Book VIII, from 4 and 5:

... Self is the bridge. When man crosses that bridge, if blind, he shall see;
if sick, he shall be well; if unhappy, he shall be happy.
When he crosses that bridge, though it be night, it shall be day;
for heaven is shinning always.
Heaven is for those that are masters of themselves.
They can move anywhere in this world at their pleasure...

5

Sacrifice is to be master of oneself;
for through that mastery a wise man knows the Self.
Duty is to be master of oneself.
Through mastery a wise man knows the Self.

Vows are the mastery of oneself;
for through that mastery man gets the protection of the Self.
Silence is the mastery of oneself;
for through that mastery man attains the meditation upon the Self.

Fasting is the mastery of oneself;
for through that mastery man shares the imperishability of the Self.
A hermit’s life is that mastery.

In the Kingdom of Heaven are the springs of doing and knowing
that rise from Spirit itself;
beyond spreads the lake of joy;
beyond that blossoms the tree of immortality;
beyond that lies the town of spirit, full of light built by the Lord.

But heaven is for those that find the springs of doing and knowing;
they can move anywhere in this world at their pleasure.

Pages 109-110

I am choosing not to rate this as I am sure it is an excellent translation of the Upanishads. It just does not speak to my heart as Yeats, one of my favorite poets generally does. I liked his voice best in the introduction. It helped me to understand his work here and in poetry. I have had this particular book for years. I probably read it ages ago but just don't remember, probably because other Yeats has been more important to me. I also have to say that I don't like his supernatural writing in the autobiographical
A VISION or his wicked old, wild old man poems either. Still, Yeats is one of the most important poets of my life and of the English language. So I'm glad I took another look at this. His interest in Hinduism led him to Tagore, the great poet and Hindu theologian. I have loved reading Tagore over the years. So I am grateful to Yeats for the interests this book reflects.

From Google Books:

The Upanishads are a group of texts in Hindu sacred literature that are considered to reveal the ultimate truth and whose knowledge is considered to lead to spiritual emancipation. In the Upanishads, we find the finest flowering of the Indian metaphysical and speculative thought. They are utterances of seers who spoke out of the fullness of their illumined experience. Upanishad is derived from upa (near), ni (down) and sad (to sit). Hence, the term implies the pupils, intent on learning, sitting near the teacher to acquire knowledge and truth. There are over 200 Upanishads but the traditional number is 108. Of them, only 10 are the principal Upanishads: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashan, Mundaka, Mandukya, Tattiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya and Brihadaranyaka. This book is a forerunner in introducing these primary Upanishads to the uninitiated.

For a bookcrossing friend far away who expressed an interest in this book.

Just received. Thanks!

I didn't get much out of this book, maybe someone else will. Happy travels!