The Upanishads (Penguin Classics)

The date of origin of the Upanishads is unclear as they were initially oral teachings. This excellent translation gives them in their simple glory. The beauty and excellence of this edition is the commentary by Juan Mascaro, one who had penetrated the mystery of Brahman and these teachings. It is from his commentary that the deeper aspects of the timeless wisdom emerges.For a further metaphysical treatment look for the book by Rene Guenon.

A clear and beautiful translation, giving meaning to much that seems difficult to understand in other translations.

A lyrically beautiful and spiritually insightful book that seems to have an almost transcendental effect on it's privileged reader. Whether you are deeply interested in theology and philosophy or a casual reader, I believe these writings can speak to everyone in some way, even to a militant atheist who believes there is not a shred of truth to be found within them, they are still worth reading for their immense beauty. It is easy to see why Schopenhauer spoke so highly of them, they are truly up there with the finest texts to ever be produced by human minds. That they were written thousands of years ago only serves to increase the wonder a reader feels on reading them.

Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Elegant Hinduism foundational book that opens speech up to become a voice or indent by denoting it as fire, central to sacrifices and rituals.

Upanishads are a component of each of the 4 Veda a footnoteIt was not written 800 bc it was much much earlier than that

All went well and I received the book in good condition. Any book giving us a better understanding of our God is worth reading. This is of course important only to those who wish to grow as a human being. A good book to recomend.

I'd buy this book for the introduction alone. It's a masterpiece - he explains the inexplicable with simple clarity, drawing on poetry and religious words from throughout the ages, showing how all of them are saying the same thing, underneath.

Livro para estudantes avançados nas filosofias monistas Advaita Vedanta.

Para livro de bolso a baixo preço, cumpre a função. Alguma falhas ded impressão e letra ligeiramente pequena. Pelo preço é obrigatório

Juan Mascaro's selections of the Upanishads are an intriguing glimpse into Hindu scripture and represent "the end" of the ancient Vedas and by extension the end of all knowing and seeking. The selections have various modes of presentation but one unifying message and theme: seeking to know the knower, to see the light of Truth, to go beyond the cycle of life and death.These diverse writings distill the multitude of cosmology into but a few lines; they fearlessly ask and answer the most daunting questions mankind has thought to ask, in but a few pages; in line with so many enduring texts they emphasize letting go of desire and achieving self-control. These selections are brief in terms of pages but longer than most in terms of meaning and value. If you get through this book in a matter of days, you didn't really read it, you didn't pay attention, you didn't respect the wisdom or give it its due.I am not overstating when I say that aside from the great value of these selections, Juan Mascaro's introduction would have been worth the cost on its own. As with the Dhammapada he shows a deep appreciation for the source material and an equally strong desire to retain its poetry and potency while bringing these ancient works to modern readers in a fluid, impactful style. It is truly a shame that Mascaro was not a translator of more ancient works, but his three translations for Penguin Classics are perhaps more than anyone could ask for and will certainly remain among my most cherished books

Very good

Upanishads are mystical and paradoxical. But that's how the truth could be comprehended. It is not meant for beginners or the uninitiated. I recommend one to get oneself acquainted with the history and different schools of thought in Indian philosophy before venturing into the Upanishads, although the Upanishads precede systematic schools of philosophy. But one must learn to understand the limits of the human mind to appreciate the message in the Upanishads.Essay by the author Juan Mascaro at the beginning of the book (around 50 pages) is a treat to read. Translations are sometimes esoteric and difficult to grasp but I would ascribe it to the nature of the content itself and not a reflection of the quality of translation. The author has done justice to this spiritual treasure of humankind.