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Kaivalya Upanishad or Kaivalyopanishad is one of 108 Upanishadic Hindu scriptures, written in Sanskrit. It belongs to the Shaiva sect, which worships the god Shiva, and is associated with the ''Krishna Yajurveda''. It is presented as a sermon by the god Brahma to the Vedic seer Ashvalayana. It extols Shiva and renunciation, which are said to lead to ''kaivalya'' (emancipation). In the Muktika canon listing, Kaivalya Upanishad occupies the 12th place in the 108 Upanishads. ==Content== The ''Kaivalya Upanishad'' has 26 verses, besides a prayer, which is repeated at the beginning and the end. The Upanishad is narrated as a conversation between the Vedic seer Ashvalayana and the god Brahma. It derives its name from the name ''kaivalya'', which means isolation, thus emancipation. ''Kaivalya'' also means “absoluteness” and this Upanishad, while reiterating all earlier enunciated precepts on aspects of renunciation, adds its own perceptions on the subject. When Ashvalayana tells the god to reveal the mysteries of Brahmavidya to understand the Supreme Being Purusha, Brahma preaches the importance of Sannyasa (renunciation). Ascetics are said to reach a world greater than Svarga (heaven) and attain emancipation in Brahma's realm at the dissolution of the universe.〔 Brahma then tells about the greatness of the god Shiva and advises to mediate on him. Shiva is said to have many forms. At the same time, he is the Eternal one, all-pervading, form-less chidananda ("consciousness-bliss"). The iconography of Shiva is briefly described; he has a blue-throat and has three eyes. He is the all-seeing one and origin of the universe. Shiva is then equated with other deities like Brahma, Vishnu, the king of gods Indra, the fire-god Agni, the Sun and the Moon as well as abstract concepts like Time, prana (life-force) etc.〔 Brahma states that one must see "the Atman (soul) in all beings, and all beings in the Atman" to attain salvation. One must be like a arani ("churning stick") and Om, and churn out the ''ajnana'' (ignorance; opposite of ''jnana'' - knowledge) by mediatation. A ''jiva'' (being) immersed in ''Maya'' (delusion) enjoys bodily pleasures like women, food and drink. In this sleep of Maya, the being steeps into ''Tamas'' (darkness) and feels unreal joy.〔〔 Chanting of Om, which devolves on the Brahman, is akin to the way fire is created by friction between a pair of fire sticks. This fire lights up awareness in the heart by burning away all faults. The jiva has three bodies ("the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep"), which all originate from the Supreme Brahman, equated with Shiva. Brahma then talks of Shiva's speech, who declares himself as the Supreme Being, Sadashiva. Written in first person, Shiva is called the Consciousness, the Eternal one, Purusha. He is exalted as the guru of the Vedas and Vedanta, beyond birth and death, the Lord, the Light and the Universe. He is the one who sees without eyes and hears without ears. It is beyond the elements and incomprehensible. He is said to the Paramatman (Supreme Soul), which resides in all beings.〔〔 In the end, the glories of reciting the ''Kaivalya Upanishad'' are told. Recitation of this Upanishad and surrender to Shiva is said to free one of various sins, end the cycle of ''samsara'' (birth-death-rebirth). One attains Supreme Knowledge and ''kaivalya''.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kaivalya Upanishad」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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