*Chapter 1 - Introduction*
*Day 1*
Upanishad means sitting close, getting close - the individual mind getting close to the universal mind, the finite getting close to the infinite. The limited trying to access the unlimited, the known reaching out to the unknown.
There are nearly 1100 Upanishads. Among them 11 are very important and major. These are the dialogues between master and the disciple that happened thousands of years back.
In the literary sense the student will sit close to the teacher and learn from him as the teacher is embodiment of Wisdom, and the student is learning getting close to that wisdom, step by step.
This universe which is so diverse with its multiplicity, has so many levels of existence, of understanding of conflicts, of contradictions - how can something go close to something else?
To do so, needs skill. The Upanishads begin with a shanti mantra, that is, peace. Only when there is peace can anyone come closer to another.
If there is an atmosphere of hostility, everyone will be suspecting everybody else. There is mistrust and doubt.
Even though you are sitting close to each other your minds are worlds apart, then there can be no communication, no exchange, nothing can transfer between the two individuals or many individuals.
So first is peace. First and foremost, all the Upanishads begin with Shanti mantra, wishing for peace. There are three types of peace.
One is physical peace, an environment which is peaceful and serene. Second is peace at level of your thoughts and emotions or at the intellectual and emotional level.
And, the third is innermost peace, the peace in our soul. Wishing for these is the beginning of every Upanishad, so we chant the peace mantra three times. We say," Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi."
