The Upanishads are a set of Indian religious texts written almost 3,000 years ago. They were written so long ago that Hinduism wasn’t even really a thing. Just a bunch of idealistic truth seekers writing stuff down on parchment paper.
The Shandilya Upanishad is considered a minor text, and its focus is yoga. In this context, “yoga” doesn’t mean shavasana while wearing Lululemon, but rather the yoga philosophy of action, of doing, of engaging with the world
Within the Shandilya Upanishad is a list of 10 forebearances. You can think of them as 10 practices to build patience, or 10 sources of self control when mastered.
Religions love lists, and there are many similarities among these 10 forebearances with other great lists in religious history, from the Commandments to the Precepts. We’ll compare them in future posts. But for some reason, this list has stuck with me. So here they are.
1. Ahimsa – to not be violent to any living being, whether a human or a fire ant
2. Satya – to always express and act truthfully
3. Asteya – to not covet another’s possessions, whether a Tesla Model 3, or a happy family
4. Brahmacharya – to remain celibate while unmarried, and faithful while married
5. Daya – to act kindly toward all living beings
6. Arjava – to refuse to deceive or wrong others through any of your words, thoughts, or deeds
7. Kshama – to accept suffering while forgiving those who incur suffering upon you (“But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other also” – Jesus)
8. Dhriti – to remain calm and composed during periods of great gain or loss, whether of money or friends
9. Mitahara – to consume all things in moderation (“everything in moderation, including moderation” – attributed to Oscar Wilde, Ben Franklin, etc)
10. Saucha – to cleanse the body and the mind
It’s interesting that three of the 10 focus on truth – numbers 1, 2, and 6. Kind of like pledging in court to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”. I suppose deception is a core human struggle?
It’s also interesting that number 8 encourages you to stay calm not only when you’re doing poorly, but when you’re doing well.
Which items resonate with you the most?