Upanishads, << oo PAN uh shadz, >> are a group of writings that make up the last section of a collection of Hindu scriptures called the Vedas. The Upanishads form a basic part of Hinduism and have influenced most Indian philosophy. The Upanishads are sometimes called the Vedanta, which means the summing up of the Veda. The word Upanishads means to sit close to. It suggests that this sacred material was originally secret. Most of the Upanishads were composed as dialogues between a teacher and a student. The most important ones appeared between 800 and 600 B.C.
Several important Hindu schools of thought, including the sankhya and yoga schools, were founded on the teachings of the Upanishads. These teachings follow two basic philosophies. One states that there is a single fundamental reality, called Brahman, or God, which corresponds to Atman, the soul. Thus, there is no real distinction between the soul and God. The other Upanishadic philosophy states that each soul is individually eternal.
