Philosophy Of Liberation Interfaith

Author(s): Paramhansa Maharaj, Donald Howard, Veena Howard
Publisher: USA Santmat Society of North America

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their views in the Punjabi and Hindi languages respectively. (1) Such expressions are for the inspiration and edification of all people.
However, the Upanishads uniquely and fully describe the means for attaining Shanti and describe the means for attaining the Highest Wisdom. That is why the Upanishads are considered the foundation of Sant Mat. Further, a comprehensive exposition of the Divine Word-Sound is given in the Upanishads which leads to the Highest Wisdom. The Upanishads explain the yogic techniques and systematic views of transcending thought and attaining the Absolute through the use of Sound (Yoga of Surat-Shabda). (2) Sant Mat follows the yogic path as prescribed in the Upanishads and specifically employs Surat-Shabda-Yoga in its practices. The result of such practice is the attainment of the Highest Goal, the knowledge of the Supreme.
This is not to undermine the teachings of other saints, but rather to say that in the Upanishads are found the basis of the teachings of these saints. Often the teachings of various saints would, on the surface, seem contradictory to each other or even contradictory to the principles of the Upanishads. In fact, there an unbreakable unity in the spiritual views of all saints. In different times
1. The seers of the Upanishads wrote in the Sanskrit language which is not a language of the common people. Guru Nanak Sahab and Kabir Sahab describe the same Upanishadic views in a language understood by the common man. 2 Surat-Shabda-Yoga is the practice of transcending the mind and entering the level beyond the mind, that is, the level of Oneness. The vehicle for this inward journey is Sound. The way to employ sound and to understand its use is the practical application of Surat-Sabda-Yoga. This is also known as Nadanusandhana (search of Sound).