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The Upanishads are a collection of scriptures from the Hindu religion, explaining some of the main concepts of philosophy which went on to form the religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Summary of the Book The Upanishads began as oral teachings in the 8th Century BCE. In these oral lessons, the Hindu concepts of monism and Dharma first appeared, forming the basis of the Vedanta philosophy. This latest translation brings readers all the wisdom of the ancient Hindus on topics such as rebirth, karma, overcoming death, and detachment. Characteristic in its fluency and its straightforwardness, the Upanishads speak directly to the reader and teach him the values of human life just as gurus taught their pupils in ancient times. This translation begins with the idea that the Upanishads are ideally meant to be heard, and fall under the smriti class of literature. The translator has excluded later commentaries which aren’t part of the original text, and tries to showcase the true representation of the principal Upanishads. About Valerie J. Roebuck Valerie J. Roebuck is a practicing Buddhist, and a teacher of the Samatha tradition of meditation. An honorary Fellow at the University of Manchester, she has also written The Circle of Stars: An Introduction to Indian Astrology.