Neither is it accidental that the Upanishads contain no internal evidence as to when, where or by whom they were composed. Their very thesis is that we dwell in the midst of a timeless eternity. With everything so indissolubly united that particular areas or places are of no concern. Who might be the author of an idea or a way of communicating it must be of no importance whatsoever, since truth is truth.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The Upanishads lack specific historical details because their core message is that existence transcends time and place. The author of a truth is irrelevant since truth itself is universal.
- In plain terms
- These texts avoid naming authors or dates because they focus on eternal truths that do not depend on time or location.
- What can you take from it?
- Focus on the truth of an idea rather than who said it or when.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does the source of an idea matter if the idea is true?
- How do you distinguish timeless truth from cultural artifact?
Another view
Ignoring authorship can sometimes hide important historical or cultural context.
More from Robert T. Oliver
Ancient Indians had a far deeper confidence in living speech than in the moral, impersonal and derivative written communication. When words issued from the mou…
Permalink to quote #2
Related quotes
It is wise to listen, not to me but to the Word, and to confess that all things are one.
HeraclitusHeraclitus quote #4 There are truths which are not for all men, nor for all times.
VoltaireVoltaire quote #33 Truth is cosmically total: synergetic. Verities are generalized principles stated in semimetaphorical terms. Verities are differentiable. But love is omniembra…
Buckminster FullerBuckminster Fuller quote #55