Historical Identifications: Spiritual Awakenings

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Spiritual Awakenings
Upanishads
The word Upanishad means "sitting down near," which refers to being around an illumined teacher who taught through questions and answers. The teachers also led by example in their daily lives. Upanishads, therefore, are teachings or "utterances of mystical truth" that offer a vision of human nature that is noble and exalted (Doherty par. 10). The teachings assert that our physical bodies are mere shadows of what we really are. No one knows who composed the Upanishads, but ten of them have been regarded as the chief ones for a thousand years. The Upanishads are spiritual teachings despite being wrapped in mythology and rituals. They also espouse reality. They state that reality is the very essence of the entire creation, and the same reality is our real self. As such, people are one with the power that created and sustained the universe. People can experience this oneness directly without priests, rituals, and religion playing an intermediary role.
Sri Krishna (Vishnu)
Sri Krishna is the mysterious reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, whose role is to foster and preserve the universe against the forces that perpetually seek to destroy and corrupt. Krishna appeared in the house of the Yadavas as a royal prince (Easwaran 1). He, therefore, has an enviable combination of a concealed spiritual power and earthly majesty. He has tactfully hidden his spiritual power, and many view him as an unimportant prince. However, some discerning people know he has the capacity to destroy evil and protect good. In the religious context, Krishna denotes the Indians' belief in the existence of a God who has spiritual powers. His appearance also symbolizes the need for spiritual guidance, especially in trying times like during wars.
Jiva
In Indian religious beliefs, jiva refers to the soul. The Indians believe that the jiva does not die; it travels from life to life (Easwaran 6). They further hold that the self or the soul wears the body as a garment. When the garment wears out, the soul discards it and puts on a new one. In the religious context, jiva (the soul) symbolizes reincarnation, which states that death is certain to the living, while rebirth is definite for the dead.
Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth
Setting in motion the wheel of truth was the first sermon of Buddha. The teachings were addressed to the group of five bhikkhus. In the teachings, he admonished against indulging in two extremes, which he termed unworthy and unprofitable (Rahula 6). The two extremes are devotion to the indulgence of self-pleasures and devotion to self-mortification. In the spiritual context, the teachings guide people on how to live. The teachings, for instance, assert that avoiding the two extremes leads one to a middle path, which leads to vision, knowledge, enlightenment, and insight. In a word, the teachings revolve around living rightfully, which includes having the right speech, view, and action, among others.
Part 2 (Buddhist Texts)
The Fire Sermon
The Fire Sermon was written by Buddha while he was living at Gayasisa in Gaya. Its purpose is to educate people on how to liberate themselves from impurities. Buddha employs several stylistic dev...