Why people recommend it
The Upanishads by Swami Paramananda is a collection of ancient Hindu philosophical and spiritual texts that explore the nature of reality, consciousness, and the self. On the Lex Fridman Podcast, host Lex Fridman discussed how Hermann Hesse immersed himself in translations of ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, studying these sacred writings alongside the Bhagavad Gita. Later in the same podcast series, musician Tal Wilkenfeld shared with Lex Fridman that she has deeply studied the Upanishads alongside Vedanta teachers while staying at monasteries. She explained how the monastic practices involve diving directly into and meditating on these foundational scriptures rather than relying purely on intellectual analysis, noting that the way the texts break down spiritual concepts resonates completely with her inner knowing and heart.
Who recommended it
- Tal Wilkenfeld Discussed
- Lex Fridman Discussed
Tal Wilkenfeld — 2 mentions
“Like I've studied like the Upanishads like with Vedanta teachers and like gone through those texts for months and months and stayed at monasteries. And like how they break it down makes total sense to my mind and heart and like my, more importantly than my mind, like my inner knowing.”
“Instead we are meditating on the scriptures, like the Upanishads. And we're like, diving into that.”
Lex Fridman — 1 mention
“Hesse immersed himself in translations of ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, studying the "Upanishads" and the "Bhagavad Gita."”