In three blogs to follow I will make a brief survey of how the word yoga is being portrayed in the principle Upanishads. Many of the principle Upanishads embody elements of yoga within it.[1] The teachings of the Upanishads, also referred to as Vedanta, are primarily knowledge based. The teachings of yoga are predominantly practical in order to develop the right discrimination between what is real and less real. Many of the meditative practices of Vedanta and yoga are one and the same, but here I will focus on how the word yoga is portrayed in the Upanishad and in what context they appear.

The Upanishads has rightly been called the fountainhead of all Indian Philosophies. Many of its principles has had a profound impact on later Arabic and Greek philosophies and the European philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) claimed, “it has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death,”[2] and supposedly kept a copy with him at all times.

The teachings of the Upanishads feature the nature of the cosmos, the psychological nature of man and the theological/spiritual nature of God. It asks the big questions such as “What is the essence of this universe? How can we distinguish what is real from what is less real? What is the quintessence of mind, and who is the genuine inner controller of all our perceptions, thoughts and experiences?” The principle teachings does not lend it self to any dogma or superstitious belief, but urges the readers to reflect on the teachings and inquire for themselves into the matter of what is being portrayed through meditation and contemplation.

In the early Vedas that main focus of the texts are the many mantras (prayers) to be recited in various rituals, sacrifices and rites of passage, in hope of acquiring wealth, strength and elevation in the world. In the Upanishads the sacrifices has merely a symbolic reference and the focus of the texts is to install in man a genuine experience of what god is and how he may be perceived internally as well as the underlying fabric of the external world.

The teachings of the Upanishads is also known as Vedanta since it is the concluding part of the ancient Vedic tradition and the principle ancient texts that advocate a direct experience of God/the Self through meditation. The principal ten Upanishads are all associated with one particular branch (shaka) of the four Vedas and they were normally taught as the highest philosophy after years of studying other subjects.

The earliest Upanishads are B®hadårañyaka and Chåndogya Upanishad. No direct reference to the word yoga is found in these Upanishads, but they are certainly the very foundation of all later Upanishads. Here we find the first reference to Mokßa (BU 3.1.3-6), Dharma (BU 2.5.11) and the idea of transmigration and the accumulation of virtue and vice through the activities that we do (BU 3.3.13).

The Taittirîya Upanißad is the most ancient Upanishad where we find reference to the word yoga.

Here it is referred to as the self (atman)[3] of man (verse 4), and the very substratum of perception. In this passage (verse 1-5) we can also read about the pancha koshas, the five layers/sheets that permeate the self of man and covers the gross body to the inmost essence of divinity, upon which the true perception and bliss of man truly rests.  Later texts on yoga make further elaborations on these five layers, but here is the first point of reference in the classical texts. From this we may assume that meditative/yogic practices were in use in Vedic times, however it is difficult to determine whether it was part of the Aryan tradition or influences from non-vedic sources, i.e. from the early inhabitants of India already living there, prior to the Aryan invasion. Here follows a brief extract from the text (I’ve shortened it down a little, not to bore you too much):

A man is formed from the essence offood, yet different from food and lying within the essence of man is the self (atman) consisting of life-breath (prana). This Self consistent of lifebreath assumes a man like appearance. It is supported by the five pråñas, the torso is space and it rests on the earth. 1

Life-breath, gods also inhale, as do men and beasts. Forlife-breathis the life of beings, so it is called “all life”. A full life they’ll surely live, when they worship Brahman as life-breath. For life-breath is the life of beings, so it is called “all life”. 2

Hence different from life-breath is the self, consisting ofmind, which suffuses this other self completely; the mind has a manlike appearance. Supported by Yajus, Rk and Sama. 3

Different from mind is the essence ofperception. Which suffuses this other self completely. This self, consisting of perception, the head is simply faith, the right side is (rta) absolute truth, the left side is relative truth (satya). The union (yoga) is atma!).The base on which it rests is glorious! 4

Different from perception, is the self consisting ofBliss. It has the appearance of a man. The head is pleasure, the right side is delight, the left side is thrill, the torso is bliss; and the bottom on which it rests is Brahman. 5

The other reference we find to the word yoga is in the concluding part of the third chapter Tait Up 3.10:2-5). Here we find the word yoga together with Kshema (protection, rest), also echoed in BG (9:22) and Katha Upanishad (1.2.2). The implicit meaning here is that the essence of Grace (God) is present everywhere and by yoking (joining) our minds to that foundation our lives may certainly live up in glorious ways. However, it is equally important to take care of what one has, i.e. look after the optimal functioning of the body and mind so it can maintain and secure the unfolding of Grace. What is equally important here is to also be awake to what one has and take good care of that, rather than continually hoping for changes or new things to arise. Here is the concluding part:

In speech as in rest, in the out-breath and in-breath, as activity and rest, in the hands as action, in the feet as movement, in the anus as evacuation - these are its human appellations. Now its divine appellations - in the rain, as contenment; in lightening, as power; in livestock, as fame; in the stars, as light; in the sexual organ, procreation, immortality, and bliss; in space, as totality. 2-3

Let him venerate it as the foundation, and he will have a foundation. Let him venerate it as might, and he will become mighty. Let him venerate it as mind, and he will have a quick mind. Let him venerate it as bowing in homage, and his desires will bow to his will. Let him venerate it as Brahman and he will possess Brahman. He who is here in a man and who is up there is the sun - they are one and the same. 4-5

 

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[1] One may argue that the ultimate goal of yoga and the teachings of Vedanta are one and the same. Yet practice of yoga seeks to gain a genuine experience of the essence of self (purußa) through practical means, whereas the schools of Vedanta are more concerned with awakening the essence of self (åtman) through correct knowledge. Yoga is a dualistic school that seeks greater clarity of insight from refining the patterns of prak®ti (matter) and becoming more absorbed in the essence of purußa (spirit). The ultimate release is freedom from the bonds of prak®ti and total absorption in the effulgence of purußa.

[2] Schopenhauer and Payne, 2000: p. 397

[3] In verse four, Yoga is called åtman and here qualified as the inner source of perception that navigates between the poles of absolute truth and relative truth. In a simplistic way it is just the very connecting point of receptivity between the two, but on another level the substratum of consciousness enabling the perceptivity to take place. Beyond this there is just Joy, which has it’s substratum in Brahman.