Changes

*'''Translation 2''': Max Muller, The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University Press, Chapter 3: Taittiriya Upanishad, see Ananda Valli Invocation</ref>}}

*'''Translation 2''': Max Muller, The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University Press, Chapter 3: Taittiriya Upanishad, see Ananda Valli Invocation</ref>}}

The second chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad, namely Ananda Valli and sometimes called ''Brahmananda Valli'', focuses like other ancient Upanishads on the theme of [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (Self, Soul). It asserts that "Atman exists", it is [[Brahman]], and realizing it is the highest, empowering, liberating knowledge.<ref name=pauldeussenavintro>Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, page 232-235</ref> The Ananda Valli asserts that knowing one's Self is the path to freedom from all concerns, fears and to a positive state of blissful living.<ref name=pauldeussenavintro/>

The special feature of the second chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad, namely Ananda Valli and sometimes called ''Brahmananda Valli,'' is that it proclaims that the Brahman is Anandmaya or Supreme Bliss. Where there is bliss or joy, know, it asserts, there is light of Brahman. This chapter also shows by beautiful similes, the place of human joys and pleasure in relation to the Supreme Bliss of the Universal. This chapter deals directly with the ''Brahmagyanam'' which is the sole purpose of all Upanishads.<ref name=":3" />

 

This chapter focuses like other ancient Upanishads on the theme of [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (Self, Soul). It asserts that "Atman exists", it is [[Brahman]], and realizing it is the highest, empowering, liberating knowledge.<ref name="pauldeussenavintro">Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, page 232-235</ref> The Ananda Valli asserts that knowing one's Self is the path to freedom from all concerns, fears and to a positive state of blissful living.<ref name="pauldeussenavintro" />

The Ananda Valli is remarkable for its ''Kosha'' (Sanskrit: कोष) theory (or ''[[Maya (illusion)|Layered Maya]]'' theory), expressing that man reaches his highest potential and understands the deepest knowledge by a process of learning the right and unlearning the wrong. Real deeper knowledge is hidden in layers of superficial knowledge, but superficial knowledge is easier and simplistic. The Ananda Valli classifies these as concentric layers (sheaths) of knowledge-seeking.<ref>PT Raju, The Concept of the Spiritual in Indian Thought, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 4, No. 3, pages 195-213</ref> The outermost layer it calls ''Annamaya'' which envelops and hides ''Pranamaya'', which in turn envelops  ''Manomaya'', inside which is ''Vijnanamaya'', and finally the ''Anandamaya'' which the Upanishad states is the innermost, deepest layer.<ref name=pauldeussenavintro/><ref>S Mukerjee (2011), Indian Management Philosophy, in The Palgrave Handbook of Spirituality and Business (Editors: Luk Bouckaert and Laszlo Zsolnai), Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-0230238312, pages 82-83</ref><ref name=eliotdeutsch/>

The Ananda Valli is remarkable for its ''Kosha'' (Sanskrit: कोष) theory (or ''[[Maya (illusion)|Layered Maya]]'' theory), expressing that man reaches his highest potential and understands the deepest knowledge by a process of learning the right and unlearning the wrong. Real deeper knowledge is hidden in layers of superficial knowledge, but superficial knowledge is easier and simplistic. The Ananda Valli classifies these as concentric layers (sheaths) of knowledge-seeking.<ref>PT Raju, The Concept of the Spiritual in Indian Thought, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 4, No. 3, pages 195-213</ref> The outermost layer it calls ''Annamaya'' which envelops and hides ''Pranamaya'', which in turn envelops  ''Manomaya'', inside which is ''Vijnanamaya'', and finally the ''Anandamaya'' which the Upanishad states is the innermost, deepest layer.<ref name=pauldeussenavintro/><ref>S Mukerjee (2011), Indian Management Philosophy, in The Palgrave Handbook of Spirituality and Business (Editors: Luk Bouckaert and Laszlo Zsolnai), Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-0230238312, pages 82-83</ref><ref name=eliotdeutsch/>