Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - About the Tree and Man

Ethics

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad includes hymns on virtues and ethics. In verse 5.2.3, for example, it recommends three virtues: self-restraint (दमः, Damah), charity (दानं, Daanam) and compassion for all life (दया, Daya).

तदेतत्त्रयँ शिक्षेद् दमं दानं दयामिति
Learn three cardinal virtues - temperance, charity and compassion for all life.

—Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, V.ii.3,

The first ethical precept of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad became the foundation of Yamas in various schools of Hinduism. In Yoga school, for example, the yamas as listed by Patañjali in Yogasūtra 2.30 are

1. Ahiṃsā (अहिंसा): restraint from initiating violence, harm, injury to other living beings by actions, words or in one's thoughts
2. Satya (सत्य): restraint from falsehood
3. Asteya (अस्तेय): restraint from stealing
4. Brahmacarya (ब्रह्मचर्य): restraint from sex if without a partner, and from cheating on one's partner
5. Aparigraha (अपरिग्रहः): restraint from avarice and possessiveness

Psychology

The verses in the Upanishad contain theories pertaining to psychology and human motivations.Verse 1.4.17 describes the desire for progeny as the desire to be born again. The Upanishad states a behavioral theory, linking action to nature, suggesting that behavioral habits makes a man,

According as one acts, so does he become.
One becomes virtuous by virtuous action,
bad by bad action.
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5

Ancient and medieval Indian scholars have referred to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad as a foundation to discuss psychological theories, the nature of psyche, and how body, mind and soul interact. For example, Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad explains the relation between consciousness, the mind and the body.

Mind creates desire, asserts Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, with its basis in pleasure. Eye is the cause of material wealth, because it is through sight that wealth is created states the Upanishad, while ears are spiritual wealth, because it is through listening that knowledge is shared.The Upanishad suggests in the dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, husband and wife, that one does not love an object for the sake of the object but for the sake of the subject, the Self (the soul of the other person).

Metaphysics

Verse 1.3.28 acknowledges that metaphysical statements in Upanishads are meant to guide the reader from unreality to reality. The metaphysics of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is non-dualism (Advaita). For instance, in verse 2.4.13 Yajnavalkya asserts that everything in the universe is the Self. The nature of reality or Self is described as consciousness-bliss in verse 3.9.28. Neti-neti or (not this—not this) is a method of emphasizing the discovery of the right, by excluding the wrong. The verse 5.1 states that the Universe, Reality and Consciousness is infinite.

पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

pūrṇam adaḥ, pūrṇam idaṃ, pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate

pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate.

"That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite. the infinite proceeds from the infinite.

(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe), it remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone."

"From infinite or fullness, we can get only fullness or infinite". The above verse describes the nature of the Absolute or Brahman which is infinite or full, i.e., it contains everything. Upanishadic metaphysics is further elucidated in the Madhu-vidya (honey doctrine), where the essence of every object is described to be same to the essence of every other object. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad looks at reality as being indescribable and its nature to be infinite and consciousness-bliss. The cosmic energy is thought to integrate in the microcosm and in the macrocosm integrate the individual to the universe.

Popular mantras

Asato ma sat gamaya | (असतो मा सद्गमय ।)
Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya | (तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।)
Mṛtyor ma amṛtam gamaya | (मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।)
Om shanti shanti shantihi || (ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥)
– बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 1.3.28

Translation:

From untruth lead us to Truth.
From darkness lead us to Light.
From death lead us to Immortality.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

 Chapter IX—Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha

1) Then Vidaghdha, the son of Sakala, asked him: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

Yajnavalkya ascertained the number through the group of mantras known as the Nivid and said: "As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the Visve—devas— three hundred and three and three thousand and three." "Very good," said Sakalya (the son of Sakala) and asked again: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "Thirty—three." "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "Six." "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "Three." "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "Two." "Very good," said Sakalya and asked again: "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "Onethere, Yajnavalkya?" "One." "Very good," said Sakalya and asked: "Which are those three hundred and three and those three thousand and three?"

2) Yajnavalkya said: "There are only thirty—three gods. These others are but manifestations of them." "Which are these thirty—three?" "The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras and the twelve Adityas— these are thirty—one. And Indra and Prajapati make up the thirty—three."

3) "Which are the Vasus?" asked Sakalya. "Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun, heaven, the moon and the stars—these are the Vasus; for in them all this universe is placed (vasavah). Therefore they are called Vasus.

4) "Which are the Rudras?" asked Sakalya. "The ten organs in the human body, with the mind as the eleventh. When they depart from this mortal body, they make one's relatives weep. Because they make them weep (rud), therefore they are called Rudras.

5) "Which are the Adityas?" asked Sakalya. "There are twelve months in the year. These are the Adityas, because they move along carrying (adadanah) all this with them; therefore they are called Adityas."

6) "Which is Indra and which is Prajapati?" asked Sakalya. "The thunderclap is Indra and the sacrifice is Prajapati." "Which is the thunderclap?" "The thunderbolt." "Which is the sacrifice?"

"The animals."

7) "Which are the six gods?" asked Sakalya. "Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun and heaven; for these six comprise all those."

8) "Which are the three gods?" asked Sakalya. "These three worlds, because all those gods are comprised in these three." "Which are the two gods?" "Matter and the vital breath (prana)." "Which are the one and a half?" "This air that blows."

9) Yajnavalkya said: "Concerning this some say: 'Since the air blows as one substance, how can it be one and a half (adhyardha)?' The answer is: It is one and a half because by its presence everything attains surpassing glory (adhyardhnot)." "Which is the one God?" "The vital breath (Hiranyagarbha); it is Brahman which is called That (Tyat)."

10) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is the earth, whose organ of vision is fire, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is in this body. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity (cause)?" "Nectar (chyle)," said Yajnavalkya.

11) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is lust (kama), whose organ of vision is the intellect, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is identified with lust. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "Women," said Yajnavalkya.

12) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is colours, whose organ of vision is the eye, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is in the sun. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "Truth (the eye)," said Yajnavalkya.

13) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is the akasa, whose organ of vision is the ear, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is identified with the ear and with the time of hearing. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "The quarters," said Yajnavalkya.

14) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is darkness, whose organ of vision is the intellect, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is identified with shadow (ignorance). Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "Death," said Yajnavalkya.

15) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is particular colours, whose organ of vision is the eye, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the being who is in the mirror. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "The vital breath," said Yajnavalkya.

16) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is water, whose organ of vision is the intellect, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is in water. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "Varuna (rain)," said Yajnavalkya.

17) Sakalya said: "Verily, whosoever knows that Being whose body is semen, whose organ of vision is the intellect, whose light is the mind and who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety, he indeed knows, O Yajnavalkya." "I know that Being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate support of the body and organs in their entirety. It is the Being who is identified with the son. Go on, Sakalya." "Who is His deity?" "Prajapati (the father)," said Yajnavalkya.

18) When Sakalya kept silent Yajnavalkya addressed him thus: "Sakalya, have these brahmins made you their instrument such as tongs for burning charcoal?"

19—20) "Yajnavalkya," said Sakalya, "what Brahman do you know, that you have thus flouted these Vedic scholars of Kuru and Panchala?" Yajnavalkya replied: "I know the quarters, with their deities and supports." Sakalya said: "If you know the quarters, with their deities and supports, what deity are you identified with in the east?" "With the deity sun." "In what does the sun find its support?" "The eye. "In what does the eye find its support?" "Colours, for one sees colours with the eye." "In what do colours find their support?" "The heart (mind)," said Yajnavalkya, "for one knows colours through the heart. Therefore it is in the heart that colours find their support." "Just so, Yajnavalkya."

21) "Yajnavalkya," said Sakalya, "what deity are you identified with in the south?" "With the deity Yama (the god of justice)." "In what does Yama find his support?" "The sacrifice." "In what does the sacrifice find its support?" "The remuneration of the priests." "In what does the remuneration find its support?" "Faith, for when a man has faith he remunerates the priest. Therefore it is in faith that the remuneration finds its support." "In what does faith find its support?" "The heart (mind)," said Yajnavalkya, "for one knows faith through the heart. Therefore it is in the heart that faith finds its support." "Just so, Yajnavalkya."

22) "Yajnavalkya," said Sakalya, "what deity are you identified with in the west?" "With the deity Varuna (the god of rain)." "In what does Varuna find his support?" "Water." "In what does water find its support?" "Semen." "In what does semen find its support?" "The heart," said Yajnavalkya. "Therefore they say of a new— born child who resembles his father that it seems as if he has sprung from his father's heart—that he has been created of his father's heart, as it were. Therefore it is in the heart that semen finds its support." "Just so, Yajnavalkya."

23) "Yajnavalkya," said Sakalya, "what deity are you identified with in the north?" "With the deity Soma (the moon and the creeper of that name)." "In what does Soma find its support?" "The initiatory rite." "In what does initiation find its support?" "Truth. Therefore they say to the one who is initiated: 'Speak the truth'; for it is in the truth that initiation finds its support." "In what does the truth find its support?" "The heart," said Yajnavalkya, "for through the heart one knows the truth; therefore it is in the heart that the truth finds its support." "Just so, Yajnavalkya."

24) "What deity," said Sakalya, "are you identified with in the fixed direction (i.e. overhead)?"

"With the deity fire." "In what does fire find its support?" "Speech." "In what does speech find its support?" "The heart." "In what does the heart find its support?"

25) "You ghost," said Yajnavalkya, "that you think that the heart should be elsewhere than in ourselves! If it were elsewhere than in ourselves, dogs would eat this body or birds tear it to pieces."

26) "In what do the body and the heart find their support?" asked Sakalya. "In the prana." "In what does the prana find its support?" "In the apana." "In what does the apana find its support?" "In the vyana." "In what does the vyana find its support?" "In the udana." "In what does the udana find its support?" "In the samana." Here the Upanishad itself states: This self is That which has been  described as "Not this, not this." It is imperceptible, for It is never perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. Yajnavalkya said: "These are the eight abodes, the eight organs of vision, the eight deities and the eight beings. "Now I ask you about that Person who is to be known only from the Upanishads, who definitely projects those beings and again withdraws them into Himself and who is at the same time transcendental. "If you cannot clearly explain Him to me, your head shall fall off?' Sakalya did not know Him; his head fell off; and robbers snatched away his bones, mistaking them for something else.

27) Then Yajnavalkya said: "Venerable brahmins, whosoever among you wishes to question me may now do so, or all of you may. Or whosoever among you desires it, I shall question him, or I shall question all of you. But the brahmins did not dare.

28) Yajnavalkya interrogated them with the following verses: 1. As is a mighty tree, so indeed is a man: this is true. His hairs are the leaves and his skin is the outer bark. 2. From his skin blood flows and from the bark, sap. Therefore when a man is Wounded blood flows, as sap from a tree that is injured. 3. His flesh is its inner bark and his nerves are its innermost layer of bark, which is tough. His bones lie within, as does the wood of the tree. His marrow resembles the pith. 4. A tree, when it is felled, springs again from its root in a new form; from what root, tell me, does a man spring forth after he is cut off by death? 5. Do not say: From the semen, for that is produced from the living man. A tree springs from the seed as well; after it is dead it certainly springs again. 6. If a tree is pulled up with its root, it will not spring again. From what root, tell me, does a mortal spring forth after he is cut off by death? 7. If you think he is indeed born, I say: No, he is born again. Now who should again bring him forth? The Upanishad states: It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss, the ultimate goal of him who offers wealth and also of him who has realized Brahman and stands firm in It.