Question 3- Upanishads: Rebirth The central philosophical concepts of the Upanishads focused on the idea of karma and rebirth. Karma, according to the Upanishads was the idea of one’s actions, thoughts, intentions all were later rewarded or punished by the law of cause and effect. This idea of karma deals with the concept of rebirth, one has to pay for one’s faults of the last life in their current life: eventually leading to liberation and Brahman. Brahman is said to be the ultimate force and reality of the universe. According to the Upanishads, this reality of Brahman was in our own self, called atman. The ignorance of this fact starts a conflict with our inner self and inner peace. To know Brahman, is to know oneself, until this is not realized, humans are cursed with rebirth. “ The person whoknows this Brahman as his atman has no need to fear death, for this atman is complete in itself, self-existent, wise and immortal” (Hopkins 38). The notion of the self according to the Upanishads was the key to eternal peace, wisdom and the reality of the world. This realization of self is obtained by rejecting superficial craving and desires, learning that one self is the ultimate reality of Brahman. “ The self is what Brahman is: the one beyond all natural and cosmic processes. In it there is no diversity; it is unborn, great and constant, without impurity… one who knows it as the one great Brahman is free of endless death and rebirth” (Hopkins 42). The human mind, heart and personality is clouded by desire. The desires for anything that can make someone act upon their aspirations. Desire causes as distortion in one’s being. Desire manipulates one into taking action: wise or foolish, good or bad. This action is called Karma. The reason why desire tampers with one’s peace and bliss is because one is blinded by their desires, ignoring their true self. People are said to be ignorant, until the day they realize that Brahman is with them, that their self is the actual...