Upanishads - Ishavasya
Mukhya (Principal)Yajur Veda18 Verses

Ishavasya

Mukhya (Principal)Yajur Veda

《伊沙瓦西亚奥义书》(Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad)是“主要奥义书”(mukhya)之一,隶属白夜柔吠陀(Śukla Yajurveda),共18颂,篇幅极短却高度凝练。开篇“īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvam”宣示:一切运动的宇宙皆为主宰(Īśa)所“覆盖/贯穿”,从而赋予世界以神圣维度。由此引出伦理要义:“tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ”(以舍离而受用)与“mā gṛdhaḥ”(勿贪、勿据为己有)。 本书并不把行动(karma)与知识(vidyā)简单对立,而强调融通。“kurvann eveha karmāṇi… śataṃ samāḥ”指出:人可以在世间尽责而不受系缚,只要行动不出于自我占有与我执。随后通过vidyā–avidyā(以及sambhūti–asambhūti)的辩证教导,警示偏执一端将导向“黑暗”;二者的正当理解与结合,才能“越过死亡”而趋向“不死”(amṛta)。 结尾以“金色器皿”(hiraṇmayena pātreṇa)象征真理之面被耀眼光辉所遮蔽。求道者祈请太阳神(Sūrya/Pūṣan)移去遮蔽,使其得见真实之法(dharma)并证悟内在之“人”(puruṣa)。在商羯罗(Śaṅkara)的不二论(Advaita)诠释中,核心是证得我(Ātman)与梵(Brahman)同一,业行多为净化之助缘;其他传统则更强调Īśa作为内在于宇宙的个人主宰与奉献(bhakti)的向度。

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Key Teachings

Īśāvāsyatā (divine pervasion): the entire moving universe is pervaded/inhabited by Īśa.

Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ: true “enjoyment” is through relinquishment and inner freedom, not possession.

Mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasvid dhanam: non-appropriation and non-greed as a direct implication of non-dual vision.

Karma-yoga orientation: action can be lived for “a hundred years” without bondage when performed without egoic claim.

Vidyā–Avidyā synthesis: exclusive pursuit of either leads to darkness; integrated understanding enables crossing death and attaining immortality.

Sambhūti–Asambhūti dialectic: the manifest and the unmanifest must be understood without one-sided absolutization.

Ātman vision: the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self; compassion and fearlessness arise from this insight.

The “golden vessel” motif: the brilliance of appearances veils Truth; prayer and discernment remove the covering.

Sūrya/Pūṣan invocation: the cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) and inner realization converge in the solar symbolism.

Liberation (amṛtatva): immortality as realization of the innermost reality, not mere post-mortem survival.

Verses of the Ishavasya

18 verses with Sanskrit text, transliteration, and translation.

Verse 1

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥१॥

此一切——凡在这动荡世界中运动者——皆为主所遍覆、所贯穿。以舍离之心而受用;莫贪求任何人的财物。

Brahman/Īśvara-pervasion; tyāga (renunciation) as the basis of right enjoyment; aparigraha (non-possessiveness)

Verse 2

कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः । एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥२॥

唯在此世行事不辍,方当愿活百年。于你而言,别无他途;如此行者,业不染人。

Karma-yoga and akarma-bandha (non-binding action); niṣkāma-karma; jīvanmukti orientation

Verse 3

असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसाऽऽवृताः । ताँस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥३॥

那些世界名为“无日之界”,被致盲的黑暗所覆。凡戕害自我(我性、阿特曼)之人,死后皆趋往彼处。

Avidyā (ignorance) and ātma-han (self-negation); bondage leading to dark states; necessity of Self-knowledge

Verse 4

अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत् । तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठत्तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥४॥

那唯一者不动,却比心念更迅疾;诸天不能及,因为祂先行在前。祂虽安住不移,却超越一切奔走者;在祂之中,摩多利施梵(风)安置诸水。

Brahman (transcendent-immanent Absolute) and its paradoxical nature beyond motion/rest

Verse 5

तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके । तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥५॥

祂行而不行;祂远而又近。祂在这一切之内;祂亦在这一切之外。

Brahman as immanent and transcendent; non-duality beyond opposites (dvandva-atīta)

Verse 6

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्येवानुपश्यति । सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥६॥

惟有那人于自我(我性、Ātman)中观见一切众生,又于一切众生中观见自我——从此不再退缩,不生厌憎。

Ātman-Brahman nonduality; sarvātma-bhāva; liberation through knowledge (jñāna) removing aversion (dveṣa)

Verse 7

यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मैवाभूद्विजानतः । तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥७॥

对那位智者而言,一切众生在他之中唯成自我(我、Ātman)——见一体者,于彼还有何迷妄?还有何忧悲?

Ātman–Brahman non-duality; removal of śoka/moha through ekatva-darśana

Verse 8

स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रणमस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् । कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भू याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥८॥

祂遍行周遍:光明灿然、无身无形、无伤无疵、无筋无脉、清净纯一、不为恶所染。祂是见者、智思者、超越一切者、自有者——依诸法如实之性,安立万物及其义理,历经恒久之岁月。

Brahman/Iśvara as all-pervading, pure, actionless (nirdoṣa) reality; cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) and intelligent governance

Verse 9

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते । ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥९॥

崇奉无明者,堕入盲暗之中;而仿佛坠入更深的黑暗——那些沉迷于“知识”者。

Vidyā–avidyā dialectic; critique of one-sided paths; necessity of integral understanding (later resolved in 10–11)

Verse 10

अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्ययाऽन्यदाहुरविद्यया । इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥१०॥

人们说:由圣智(vidyā)所达者是一事;由无明(avidyā)所趋者又是一事。我们如是从诸贤哲处听闻,他们已为我们明示此义。

Vidyā–avidyā viveka (discrimination between higher knowledge and ignorance)

Verse 11

विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह । अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥११॥

知此者——圣智(vidyā)与无明(avidyā)二者并知——以无明而越死,以圣智而得不死。

Sādhana-samuccaya (integration of karma/upāsanā leading toward mokṣa); amṛtatva (immortality)

Verse 12

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते । ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥१२॥

崇奉未显(asambhūti)者,堕入盲暗之中;而沉迷于显现(sambhūti)者,仿佛堕入更深的黑暗。

Saguna–nirguna (manifest/unmanifest) discernment; limitation of one-sided upāsanā; avidyā of partial views

Verse 13

अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवात् अन्यदाहुरसम्भवात् । इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥१३॥

有人说:由sambhava(生成、显现)而来是一回事;又有人说:由asambhava(不生成、不显现)而来是另一回事。我们如是从智者处听闻,他们已为我们阐明此义。

Brahman–world relation; sambhūti/asambhūti as complementary standpoints; avidyā/vidyā coordination

Verse 14

सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह । विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्यामृतमश्नुते ॥१४॥

知晓sambhūti(生成、显现)与vināśa(坏灭、消融)二者并行者——以vināśa越度死亡,以sambhūti得享不死。

Mokṣa through integrated knowledge (vidyā) and engagement (karma); transcendence of mṛtyu via insight into impermanence and realization of the immortal

Verse 15

हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् । तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥१५॥

真理之面被金色之器所覆蔽。噢Pūṣan,请为我揭开它,使奉行真理之法(satya-dharma)者得以瞻见。

Māyā/āvaraṇa (veiling); realization of Brahman (satya) beyond luminous appearances; prayer for direct vision (aparokṣānubhūti)

Verse 16

पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह। तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि। योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि॥१६॥

噢 Pūṣan,独一的见者;噢 阎摩;噢 太阳神 Sūrya,生自 Prajāpati——请收摄并撤回你的光线。愿我得见你最吉祥的形相——你的光辉。那在彼处(于日轮之中)的 Purusha,那就是我。

Ātman–Brahman identity; removal of the ‘golden’ veil (avidyā) obscuring Truth

Verse 17

वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम्। ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर॥१७॥

愿生命之息(vāyu)归于不死之风;而此身终归为灰。Oṃ——噢 Kratu(意志/心念),忆念;忆念所行。噢 Kratu,忆念;忆念所行。

Anta-kāla smṛti (final remembrance), karma and its fruition, distinction of perishable body and ‘immortal’ prāṇa/cosmic principle; preparation for mokṣa

Verse 18

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्। युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम॥१८॥

噢 火神 Agni,请以善道引领我们趋向丰饶;噢 神明,知晓一切途径者。请从我们身上驱除使人迷失的罪垢。我们愿向你奉上最丰盛的敬礼之辞。

Grace and guidance toward mokṣa; purification from pāpa/avidyā; ‘supathā’ as the right path (dharma/jñāna)

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