Samnyasa Upanishads: Hindu Scriptures on Asceticism and Renunciation c5.s3.2

c5.s3.2

In examining the contents of the Saṃnyāsa Upaniṣads, the first, and possibly the most significant, issue I want to explore is the Brāhmaṇical self-understanding of the meaning and nature of renunciation. What is the purpose of renunciation? What theological definition of a renouncer's status does the Brāhmaṇical tradition provide? How does that definition affect other significant elements of the Brāhmaṇical religious world? The Saṃnyāsa Upaniṣads do not deal with these issues explicitly. A well-developed theology of renunciation, however, underlies their discussions of such central issues as the rite of renunciation and the rules governing a renouncer's life. It is this theology that I want to explore in this section, drawing on information provided by these and other Brāhmaṇical texts.