he Attainment of Truth in the Hindu Upanishads and Platonic Philosophy

Abstract

This research focuses on the issue of attaining truth as manifested in the Hindu Upanishads and in Platonic dialectical philosophy, addressing the main question: what are the similarities and differences between these two conceptions? The study adopts a comparative approach supported by textual and dialectical analysis. It examines the paths of meditation, realization of the absolute truth, and the transcendence of the individual ego in the Upanishads, and compares them with Platonic dialectics, which progress from opinion to demonstrative Knowledge and the soul’s ascent toward the Forms. The research objectives include clarifying the features of each conception, identifying points of convergence and divergence, and highlighting the shared human pursuit of truth. The study finds that in the Upanishads, truth is attained through a spiritual experience of union with the Absolute, while in Plato, it is achieved via a rational, dialectical ascent from the sensible to the intelligible. Despite the differences in method, both traditions share the same goal: realizing ultimate truth, reflecting a universal human endeavor across East and West to achieve complete knowledge and the liberation human existence.