Maitrayana Upanishad

The Maitrayana Upanishad, likely composed in the late 1st millennium BCE, is a significant text within the Upanishadic literature associated with the Maitrayanas school of the Yajurveda. It explores metaphysical questions regarding Atman (Self, Soul) through a prose style divided into seven lessons (Prapathakas). Unlike religious scriptures, the Upanishads are philosophical works that transcend dogma, influencing thinkers like Arthur Schopenhauer, who regarded them as exemplars of human wisdom. The text is part of a broader collection of over 200 Upanishads, many of which were traditionally transmitted orally.