Originally posted by lausey
If you read carefully what I said, you will find that I didn't say, "certain", but "determining quite accurately".
Science works on probability. Based on what we observe around us, and on evidence, we can determine mechanisms in nature. All the experiments can be traced back to the source, because they are ALL documented with references.
For example, we ...[text shortened]... n any way.
It will also be foolish for me accept what you say without questioning it.
I have no argument with most science (technologies) but when science comments on creation and life, then I have something to say, because what they present in those fields is pure speculation to the point of being incorrect.
The Vedanta Sutra is giving us information about things that is beyond our capabilities to know, (the soul, God, life after death, demigods, the spiritual realm......so if we do not accept that source, then we have nothing.
Here is a little something from the Vedas which may relax your critical manner;
Would you suggest that these writings are just all made up,.... and if you studied them, you would see they are they most informative and enlightened body of knowledge that is available.....without the need of empirical research, and to criticize them, is to not know what you are doing.
Overview of 18 Upanisads; 108 main Upanisads
(from S. Radhakrishnan - The Principal Upanisads)
Aitareya Upanisad
The Aitareya Upanisad belongs to the Rig Veda and the Upanisad proper consists of three chapters. This is part of the part of the Aitareya Aranyaka, and the Upanisad begins with the Fourth chapter of the second Aranyaka, and comprises Chapter IV, V and VI. The preceding parts deal with sacrificial ceremonies like mahavrata and their interpretations. It is the purpose of this Upanisad to lead the mind of the sacrificer away from the outer ceremonial to its inner meaning. All true sacrifice is inward. Sankara points out that there are three classes of men who wish to acquire wisdom. The highest consists of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are free and collected, who are eager for freedom. For these the Upanisad (Aitareya Aranyaka II. 4-6) is in tended. There are others who wish to become free gradually by attaining to the world of Hiranya-garbha. For them the knowledge and worship of the prana, life-breath is intended. (Aitareya Aranyaka II 1-3). There are still others who care only for worldly possessions. For them the meditative worship of Samhita is intended. (Aitareya Aranyaka III.)
Brhad-Aranyaka Upanisad
The Brhad-Aranyaka Upanisad which is generally recognized to be the most important of the Upanisads forms part of the Satapatha Brahmana. It consists of three Khandas or sections, the Madhu Khanda which expounds the teachings of the basic identity of the individual and the Universal Self, the Yajnavalkya or the Muni Kanda which provides the philosophical justification of the teaching of Khila Kanda, which deals with certain modes of worship and meditation, upasana, answering roughly to the three stages of religious life, sravana, hearing the upadesa or the teaching, manana, logical reflection, upapatti and nisidhyasana or contemplative meditation.
Of the two recensions of the Satapatha Brahmana, the Kanva and Madhyandina, Sankara follows the former.
Chandogya Upanisad
The Chandogya Upanisad belongs to the Sama Veda. Chandoga is the singer of the Saman (1). It is part of the Chandogya Brahmana which has ten chapters. The first two chapters of the Brahmana deal with sacrifices and other forms of worships. The other eight constitutes the Chandogya Upanisad.
The first and the second chapter discuss the problems of liturgy and doctrine such as the genesis and significance of Aum and the meaning and names of Saman.
chando sama gayati iti chandogah
Isa Upanisad
The Isa, also called the Isavasya Upanisad, derives its name from the opening word of the text Isavasya or Isa. It belongs to the Vajasaneyi school of the Yajur Veda. The Vajasaneyi Samhita consists of forty chapters of which this Upanisad is the last. Its main purpose is to teach the essential unity of God and the world, being and becoming. It is interested not so much in the Absolute in itself, Parabrahman, as in the Absolute in relation to the world, Paramesvara. It teaches that life in the world and life in the Divine Spirit are not incompatible.
Jabala Upanisad
The Jabala Upanisad belongs to the Atharva Veda and discusses a few important questions regarding renunciation.
Kaivalya Upanisad
The Kaivalya Upanisad belongs to the Atharva Veda and is called Kaivalya Upanisad as its study and practice lead to the state of Kaivalya or aloneness.
Katha Upanisad
Katha Upanisad, also called Kathakopanishad which belongs to the Taittiriya school of the Yajur Veda, uses the setting of a story found in ancient Sanskrit literature (1). A poor and pious Brahmana, Vajasravasa, performs a sacrifice and gives as presents the priests a few old and feeble cows. His son, Naciketas, feeling disturbed by the unreality of his father's observance of the sacrifice, proposes that he himself may be offered as offering (daksina) to a priest. When he persisted in his request, his father in rage said, 'Unto Yama, I give thee.' Naciketas goes to the abode of Yama and finding him absent, waits there for three days and nights unfed. Yama on his return, offers three gifts in recompense for the delay and discomfort caused to Naciketas. For the first, Naciketas asked, 'Let me return alive to my father.' For the second, 'Tell me how my good works (ista-purta) may not be exhausted'; and for the third, 'Tell me the way to conquer re-death (punar mrtyu).'
In the Upanisad, the third request is one for enlightenment on the 'great transition' which is called death.
The Upanisad consists of two chapters, each of which has three Vallis or sections.
There are some passages common to the Gita and Katha Upanisad.
(1) Taittiriya Brahmana III. I. 8; also see Mahabharata Anusasana Parva: 106. The first mention of the story is in the Rig Veda (X. 135) where we read how the boy Naciketas was sent by his father to Yama (Death), but was allowed to get back on account of his great faith, sraddha.
Kausitaki-Brahmana Upanisad
Kausitaki-Brahmana Upanisad, also called Kausitaki Upanisad (1) does not form a part of the Kausitaki Brahmana of thirty chapters which has come down to us and the name can be accounted for by treating the Aranyaka of which it forms a part as itself included in the Brahmana literature of the Rig Veda. (2) Sankara refers to it in several places in his commentary on the Brahma Sutra and Sankarananda has commented on it. There are various recensions of the text. The Upanisad has four chapters.
Sankarananda explains the name thus: ku kutsitam nindyam heyam ity arthah, sitalam samsarikam sukham yasya sa kusitah eva kusitakah tasyapatyam kausitakih. II. I.
Brahmanas also deal with Vedanta and so sometimes include the Upanisads: brahmanam api trividham, vidhi-rupam, arthavada-rupam, tad-ubhaya-vilaksanam ca, vidhy-arthavdobhaya-vilaksanam tu vedanta-vakyam. Madhusudana: Prasthana-bheda.
Kena Upanisad
The Kena Upanisad derives its name from the first word Kena, by whom, and belongs to the Sama Veda. It is also known as the Talavakara, the name of the Brahmana of the Sama Veda to which the Upanisad belongs.
It has four sections, the first two in verse and the other two in prose. The metrical portion deals with the Supreme Unqualified Brahman, the absolute principle underlying the world of phenomenon and the prose part of the Upanisad deals with the Supreme as God, Isvara. The knowledge of the Absolute, para vidya, which secures immediate liberation (sadyo-mukti) is possible only for those who are able to withdraw their thoughts from worldly objects and concentrate on the ultimate fact of the universe. The knowledge of Isvara, apara vidya, puts one on the pathway that leads to deliverance eventually (karma-mukti). The worshiping soul gradually acquires the higher wisdom which results in the consciousness of the identity with the Supreme.
Maitri Upanisad
The Maitri or Maitrayaniya Upanisad, belongs to the Maitrayaniya shakha or branch of the Black Yajur Veda. (1) Maitri is the principal teacher and Maitrayana is the name of the shakha to which the Upanisad belongs. It contains seven chapters of which the last two are comparatively modern. The whole Upanisad is later in date than the classical Upanisads which it quotes frequently. (2)
We have a reference to the trimurti conception Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in IV. 5, which also indicates the late date of the Upanisad. The three forms are traced to the three gunas, rajas, sattva and tamas in V. 2. Suggestions of the illusory character of the world, momentousness of phenomenon show the influence of Buddhist thought. Ramatirtha's commentary on the Upanisad is of much interest.
In some texts it is assigned to the Sama Veda.
From the grammatical peculiarities found in this Upanisad Max Muller ascribes the Upanisad 'to an early rather than late period.' Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XV (1900), p.6
Mandukya Upanisad
The Mandukya Upanisad belongs to the Atharva Veda and contains twelve verses. It is an exposition of the principle of aum as consisting of three elements, a, u, m, which refer to the three states of walking, dream and dreamless sleep. The Supreme Self is manifested in the universe in its gross, subtle and causal aspects. Answering to the four states of consciousness, wakefulness, dream, dreamless sleep, transcendental consciousness (1) these are aspects of the Godhead, the last alone being all-inclusive and ultimately real. The Absolute of mystic consciousness is the reality of the God of religion. The Upanisad by itself, it is said, is enough to lead one to liberation. (2)
Gaudapada, Sankara's teacher's teacher wrote his famous Karika on the Upanisad, which is the first systematic exposition of Advaita Vedanta which has come down to us. Sankara has commented on both the Upanisad and the Karika.
See Nrsimha-purva-tapaniya Upanisad U. IV. I.
Mandukyam ekam evalam mumuksunam vimuktaye, Muktika Upanisad I. 27.
Mundaka Upanisad
The Mundaka Upanisad belongs to the Atharva Veda and has three chapters, each of which has two sections. The name is derived from the root...