Religious studiesLesson 3 of 4 in the course Hinduism

The Upanishads: Textual History, Teachings, and Vedanta Interpretations

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The Upanishads are influential Sanskrit texts that explore spiritual and philosophical questions. This lesson introduces their place in Hindu scripture and the meaning of their name.

The Vedas are Hinduism’s oldest scriptures. Their earlier layers include mantras, blessings, ritual instructions, ceremonies, and sacrifices. The Upanishads are later additions, composed during the late Vedic and post-Vedic periods. They mark a significant shift from an emphasis on outward ritual toward questions about meditation, consciousness, philosophy, and the nature of reality.

All flashcards

Mukhya Upanishads
The principal, oldest, and most influential group of Upanishads.
Prasthanatrayi
The three principal sources of Vedanta: the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahmasutras.
Apauruṣeya
A Vedic tradition’s description of its texts as not composed by an ordinary human author.
Vishishtadvaita
Ramanuja’s qualified non-dualism: individual selves are related to Brahman but are not simply identical to it.
Māyā
A term for the misleading or incomplete character of appearances, not necessarily the nonexistence of the world.

Quiz questions

  1. Which three works make up the Prasthanatrayi, the principal scriptural sources of Vedanta?Answer: The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahmasutras.
  2. What does Advaita Vedanta teach about Ātman and Brahman?Answer: They are ultimately not different.
  3. How many Upanishads does the Muktika list include?Answer: 108
  4. What broad date range do some scholars propose for the principal Upanishads?Answer: About 800 to 300 BCE.
  5. Why is the authorship of most Upanishads uncertain?Answer: The texts were often transmitted anonymously, including through oral tradition.

Based on the Wikipedia article Upanishads, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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