The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2575 page)

 
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see
VED
GA
.

 
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(Skt.). In Hinduism, the genre of texts which end or complete the Vedic corpus. For this reason they are also called
Ved
nta
, ‘the end of the Veda’. The word ‘upani
ad’ itself is usually understood to mean ‘esoteric teaching’, the preferred etymology (
upa
+
ni
+
ad
, ‘to sit close by’) referring to the proximity necessary for the transmission of such teachings. The Upani
ads, as texts, developed out of the earlier speculations on the Vedic ritual contained in the
Br
hma
as
and
ra
yakas
. In number they are counted by some as being over 200; traditionally, there are 108, listed at the beginning of
Muktika Upani
ad
. Nine show a clear relationship to preceding br
hma
as or
ra
yakas. Six more are commented on or mentioned by