Not by Bread or Breath Alone

 

I was reading a translated version of The Upanishads and came across a passage which reads:

"Man does not live by breath alone, but by him in whom is the power of breath"

I thought it sounds close to the Bible verse: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Without research into the real meaning of each I feel both point to the need to be aware of something beyond the worldly and physical aspects of our life.

I also feel that all religions try to direct us to transcend the conventional reality of the worldly life. Each religion has its own interpretation of the ultimate truth. 

However I also think that our limited human mind will never comprehend what lies beyond. Much like an ant which does not realise there is a world beyond its own, so too humans do not have the capacity to provide answers to what is the ultimate truth. At most there are only speculations which turn to beliefs to sustain the human spirit and the need for an existential answer.

Nevertheless one should not despair not knowing the Truth. It suffices to know that there is something beyond that connects with each breath we take.