upanishads, consists of only twelve mantras yet holds profound philosophical depth. It explains the nature of ultimate reality (Brahman) and the self (Atman) through the symbol of Om (AUM). The Upanishad identifies four states of consciousness: Jägrat (waking), associated with outward experiences; Svapna (dreaming), linked to the inner mind; Suşupti (deep sleep), a state of unmanifest experience; and Turīya, the transcendental state beyond these three. Turīya is pure consciousness without duality, beyond thought and description, the essence of Brahman. The syllable AUM symbolizes these states: "A" represents waking, "U" dreaming, "M" deep sleep, and silence beyond "AUM" denotes Turīya. The text teaches that realization of Turīya leads to liberation (moksha) and unity with Brahman. Thus, the Mändükya Upanişad distills Vedäntic philosophy into a concise meditation on consciousness, sound, and ultimate truth.
Introduction
The questions that first arise in the mind of an enquirer after truth are generally of the nature discussed in this treatise. A few short explanatory notes given here will form an introduction. Vedantic method of teaching Philoso- comprehend, be at once told to a beginner, truths of Philosophy, which ordinary commonsense will neither admit he will most assuredly be confused, and will probably give up their study with disgust. But if a wise teacher, after gauging the acquirements and capabilities of his pupil, steadily and slowly instructs him and removes his errors by leading him on to higher truths, the pupil at last comes to believe in truths which he would strongly have opposed, had they been told to him all at once. The Vedanta Philosophy always recommends a slow and sure method of instruction, and it is, therefore, no wonder that those who have not care-fully and patiently studied it, quite erroneously believe it to be self-contradictory and misleading. The system of Vedantic Philosophy assumes, as a matter of fact, at the outset, things as they are, and then exposes the illusions which external appearances create in the mind of a beginner. Evolution and In-Pursuing the method mentioned above, let us begin to think with an enquirer, whether the world volution of the existed as it is from eternity. A little reflection and careful observation will show World, that every thing around us, including our own body and mind, is undergoing a change that in the course of time that which was unmanifest becomes manifest, and that which at first sight appeared new becomes old; and then once more becomes unmanifest. This changeableness excites within us a desire for enquiry as to what undergoes the change. By an analysin of the things of this world, as tanght in the Vedantic Philosophy, we find that all objects are inclnded in the five primary elements called (1) Prithvi (Solids), (2) Apaa (Liquids), (3) Tejas (Heat), (4) Vayn (Gases), and (5) Akashn (Ether). Enquiry pashed a little farther shows that we do not find any of these elements in their simple and pure state. Whatsoever we see, we find it a mixture of all the five elements; for instance, the Prithvi (Solids) contains one half of the element of Prithvi (Solidity), and the other half consists of a proportionate part of the rest of the elements. Likewise with the liquids and the other elements. We can only think of a simple element, but we cannot actnally perceive it. Whatsoever, therefore, we see, is only a compound. Further, we find that all visible and tangible objects are reducible to such a fine state that physical division of them at length becomes impracticable; and that, when these invisible, fine particles nnite again with one another, they can again form visible and tangible objects. Consequently, the first con-clusion at which we arrive from the above method is the same as that of the Naiyayakas (Indian School of Logic), who think that the matter, of which the world is formed, consists of atoms or extremely small particles which are incapable of further division and which are besides indestructible in their nature. Holding this theory for the present, we must concinde that whatever exists in the world, being but a compound of atoms, there must have been a time when the components of the compound, namely the atoms them-selves, existed separately. In other words, there mnst have been a time when the world did not exist in its present visible condition, and we must expect a time when this compound will resolve again into its original components.
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