The Upanisads: A Complete Guide

The Upaniṣ
ads are among the most sacred foundational scriptures in the Hindu religion. Composed from 800 BCE onwards and making up part of the larger Vedic corpus, they offer the reader knowledge lessons on life, death, and immortality. While they are essential to understanding Hinduism and Asian religions more generally, their complexities make them almost impenetrable to anyone but serious scholars of Sanskrit and ancient Indian culture.

This book is divided into five parts:

• Composition, authorship, and transmission of the Upaniṣ
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• The historical, cultural, and religious background of the Upaniṣ
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• Religion and philosophy in the Upaniṣ
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• The classical Upaniṣ
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• The later Upaniṣ
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The chapters cover critical issues such as the origins of the Upaniṣ
ads, authorship, and redaction, as well as exploring the broad religious and philosophical themes within the texts. The guide analyzes each of the Upaniṣ
ads separately, unpacking their contextual relevance and explaining difficult terms and concepts. The Upaniṣ
ads: A Complete Guide is a unique and valuable reference source for undergraduate religious studies, history, and philosophy students and researchers who want to learn more about these foundational sacred texts and the religious lessons in the Hindu tradition.