Religious Studies > DISCUSSION POST > RELI 448N Week 2 Discussion: Upanishads - Graded An A (All)

RELI 448N Week 2 Discussion: Upanishads - Graded An A

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I choose option one and the key concept I chose from the Upanishads is Atman. Atman can be described as a core part of yourself, psyche, your spiritual principle or essence of you the individual, something that is genderless, shapeless or bodiless in aspect of one’s kind. When you die your Atman does not go away or disappear. Atman in regard to, no going away is thought to transmigrate into another life of reincarnation. That process of rebirth is called the samsara and how it plays together with Atman. “It is desire for objects that gets you caught in samsara. This desire activates you. You cannot escape experiencing the fruits of your actions. So back you come into the world, after death. You alone are the cause of this transmigration; no one else is the cause.” (Ashram (2021) p. 37) In regard to Brahman and Atman can be said to be the same except Atman being the essence of an individual being a part of Brahman and Brahman is a more universal essence, spirit which is underlying to all things. “Atman, when experienced fully, is identical with Brahman. Atman, like Brahman, is divine, holy, and timeless. Often the term Brahman refers to the experience of the sacred within nature and the external universe, while Atman refers to the experience of the sacred within oneself. However, the same divine nature simply has two names, and both terms may be used interchangeably.” (Molloy, 2020, p. 82) I thought these five concepts very confusing at first and had to re-read them a lot to get a solid understanding of them and how they affect each other. But after having this solid understanding I find them very interesting and the similarities they have with my own religion. This concept[s] relates closely to my understanding and found it very intriguing to read. In the fact that if Hinduism refers to the atman as one’s inner essence which I consider that my own soul or spirit which I produce fruits of my labor be it good or bad. This in turn I feel commits me to a samsara of sorts with the potential of spending an eternity in a heaven or hell so to speak. I never knew going into this class that there were similarities between my own religion and Hinduism. This is beginning to be an eye opening and mind blowing experience for me and at my age that is no easy task. References: Molloy, M. (2020). Experiencing the World's Religions, 8th Edition. Ashram, S. 2021. Isavasya Upanishad for Beginners https://www.swami-krishnananda.org/isavasya/Isavasya.Upanishad.for.Beginners.pdf [Accessed 6 March 2021].

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