QUOTE(Vagrant Dreamer @ Feb 13 2007, 12:14 PM)
Recently I ran into a term I have not seen before, "Mahavakyas" which in the text I was reading loosely was translated as 'great thoughts'. I went to find these, all 108 of them, but was unable to find but a handful, and no guide towards where to find them all. I have not read the totality of the upanishads, but am lead to believe that they are there in them? As it happens there are 108 upanishads as well, so I had thought perhaps there was one revealed in each part of the text?
If anyone happens to have either a file listing them all, or knows something about where I might discern these, I would appreciate the information.
peace
Evening son.Im really filled with joy that the books of the past with great knowledge like the upanishads are still being read by the younger generations.
The number of mahavakyas there is generally a great debate on how many there really are but most including myslef have settled on the main four.namely
1)Absolute Consciousness is Brahman
2)That thou art
3)I am Brahman
4)The consciousness is within me and therfore the Self is Brahman
These great thoughts are to be meditated upon to achieve divine knowledge on the concept of the eternal brahman and how that divine essence is within everyone of us.it also relates to the mirco macro principle in the vedas where we are the micro level universe and how every small thought by us has the power to change and effect thruout the entire universe.
Basically the mahavidyas teaches one that each one of us has the eternal brahman within us and therefore instead of finding the answers from external sources which may or not be accurate we should look within ourselves,within our inner divinity for the answers to the questions we seek.By getting to know ourselves we get to know the Eternal brahman so that would equate to one who knows himself knows god.
When one stops listening to the voices around him and starts listening to the voice within him,he takes a monumental step towards enlightenment.