''Upadesasahasri'' (''Upadeśasāhasri''), which literally means "a thousand teachings", is an 8th-century CE

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

text of

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

. Considered a Prakaraṇa grantha, the ''Upadesasahasri'' is considered among Shankara's most important non-commentarial works.

Content

''Upadesasahasri'' is divided into two parts – one is in metric verse and another is in prose. There are nineteen chapters (''prakarana'') in the verse (or metrical) part (''Padyabandha''), and three chapters in the prose part. According to Mayeda, "Manuscripts indicate that the two parts were regarded as independent works, as it were, and studied or commented upon separately. They also suggest the possibility that any single chapter could be selected, copied, and studied apart from the rest. This means that reading of the text may begin anywhere." Mayeda further notes that Shankara was primarily concerned with ''moksha'', "and not with the establishment of a complete system of philosophy or theology," following Potter, who qualifies Shankara as a "speculative philosopher." NB: starts with the prose part, where starts with the metrical (verse) part. Here Mayeda's sequence is followed, with I referring to the metrical (verse) part, and II referring to the prose part.

I. Metrical (verse) part

The metrical part "discusses and repeatedly explains many basic problems of Advaita or "non-dualism" from different points of view" in a non-systematical way. Positing that the "I," ''Atman'', is self-evident, Shankara argues that ''Atman'', Awareness, Consciousness, is the True Self, and not the mind and the body. The ''sruti'' (scriptures) point to this truth with statements like "Tat Tvam Asi." Comprehending one's true identity is regarded to liberate one from ''samsara'', the cycle of transmigration and rebirth.

Chapter 1. Pure Consciousness

Chapter I.1 starts with the exclamation Shankara then rejects action as a means to liberation, as it leads to bondage. Since action is related to ignorance, "associated with a misconception of ''Atman'' as "I am agent; this is mine," only knowledge of Brahman will lead to liberation. Being ignorant, people assume ''Atman'' to be identical to the body. Yet, " he ''Sruti'' passage,"Not thus! Not so!" (Brh. Up. II,3,6), excluding the body and the like, leaves ''Atman'' free from distinction. Therby nescience is removed."

Chapter 2. Negation

Chapter II.2 states that only ''Atman'' cannot be negated when inquiring "I am no this, I am not this," thereby arriving at the understanding of ''Atman''.

Chapter 18. That Thou Art

Chapter 18, ''Thou Art That'', the longest chapter of the ''Upadesasahasri'', is devoted to considerations on the insight "I am ever-free, the existent" (''

sat The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...

''), and the statement "Tat Tvam Asi," which according to Shankara's separates the Real, ''Atman'', from the unreal. According to Shankara, the I-notion is self-evident, and the statement "I am the existent" refers to the basis of this I-notion, the inner ''Atman''. The ''sruti'' explains that the notions "my" and "this" are situated in the intellect, and perishable, while Consciousness and the Seer are immovable and imperishable, thus separating "notions" from Awareness. The statement "Tat Tvam Asi" then is meaningful because it refers to '' Tat'', ''Atman''. Recognizing oneself as "the Existent-''Brahman''," which is mediated by scriptural teachings, is contrasted with the notion of "I act," which is mediated by relying on sense-perception and the like. The statement "Thou art That" "remove the delusion of a hearer," "so through sentences as "Thou art That" one knows one's own ''Atman'', the witness of all internal organs," and not from any actions. According to Shankara, "right knowledge arises at the moment of hearing," and Shankara is ambivalent on the need for meditation on the Upanishadic ''mahavyaka''. He rejects ''prasamcaksa'' or ''prasamkhyana'' meditation, that is, meditation on the meaning of the sentences, and in Up. II.3 recommends ''parisamkhyana'', in which ''Atman'' is separated from everything that is not ''Atman'', that is, the sense-objects and sense-organs, and the pleasant and unpleasant things and merit and demerit connected with them. Yet, Shankara then concludes with declaring that only ''Atman'' exists, stating that "all the sentences of the ''Upanishads'' concerning non-duality of ''Atman'' should be fully contemplated, should be contemplated." As Mayeda states, "how they 'prasamcaksa'' or ''prasamkhyana'' versus ''parisamkhyana''differ from each other in not known."

II. Prose part

The prose part intends to explain "how to teach the means of final release" to seekers. The three chapters seem to correspond with the three stages of ''sravana'' (listening to the teachings), ''manana'' (thinking about the teachings) and '' nididhyāsana'' (meditation on the teachings).

Chapter 1. How to enlighten the pupil

Chapter II.1 opens with the statement Knowledge of Brahman is to obtained by a worthy pupil from an accomplished teacher, who should train the students in archiving the virtues necessary for proper understanding. The teacher teaches the ''srutis'' concerned with the oneness of ''Atman'' with ''Brahman'', referring to a large number of ''sruti''-statements. The teacher then continues by reinforcing disiedentification from societal status and the body, The teacher then shows how the ''sruti'' and ''smriti'' describe the "marks of ''Atman''," explaining how the ''Atman'' is different from body, caste, family, and purifying ceremonies. Final release is obtained by the knowledge that ''Atman'' is identical to ''Brahman''.

Chapter 2. Awareness

Notes

Quotes

References

Sources

;Printed sources * * * * * * * *

External links

''Upadesha sahasri''
(Sanskrit Original)
Summary of UpadeśasāhasriBook Review: ''Liturgy of Liberation: A Christian Commentary on Shankara's Upadesasahasri'' by Reid B. Locklin
Reviewer: Anantanand Rambachan (2012), Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 25, Article 19
The Authenticity of the Upadesha Sahasri Ascribed to Saṅkara
Sengaku Mayeda (1965), ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'', Vol. 85, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun 1965), pages 178-196 {{Hindudharma Indian philosophy Sanskrit texts Philosophical literature Adi Shankara Advaita Vedanta Hindu texts 8th-century works Advaita Vedanta texts