Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s8.t2.4

v1.c7.s8.t2.4

Ideologists of Upanishad have made a clear distinction between good and bad results of Samsara, and have had a definite concept of karma. The good and bad results of Samsara were considered to be related to a human’s behaviour (ie good or evil). Well-doing and evildoing produce their corresponding karmas, which directly affects the living pattern or state of the doer in life and afterlife. Ideologists of Upanishad believe that people doing good will become saint, while doing evil will become villain. Well-doing mainly refers to compliance with various religious regulations of Brahmanism and performance of various obligations. Many ideologists of Upanishad clearly put forward the subject of Samsara during discussion, that is “me” or “Altman”, which is the producer of Karma, and the bearer of good and evil results in Samsara. Ideologists of Upanishad believe that the state of Samsara is associated with pain. Therefore, people should jump out of Samsara to reach a state of liberation, and to achieve this goal, the most fundamental point is to know the true nature of things, and obtain the supreme wisdom of “Brahman and Atman are one”. Samsara concept in Vedic Upanishad produces enormous influence to the philosophy of religion of later generations in India.