It is indeed true that in the Upanishads there is a large number of texts that describe the ultimate reality as the Brahman, the infinite, knowledge, bliss, and speak of all else as mere changing forms and names. The word Brahman originally meant in the earliest Vedic literature, mantra, duly performed sacrifice, and also the power of sacrifice which could bring about the desired result (l).

In many passages of the Upanishads this Brahman appears as the universal and supreme principle from which all others derived their powers. Such a Brahman is sought for in many passages for personal gain or welfare. But through a gradual process of development the conception of Brahman reached a superior level in which the reality and truth of the world are tacitly ignored, and the One, the infinite, knowledge, the real is regarded as the only Truth. This type of thought gradually developed into the monistic Vedanta as explained by Shankara. But there was another line of thought which was developing alongside of it, which regarded the world as having a reality and as being made up of water, fire, and earth. There are also passages in Shvetashvatara and particularly in Maitrayani from which it appears that the Samkhya line of thought had considerably developed, and many of its technical terms were already in use (2).

But the date of Maitrayani has not yet been definitely settled, and the details found there are also not such that we can form a distinct notion of the Samkhya thought as it developed in the Upanishads. It is not improbable that at this stage of development it also gave some suggestions to Buddhism or Jainism, but the Samkhya-Yoga philosophy as we now get it is a system in which are found all the results of Buddhism and Jainism in such a manner that it unites the doctrine of permanence of the Upanishads with the doctrine of momentariness of the Buddhists and the doctrine of relativism of the Jains.

1: See Hillebrandt’s article, “Brahman” (E. R.E.).
2: Katha III. 10, V. 7. Shveta. V. 7, 8, 12, IV. 5, I. 3. This has been dealt with in detail in Yoga Philosophy in relation to other Indian Systems of Thought, in the first chapter.

brahman, infinite knowledge, monistic, power of sacrifice, shankara, stage of development, upanishads, vedanta, vedic literature, water fire, yoga philosophy