The Upanishads were the first written texts to influence a large number of beliefs in East Asia. Originally written in Sanskrit, they introduced several key terms to the religions of the region. One of them is "Brahman", a concept in Hinduism that describes the nature of reality. Another is “atman”, which describes the nature of the soul. Its usage is widespread; Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism all refer to "atman" in their beliefs.
I recently finished reading an English translation of the Upanishads, and I can see how it's influenced spirituality all over the east. Here are some quotes that I liked:
“May my life emerge in the Immortal
When my body is reduced to ashes.
O mind, meditate on the eternal Brahman.
Remember the deeds of the past.
Remember, O mind, remember.”
Isha Upanishad
“The wise, realizing through meditation
The timeless Self, beyond all perception,
Hidden in the cave of the heart,
Leave pain and pleasure far behind.
Those who know they are neither body nor mind
But the immemorial Self, the divine
Principle of existence, find the source
Of all joy and live in joy abiding.”
Katha Upanishad
“That which is the source of the sun
And of every power in the cosmos, beyond which
There is neither going nor coming,
Is the self indeed. For this self is supreme!”
Katha Upanishad
“When a person dies, it is only the physical body that dies; that person lives on in a nonphysical body, which carries the impressions of his past life. It is these impressions that determine his next life. In this intermediate state he makes and dissolves impressions by the light of the self.”
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
“We live in accordance with our deep, driving desire.
It is this desire at the time of death that determines
what our next life will be. We will come back to earth
to work out the satisfaction of that desire.
But not those who are free from desire; they are free
because all their desires have found fulfillment in
the Self. They do not die like the others; but realizing
Brahman, they merge into Brahman."
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
“Like the wind, like clouds, like thunder and
lightning, which rise from space without physical
shape and reach the transcendent light in their own
form, those who rise above body-consciousness ascend
to the transcendent light in the real form, the self.”
Chandogya Upanishad
"The little space within the heart is as great as the vast universe. The heavens and the Earth are there, and the sun and the moon and the stars. Fire and lightning and winds are there, and all that now is and all that is not."
Chandogya Upanishad
“The Lord, who is the supreme magician,
Brings forth out of himself all the scriptures,
Oblations, sacrifices, spiritual disciplines,
Past and present, and the whole universe.
Invisible through the magic of maya,
He remains hidden in the hearts of all.”
Shvetashvatara Upanishad
"I am the food of life, I am, I am;
I eat the food of life, I eat, I eat.
I link food and water, I link I link.
I am the first-born in the universe;
Older than the gods, I am immortal.
Who shares food with the hungry protects me;
Who shares not with them is consumed by me.
I am this world and I consume this world.
They who understand this understand life."
Taittiriya Upanishad
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