[Provided by Jogye Order Publishing]
[Provided by Jogye Order Publishing]

"Who am I?"

A new book charts the journey toward inner peace and freedom through enlightenment.

Monk Hyeonjin, a Sanskrit scholar and director of the Sanskrit Research Institute at Bongseonsa Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, has published a Korean translation of the 18 major Upanishads.

Written roughly 2,500 years ago, the Upanishads are regarded as the root of all Indian philosophy, including Buddhism. More than 200 texts have been passed down, of which 10 to 18 are considered to contain the essence of the tradition.

The book brings together all 18 of the most significant texts in a fresh translation. Its greatest strength is the effort to fully restore the primal power and spirit of the original language.

The word "Upanishad" literally means secret teachings received while sitting close at the feet of a teacher. It conveys not mere transmission of knowledge but instruction through dialogue between teacher and student, repeated study and meditation.

Hyeonjin studied Sanskrit in India, spending four to five years reading the 18 Upanishads while sitting close to two local teachers. The notes he compiled during that period form the basis of this publication.

The central insight the Upanishads pursue is the realization that "Brahman" — the source of the universe — and "Ātman" — the true self within each person — are originally one and the same.

The understanding that we are all connected to the vast life force of the universe offers people today, amid anxiety and conflict, a profound sense of comfort and liberation.

The book is organized in two parts: "Understanding the Upanishads," which covers the philosophical and historical background of the texts, and the full translations of the 18 major works.

It traces the intellectual development from the ancient Indian scriptures known as the Vedas through to the Upanishads, examining their core philosophy in depth. It also explores the characteristics of the Sanskrit language and the Devanagari script, and explains the key philosophical concepts underpinning the Upanishads.

The translations of the 18 major Upanishads are accompanied by detailed footnotes, endnotes and a bibliography to help readers grasp the depth of the material. Sanskrit source texts and sentence-by-sentence commentary are also available through the website of the Bongseonsa Sanskrit Research Institute.


mss@heraldcorp.com