The Taittiriya Upanishad: Ascent to Joy
It is important to distinguish between pleasure and joy. Pleasure mainly comes from sense experience, is transitory and quite limited. Joy comes from being in harmony with the creative forces of the universe, and is permanent. This joy is our legacy, building up systematically. One model of the human being is the Self encased in five wrappings, starting with the material body, with the inner sheaths of vitality (prana), mind and intuition (buddhi), and finally joy.
Part I
4.1 “O Lord of Love, revealed in the scriptures
Who have assumed the forms of all creatures
Grant me wisdom to choose the path
That can lead me to immortality.
May my body be strong, my tongue be sweet;
May my ears hear always the sound of OM
The supreme symbol of the Lord of Love
And may my love for him grow more and more”.
Part II
1.1 “They have attained the goal who realize
Brahman as the supreme reality
The source of truth, wisdom, and boundless joy.
They see the Lord in the cave of the heart
And are granted all the blessings of life.
From Brahman came space; from space, air;
From air, fire; from fire water; from water
Earth; from earth, plants, food;
And from food
The human body, head, arms, legs, and heart.”
2.1 “From food are made all bodies, which become
Food again for others after their death.
Food is the most important of all things
For the body; therefore it is best
Medicine for all the body’s ailments.”
“The physical sheath is made up of food.
Within it is contained the vital sheath…
The vital sheath is made of living breath…”
4.1 “Within the mental sheath, made up of waves
Of thought, there is contained the sheath of wisdom…”
5.1 “Wisdom means a life of selfless service…
The wisdom sheath is made of detachment.
Within it is contained the sheath of bliss.”
6.1 “Those who deny the Lord deny themselves;
Those who affirm the Lord affirm themselves.
The wise, not the unwise, realize the Lord.
Part III
What is Brahmin?
7.1 “Respect food: the body is made of food;
Food and body exist to serve the Self.
8.1 Waste not food, waste not water, waste not fire;
Fire and water exist to serve the Self.
9.1 Increase food. The earth can yield much more.
Earth and space exist to serve the Self.
10.1 Refuse not food to those who are hungry.
When you feed the hungry, you serve the Lord”.
10.5 “Those who understand this see through the world
And go beyond the various sheaths
Of being to realize the unity that all life is one
Are at home everywhere and see themselves
In all beings. They sing in wonder;
I am the food of life, I eat, I eat”.