World of Philosophy

SR No.: 007005
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 1002
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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in the Upanisads are concerned with the central problems of philosophy, which are mentioned in the very beginning of the Evetacvatara Upanisad:
What is the cause of the universe? Is it Brahman? Whence are we born? By what do we live? On what are we established? O ye who know Brahman, please tell us at whose command we abide here in pain and pleasure...10
The philosophical core of some of these dialogues is given below. The light of the Upanişads is neither dimmed by time nor blurred by the developments in philosophy and science, because it illumines the timeless vis-à-vis the temporal. DEATH AND DEATHLESSNESS :
The Katha Upanisad discusses the problem of death and deathlessness through the story of Naciketas who meets and questions Yama, the Lord of death. Taking advantage of the boons given to him by Yama, young Naciketas requested Yama to instruct him about the secret behind death, that which survives death. The dialogue between Yama and Naciketas, which is interesting, is followed by the exposition of the nature of the Self which is the central theme of the Upanisad. Issues connected with the Self such as the proper mental frame for discriminating the eternal from the ephemeral, the empirical distinction between the individual self and the supreme Self, the parable of the chariot to highlight the ultimacy of the Self, the imagery of the fabulous world-tree to explain the relation between the world and Brahman, and the problem of rebirth for those who have not attained the saving knowledge, are discussed.
There are two approaches to metaphysics, epistemological and axiological. It is usual to make the transition from epistemology to metaphysics. A systematic and rigorous inquiry into the nature of truth in epistemology takes us to the absolute truth, eternal and unchanging, which is the core of metaphysics. One may also, as Yama does, proceed to metaphysics from the axiological side and show that the ultimate good is the absolute reality. Drawing a basic distinction between the good (@reyas) and the pleasant (preyas), Yama tells Naciketas:
Both the good and the pleasant approach a man. The wise man, pondering over them, discriminates. The wise chooses the good in preference to the pleasant. The simpleminded, for the sake of worldly well-being, prefers the pleasant."
The good which Yama speaks about is not just moral goodness, but the highest good, the ultimate value, which is the Self, ever-free and neverbound. In another context, when Yama makes a reference to two selves, the one enjoying the fruits of life and the other remaining as a passive spectator
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