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The Upadesasahasri of Sankara: 2 Volumes: Introduction, Text and Indices

It is widely agreed that Sankara, an Indian philosopher who lived in the eighth century, was the greatest thinker in the lengthy history of Indian philosophy as well as in the metaphysical tradition known as Vedanta. Sankara is credited with founding the Vedanta school of thought. The Advaita or non-dualist approach to the issue of existence and ultimate reality is emphasised in the Advaita Vedanta school or philosophy, which was developed by him. For hundreds of years, this way of thinking has been the dominant school of thought in India.

The majority of Sankara’s writings are comments on other great works of Indian philosophy, such as the Brahmasutra, the Bhagavadgita, and the Upanisads. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” is the only independent and non-commentary work that can be safely attributed to him; the other independent writings that have traditionally been ascribed to him are all probably spurious. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” has been critically edited and translated into English here.

Sengaku Mayeda, the author of this work, has provided both academics and general readers with a critical edition based on the analysis of 27 metrical and 11 prose manuscripts, as well as an exact and readable English translation of the work based on his definitive edition of the work, in addition to his extensive introduction to the work. These materials can be found on this website. This Indian philosophical classic is now available to a far larger audience thanks to his lucid and trustworthy translation as well as his in-depth introduction that discusses Sankara’s biography as well as his ideas.

Author

Sengaku Mayeda

About the Author(s)

Shukla-Yajurved-Samhita

The Yajurveda Samhita, also known as the prayer book of the Adhvaryu priest, is said to have had as many as 101 recensions during the time of the grammarian Patanjali. However, only five of these recensions have survived and are available at this time. These recensions are known as Kathaka, Kapisthala, Maitrayani, Taittiriya, and Vajasaneyi. The first four of these recensions belong to what is designated as the The Vajasaneyi Samhita, which gets its name from Yajnavalkya Vajasaneya, the principal instructor of this Veda, has been passed down in two forms that are somewhat different from one another. These versions are known as the Kanva Samhita and the Madhyandina Samhita. The primary distinction between the texts of the ‘Black’ and ‘White’ Yajurveda is that the latter only includes the Mantras, which are the prayers and sacrificial formulae that the priest is required to recite, whereas the former includes, in addition, a presentation of the sacrificial rites that are associated with them as well as the Brahmana, which is a theological discussion on the same topic. This is the most important distinction between the two types

About the Author(s)

Pandit Jagdishlal Shastri