How a fig fruit / seed led to one of the highest metaphysical principles This is a small anecdote given in the Chandogya Upanishad, Chapter 6. Shvetaketu was the only son of Rishi Uddalaka. When he turned twelve, Uddalaka sent him to a Gurukula for education. There he spent 12 years and got training in all branches of knowledge. He then returned to the hermitage of his father. He was very proud of his knowledge. Uddalaka found that his son has become arrogant and that he thinks he knows everything. One day Uddalaka called him by his side and asked him: “Shvetaketu, my boy, have you, ever sought out the knowledge of that by which the unheard can be heard, the unseen can be seen, the unknowable can be known?” Shvetaketu was perplexed. He had no idea about what his father had asked. So he requested his father to give him this knowledge. Then there ensued a dialogue between the two. During this dialogue Sage Uddalaka used the seed of the fig tree to prove the mystery of ātman and its manifestation. The Sage said looking at his son who was listening closely: ‘Bring hither a fig from there’ ‘Here it is, sir’ ‘Divide it’ ‘It is divided, sir’ What do you see inside?’ These rather fine seeds, sir’ ‘Of these, please divide one’ ‘It is divided, sir’ ‘What do you see there?’ ‘Nothing at all, sir’. Then he (Sage Uddalaka) said to his son: ‘verily, my dear, that finest essence, which you do not perceive; verily my dear, from that finest essence this great nygrodha thus arises. Believe me my dear’, said he, ‘that which is the finest essence, this whole world has that as its soul. That is Reality. That is ātman, that art thou, Shvetakethu.’ (Nygrodha- banyan tree). Uddalaka continued: ”‘My son, this great banyan tree has grown from a seed so small that you cannot see it. Believe me, an invisible and subtle essence is the Spirit of the whole universe. This is just a glimpse of the entire teachings of Uddalaka to Shvetaketu in which he gives a very comprehensive idea about the Brahman and how to realize That. This great saying emphasizes the concept od Non-duality in the Vedantic philosophy. Tat Tvam Asi ) is translated variously as "Thou art that," "That thou art," "That art thou," "You are that," "That you are," or "You're it": Tat: that; tvam : you, thou; asi: are, art Advaita philosophy interpreted it as “ absolute equality of 'tat', the Ultimate Reality, Brahman, and 'tvam', the Self, Atman. Shuddhadvaita says that oneness in "essence" between 'tat' and individual self; but 'tat' is the whole and self is a part.