Taittiriya Upanishad

"At once informative, practical, technical, philosophical and ecstatically mystical, the Taittiriya takes the reader on a multi-dimensional journey, a ride a dizzying, colorful and radiant as light through a kaleidoscope. Within the limited scope of its length, it touches upon a remarkable array of subjects, then grows progressively more focused until its climactic final verse, which explodes, like a starburst, in the rapture of Brahman realization." (Powell, p.163)

There are three major sections, or vallis; each contains several lessons. They shift abruptly from subject to subject.

 

A Shiksha (Phonetics)Valli: concerning the readying of oneself for the search for brahman.

§1 Invocation to God to remove the obstacles in the way of attaining spiritual wisdom.

§2 The art of phonetics was important to the Vedic priests as the correct words and their pronunciation was crucial to the efficacy of prayer.

§3 In Sanskrit, there is a concept called sandhi. If one word ends with certain letters, and the following word begins with certain letters, these letters may change slightly to make the sound combination more beautiful; e.g. yoga + ishvara = yogeshvara. This concept is used to demonstrate the unified nature of all reality.

§4 Series of prayers uttered by the spiritual teacher to Brahman. NB The teacher is not praying for his own benefit, but for the benefit of his students. He prays for food, clothes and cattle so that he can provide his students with all their material needs, thus freeing them to concentrate on their spiritual advancement.

§5 Om bhur bhuvas suvar – the opening words of the Gayatri Mantra (the most sacred polysyllabic mantra of Hinduism), known as the "Four Vyahritis" or "Four Utterances".

The Four Vyahritis  

 Bhuh  Bhuvah  Svah  Om/Mahah  

Realm  This World  Intermediate Realm between Heaven and Earth  Heaven  Brahman  

Element  Fire  Air  Sun  Food  

Veda  Rig  Sama  Yajur  All Vedas  

Vital Air  prana  apana  vyana  udana  

 

§6 What happens when we die?

There is an oblique reference here to the cakra syste – a subtle energy system within the body: the sushumna, a hollow channel running up the spine and through the crown at the seam of the skull; two major nadis (ida and pingala) on either side of the sushumna, 100+ auxiliary nadis permeating the body, and seven cakras (wheel-like energy centres along the spinal column).

The life force, at the time of death, goes up through the sushumna and leaves through the top of the head.

§7 "As above, so below." All things, when reduced to their elements, are essentially the same.

§8 The power and supremacy of Om.

§9 Instructions to the householder on how to live life:

 studying and teaching the scriptures;

 truthfulness;

 self-denial;

 self-restraint;

 tranquillity;

 attending to religious obligations;

 hospitality;

 helping others;

 raising a good family.

§10 For the tree symbol compare Katha U. 2.31 and BG 15.1-2. The universe is like a tree – a single organism branching out into all things.

§11 Instructions for students:

 be truthful;

 attend to your dharma;

 recite the scriptures mindfully;

 be attentive to the gods and your ancestors;

 look after your own health;

 respect your mother and father, teacher and guests;

 ensure your conduct is irreproachable;

 be deferential to thos better (more virtuous) than yourself;

 give gifts willingly;

 if in doubt as to how to behave, follow the example of the brahmanas ("sages")

 

 

B Brahmananda ("Bliss of Brahman") Valli

This part deals with the search for the divine Self within one’s own being. This has to be done step by step, as the Self (âtman) is buried deep within the layers of the koshas.

"The value of identifying and analyzing the koshas is that they help us to understand who we are. They comprise what we ordinarily perceive as our personalities. We are not integrated beings, but fragmented ones, and we encounter this fact constantly. One part of the mind is telling us to do one thing while another part seems to be telling us to do another. The body has a craving which the intellect tries to suppress. We have feelings and longings we may disapprove of, or lack feelings for things we think we should have. This fragmentation of self is a source of constant torment for us, but there is a consolation in the fact that the koshas do nor comprise the true Self. The sense of selfhood derived from identifying with the koshas is an illusion, the play of maya.

"In meditation, the aspirant can discover and peel away each kosha. . . until he or she severs identification with them and is left with the pure, divine consciousness of âtman." (Powell, p.172)

The Koshas  

annamaya

anna = food  The physical body is sustained by food; in the animal kingdom one body is food for another. Food represents material nature; it also symbolises knowledge, as we derive knowledge through the senses.  

pranamaya

prana = life force  Prana, the life force, permeates all things.  

manomaya

manas = mind  The mind is "the rumbling cauldron where images, ideas, information, all the stuff which thoughts are made of dwell." (Powell, p. 173)  

vijnanamaya

vijnana = rational thought  Vijnana is also known as buddhi. People often mistake this kosha for the true Self.  

anandamaya

ananda = bliss  If we can see far enough within ourselves, we are aware of a feeling of joy. This is similar to the bliss of atman, but not the same.  

The atman is at the centre of the koshas, but separate from and unaffected by them.  

An important point to remember is that "each person does not possess his or her own private koshas. There are not five billion annamaya koshas, there is only one, which we all share…. So it is with all the koshas…. To imagine one’s body not one’s own, but part of an indivisible oneness, helps one to detach from it." (Powell, pp. 173-175)

The underlying truth is that anna is Brahman, prana is Brahman, etc.; that atman is Brahman. Each kosha supports the kosha preceding it.

§§1-5 explain the koshas. §6 states that the existence of Brahman can be proved because Brahman is existence.

§7 It is because Brahman underlies creation that we derive pleasure from this world.

§§8-9 All earthly phenomena occur because of the power of Brahman and are subordinate to it. But also, phenomena including fear occur because of the illusion of differentiation.

"The Self in man and the Sun are one" – the sun symbolises Brahman.

"This liberated one, after departing from this life, transcends all five of the koshas, casts them off, and is unlimited and free. The liberated one who is still in the body, the lesson concludes, is free from all fear. Furthermore, he has reached such a state of perfection, he never has to discern and decide between the right thing to do and the wrong thing to do. He need not expend any special effort to be virtuous. Such a person cannot do wrong, cannot err, and so is free from society’s conventions." (Powell, p.180)

 

C Bhrigu Valli

Bhrigu asks for instruction about Brahman. He is not told everything at first asking. Varuna leads him gradually through various levels of understanding.

§2 matter/food is Brahman

§3 life force is Brahman

§4 mind is Brahman

§5 wisdom is Brahman

§6 bliss/joy is Brahman. Beyond that is the Self, located within the heart.

§§7-10 Food is a complex metaphor, representing

i. matter/Nature/vital substances constantly undergoing transformation and therefore containing life force;

ii. anything taken in by our senses and processed by the mind;

iii. knowledge.

There is a unity connecting all things.

§10 Share food as a religious duty. But sharing food also symbolises taking part in the universal oneness.

We can remember Brahman by constantly observing all worldly phenomena.

The closing section is a chant celebrating oneness with Brahman.