CLARA ON UPNISHAD

SUNIL: I have been reading some of Nagarjuna's work on emptiness. I amtrying to answer the question, why is compassion a critical part ofBuddhism and not in the Upanishads? Or am I wrong? I would love yourthoughts on this.

CLARA: I think Vedanta is philosophical and the Upanishads go straight to self-realization.I believe the tradition held that the aspirants ethics was already taken care before they approached the teachings.Buddhism, on the other hand, looks more like a graded method that includes the development of ethics.The Puranas are full of stories of the deities love affairs, or not?What about Rama and Sita? Is that not love?The Upanishads are the final teaching. The former stages are implicit.Many thanks and love, 

SUNIL: Knowing the puranas is one thing and really understanding is another.Same is true of Buddha'a emptiness and his insistence on compassionand wisdom.As for the love affairs in the Puranas like Ram and Sita and Krishnaand Radha had a lot of author's craft in them rather than facts. Whoknows what they actually said, all we know is what Valmiki and Vyassaid in the two epics.Yes, all religion including Buddhism insist on a lot ofpre-conditioning before you deserve to be one with god. The coreupnishads say no such precondition at least according to my reading.They flat out say you are it, just know it, in sixteen different ways.No need for love, sex or rituals. Methods, yes, meditate on OM, payattention, etc. Shiva in Tantra has 108 different ways to achievenirvana. None of them says be a good person and love your neighbour.


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