There was a large stone slab where you now see a tiny wall to the east of Skandasram. Everyday we used to keep tooth powder and water over there for use by Sri Bhagavan. However cold it was, Sri Bhagavan would come and sit on the slab and clean his teeth. In the early morning sun’s rays, Sri Bhagavan’s body would shine beautifully. When it was very cold, devotees used to request him not to sit there, but Sri Bhagavan would not listen to them. We came to know the reason for this only later.
In Big Street, which is to the north of Arunachaleswara Temple, there was an elderly woman called Sowbagyathammal. She and a few others had taken a vow that daily they would eat only after they had seen Sri Bhagavan and Seshadriswami. Every day they used to climb the hill to have the darshan of Sri Bhagavan. One day Sowbagyathammal did not come. Among his devotees, if he found even one missing,Sri Bhagavan would ask whether he was all right. In the same way, he asked Sowbagyathammal the next day why she did not come the previous day. She said, “All the same I had your darshan, Bhagavan.” Sri Bhagavan said, “But you didn’t come yesterday.” She replied, “I could not climb the hill because of my weakness. But I was fortunate enough to have your darshan from my house.” She explained how she saw Sri Bhagavan when he was brushing his teeth sitting on the stone slab. She said if he brushed his teeth at the same place everyday, she would be able to see him every day from her house itself as she found it difficult to climb the hill. From then on, Sri Bhagavan brushed his teeth sitting on the stone,irrespective of weather conditions. It was a boon for other elderly people also.
Source: Reminiscences Tamil Original - by Sri Kunjuswami English Translation - by K. Subrahmanian
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi about Work and Renunciation
D - Devotee
M - Ramana Maharshi
D. The work may suffer if I do not attend to it.
M. Attending to the Self means attending to the work. Because you identify yourself with the body, you think that work is done by you. But the body and its activities, including that work, are not apart from the Self. What does it matter whether you attend to the work or not? Suppose you walk from one place to another: you do not attend to the steps you take. Yet you find yourself after a time at your goal. You see how the business of walking goes on without your attending to it. So also with other kinds of work.
D. It is then like sleep-walking
M. Like somnambulism? Quite so. When a child is fast asleep, his mother feeds him: the child eats the food just as well as when he is fully awake. But the next morning he says to the mother, “Mother, I did not take any food last night”. The mother and others know that he did, but he says that he did not; he was not aware. Still the action had gone on.
A traveller in a cart has fallen asleep. The bulls move, stand still or are unyoked during the journey.He does not know these events but finds himself in a different place after he wakes up. He has been blissfully ignorant of the occurrences on the way, but the journey has been finished. Similarly with the Self of a person. The ever-wakeful Self is compared to the traveller asleep in the cart. The waking state is the moving of the bulls; Samadhi is their standing still (because Samadhi means
Jagrat-Sushupti, that is to say, the person is aware but not concerned in the action; the bulls are yoked but do not move); sleep is the unyoking of the bulls, for there is complete stopping of activity corresponding to the relief of the bulls from the yoke.
Or again, take the instance of the cinema. Scenes are projected on the screen in the cinema-show. But the moving pictures do not affect or alter the screen. The spectator pays attention to them, not to the screen. They cannot exist apart from the screen, yet the screen is ignored. So also, the Self is the screen where the pictures, activities etc. are seen going on. The man is aware of the latter but not aware of the essential former.All the same the world of pictures is not apart from the Self. Whether he is aware of the screen or unaware, the actions will continue.
Source: Maharshi’s Gospel BOOKS I
M - Ramana Maharshi
D. The work may suffer if I do not attend to it.
M. Attending to the Self means attending to the work. Because you identify yourself with the body, you think that work is done by you. But the body and its activities, including that work, are not apart from the Self. What does it matter whether you attend to the work or not? Suppose you walk from one place to another: you do not attend to the steps you take. Yet you find yourself after a time at your goal. You see how the business of walking goes on without your attending to it. So also with other kinds of work.
D. It is then like sleep-walking
M. Like somnambulism? Quite so. When a child is fast asleep, his mother feeds him: the child eats the food just as well as when he is fully awake. But the next morning he says to the mother, “Mother, I did not take any food last night”. The mother and others know that he did, but he says that he did not; he was not aware. Still the action had gone on.
A traveller in a cart has fallen asleep. The bulls move, stand still or are unyoked during the journey.He does not know these events but finds himself in a different place after he wakes up. He has been blissfully ignorant of the occurrences on the way, but the journey has been finished. Similarly with the Self of a person. The ever-wakeful Self is compared to the traveller asleep in the cart. The waking state is the moving of the bulls; Samadhi is their standing still (because Samadhi means
Jagrat-Sushupti, that is to say, the person is aware but not concerned in the action; the bulls are yoked but do not move); sleep is the unyoking of the bulls, for there is complete stopping of activity corresponding to the relief of the bulls from the yoke.
Or again, take the instance of the cinema. Scenes are projected on the screen in the cinema-show. But the moving pictures do not affect or alter the screen. The spectator pays attention to them, not to the screen. They cannot exist apart from the screen, yet the screen is ignored. So also, the Self is the screen where the pictures, activities etc. are seen going on. The man is aware of the latter but not aware of the essential former.All the same the world of pictures is not apart from the Self. Whether he is aware of the screen or unaware, the actions will continue.
Source: Maharshi’s Gospel BOOKS I
Ramana Maharshi kindness to animals
23-5-49
One afternoon in 1946, at 2 pm some savouries prepared in the Asramam were distributed amongst the devotees. A few of them were given to Bhagavan also. Bhagavan ate them, drank some water,went out and came back, when some monkeys came to the window near his sofa. Seeing them, Bhagavan asked his attendants to go and bring some of the savoury preparations, saying, that the monkeys would relish them very much. The attendants returned saying that the people in the kitchen refused saying that they had not prepared enough savouries to feed the monkeys also. “Oho! How did we get them then?” said Bhagavan. “This is ration time,” said a devotee. “What if it is ration time? When we have rations, why should they (monkeys) not have rations as well? The problem will be solved if a ration card is obtained for the monkeys as well. They also eat these things with greater relish than we. If they do not have it, why should we have it either? When we are eating, see how those children (i.e., the monkeys) are looking at us,” said Bhagavan. Thereupon, they also got their share.
From that time onwards, Bhagavan used to accept things only after the monkeys’ share were given to them. It seems there was a practice before of taking out their share first before anything was distributed.
You know what happened one morning in 1946? Squirrels came on to Bhagavan’s sofa for cashew nuts. The nuts, which used to be in the tin near Bhagavan, were exhausted. Groundnuts were given instead. The squirrels would not eat them and began to express their discontent in all possible ways.“We don’t have them, my dears. What to do?” said Bhagavan, and tried to cajole them. No. They would not be appeased.
They were crawling over the legs and hands of Bhagavan continuously as a sign of their displeasure.So Bhagavan asked Krishnaswami to go and find out if there was any stock of cashew nuts in the store-room. Krishnaswami went and brought a few nuts. “Is that all?” asked Bhagavan. Krishnaswami said they were preparing payasam that night and so they could spare only that much. Bhagavan felt annoyed and said, “I see. Payasam will not be less tasteful if the cashew nuts are a little less in quantity than usual. What a pity. These squirrels do not like anything less and they are worrying me.The storekeepers have declined to give cashew nuts saying that they will have to put them into the payasam. Who will be worried if there are no cashew nuts in the payasam? See how these children are worrying themselves for want of cashew nuts?” With that, the cashew nuts which should have gone into payasam, went into the stomachs of the squirrels and also into the tin by his side (for future feeding of the squirrels).
Source: Letters From and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma Translated from Telugu by D. S. Sastry
One afternoon in 1946, at 2 pm some savouries prepared in the Asramam were distributed amongst the devotees. A few of them were given to Bhagavan also. Bhagavan ate them, drank some water,went out and came back, when some monkeys came to the window near his sofa. Seeing them, Bhagavan asked his attendants to go and bring some of the savoury preparations, saying, that the monkeys would relish them very much. The attendants returned saying that the people in the kitchen refused saying that they had not prepared enough savouries to feed the monkeys also. “Oho! How did we get them then?” said Bhagavan. “This is ration time,” said a devotee. “What if it is ration time? When we have rations, why should they (monkeys) not have rations as well? The problem will be solved if a ration card is obtained for the monkeys as well. They also eat these things with greater relish than we. If they do not have it, why should we have it either? When we are eating, see how those children (i.e., the monkeys) are looking at us,” said Bhagavan. Thereupon, they also got their share.
From that time onwards, Bhagavan used to accept things only after the monkeys’ share were given to them. It seems there was a practice before of taking out their share first before anything was distributed.
You know what happened one morning in 1946? Squirrels came on to Bhagavan’s sofa for cashew nuts. The nuts, which used to be in the tin near Bhagavan, were exhausted. Groundnuts were given instead. The squirrels would not eat them and began to express their discontent in all possible ways.“We don’t have them, my dears. What to do?” said Bhagavan, and tried to cajole them. No. They would not be appeased.
They were crawling over the legs and hands of Bhagavan continuously as a sign of their displeasure.So Bhagavan asked Krishnaswami to go and find out if there was any stock of cashew nuts in the store-room. Krishnaswami went and brought a few nuts. “Is that all?” asked Bhagavan. Krishnaswami said they were preparing payasam that night and so they could spare only that much. Bhagavan felt annoyed and said, “I see. Payasam will not be less tasteful if the cashew nuts are a little less in quantity than usual. What a pity. These squirrels do not like anything less and they are worrying me.The storekeepers have declined to give cashew nuts saying that they will have to put them into the payasam. Who will be worried if there are no cashew nuts in the payasam? See how these children are worrying themselves for want of cashew nuts?” With that, the cashew nuts which should have gone into payasam, went into the stomachs of the squirrels and also into the tin by his side (for future feeding of the squirrels).
Source: Letters From and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma Translated from Telugu by D. S. Sastry
Monday, 29 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi recollects about his first bhiksha which Lord Arunachaleswara gave him
10-10-46
Bhagavan also related today that on the morning of the day after his arrival he had his first meal at Tiruvannamalai. Apparently, he ate nothing at all on the first day. He said, “The next day I was walking up and down in the sixteen-pillared mantapam in front of the temple. Then a Mauni Swami who used to be living in the old days in the Kambathu Ilaiyanar temple came there from the temple.Another Palni Swami, a well-built man with long matted hair who used to do a lot of service, by clearing and cleaning the temple precincts with the help of a band of sannyasis, also came to the sixteen-pillared mantapam from the town. Then the Mauni looking at me, a stranger here, being in a hungry and exhausted condition, made signs to the above Palni Swami that I should be given some food. Thereupon the above Palni Swami went and brought some cold rice in a tin vessel which was all black, with a little salt strewn on top of the rice.There was a bit of pickle to go with it. That was the first bhiksha which Arunachaleswara gave me!”Actually there is not an iota of pleasure in what I eat now.
All the meals and sweets (pancha bhakshya paramanna) are nothing compared to that food,” said Bhagavan. “Was it on the very first day of Sri Bhagavan’s arrival in that place?” someone asked.
“No, no, the next day. Taking it as the first bhiksha given me by Ishwara, I ate that rice and pickle and drank the water given me. That happiness I can never forget,” remarked Sri Bhagavan.
“I believe there is some other story about Sri Bhagavan going to the town for the first time for bhiksha,” said one devotee.
“Yes, there used to be one lady devotee. She very often used to bring me some food or other. One day she arranged a feast for all the sadhus and pressed me to dine along with them.
I signalled her to say that I would not do so and that I would be going out begging.
I had either to sit and eat with them all or go out for bhiksha. Yes, it was God’s will, I thought, and started out for bhiksha. That lady had doubts as to whether I would go out for bhiksha or join the feast. She sent a man behind me.
As there was no escape I went to a house in the street to the left of the temple and standing in front of it, clapped my hands.
The lady of the house saw me and, as she had already heard of me,recognized me and called me in, saying, ‘Come in, my son,come in.’ She fed me sumptuously saying, ‘My boy, I have lost a son. When I see you, you seem just like him. Do come daily like
this, my boy.’ I subsequently learnt that her name was Muthamma,” said Bhagavan.
Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From a Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI
Bhagavan also related today that on the morning of the day after his arrival he had his first meal at Tiruvannamalai. Apparently, he ate nothing at all on the first day. He said, “The next day I was walking up and down in the sixteen-pillared mantapam in front of the temple. Then a Mauni Swami who used to be living in the old days in the Kambathu Ilaiyanar temple came there from the temple.Another Palni Swami, a well-built man with long matted hair who used to do a lot of service, by clearing and cleaning the temple precincts with the help of a band of sannyasis, also came to the sixteen-pillared mantapam from the town. Then the Mauni looking at me, a stranger here, being in a hungry and exhausted condition, made signs to the above Palni Swami that I should be given some food. Thereupon the above Palni Swami went and brought some cold rice in a tin vessel which was all black, with a little salt strewn on top of the rice.There was a bit of pickle to go with it. That was the first bhiksha which Arunachaleswara gave me!”Actually there is not an iota of pleasure in what I eat now.
All the meals and sweets (pancha bhakshya paramanna) are nothing compared to that food,” said Bhagavan. “Was it on the very first day of Sri Bhagavan’s arrival in that place?” someone asked.
“No, no, the next day. Taking it as the first bhiksha given me by Ishwara, I ate that rice and pickle and drank the water given me. That happiness I can never forget,” remarked Sri Bhagavan.
“I believe there is some other story about Sri Bhagavan going to the town for the first time for bhiksha,” said one devotee.
“Yes, there used to be one lady devotee. She very often used to bring me some food or other. One day she arranged a feast for all the sadhus and pressed me to dine along with them.
I signalled her to say that I would not do so and that I would be going out begging.
I had either to sit and eat with them all or go out for bhiksha. Yes, it was God’s will, I thought, and started out for bhiksha. That lady had doubts as to whether I would go out for bhiksha or join the feast. She sent a man behind me.
As there was no escape I went to a house in the street to the left of the temple and standing in front of it, clapped my hands.
The lady of the house saw me and, as she had already heard of me,recognized me and called me in, saying, ‘Come in, my son,come in.’ She fed me sumptuously saying, ‘My boy, I have lost a son. When I see you, you seem just like him. Do come daily like
this, my boy.’ I subsequently learnt that her name was Muthamma,” said Bhagavan.
Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From a Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI
Ramana Maharshi was nude indeed for about a month
10-10-46
This morning, after his usual stroll, Bhagavan arrived in the hall about 7-35 and, sitting on the couch,stretched out his legs. But immediately, he drew them back and folded them saying, “I am forgetting”,recounted yesterday’s incident, and ended, “My conscience pricks me. I cannot keep my legs stretched out in front of all.” Still he kept his legs folded. In the afternoon too, he had not forgotten this and was trying to keep to this new resolve of his. But before the evening he relaxed a bit, as all of us entreated him that it should be given up.
This afternoon, Mr. Subba Rao said that some incidents in Bhagavan’s life had not at all been recorded in any book so far; for instance, he said, nobody knew that Bhagavan was for some time nude, but he found out by reading Bhagavan’s horoscope that he must have been nude for some time. It was then discovered in the Telugu biography the above fact about Bhagavan was mentioned. This led Bhagavan to say, “It is true I was nude for some time in the early days, when I was under the illuppai tree in the temple compound. It was not because I had a vairagya that I should have no clothing of any sort. The cod-piece I was wearing used to bring on sores where it touched the skin. When the sore became bad,I threw away the cod-piece. That is all. There used to be an old Gurukkal who for the first time arranged for some regular food for me either by supplying some from his house or by sending the abhisheka milk from the temple to me. After I had been nude for about a month, this old Gurukkal told me one day, ‘Boy, the Kartigai Deepam is approaching. People from all the 24 districts will be flocking here. Police from all the districts will also be here. They will arrest you and put you into jail if you are nude like this. So you must have a cod-piece.’ So saying, he got a new piece of cloth, made four people lift me up and tied a cod-piece round me.”
Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From a Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
This morning, after his usual stroll, Bhagavan arrived in the hall about 7-35 and, sitting on the couch,stretched out his legs. But immediately, he drew them back and folded them saying, “I am forgetting”,recounted yesterday’s incident, and ended, “My conscience pricks me. I cannot keep my legs stretched out in front of all.” Still he kept his legs folded. In the afternoon too, he had not forgotten this and was trying to keep to this new resolve of his. But before the evening he relaxed a bit, as all of us entreated him that it should be given up.
This afternoon, Mr. Subba Rao said that some incidents in Bhagavan’s life had not at all been recorded in any book so far; for instance, he said, nobody knew that Bhagavan was for some time nude, but he found out by reading Bhagavan’s horoscope that he must have been nude for some time. It was then discovered in the Telugu biography the above fact about Bhagavan was mentioned. This led Bhagavan to say, “It is true I was nude for some time in the early days, when I was under the illuppai tree in the temple compound. It was not because I had a vairagya that I should have no clothing of any sort. The cod-piece I was wearing used to bring on sores where it touched the skin. When the sore became bad,I threw away the cod-piece. That is all. There used to be an old Gurukkal who for the first time arranged for some regular food for me either by supplying some from his house or by sending the abhisheka milk from the temple to me. After I had been nude for about a month, this old Gurukkal told me one day, ‘Boy, the Kartigai Deepam is approaching. People from all the 24 districts will be flocking here. Police from all the districts will also be here. They will arrest you and put you into jail if you are nude like this. So you must have a cod-piece.’ So saying, he got a new piece of cloth, made four people lift me up and tied a cod-piece round me.”
Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From a Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
Ramana Bhagavan Tells of Kannappar the Saint
Bhagavan began to read the life of Kannappar, the great devotee-saint. He went on reading incidents in his early life, and how he went to the forest and found Kudumi Dever, the Sivalinga, his Lord, up the Kalahasti Hill in the Chittoor district (of Andhra State). Then he told how Kannappar worshipped the Sivalinga with water carried in his mouth, flowers taken from his own hair, and the well-cooked and tasted beef prepared from his own meal - knowing no better and having no better to offer his beloved Lord. The way in which the ordained priest, Siva Gochariar, resented the intruding defiler of the sacred Sivalinga was so characteristically brought out by Bhagavan, who with his own explanations of the rites and the meaning of the mantras used in the worship, that it enriched the recital greatly to the benefit and admiration of the devotees.
Then came the scene of scenes, when the Lord in that Sivalinga tested Kannappar and incidentally revealed to Siva Gochariar the intensity of the forest hunter’s worship from a place of hiding. He saw the unexpected trickling of blood from one of the eyes on that Sivalinga; he saw Kannappar running to and fro for herbs, and treating the Lord’s eye with them. Then he saw how, finding them all useless,Kannappar plucked out one of his eyes and applied it to that in the Sivalinga; then, seeing the treatment was effective, he ran into ecstasies of joyful dance.
When Bhagavan came to the story of how Kannappar was plucking out his second eye to heal the second of the Lord, and of how the Sivalinga extended a hand to stop him, saying “Stop, Kannappar!’’ Bhagavan’s voice choked, His body perspired profusely, His hairs stood on end, tears gushed out from his eyes; He could hardly utter a word, and there was silence, pin-drop silence in the Hall.All there were dumbfounded that this great Jnani could be so much overpowered by emotion and ecstasy at the great hunter-saint’s devotion. After a while Sri Bhagavan quietly closed the book,dried his tears in His eyes with the ends of His towel, and laid aside the book, saying, “No, I can’t go on any further.’’
Then we could realise the import of His words in the Aksharamanamalai: “Having become silent,if one remains like a stone, can that be called real silence?’’ His blossomed Heart had in it the perfect warmth of devotion, no less than the supreme light of Knowledge.
Source: At the Feet of Bhagavan Leaves from the Diary of T. K. Sundaresa Iyer
Then came the scene of scenes, when the Lord in that Sivalinga tested Kannappar and incidentally revealed to Siva Gochariar the intensity of the forest hunter’s worship from a place of hiding. He saw the unexpected trickling of blood from one of the eyes on that Sivalinga; he saw Kannappar running to and fro for herbs, and treating the Lord’s eye with them. Then he saw how, finding them all useless,Kannappar plucked out one of his eyes and applied it to that in the Sivalinga; then, seeing the treatment was effective, he ran into ecstasies of joyful dance.
When Bhagavan came to the story of how Kannappar was plucking out his second eye to heal the second of the Lord, and of how the Sivalinga extended a hand to stop him, saying “Stop, Kannappar!’’ Bhagavan’s voice choked, His body perspired profusely, His hairs stood on end, tears gushed out from his eyes; He could hardly utter a word, and there was silence, pin-drop silence in the Hall.All there were dumbfounded that this great Jnani could be so much overpowered by emotion and ecstasy at the great hunter-saint’s devotion. After a while Sri Bhagavan quietly closed the book,dried his tears in His eyes with the ends of His towel, and laid aside the book, saying, “No, I can’t go on any further.’’
Then we could realise the import of His words in the Aksharamanamalai: “Having become silent,if one remains like a stone, can that be called real silence?’’ His blossomed Heart had in it the perfect warmth of devotion, no less than the supreme light of Knowledge.
Source: At the Feet of Bhagavan Leaves from the Diary of T. K. Sundaresa Iyer
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi views about Commiting Suicide
Sri Ramana Maharshi did speak at length on suicide, and I will give his most pertinent remarks below. We must first understand that Bhagavan was adamantly traditional in his guidance with regards to what suicide is, what promotes it, and what frees us from its influence. Bhagavan echoed the teachings of Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, the major Hindu scriptures, and the wisdom of the Buddha in declaring first and foremost that,
"All states and all conditions in life proceed from the mind; they are mind-made and mind governed. (Dhamapada 1:1)
We live and move, either feeling bound or free, as individuals. Dependence on “others”, in Pali “tanha (clinging)”, spiritually weakens us. Thus Bhagavan expressly demonstrated this truth in his own translation of Adi Shankacharya’s Vikekachudamani:
“If, by some great penance, that rarity, a human body is obtained, with its ability to understand the meaning of the scriptures, and yet, owing to attachment to insentient things, effort is not made to attain the immutable state of liberation, which is one’s own true state, then indeed one is a fool committing suicide. What greater fool is there than one who does not seek his own good?”
In this regard we find the following words of guidance from Bhagavan recorded in Talks #340:
A question arises, why there should be suicides. Why does one do it? Bhagavan replied: “Because he is unhappy and desires to put an end to his unhappiness. He actually does it by ending the association with the body which represents all unhappiness. For there must be a killer to kill the body. He is the survivor after suicide. That is the Self.”
Later, in Talks# 536, Bhagavan shows the ways and means to escape unhappiness, even the unhappiness that leads to suicide:
“The person soaked in the “I-am-the-body” idea is the greatest sinner and he is a suicide. The experience of “I-am-the-Self” is the highest virtue. Even a moment’s dhyana (meditation) to that effect is enough to destroy all the Sanchita Karma. It works like the sun before whom darkness is dispelled. If one remains always in dhyana, can any sin, however heinous (suicidal) it be, survive his dhyana?”
We must never stop until the goal is reached; the goal of shaking free from the limitations promoted on dependence on anything other than God. Sri Ramana Maharshi puts us to the test, pointing the Divine finger at us to realize that we are not just suicidal, but actually living in death.
D.: Death must then be the highest state.
M.: Yes. We are now living in Death. Those who have limited the unlimited Self have committed suicide by putting on such limitations. (Talks #435)
On another occasion I asked Bhagavan about suicide. I had been cycling round the Hill and on meeting a bus the thought had come into my head: “Why should I not concentrate on the Self and throw myself in front of the bus, so that in this way I may attain Moksha!” I told this to Bhagavan, but he said that it would not work. Thoughts would spring up involuntarily as I fell, fear and the shock would cause them, and thoughts coming, life would continue so that I would have to take another body. If I could still my mind sufficiently so that such a thing would not happen, then what was the need of suicide?
Source: A SADHU’S REMINISCENCES OF RAMANA MAHARSHI By SADHU ARUNACHALA (A. W. Chadwick)
"All states and all conditions in life proceed from the mind; they are mind-made and mind governed. (Dhamapada 1:1)
We live and move, either feeling bound or free, as individuals. Dependence on “others”, in Pali “tanha (clinging)”, spiritually weakens us. Thus Bhagavan expressly demonstrated this truth in his own translation of Adi Shankacharya’s Vikekachudamani:
“If, by some great penance, that rarity, a human body is obtained, with its ability to understand the meaning of the scriptures, and yet, owing to attachment to insentient things, effort is not made to attain the immutable state of liberation, which is one’s own true state, then indeed one is a fool committing suicide. What greater fool is there than one who does not seek his own good?”
In this regard we find the following words of guidance from Bhagavan recorded in Talks #340:
A question arises, why there should be suicides. Why does one do it? Bhagavan replied: “Because he is unhappy and desires to put an end to his unhappiness. He actually does it by ending the association with the body which represents all unhappiness. For there must be a killer to kill the body. He is the survivor after suicide. That is the Self.”
Later, in Talks# 536, Bhagavan shows the ways and means to escape unhappiness, even the unhappiness that leads to suicide:
“The person soaked in the “I-am-the-body” idea is the greatest sinner and he is a suicide. The experience of “I-am-the-Self” is the highest virtue. Even a moment’s dhyana (meditation) to that effect is enough to destroy all the Sanchita Karma. It works like the sun before whom darkness is dispelled. If one remains always in dhyana, can any sin, however heinous (suicidal) it be, survive his dhyana?”
We must never stop until the goal is reached; the goal of shaking free from the limitations promoted on dependence on anything other than God. Sri Ramana Maharshi puts us to the test, pointing the Divine finger at us to realize that we are not just suicidal, but actually living in death.
D.: Death must then be the highest state.
M.: Yes. We are now living in Death. Those who have limited the unlimited Self have committed suicide by putting on such limitations. (Talks #435)
On another occasion I asked Bhagavan about suicide. I had been cycling round the Hill and on meeting a bus the thought had come into my head: “Why should I not concentrate on the Self and throw myself in front of the bus, so that in this way I may attain Moksha!” I told this to Bhagavan, but he said that it would not work. Thoughts would spring up involuntarily as I fell, fear and the shock would cause them, and thoughts coming, life would continue so that I would have to take another body. If I could still my mind sufficiently so that such a thing would not happen, then what was the need of suicide?
Source: A SADHU’S REMINISCENCES OF RAMANA MAHARSHI By SADHU ARUNACHALA (A. W. Chadwick)
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi would never eat during an eclipse of the sun or moon
Bhagavan would never eat during an eclipse of the sun or moon, a custom that still continues in the Ashram, where food may only be cooked after the eclipse is finished. He told me that the stomach did not digest while the eclipse was proceeding and so it was bad for the health to eat at that time.However, he did not take the ritual bath at the beginning and end of an eclipse as is usual with orthodox Brahmins.
Source: A SADHU’S REMINISCENCES OF RAMANA MAHARSHI By SADHU ARUNACHALA (A. W. Chadwick)
Source: A SADHU’S REMINISCENCES OF RAMANA MAHARSHI By SADHU ARUNACHALA (A. W. Chadwick)
Friday, 26 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says Be satisfied with what you have
At Skandasramam lived a monkey named Nondi, which was the pet of all. Maharshi had ordered that whatever food was served to his followers should also be served to the monkey, and in case it was absent elsewhere, then its share should be kept separate for its return. In such a case, the food would be kept near a window inside the cave and the shutter closed but not bolted. This was the custom.
On one of his periodical visits to the Asramam one day,the boy had enjoyed the sweet dishes served to the devotees. He had a little more than the usual share. The monkey being absent, its share was kept near the closed window. The boy, having had his share, went up to the window and began to eat out of the monkey’s as well. Suddenly, the monkey came and opened the window only to see the boy eating its share. It gave the boy a blow on his cheek. Shocked and terrified, the boy cried out and devotees tried to console him. Bhagavan came to the spot, understood the situation and told the boy: “You deserve it. Why did you want his (monkey’s) share. You have had enough already.You ought to have been contented with that.” Instead of appeasing the beloved child, Bhagavan put him right. The boy became silent and heeded Bhagavan’s words.
“Do not touch the property of others. Be content with what you have. Share equally what you have. Divide it with one and all around you. Help the needy. Be not blind when a wrong is committed before you. Correct it if possible, or at least speak out for the right.” These are some of the golden truths the young boy was able to grasp from the words of the Maharshi that day.
That blessed boy is Swami Ramanananda (Sri T.N.Venkataraman, former president of Sri Ramanasramam, the only descendant of Maharshi’s family).
Source: The Silent Power Selections from The Mountain Path and The Call Divine
On one of his periodical visits to the Asramam one day,the boy had enjoyed the sweet dishes served to the devotees. He had a little more than the usual share. The monkey being absent, its share was kept near the closed window. The boy, having had his share, went up to the window and began to eat out of the monkey’s as well. Suddenly, the monkey came and opened the window only to see the boy eating its share. It gave the boy a blow on his cheek. Shocked and terrified, the boy cried out and devotees tried to console him. Bhagavan came to the spot, understood the situation and told the boy: “You deserve it. Why did you want his (monkey’s) share. You have had enough already.You ought to have been contented with that.” Instead of appeasing the beloved child, Bhagavan put him right. The boy became silent and heeded Bhagavan’s words.
“Do not touch the property of others. Be content with what you have. Share equally what you have. Divide it with one and all around you. Help the needy. Be not blind when a wrong is committed before you. Correct it if possible, or at least speak out for the right.” These are some of the golden truths the young boy was able to grasp from the words of the Maharshi that day.
That blessed boy is Swami Ramanananda (Sri T.N.Venkataraman, former president of Sri Ramanasramam, the only descendant of Maharshi’s family).
Source: The Silent Power Selections from The Mountain Path and The Call Divine
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Swami Vivekananda says we need to possess three things if we wish to be a true reformer
If you wish to be a true reformer, you must possess three things.
The first is to feel. Do you really feel for your brothers? Do you really feel that there is so much misery in the world, so much ignorance and superstition? Do you really feel that all men are your brothers? Does this idea permeate your whole being? Does it run in your blood? Does it tingle in your veins? Does it course through every nerve and filament of your body? Are you full of that idea of sympathy? If you are, that is only the first step.
Next you must ask yourself if you have found any remedy. The old ideas may be all superstition, but in and around these masses of superstition are nuggets of truth. Have you discovered means by which to keep that truth alone, without any of the dross? If you have done that, that is only the second step;
one more thing is necessary. What is your motive? Are you sure that you are not actuated by greed for gold, by thirst for fame or power? Are you really sure that you can stand for your ideals and work on, even if the whole world wants to crush you down? Are you sure that you know what you want and will perform your duty, and that alone, even if your life is at stake? Are you sure that you will persevere so long as life endures, so long as there is one pulsation left in the heart?
Then you are a real reformer, you are a teacher, a master, a blessing to mankind.
But man is so impatient, so shortsighted! He has not the patience to wait, he has not the power to see. He wants to rule, he wants results immediately. Why? He wants to reap the fruits himself and does not really care for others. Duty for duty’s sake is not what he wants. “To work you have the right, but not to the fruits thereof,” says Krishna. Why cling to results? Ours is to do our duties. Let the fruits take care of themselves. But man has no patience; he takes up any scheme that will produce quick results; and the majority of reformers all over the world can be classed under this heading.
Source: http://www.ramakrishna.org/activities/message/weekly_message14.htm
The first is to feel. Do you really feel for your brothers? Do you really feel that there is so much misery in the world, so much ignorance and superstition? Do you really feel that all men are your brothers? Does this idea permeate your whole being? Does it run in your blood? Does it tingle in your veins? Does it course through every nerve and filament of your body? Are you full of that idea of sympathy? If you are, that is only the first step.
Next you must ask yourself if you have found any remedy. The old ideas may be all superstition, but in and around these masses of superstition are nuggets of truth. Have you discovered means by which to keep that truth alone, without any of the dross? If you have done that, that is only the second step;
one more thing is necessary. What is your motive? Are you sure that you are not actuated by greed for gold, by thirst for fame or power? Are you really sure that you can stand for your ideals and work on, even if the whole world wants to crush you down? Are you sure that you know what you want and will perform your duty, and that alone, even if your life is at stake? Are you sure that you will persevere so long as life endures, so long as there is one pulsation left in the heart?
Then you are a real reformer, you are a teacher, a master, a blessing to mankind.
But man is so impatient, so shortsighted! He has not the patience to wait, he has not the power to see. He wants to rule, he wants results immediately. Why? He wants to reap the fruits himself and does not really care for others. Duty for duty’s sake is not what he wants. “To work you have the right, but not to the fruits thereof,” says Krishna. Why cling to results? Ours is to do our duties. Let the fruits take care of themselves. But man has no patience; he takes up any scheme that will produce quick results; and the majority of reformers all over the world can be classed under this heading.
Source: http://www.ramakrishna.org/activities/message/weekly_message14.htm
Important Verses From Upadesa Undiyar
Like Ulladu Narpadu (The Forty Verses on Reality) and some of the other important Tamil works of Bhagavan Sri Ramana, Upadesa Undiyar was composed at the request of Sri Muruganar.
Know that Upadesa Undiyar is a light of knowledge [jnana] which our Father Ramana composed and bestowed upon Muruganar, who entreated, ‘[Graciously] reveal the secret of spiritual practice [sadhana] so that [the people of] the world may attain liberation and be saved by giving up the delusion of action [karma]’.
Introductory Verses
a) Those who were performing austerities [tapas] in the Daruka Forest, were heading for their ruin by [following the path of ] Purva-karma.(‘Tiruvundiyar’ 1.70)
Note: Purva-karma here means the path of kamya-karmas (actions performed for the fulfillment of temporal desires), which is the path prescribed by the Purva Mimamsa, a traditional school of thought which interprets the Vedas in its own way, emphasizing only the Karma Kanda (the portion of the Vedas which teaches the path of ritualistic action).
b) Because of their deceptive self conceit they became intoxicated with excessive pride, saying, ‘There is no God except karma. (‘Tiruvundiyar’ 1.71)
Actual Verses
2) The fruit of action having perished [by being experienced in the form of pleasure or pain], will as seeds make one fall into the ocean of action and [hence] will not give liberation.
Note: When a seed is planted, it grows into a tree, and the tree in turn yields fruit. But the fruit consists of two parts, namely the edible part and the seeds. Though the edible part of the fruit is eaten, the seeds remain to develop into new trees and to yield more fruit.
Similar is the case with the fruit of actions or karma-phala. If we do a good action, its fruit will in due course be experienced by us in the form of some pleasure, while if we do a bad action, its fruit will in due course be experienced by us in the form of some pain. By thus being experienced in the form of pleasure or pain, the fruit of an action will perish, like the edible part of a fruit when it is eaten. But having perished thus, the fruit of that action will still remain in the form of a seed, that is, in the form of a tendency (vasana) or the liking to do such an action again. Such seeds or tendencies make one fall into the ocean of performing more and more actions. Hence the fruit of actions of any kind cannot give liberation (moksha).
3) Desireless action [nishkamya karma] dedicated to God will purify the mind and it will show the path to liberation.
Note: No action (karma), whether done by the body, speech or mind, can give one liberation. But if action is done without any desire for its fruit and with the devotional attitude of offering the fruit to God, it will purify the mind and thereby make the mind fit to understand that Self-enquiry – which is not an action but a stillness of the mind – alone is the direct path to liberation.
4) This is certain, puja, japa and dhyana are actions of the body, speech and mind [respectively]; rather than [each preceding] one, [the succeeding] one is superior.
Note: Puja means ritual worship, japa means repetition of a mantra or a name of God, and dhyana means meditation.
10) Abiding, having subsided in the place of rising [in one’s source, the real Self] – that is karma [desireless action] and bhakti [devotion], that is yoga [union with God] and jnana [true knowledge].
15) For the great yogi who is established as the reality due to the death of the mind form, there is not any action [to do], [because] He has attained His nature [His natural state of Self abidance].
16) The mind knowing its own form of light [its true form of mere consciousness, the real Self], having given up [knowing] external objects, alone is true knowledge.
18) The mind is only [the multitude of] thoughts. Of all [these thoughts], the thought ‘I’ [the feeling ‘I am the body’] alone is the root. [Therefore]what is called mind is [this root-thought] ‘I’.
19) When one scrutinizes within thus, ‘What is the rising-place of ‘I’?’, the ‘I’ will die. This is Self-enquiry [jnana-vichara].
27) The knowledge which is devoid of both knowledge and ignorance [about objects], alone is [real] knowledge. This is the truth, [because in the state of Self-experience] there is nothing to know [other than oneself].
Note: The mere consciousness of one’s own existence, ‘I am’, which is devoid both of the feeling ‘I know’ and of the feeling ‘I do not know’, alone is true knowledge.
30) ‘What [is experienced] if one knows that which remains after ‘I’ has ceased to exist, that alone is excellent tapas’ – thus said Lord Ramana, who is Self.
Source: Upadesa Undiyar Book
Know that Upadesa Undiyar is a light of knowledge [jnana] which our Father Ramana composed and bestowed upon Muruganar, who entreated, ‘[Graciously] reveal the secret of spiritual practice [sadhana] so that [the people of] the world may attain liberation and be saved by giving up the delusion of action [karma]’.
Introductory Verses
a) Those who were performing austerities [tapas] in the Daruka Forest, were heading for their ruin by [following the path of ] Purva-karma.(‘Tiruvundiyar’ 1.70)
Note: Purva-karma here means the path of kamya-karmas (actions performed for the fulfillment of temporal desires), which is the path prescribed by the Purva Mimamsa, a traditional school of thought which interprets the Vedas in its own way, emphasizing only the Karma Kanda (the portion of the Vedas which teaches the path of ritualistic action).
b) Because of their deceptive self conceit they became intoxicated with excessive pride, saying, ‘There is no God except karma. (‘Tiruvundiyar’ 1.71)
Actual Verses
2) The fruit of action having perished [by being experienced in the form of pleasure or pain], will as seeds make one fall into the ocean of action and [hence] will not give liberation.
Note: When a seed is planted, it grows into a tree, and the tree in turn yields fruit. But the fruit consists of two parts, namely the edible part and the seeds. Though the edible part of the fruit is eaten, the seeds remain to develop into new trees and to yield more fruit.
Similar is the case with the fruit of actions or karma-phala. If we do a good action, its fruit will in due course be experienced by us in the form of some pleasure, while if we do a bad action, its fruit will in due course be experienced by us in the form of some pain. By thus being experienced in the form of pleasure or pain, the fruit of an action will perish, like the edible part of a fruit when it is eaten. But having perished thus, the fruit of that action will still remain in the form of a seed, that is, in the form of a tendency (vasana) or the liking to do such an action again. Such seeds or tendencies make one fall into the ocean of performing more and more actions. Hence the fruit of actions of any kind cannot give liberation (moksha).
3) Desireless action [nishkamya karma] dedicated to God will purify the mind and it will show the path to liberation.
Note: No action (karma), whether done by the body, speech or mind, can give one liberation. But if action is done without any desire for its fruit and with the devotional attitude of offering the fruit to God, it will purify the mind and thereby make the mind fit to understand that Self-enquiry – which is not an action but a stillness of the mind – alone is the direct path to liberation.
4) This is certain, puja, japa and dhyana are actions of the body, speech and mind [respectively]; rather than [each preceding] one, [the succeeding] one is superior.
Note: Puja means ritual worship, japa means repetition of a mantra or a name of God, and dhyana means meditation.
10) Abiding, having subsided in the place of rising [in one’s source, the real Self] – that is karma [desireless action] and bhakti [devotion], that is yoga [union with God] and jnana [true knowledge].
15) For the great yogi who is established as the reality due to the death of the mind form, there is not any action [to do], [because] He has attained His nature [His natural state of Self abidance].
16) The mind knowing its own form of light [its true form of mere consciousness, the real Self], having given up [knowing] external objects, alone is true knowledge.
18) The mind is only [the multitude of] thoughts. Of all [these thoughts], the thought ‘I’ [the feeling ‘I am the body’] alone is the root. [Therefore]what is called mind is [this root-thought] ‘I’.
19) When one scrutinizes within thus, ‘What is the rising-place of ‘I’?’, the ‘I’ will die. This is Self-enquiry [jnana-vichara].
27) The knowledge which is devoid of both knowledge and ignorance [about objects], alone is [real] knowledge. This is the truth, [because in the state of Self-experience] there is nothing to know [other than oneself].
Note: The mere consciousness of one’s own existence, ‘I am’, which is devoid both of the feeling ‘I know’ and of the feeling ‘I do not know’, alone is true knowledge.
30) ‘What [is experienced] if one knows that which remains after ‘I’ has ceased to exist, that alone is excellent tapas’ – thus said Lord Ramana, who is Self.
Source: Upadesa Undiyar Book
Ramana Maharshi says to be backward is not to mean that we are less happy
And once Paul Brunton criticise the Indians for their neglect of material development. To the author's surprise the Maharshi frankly admits the accusation.
“It is true. We are a backward race. But we are a people with few wants. Our society needs improving, but we are contented with much fewer things than your people. So to be backward is not to mean that we are less happy.”
Source: The Maharshi and His Message By Paul Brunton
“It is true. We are a backward race. But we are a people with few wants. Our society needs improving, but we are contented with much fewer things than your people. So to be backward is not to mean that we are less happy.”
Source: The Maharshi and His Message By Paul Brunton
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi's opinion when asked about the future of the world
Question: “Will the Maharshi express an opinion about the future of the world, for we are living in critical times?”
Ramana Maharshi:
“Why should you trouble yourself about the future?” demands the Sage. “You do not even properly know about the present! Take care of the present; the future will then take care of itself.”
“There is One who governs the world, and it is His lookout to look after the world. He who has given life to the world knows how to look after it also. He bears the burden of this world, not you.” “Yet if one looks around with unprejudiced eyes, it is difficult to see where this benevolent regard comes in,” I object.
The Sage appears to be still less pleased. Yet his answer comes:
“As you are, so is the world. Without understanding yourself, what is the use of trying to understand the world? This is a question that seekers after truth need not consider.People waste their energies over all such questions. First, find out the truth behind yourself; then you will be in a better position to understand the truth behind the world, of which yourself is a part.”
Source: The Maharshi and His Message By Paul Brunton
Ramana Maharshi:
“Why should you trouble yourself about the future?” demands the Sage. “You do not even properly know about the present! Take care of the present; the future will then take care of itself.”
“There is One who governs the world, and it is His lookout to look after the world. He who has given life to the world knows how to look after it also. He bears the burden of this world, not you.” “Yet if one looks around with unprejudiced eyes, it is difficult to see where this benevolent regard comes in,” I object.
The Sage appears to be still less pleased. Yet his answer comes:
“As you are, so is the world. Without understanding yourself, what is the use of trying to understand the world? This is a question that seekers after truth need not consider.People waste their energies over all such questions. First, find out the truth behind yourself; then you will be in a better position to understand the truth behind the world, of which yourself is a part.”
Source: The Maharshi and His Message By Paul Brunton
Ten principles for the PEACE of MIND
Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15945014/10-Principles-for-Peace-of-Mind
1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked.
Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.
2. Forgive And Forget:
This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.
3. Do Not Crave For Recognition:
This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yourse lf in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.
4. Do Not Be Jealous:
We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.
5. Change Yourself According To The Environment:
If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.
6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured:
This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.
7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:
This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.
8. Meditate Regularly:
Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.
9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant:
An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name.
10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret:
Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?
1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked.
Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.
2. Forgive And Forget:
This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.
3. Do Not Crave For Recognition:
This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yourse lf in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.
4. Do Not Be Jealous:
We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.
5. Change Yourself According To The Environment:
If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.
6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured:
This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.
7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:
This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.
8. Meditate Regularly:
Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.
9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant:
An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name.
10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret:
Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?
Ramana Maharshi agrees that first we need to hear the truth and then reflect on it
Question: Why is it that the wise say that hearing alone can create a distorted understanding of any profound Truth? Why are we told to first hear, then reflect and assimilate so that knowledge can become experienced?
Ramana Maharshi: What we hear must be heard then digested within, and then it becomes distilled wisdom. Like the cow eating grass, first in a hurry and then meditatively sitting in the shade and only then does she convert it into milk.
So how man extracts wisdom out of all talk and reading is to profoundly think about it and then dive deeply within in meditation. In that way he really digests what he has heard or read and then it flows into him as an experience and becomes a storehouse of knowledge.
Source: From the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi Practical Instructions On Sadhana Swami Sadasivananda Giri
Ramana Maharshi: What we hear must be heard then digested within, and then it becomes distilled wisdom. Like the cow eating grass, first in a hurry and then meditatively sitting in the shade and only then does she convert it into milk.
So how man extracts wisdom out of all talk and reading is to profoundly think about it and then dive deeply within in meditation. In that way he really digests what he has heard or read and then it flows into him as an experience and becomes a storehouse of knowledge.
Source: From the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi Practical Instructions On Sadhana Swami Sadasivananda Giri
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Important Couplets From Ribhu Gita
Some may argue that this universe of duality (multiple existences) is a factual second reality, clearly seen by the senses operated by the mind. But then, are the senses anything apart from the mind? Can they function without the support of the mind in which they are imbedded? What is this mind except a bundle of thoughts? What are thoughts except evanescent ripples in the still, limitless ocean of pure Being-Awareness-Self,which is the sole Existence without a second? (Ch. 2, v.34)
The total discarding of the mind is alone victory,achievement, bliss, yoga, wisdom and liberation. The sacrifice of the mind is, in fact, the totality of all sacred sacrifices. (Ch.15, v.7)
Those engaged in the pursuit of knowledge of the Brahman-Self, happening to get involved in the mundane pleasures of sex, should regard such pleasures as merely faint shadows of the bliss of the Self. They should never even dream of worldly pleasures. (Ch.20, v.45)
There are no such things as achieved objectives and the efforts leading to them, association with the wise or the ignorant, efforts of learning and knowledge acquired,acts of enquiry and practice, the learner or the learned, and any goals achieved.What exists is only Brahman, the effulgent Awareness-Self.(Ch.23, v.10)
In the conviction that ‘I am the Self ’ in which no thought, ego, desire, mind or confusion can exist one should abide still, free from trace of thought. (Ch.26, v.31)
It is only the mind which appear as the world and bondage; there is no world other than the mind. On enquiry this mind turns out to be nothing more than a group of ripples (thoughts) in the still ocean of pure Awareness-Siva-Self. I am that Siva-Self only and there is nothing apart from me, one should ever abide in the conviction born of this experience. (Ch.32, v.33)
If this world of the waking state is not evanescent in its nature, whatever is seen in the waking state must be seen during sleep also. Since I as pure Self exist alone and always,there is no room for thought of non-Self-world. I-Self-Brahman is the sole Existence. (Ch.35, v.24)
Only those who contemplate on Lord Siva-Self,the pure supporting screen of all manifestation, gain the pure experience of sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi. Apart from this devotion to Lord Siva (the Pure-Alert-Awareness-Self ) there are no other means leading to liberation. (Ch.35, v.44)
Source: The Essence of Ribhu Gita Selection and English Translation By Prof. N. R. Krishnamoorthi Aiyer
The total discarding of the mind is alone victory,achievement, bliss, yoga, wisdom and liberation. The sacrifice of the mind is, in fact, the totality of all sacred sacrifices. (Ch.15, v.7)
Those engaged in the pursuit of knowledge of the Brahman-Self, happening to get involved in the mundane pleasures of sex, should regard such pleasures as merely faint shadows of the bliss of the Self. They should never even dream of worldly pleasures. (Ch.20, v.45)
There are no such things as achieved objectives and the efforts leading to them, association with the wise or the ignorant, efforts of learning and knowledge acquired,acts of enquiry and practice, the learner or the learned, and any goals achieved.What exists is only Brahman, the effulgent Awareness-Self.(Ch.23, v.10)
In the conviction that ‘I am the Self ’ in which no thought, ego, desire, mind or confusion can exist one should abide still, free from trace of thought. (Ch.26, v.31)
It is only the mind which appear as the world and bondage; there is no world other than the mind. On enquiry this mind turns out to be nothing more than a group of ripples (thoughts) in the still ocean of pure Awareness-Siva-Self. I am that Siva-Self only and there is nothing apart from me, one should ever abide in the conviction born of this experience. (Ch.32, v.33)
If this world of the waking state is not evanescent in its nature, whatever is seen in the waking state must be seen during sleep also. Since I as pure Self exist alone and always,there is no room for thought of non-Self-world. I-Self-Brahman is the sole Existence. (Ch.35, v.24)
Only those who contemplate on Lord Siva-Self,the pure supporting screen of all manifestation, gain the pure experience of sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi. Apart from this devotion to Lord Siva (the Pure-Alert-Awareness-Self ) there are no other means leading to liberation. (Ch.35, v.44)
Source: The Essence of Ribhu Gita Selection and English Translation By Prof. N. R. Krishnamoorthi Aiyer
Ramana Maharshi suggests to sing songs from Tiruppugazh
SHRI BHAGAVAN’S GRACE By Gouriammal
One instance of his grace to his devotees is his recommendation of two songs from Tiruppugazh to help them get their daughters married. The devotees of Bhagavan believed firmly that it was enough to sing the two songs from Tiruppugazh before Bhagavan to have the marriage arranged in the best way possible. There is another song in Tiruppugazh in which God is invited to come to the house as a newborn child. When anyone approached Bhagavan praying for a child he would tell them to sing that song.
Source: RAMANA SMRTI Book
Below link gives more information
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2003/07/11/stories/2003071101270600.htm
Thiruppugazh is a book of treasure from which a Karma Yogi also can draw lessons on Dharmic life. There are prayers meant to fulfil the different aspirations of people. The song: "Viral Maran Aindhu Malar Vali Sindha" is ideal for removing the marriage obstacle, "Jegamayai" for the growth of baby and mother during pregnancy and "Irumalum Roga" for health. The song that will shower wealth and prosperity is "Charana Kamalalayathai Arai Nimisha." The "Ainkaranai Otha Manam" number gives a happy and harmonious life, "Sinathavar Mudikkum" combats miseries caused by foes and "Antarpathi Kudiyera" helps one to own a house. While the hymn "Nal En Seiyum" is a safeguard from adverse planetary influence, the song "Iravamal Piravamal" helps to get the blessings of guru or teacher. The list goes on endlessly. In short, the poet saw Lord Muruga in different roles, that of a handsome youth, an intellectual guide, a saviour, a physician and a friend.
More Details can be found in below links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiruppugazh
http://www.thiruppugazh.org/thiruppugazh_glory_to_lord_muruga.php
Link to listen and download the songs
http://www.emusic.com/album/Lalgudi-Vijaylakshmi-Tiruppugazh-MP3-Download/10821508.html
One instance of his grace to his devotees is his recommendation of two songs from Tiruppugazh to help them get their daughters married. The devotees of Bhagavan believed firmly that it was enough to sing the two songs from Tiruppugazh before Bhagavan to have the marriage arranged in the best way possible. There is another song in Tiruppugazh in which God is invited to come to the house as a newborn child. When anyone approached Bhagavan praying for a child he would tell them to sing that song.
Source: RAMANA SMRTI Book
Below link gives more information
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2003/07/11/stories/2003071101270600.htm
Thiruppugazh is a book of treasure from which a Karma Yogi also can draw lessons on Dharmic life. There are prayers meant to fulfil the different aspirations of people. The song: "Viral Maran Aindhu Malar Vali Sindha" is ideal for removing the marriage obstacle, "Jegamayai" for the growth of baby and mother during pregnancy and "Irumalum Roga" for health. The song that will shower wealth and prosperity is "Charana Kamalalayathai Arai Nimisha." The "Ainkaranai Otha Manam" number gives a happy and harmonious life, "Sinathavar Mudikkum" combats miseries caused by foes and "Antarpathi Kudiyera" helps one to own a house. While the hymn "Nal En Seiyum" is a safeguard from adverse planetary influence, the song "Iravamal Piravamal" helps to get the blessings of guru or teacher. The list goes on endlessly. In short, the poet saw Lord Muruga in different roles, that of a handsome youth, an intellectual guide, a saviour, a physician and a friend.
More Details can be found in below links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiruppugazh
http://www.thiruppugazh.org/thiruppugazh_glory_to_lord_muruga.php
Link to listen and download the songs
http://www.emusic.com/album/Lalgudi-Vijaylakshmi-Tiruppugazh-MP3-Download/10821508.html
Monday, 22 June 2009
Sayings from Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Recorded in June 1918 By C.V. Subramania Aiyer
1. Turn the mind inward and rest in your own Self.
2. Mind is the cause of bondage.
3. Give up one thing after another and rest in peace.
4. What we get, we shall lose, so desire not.
5. There are two kinds of meditation. The first is to be practised by advanced aspirants — nirguna dhyana — where one seeks to know the Meditator himself. The second kind is to be practised by those less advanced — a some what round about course — saguna dhyana — where the meditator, meditation and the object of meditation get merged ultimately into one.
6. When I come to know that I was never born, I shall never die. Death is for one who is born. I was never born. I have no body and so I shall never die. I am everywhere; where am I to go and where am I to come?
7. When a man’s mind is dead, he will not die again.
8. Attain the sushupti (state of sleep) in the jagrat (waking) state, and you become a jnani.
Source: RAMANA SMRTI Book
2. Mind is the cause of bondage.
3. Give up one thing after another and rest in peace.
4. What we get, we shall lose, so desire not.
5. There are two kinds of meditation. The first is to be practised by advanced aspirants — nirguna dhyana — where one seeks to know the Meditator himself. The second kind is to be practised by those less advanced — a some what round about course — saguna dhyana — where the meditator, meditation and the object of meditation get merged ultimately into one.
6. When I come to know that I was never born, I shall never die. Death is for one who is born. I was never born. I have no body and so I shall never die. I am everywhere; where am I to go and where am I to come?
7. When a man’s mind is dead, he will not die again.
8. Attain the sushupti (state of sleep) in the jagrat (waking) state, and you become a jnani.
Source: RAMANA SMRTI Book
Human Life is not for working hard like animals
This article really inspired me a lot.
I request my readers to read this article.
Human Life is not for working hard like animals
I request my readers to read this article.
Human Life is not for working hard like animals
Saturday, 20 June 2009
"Who AM I" By Ramana Maharshi
If the mind, which is the instrument of knowledge and is the basis of all activity, subsides, the perception of the world as an objective reality ceases. Unless the illusory perception of the serpent in the rope ceases, the rope on which the illusion is formed is not perceived as such.Similarly, unless the illusory nature of the perception of the world as an objective reality ceases, the vision of the true nature of the Self, on which the illusion is formed, is not obtained.
Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought. In deep sleep there are no thoughts: nor is there the world. In the wakeful and dream states thoughts are present, and there is also the world. Just as the spider draws out the thread of the cobweb from within itself and withdraws it again into itself, in the same way the mind projects the world out of itself and absorbs it back into itself.
Even when extraneous thoughts sprout up during such enquiry, do not seek to complete the rising thought but instead,deeply enquire within, ‘To whom has this thought occurred?’ No matter how many thoughts thus occur to you, if you would with acute vigilance enquire immediately as and when each individual thought arises to whom it has occurred, you would find it is to ‘me’. If then you enquire ‘Who am I?’ the mind gets introverted and the rising thought also subsides. In this manner as you persevere more and more in the practice of Self-enquiry,the mind acquires increasing strength and power to abide in its Source.
For the subsidence of mind there is no other means more effective and adequate than Self-enquiry. Even though by other means the mind subsides, that is only apparently so; it will rise again.
For instance, the mind subsides by the practice of pranayama (restraint and control of breath and vital forces); yet such subsidence lasts only as long as the control of breath and vital forces continues; and when they are released, the mind also gets released and immediately, becoming externalized, it continues to wander through the force of its subtle tendencies.
Firm and disciplined inherence in the Atman without giving the least scope for the rise of any thought other than the deep contemplative thought of the Self, constitutes self-surrender to the Supreme Lord. Let any amount of burden be laid on
Him, He will bear it all. It is, in fact, the indefinable power of the Lord that ordains, sustains and controls everything that happens. Why then, should we worry, tormented by vexatious thoughts, saying: ‘Shall we act this way? No, that way,’ instead of meekly but happily submitting to that Power? Knowing that the train carries all the weight, why indeed should we, the passengers travelling in it, carry our small individual articles of luggage on our laps to our great discomfort, instead of putting them aside and sitting at perfect ease?
It is pleasant under the shade of a tree and scorching in the heat of the sun outside. A person toiling in the sun seeks the cool shade of the tree and is happy under it. After staying there for a while, he moves out again but, unable to bear the merciless heat of the sun, he again seeks the shade. In this way he keeps on moving from shade to sun and sun to shade.
It is an unwise person who acts thus, whereas the wise man never leaves the shade: in the same way the mind of the Enlightened Sage (jnani) never exists apart from Brahman, the Absolute. The mind of the ignorant on the other hand, entering into the phenomenal world, suffers pain and anguish; and then, turning for a short while towards Brahman, it experiences happiness. Such is the mind of the ignorant.
This phenomenal world, however, is nothing but thought.When the world recedes from one’s view — that is when one is free from thought — the mind enjoys the Bliss of the Self.Conversely, when the world appears — that is when thought occurs — the mind experiences pain and anguish.
Except that the wakeful state is long and the dream state short, there is no difference between the two. All the activities of the dream state appear, for the time being, just as real as the activities of the wakeful state seem to be while awake. Only,during the dream state, the mind assumes another form or a different bodily sheath. For thoughts on the one hand and name and form on the other occur simultaneously during both the wakeful and dream states.
There are not two minds, one good and the other evil. It is only the vasanas or tendencies of the mind that are of two kinds, good and favourable, evil and unfavourable. When the mind is associated with the former it is called good; and when
associated with the latter it is called evil. However evil-minded other people may appear to you, it is not proper to hate or depise them. Likes and dislikes, love and hatred are equally to be eschewed. It is also not proper to let the mind often rest on objects or affairs of mundane life. As far as possible one should not interfere in the affairs of others. Everything offered to others is really an offering to oneself; and if only this truth were realized, who is there that would refuse anything to others?
If the ego rises, all else will also rise; if it subsides, all else will also subside. The deeper the humility with which we conduct ourselves, the better it is for us. If only the mind is kept under control, what matters it where one may happen to be?
Source: Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s WORDS OF GRACE Book
Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought. In deep sleep there are no thoughts: nor is there the world. In the wakeful and dream states thoughts are present, and there is also the world. Just as the spider draws out the thread of the cobweb from within itself and withdraws it again into itself, in the same way the mind projects the world out of itself and absorbs it back into itself.
Even when extraneous thoughts sprout up during such enquiry, do not seek to complete the rising thought but instead,deeply enquire within, ‘To whom has this thought occurred?’ No matter how many thoughts thus occur to you, if you would with acute vigilance enquire immediately as and when each individual thought arises to whom it has occurred, you would find it is to ‘me’. If then you enquire ‘Who am I?’ the mind gets introverted and the rising thought also subsides. In this manner as you persevere more and more in the practice of Self-enquiry,the mind acquires increasing strength and power to abide in its Source.
For the subsidence of mind there is no other means more effective and adequate than Self-enquiry. Even though by other means the mind subsides, that is only apparently so; it will rise again.
For instance, the mind subsides by the practice of pranayama (restraint and control of breath and vital forces); yet such subsidence lasts only as long as the control of breath and vital forces continues; and when they are released, the mind also gets released and immediately, becoming externalized, it continues to wander through the force of its subtle tendencies.
Firm and disciplined inherence in the Atman without giving the least scope for the rise of any thought other than the deep contemplative thought of the Self, constitutes self-surrender to the Supreme Lord. Let any amount of burden be laid on
Him, He will bear it all. It is, in fact, the indefinable power of the Lord that ordains, sustains and controls everything that happens. Why then, should we worry, tormented by vexatious thoughts, saying: ‘Shall we act this way? No, that way,’ instead of meekly but happily submitting to that Power? Knowing that the train carries all the weight, why indeed should we, the passengers travelling in it, carry our small individual articles of luggage on our laps to our great discomfort, instead of putting them aside and sitting at perfect ease?
It is pleasant under the shade of a tree and scorching in the heat of the sun outside. A person toiling in the sun seeks the cool shade of the tree and is happy under it. After staying there for a while, he moves out again but, unable to bear the merciless heat of the sun, he again seeks the shade. In this way he keeps on moving from shade to sun and sun to shade.
It is an unwise person who acts thus, whereas the wise man never leaves the shade: in the same way the mind of the Enlightened Sage (jnani) never exists apart from Brahman, the Absolute. The mind of the ignorant on the other hand, entering into the phenomenal world, suffers pain and anguish; and then, turning for a short while towards Brahman, it experiences happiness. Such is the mind of the ignorant.
This phenomenal world, however, is nothing but thought.When the world recedes from one’s view — that is when one is free from thought — the mind enjoys the Bliss of the Self.Conversely, when the world appears — that is when thought occurs — the mind experiences pain and anguish.
Except that the wakeful state is long and the dream state short, there is no difference between the two. All the activities of the dream state appear, for the time being, just as real as the activities of the wakeful state seem to be while awake. Only,during the dream state, the mind assumes another form or a different bodily sheath. For thoughts on the one hand and name and form on the other occur simultaneously during both the wakeful and dream states.
There are not two minds, one good and the other evil. It is only the vasanas or tendencies of the mind that are of two kinds, good and favourable, evil and unfavourable. When the mind is associated with the former it is called good; and when
associated with the latter it is called evil. However evil-minded other people may appear to you, it is not proper to hate or depise them. Likes and dislikes, love and hatred are equally to be eschewed. It is also not proper to let the mind often rest on objects or affairs of mundane life. As far as possible one should not interfere in the affairs of others. Everything offered to others is really an offering to oneself; and if only this truth were realized, who is there that would refuse anything to others?
If the ego rises, all else will also rise; if it subsides, all else will also subside. The deeper the humility with which we conduct ourselves, the better it is for us. If only the mind is kept under control, what matters it where one may happen to be?
Source: Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s WORDS OF GRACE Book
Friday, 19 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says Silence is the most potent form of work
A very interesting account of Ramana’s silence is given by Major A.W. Chadwick, also known as Sadhu Arunachala. Chadwick came to Ramana’s ashram on Nov 1, 1935, having heard of Ramana though Brunton’s book Search (Chadwick, 11). Chadwick asked Ramana about his vow of silence. Ramana said there was never any vow, but he had observed how convenient it was:
…while living in temple at one time he found himself seated for a while by a Sadhu who was observing such a vow and saw how convenient it was as the crowds did not worry the Sadhu in the same way as they worried him. So for convenience he pretended to copy him. “There was no vow, I just kept quiet, I spoke when it was necessary,” he explained. I asked him how long this had continued. “For about two years,” he replied. (Chadwick, 18)
Once he had achieved perfection, he just sought out quiet places where he thought that he would not be disturbed and where he might enjoy Bliss.
It was all a dream anyhow, so why do anything about it? Just sit somewhere and enjoy the Self. What did teaching others and helping the world signify? There were no others (Chadwick, 19).
But it is clear that after Brunton wrote A Search in Secret India, Ramana promoted this view of his powers of silence. Here are some quotations from Ramana after the date of Brunton’s visit:
Lectures may entertain individuals for a few hours without improving them. Silence on the other hand is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity (Talks, 18; Jan. 30, 1935).
Public speeches, physical activity and material help are all outweighed by the silence of Mahatmas. They accomplish more than others (Talks, 227; Oct. 23, 1936).
Preaching is simple communication of knowledge. It may be done in Silence, too. (Talks, 243; Nov. 18, 1936).
Silence is the most potent form of work (Talks, 370; April 14, 1937).
Guru’s silence is the loudest upadesa [instruction] …If the Guru is silent the seeker’s mind gets purified by itself. (Talks, 501; Sept. 27, 1938).
Silence is “eternal eloquence” (Talks, 141; Feb. 24/1936).
There are no 'others' to be helped. For the Realized Being sees only the Self…The Realized One does not see the world as different form Himself.
Source: Paul Brunton and Ramana Maharshi by Dr. J. Glenn Friesen Book
…while living in temple at one time he found himself seated for a while by a Sadhu who was observing such a vow and saw how convenient it was as the crowds did not worry the Sadhu in the same way as they worried him. So for convenience he pretended to copy him. “There was no vow, I just kept quiet, I spoke when it was necessary,” he explained. I asked him how long this had continued. “For about two years,” he replied. (Chadwick, 18)
Once he had achieved perfection, he just sought out quiet places where he thought that he would not be disturbed and where he might enjoy Bliss.
It was all a dream anyhow, so why do anything about it? Just sit somewhere and enjoy the Self. What did teaching others and helping the world signify? There were no others (Chadwick, 19).
But it is clear that after Brunton wrote A Search in Secret India, Ramana promoted this view of his powers of silence. Here are some quotations from Ramana after the date of Brunton’s visit:
Lectures may entertain individuals for a few hours without improving them. Silence on the other hand is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity (Talks, 18; Jan. 30, 1935).
Public speeches, physical activity and material help are all outweighed by the silence of Mahatmas. They accomplish more than others (Talks, 227; Oct. 23, 1936).
Preaching is simple communication of knowledge. It may be done in Silence, too. (Talks, 243; Nov. 18, 1936).
Silence is the most potent form of work (Talks, 370; April 14, 1937).
Guru’s silence is the loudest upadesa [instruction] …If the Guru is silent the seeker’s mind gets purified by itself. (Talks, 501; Sept. 27, 1938).
Silence is “eternal eloquence” (Talks, 141; Feb. 24/1936).
There are no 'others' to be helped. For the Realized Being sees only the Self…The Realized One does not see the world as different form Himself.
Source: Paul Brunton and Ramana Maharshi by Dr. J. Glenn Friesen Book
Ramana Maharshi about helping others
Ramana was asked by a disciple, “How can I help others?” Ramana replied:
Who is there for you to help? Who is the ‘I’ that is to help others? First clear up that point and then everything will settle itself.
Inasmuch as there is no ego in him, there are not others for him.When there is no mind he cannot be aware of others (Talks, 552; Dec. 20, 1938).
Source: Paul Brunton and Ramana Maharshi by Dr. J. Glenn Friesen Book
Who is there for you to help? Who is the ‘I’ that is to help others? First clear up that point and then everything will settle itself.
Inasmuch as there is no ego in him, there are not others for him.When there is no mind he cannot be aware of others (Talks, 552; Dec. 20, 1938).
Source: Paul Brunton and Ramana Maharshi by Dr. J. Glenn Friesen Book
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Important Couplets From Yoga Vasishta Sara
The Brihat (the great) Yoga Vasishta or Yoga Vasishta Maha Ramayana as it is also called, is a work of about 32,000 Sanskrit couplets, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, the author of Srimad Ramayana. It is a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of nonorigination) is expounded, with illustrative stories in between.
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi used to refer to Yoga Vasishta frequently and has even incorporated six couplets from it in His Supplement to Forty Verses (verses 21 to 27).
A further condensation of this work was made long ago, by an unknown author, into about 230 couplets,divided into ten chapters, as Yoga Vasishta Sara (Essence of Yoga Vasishta), of which this translation is presented for the first time. By making this condensation the author has rendered a great service to all sadhaks. This is indeed a goldmine fit for repeated reading and meditation.
Important Couplets
Just as a steady boat, O Rama, is obtained from a boatman, so also the method of crossing the ocean of samsara is learnt by associating with great souls.
The great remedy for the long-lasting disease of samsara is the enquiry, ‘Who am I?, to whom does this samsara belong?,’ which entirely cures it.
The Lord cannot be seen with the help of the sacred texts or the Guru. The self is seen by the Self alone with the pure intellect.
He is indeed an unfortunate person who, not knowing his own Self, takes pleasure in sense-objects,like one who realizes too late that the food eaten by him was poisonous.
That perverted man who, even after knowing that worldly objects are deceptive, still thinks of them, is an ass not a man.
Even the slightest thought immerses a man in sorrow; when devoid of all thoughts he enjoys imperishable bliss.
Just as we experience the delusion of hundreds of years in a dream lasting an hour, so also we experience the sport of maya in our waking state.
He is a happy man whose mind is inwardly cool and free from attachment and hatred and who looks upon this (world) like a mere spectator.
When pots, etc. are broken the space within them becomes unlimited. So also when bodies cease to exist the Self remains eternal and unattached.
Nothing whatever is born or dies anywhere at any time. It is Brahman alone appearing illusorily in the form of the world.
O Rama, it is indeed nobler to wander begging about the streets of the outcasts (chandalas), an earthen bowl in hand, than to live a life steeped in ignorance.
Samsara rises when the mind becomes active and ceases when it is still. Still the mind, therefore, by controlling the breath and the latent desires (vasanas).
This worthless (lit. burnt out) samsara is born of one’s imagination and vanishes in the absence of imagination. It is certain that it is absolutely unsubstantial.
Just as the cloth, when investigated, is seen to be nothing but thread, so also this world, when enquired into, is (seen to be) merely the Self.
He who neither likes nor dislikes the objects seen by him and who acts (in the world) like one asleep,is said to be a liberated person.
He who does not, like one blind, recognise (lit.leaves far behind) his relatives, who dreads attachment as he would a serpent, who looks upon sense-enjoyments and diseases alike, who disregards the company of women as he would a blade of grass and who finds no distinction between a friend and a foe, experiences happiness in this world and the next.
O Rama, there is no intellect, no nescience, no mind and no individual soul (jiva). They are all imagined in Brahman.
Does not the fool feel ashamed to move about in the world as he pleases and talk about meditation when he is not able to conquer even the mind?
The only god to be conquered is the mind. Its conquest leads to the attainment of everything. Without its conquest all other efforts are fruitless.
To be unperturbed is the foundation of blessedness (Sri). One attains liberation by it. To human beings even the conquest of the three worlds, without the conquest of the mind, is as insignificant as a blade of grass.
Association with the wise, abandonment of latent impressions, self-enquiry, control of breathing — these are the means of conquering the mind.
Remain always as pure Consciousness which is your constant (i.e. true) nature beyond the states of waking, dream and deep sleep.
Awareness is Brahman; the world is Brahman; the various elements are Brahman; I am Brahman; my enemy is Brahman; my friends and relatives are Brahman.
The rock-like state in which all thoughts are still and which is different from the waking and dream states, is one’s supreme state.
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi used to refer to Yoga Vasishta frequently and has even incorporated six couplets from it in His Supplement to Forty Verses (verses 21 to 27).
A further condensation of this work was made long ago, by an unknown author, into about 230 couplets,divided into ten chapters, as Yoga Vasishta Sara (Essence of Yoga Vasishta), of which this translation is presented for the first time. By making this condensation the author has rendered a great service to all sadhaks. This is indeed a goldmine fit for repeated reading and meditation.
Important Couplets
Just as a steady boat, O Rama, is obtained from a boatman, so also the method of crossing the ocean of samsara is learnt by associating with great souls.
The great remedy for the long-lasting disease of samsara is the enquiry, ‘Who am I?, to whom does this samsara belong?,’ which entirely cures it.
The Lord cannot be seen with the help of the sacred texts or the Guru. The self is seen by the Self alone with the pure intellect.
He is indeed an unfortunate person who, not knowing his own Self, takes pleasure in sense-objects,like one who realizes too late that the food eaten by him was poisonous.
That perverted man who, even after knowing that worldly objects are deceptive, still thinks of them, is an ass not a man.
Even the slightest thought immerses a man in sorrow; when devoid of all thoughts he enjoys imperishable bliss.
Just as we experience the delusion of hundreds of years in a dream lasting an hour, so also we experience the sport of maya in our waking state.
He is a happy man whose mind is inwardly cool and free from attachment and hatred and who looks upon this (world) like a mere spectator.
When pots, etc. are broken the space within them becomes unlimited. So also when bodies cease to exist the Self remains eternal and unattached.
Nothing whatever is born or dies anywhere at any time. It is Brahman alone appearing illusorily in the form of the world.
O Rama, it is indeed nobler to wander begging about the streets of the outcasts (chandalas), an earthen bowl in hand, than to live a life steeped in ignorance.
Samsara rises when the mind becomes active and ceases when it is still. Still the mind, therefore, by controlling the breath and the latent desires (vasanas).
This worthless (lit. burnt out) samsara is born of one’s imagination and vanishes in the absence of imagination. It is certain that it is absolutely unsubstantial.
Just as the cloth, when investigated, is seen to be nothing but thread, so also this world, when enquired into, is (seen to be) merely the Self.
He who neither likes nor dislikes the objects seen by him and who acts (in the world) like one asleep,is said to be a liberated person.
He who does not, like one blind, recognise (lit.leaves far behind) his relatives, who dreads attachment as he would a serpent, who looks upon sense-enjoyments and diseases alike, who disregards the company of women as he would a blade of grass and who finds no distinction between a friend and a foe, experiences happiness in this world and the next.
O Rama, there is no intellect, no nescience, no mind and no individual soul (jiva). They are all imagined in Brahman.
Does not the fool feel ashamed to move about in the world as he pleases and talk about meditation when he is not able to conquer even the mind?
The only god to be conquered is the mind. Its conquest leads to the attainment of everything. Without its conquest all other efforts are fruitless.
To be unperturbed is the foundation of blessedness (Sri). One attains liberation by it. To human beings even the conquest of the three worlds, without the conquest of the mind, is as insignificant as a blade of grass.
Association with the wise, abandonment of latent impressions, self-enquiry, control of breathing — these are the means of conquering the mind.
Remain always as pure Consciousness which is your constant (i.e. true) nature beyond the states of waking, dream and deep sleep.
Awareness is Brahman; the world is Brahman; the various elements are Brahman; I am Brahman; my enemy is Brahman; my friends and relatives are Brahman.
The rock-like state in which all thoughts are still and which is different from the waking and dream states, is one’s supreme state.
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful,lovely life.....
Things are to be used and people are to be loved,
But the problem in today's world is that, People are used and things are loved...
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
The Will of God will never take you to
where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you...
Stay FAITHFUL and Be GRATEFUL.
Things are to be used and people are to be loved,
But the problem in today's world is that, People are used and things are loved...
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
The Will of God will never take you to
where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you...
Stay FAITHFUL and Be GRATEFUL.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says Whatever good or bad comes to be unaffected is Jnana
Whatever and however much [good or bad] either comes [to one] or goes [away from one], to remain as other than the knower of them and to be unaffected by them, unlike a straw carried away by the wind, is Jnana.
Michael James: Whatever good or bad comes to a Sahaja Jnani,He remains Himself ever unaffected by them and unconcerned with them, since He knows Himself to be Self, which is other than the experiencer of the good or the bad. His state may be compared to a cinema screen, which is neither burnt by pictures of fire nor drenched by pictures of water, though it is the support of all those pictures. This completely unattached and unconcerned state of true knowledge (jnana) was well illustrated by the life of Sri Bhagavan.Though so many bad things went on around Him – though some bogus sadhus tried to pose as His guru, though because of jealousy they tried to kill Him by rolling boulders on Him, though some insincere devotees pretended to love Him but did mischief behind His back, though some people gave Him intoxicating drugs like bhang, though a will was made in His name,though court cases went on against Him, though an abusive book was written about Him, though some of His good devotees like Sri Muruganar were ill-treated and abused, though some so-called disciples even tried deliberately to misinterpret His teachings by mistranslating them and by writing false commentaries on them, and so on – and though so many good things went on around Him –though sincere devotees came to Him and praised Him as the Supreme Lord, though His Jayanti, Golden Jubilee and other functions were celebrated on such a grand scale, though His name and fame spread all over the world, and so on – He ever remained as a mere witness, unconcerned with all these things.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Michael James: Whatever good or bad comes to a Sahaja Jnani,He remains Himself ever unaffected by them and unconcerned with them, since He knows Himself to be Self, which is other than the experiencer of the good or the bad. His state may be compared to a cinema screen, which is neither burnt by pictures of fire nor drenched by pictures of water, though it is the support of all those pictures. This completely unattached and unconcerned state of true knowledge (jnana) was well illustrated by the life of Sri Bhagavan.Though so many bad things went on around Him – though some bogus sadhus tried to pose as His guru, though because of jealousy they tried to kill Him by rolling boulders on Him, though some insincere devotees pretended to love Him but did mischief behind His back, though some people gave Him intoxicating drugs like bhang, though a will was made in His name,though court cases went on against Him, though an abusive book was written about Him, though some of His good devotees like Sri Muruganar were ill-treated and abused, though some so-called disciples even tried deliberately to misinterpret His teachings by mistranslating them and by writing false commentaries on them, and so on – and though so many good things went on around Him –though sincere devotees came to Him and praised Him as the Supreme Lord, though His Jayanti, Golden Jubilee and other functions were celebrated on such a grand scale, though His name and fame spread all over the world, and so on – He ever remained as a mere witness, unconcerned with all these things.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi says Self alone is real direct knowledge
Self alone is the real eye. Therefore Self, which is known by itself, alone is the real direct knowledge.But insentient people, who do not have Self’s sight,claim the knowledge of alien sense-objects to be direct knowledge.
Sadhu Om: Sri Bhagavan here describes those who do not see through the eye of Self as ‘insentient people’, since they see only through the insentient physical eyes. Such people say that the knowledge of the objects of this world is direct knowledge [pratyaksha aparoksha jnana]. However, the world seen in front of the eyes is not perceived directly, since it is known only through the medium of the mind and the five senses. Self, the knowledge of one’s own existence, is a more real and more direct knowledge than the knowledge of any alien object. It is only after there is the first knowledge ‘I am’ that the knowledge ‘the world and all else exists’ can come into being, and hence no knowledge except ‘I am’ can be direct knowledge; Self alone is the ever-direct knowledge.
Will an ornament become gold only when its form is destroyed by melting? Is it not [in reality] gold even while it is in the form of an ornament? Therefore,know that all the three [unreal] entities [the world,soul and God] formed by the mind, are likewise [in reality] nothing but existence-consciousness [Self].
Sadhu Om: Even while they appear to be many different things,the world, the soul and God are in reality nothing but the one Self alone. It is wrong to think that they will become Self only after their diverse forms have disappeared. In truth, only Self, the substance or reality of those diverse forms, is real, while the forms themselves are ever unreal.
If one does not take to the deluded life of modern civilization,if one rejects the liking towards the useless worldly knowledges [such as sciences, arts and languages],and if one removes the sense of differentiation [bheda-buddhi] between Siva [or Paramatma] and the soul [or jivatma], then only will the true import of Siva Jnana Bodham shine forth.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om: Sri Bhagavan here describes those who do not see through the eye of Self as ‘insentient people’, since they see only through the insentient physical eyes. Such people say that the knowledge of the objects of this world is direct knowledge [pratyaksha aparoksha jnana]. However, the world seen in front of the eyes is not perceived directly, since it is known only through the medium of the mind and the five senses. Self, the knowledge of one’s own existence, is a more real and more direct knowledge than the knowledge of any alien object. It is only after there is the first knowledge ‘I am’ that the knowledge ‘the world and all else exists’ can come into being, and hence no knowledge except ‘I am’ can be direct knowledge; Self alone is the ever-direct knowledge.
Will an ornament become gold only when its form is destroyed by melting? Is it not [in reality] gold even while it is in the form of an ornament? Therefore,know that all the three [unreal] entities [the world,soul and God] formed by the mind, are likewise [in reality] nothing but existence-consciousness [Self].
Sadhu Om: Even while they appear to be many different things,the world, the soul and God are in reality nothing but the one Self alone. It is wrong to think that they will become Self only after their diverse forms have disappeared. In truth, only Self, the substance or reality of those diverse forms, is real, while the forms themselves are ever unreal.
If one does not take to the deluded life of modern civilization,if one rejects the liking towards the useless worldly knowledges [such as sciences, arts and languages],and if one removes the sense of differentiation [bheda-buddhi] between Siva [or Paramatma] and the soul [or jivatma], then only will the true import of Siva Jnana Bodham shine forth.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi says miseries come only because of one’s desire to enjoy the world
The boat may remain in water, but if water enters the boat it will bring great catastrophe. [Likewise] a man may live in the world, but if the world enters [the mind of] the man the whole life will be miserable.
Sri Muruganar: It is not the world itself but only the attachment towards the world which constitutes samsara-bandha [the bondage of mundane existence]. Attachment is caused by the mind, and not by what is outside. No harm will befall one by one’s merely living in the world; but all miseries come into existence only because of one’s desire to enjoy the world.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sri Muruganar: It is not the world itself but only the attachment towards the world which constitutes samsara-bandha [the bondage of mundane existence]. Attachment is caused by the mind, and not by what is outside. No harm will befall one by one’s merely living in the world; but all miseries come into existence only because of one’s desire to enjoy the world.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says God’s creation does not bind only jiva’s creation binds
God’s creation does not bind: only the jiva’s creation,which is a mental conception, binds. This is illustrated by the story of the father of the dead son being happy while the father of the living son lamented.
Sadhu Om: The story mentioned in this verse is as follows: Two neighbours called Rama and Krishna, who lived in a small village in South India, went on a pilgrimage to Kasi. On the way Rama died of fever, and Krishna continued alone on his pilgrimage. While proceeding to Kasi, Krishna met another pilgrim who was returning to the south and asked him to convey the news of Rama’s death to his parents. The pilgrim duly came to that village, but while telling the news he said, due to forgetfulness, that Krishna had died and that Rama was proceeding towards Kasi. The parents of Krishna wept and grieved over the loss of their son, who was actually alive, while the parents of Rama were rejoicing over the welfare of their son, who was actually dead. Now, was not the wrong knowledge of the parents the cause for their respective misery and happiness? In the same manner, the cause for the miseries of birth and death experienced by the jivas is only the wrong knowledge, the wrong mental conception, that one is the body. Therefore, the conception ‘I am the body’, which is only a creation of the mind or jiva, is the sole cause of bondage. This is why Sri Bhagavan says in this verse, “Only the jiva’s creation, which is a mental conception,binds”.
According to their maturity, does not God bestow upon jivas their allotted prarabdha – the selected and arranged fruits of good and bad karmas – for their own uplift? All that we see as our life in a body and as a world in which we live, is nothing but our prarabdha. Do we not think that such a world, which is arranged according to our karmas and vasanas, is the creation of God? Thus the very purpose of the appearance or creation of the world which we see, is to teach us vairagya by making us experience pains and pleasures and thereby to turn our mind towards Self.
The state in which the mind is ever turned Selfwards is liberation or moksha. Therefore the very purpose of the world, which is said to be God’s creation, is not to bind us but only to liberate us. That is why it is said in this verse, “God’s creation does not bind”.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om: The story mentioned in this verse is as follows: Two neighbours called Rama and Krishna, who lived in a small village in South India, went on a pilgrimage to Kasi. On the way Rama died of fever, and Krishna continued alone on his pilgrimage. While proceeding to Kasi, Krishna met another pilgrim who was returning to the south and asked him to convey the news of Rama’s death to his parents. The pilgrim duly came to that village, but while telling the news he said, due to forgetfulness, that Krishna had died and that Rama was proceeding towards Kasi. The parents of Krishna wept and grieved over the loss of their son, who was actually alive, while the parents of Rama were rejoicing over the welfare of their son, who was actually dead. Now, was not the wrong knowledge of the parents the cause for their respective misery and happiness? In the same manner, the cause for the miseries of birth and death experienced by the jivas is only the wrong knowledge, the wrong mental conception, that one is the body. Therefore, the conception ‘I am the body’, which is only a creation of the mind or jiva, is the sole cause of bondage. This is why Sri Bhagavan says in this verse, “Only the jiva’s creation, which is a mental conception,binds”.
According to their maturity, does not God bestow upon jivas their allotted prarabdha – the selected and arranged fruits of good and bad karmas – for their own uplift? All that we see as our life in a body and as a world in which we live, is nothing but our prarabdha. Do we not think that such a world, which is arranged according to our karmas and vasanas, is the creation of God? Thus the very purpose of the appearance or creation of the world which we see, is to teach us vairagya by making us experience pains and pleasures and thereby to turn our mind towards Self.
The state in which the mind is ever turned Selfwards is liberation or moksha. Therefore the very purpose of the world, which is said to be God’s creation, is not to bind us but only to liberate us. That is why it is said in this verse, “God’s creation does not bind”.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi questions why few immature minds associate with Sadhus
Why do these people of immature mind, who are melting and weeping with the longing to obtain easily the five sense-pleasures, come and associate with Sadhus, who always live the aim of conquering and completely destroying the five sense-pleasures?
Sadhu Om and Michael James: Do not people who, even though they may hold degrees or high and powerful positions in society,are immature, approach Sadhus with worldly offerings and wait in their holy presence for the fulfilment of their desires? This is not only foolish, but also improper. Since such worldly people are mad after the five sense-pleasures, whereas Sadhus are totally destroying the desire for the five sense-pleasures by the power of their tapas, they have no business with Sadhus. The following incident will throw more light on this point:
One evening at 4 pm during Sri Bhagavan’s stay at Virupaksha Cave, an old brahmin came there with his daughter and offered a big plateful of costly sweets. Sri Bhagavan accepted a little of it, and the rest was distributed to all the devotees present,who were immensely happy since in those days they were not getting even enough ordinary food to satisfy their needs. The devotees were very happy, but Sri Bhagavan did not seem to be so pleased. On the third day when she came with her usual plate,though all the devotees were very happy, Sri Bhagavan told her with a look of displeasure, “What is this? Why do you bring today also? I did not mind when you brought it once or twice, but why do you daily bring such costly things? If there is any expectation behind these offerings, it is wrong. This is not the place for the ful-filment of worldly desires. If you have any such desire, do not bring these offerings from tomorrow onwards”.
Next day, to the great disappointment of many of the devotees,she did not come. One of the devotees afterwards enquired from her father and came to know that, in spite of having passed the normal age, the girl had not yet attained maturity for her marriage,and that someone had advised her father that if such offerings were made to Sri Bhagavan, their desire would be fulfilled.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om and Michael James: Do not people who, even though they may hold degrees or high and powerful positions in society,are immature, approach Sadhus with worldly offerings and wait in their holy presence for the fulfilment of their desires? This is not only foolish, but also improper. Since such worldly people are mad after the five sense-pleasures, whereas Sadhus are totally destroying the desire for the five sense-pleasures by the power of their tapas, they have no business with Sadhus. The following incident will throw more light on this point:
One evening at 4 pm during Sri Bhagavan’s stay at Virupaksha Cave, an old brahmin came there with his daughter and offered a big plateful of costly sweets. Sri Bhagavan accepted a little of it, and the rest was distributed to all the devotees present,who were immensely happy since in those days they were not getting even enough ordinary food to satisfy their needs. The devotees were very happy, but Sri Bhagavan did not seem to be so pleased. On the third day when she came with her usual plate,though all the devotees were very happy, Sri Bhagavan told her with a look of displeasure, “What is this? Why do you bring today also? I did not mind when you brought it once or twice, but why do you daily bring such costly things? If there is any expectation behind these offerings, it is wrong. This is not the place for the ful-filment of worldly desires. If you have any such desire, do not bring these offerings from tomorrow onwards”.
Next day, to the great disappointment of many of the devotees,she did not come. One of the devotees afterwards enquired from her father and came to know that, in spite of having passed the normal age, the girl had not yet attained maturity for her marriage,and that someone had advised her father that if such offerings were made to Sri Bhagavan, their desire would be fulfilled.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi about speed of attachment with which one springs from the dream-body to the waking-body
Jnanis say that both dream and waking are the creations of the deluded mind. Because, in both of them,thoughts and names-and-forms exist in the same manner.
If it is asked, ‘[When the dream-body and the waking- body are thus different,] how does the semen in the waking-body drip out when one sees in dream that the dream-body has contacted a woman?’, the answer will be that it is due to the speed of attachment with which one springs from the dream-body to the waking-body.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
If it is asked, ‘[When the dream-body and the waking- body are thus different,] how does the semen in the waking-body drip out when one sees in dream that the dream-body has contacted a woman?’, the answer will be that it is due to the speed of attachment with which one springs from the dream-body to the waking-body.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi about Simplicity of Life
If some men of abundant wealth were to give up willingly a few of their luxurious modes of living, millions of pitifully suffering poor could live.
Since the gracious Lord produces the needful food for all creatures only in the needed quantity, if one consumes more than what is needed to sustain life, it is a sin of stealing violently other’s food. Thus should you know.
Sri Muruganar: Although this verse mentions only food, it is applicable to all the necessities of life.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Since the gracious Lord produces the needful food for all creatures only in the needed quantity, if one consumes more than what is needed to sustain life, it is a sin of stealing violently other’s food. Thus should you know.
Sri Muruganar: Although this verse mentions only food, it is applicable to all the necessities of life.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Ramana Maharshi comparision between Self-enquiry and the great war being fought between devas and asuras
One’s unceasing effort to turn the mind – which is always extroverted due to the force of habit [cultivated in past births] – towards Self by the Self-enquiry “Who am I?” is [the significance of] the great war being fought between devas and asuras [which is described in the Puranas].
Sadhu Om: In India many stories are recorded in books known as the Puranas, which tell of the wars being fought between devas [gods] and asuras [demons]. These wars should not be regarded as mere myths or events that happened only in the distant past,they are going on even today. They are the constant battle which is always being fought in the life of a sadhaka between his liking to attend only to Self and the habitual outward-going tendencies of his mind.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om: In India many stories are recorded in books known as the Puranas, which tell of the wars being fought between devas [gods] and asuras [demons]. These wars should not be regarded as mere myths or events that happened only in the distant past,they are going on even today. They are the constant battle which is always being fought in the life of a sadhaka between his liking to attend only to Self and the habitual outward-going tendencies of his mind.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says All Religions reveal fact that Self is the Supreme Reality
If there were not, in each religion, at least one word which could reveal the transcendental Supreme Thing in the Heart, as clearly as a mountain on a plain, then all the researches and arguments found in the scriptures of that religion would become nothing but the hubbub of a cattle market.
Sadhu Om: It is asserted in this verse that at least one word or saying [Mahavakya] which easily reveals the fact that Self is the Supreme Reality will be found in every true religion existing on earth. Some of those pointed out by Sri Bhagavan are:
in Hinduism – “Tat twam asi”, “Aham Brahmasmi”, etc.
in Islam – “Ana’l-Haq”;
in Judaism and Christianity – “I AM THAT I AM”.
These words clearly show that God is the Reality of the first person, ‘I’.
Know that the bright light of fire that rises within, kindled by more and more inwardly grinding the mind,which has been made free from impurities, on the stone of heart through [the enquiry] ‘Who am I?’, is the true knowledge “Ana’l-Haq” [I am the reality].
Sadhu Om: If a religion is a true one, at least one sacred utterance of Mahavakya which reveals the transcendent nature of Self,should be found in its scriptures. If such a Mahavakya were not found in its scriptures, it would not be a true religion. For example,Sri Bhagavan used to point out the peerless Mahavakya ‘I am that I am’ which is revealed in the Holy Bible. In the same manner, He also used to point out the sacred utterance ‘Ana’l-Haq’ in the Islamic Religion al-Haq is one of the 99 names of Allah, and means ‘the reality’ or ‘the truth’; “Ana’l-Haq” means ‘I am the reality’, and is a sacred utterance made by Hallaj, a famous Sufi Sage]. Sri Bhagavan used to explain that the final aim of all these religions is to make one know the Self.
Those who always worship the holy Feet of Allah [God] will achieve all benefits and happiness together, having extinguished all the fire of suffering of the imaginary mental life led by them on account of wicked and sinful actions [karmas].
Sadhu Om: Since this is advice given to some Muslims, Sri Bhagavan used the word ‘Allah’ instead of God.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om: It is asserted in this verse that at least one word or saying [Mahavakya] which easily reveals the fact that Self is the Supreme Reality will be found in every true religion existing on earth. Some of those pointed out by Sri Bhagavan are:
in Hinduism – “Tat twam asi”, “Aham Brahmasmi”, etc.
in Islam – “Ana’l-Haq”;
in Judaism and Christianity – “I AM THAT I AM”.
These words clearly show that God is the Reality of the first person, ‘I’.
Know that the bright light of fire that rises within, kindled by more and more inwardly grinding the mind,which has been made free from impurities, on the stone of heart through [the enquiry] ‘Who am I?’, is the true knowledge “Ana’l-Haq” [I am the reality].
Sadhu Om: If a religion is a true one, at least one sacred utterance of Mahavakya which reveals the transcendent nature of Self,should be found in its scriptures. If such a Mahavakya were not found in its scriptures, it would not be a true religion. For example,Sri Bhagavan used to point out the peerless Mahavakya ‘I am that I am’ which is revealed in the Holy Bible. In the same manner, He also used to point out the sacred utterance ‘Ana’l-Haq’ in the Islamic Religion al-Haq is one of the 99 names of Allah, and means ‘the reality’ or ‘the truth’; “Ana’l-Haq” means ‘I am the reality’, and is a sacred utterance made by Hallaj, a famous Sufi Sage]. Sri Bhagavan used to explain that the final aim of all these religions is to make one know the Self.
Those who always worship the holy Feet of Allah [God] will achieve all benefits and happiness together, having extinguished all the fire of suffering of the imaginary mental life led by them on account of wicked and sinful actions [karmas].
Sadhu Om: Since this is advice given to some Muslims, Sri Bhagavan used the word ‘Allah’ instead of God.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi about cherishing the body as well as trying to know Self
Give up thinking that the loathsome body is ‘I’. Know Self, which is eternal Bliss. Cherishing the ephemeral body as well as trying to know Self is just like using a crocodile as a raft to cross a river.
Sadhu Om: The phrase “Cherishing the ephemeral body” is liable to be misunderstood by aspirants; Sri Bhagavan merely intends to give a warning through this verse to those aspirants who believe that, in order to realise Self, they must live a long life in a healthy body. Such people sometimes go to extremes and, calling themselves yogis, waste most of their waking life doing certain yoga practices and preoccupying themselves to the point of hypochondria with a concern about sattvic diet, physical cleanliness, handsome appearance, good health and so on. These foolish people, as a result, are merely a trouble to their benefactors and useless parasites on society.
However, Bhagavan does not intend to deny the necessity or wisdom of taking a reasonable and moderate care of physical needs. A wise shopkeeper’s aim should not be merely to pay the rent on his shop, but should be to earn a large profit on top of the rent; similarly, an aspirant’s aim should not be merely to provide food, clothing and shelter [the rent] for his body [the shop], he must remember that his business in this body is Self-enquiry, and his aim is to make the worthy profit of Self-Knowledge. However, if the rent is not paid for this body, the business cannot thrive. On the other hand, however, paying the rent [i.e., providing these necessities] should not become the sole endeavour of our whole life; the major portion of our attention must be aimed directly at attaining Self-Knowledge, while attending to a bare minimum of the necessities.Excessive anxiety about the physical necessities of life is like clinging to a crocodile which, instead of acting as a raft to help us cross the river of samsara, will swallow us, making all our futile efforts come to nothing.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Sadhu Om: The phrase “Cherishing the ephemeral body” is liable to be misunderstood by aspirants; Sri Bhagavan merely intends to give a warning through this verse to those aspirants who believe that, in order to realise Self, they must live a long life in a healthy body. Such people sometimes go to extremes and, calling themselves yogis, waste most of their waking life doing certain yoga practices and preoccupying themselves to the point of hypochondria with a concern about sattvic diet, physical cleanliness, handsome appearance, good health and so on. These foolish people, as a result, are merely a trouble to their benefactors and useless parasites on society.
However, Bhagavan does not intend to deny the necessity or wisdom of taking a reasonable and moderate care of physical needs. A wise shopkeeper’s aim should not be merely to pay the rent on his shop, but should be to earn a large profit on top of the rent; similarly, an aspirant’s aim should not be merely to provide food, clothing and shelter [the rent] for his body [the shop], he must remember that his business in this body is Self-enquiry, and his aim is to make the worthy profit of Self-Knowledge. However, if the rent is not paid for this body, the business cannot thrive. On the other hand, however, paying the rent [i.e., providing these necessities] should not become the sole endeavour of our whole life; the major portion of our attention must be aimed directly at attaining Self-Knowledge, while attending to a bare minimum of the necessities.Excessive anxiety about the physical necessities of life is like clinging to a crocodile which, instead of acting as a raft to help us cross the river of samsara, will swallow us, making all our futile efforts come to nothing.
Source: GURU VACHAKA KOVAI The Light of Supreme Truth or THE COLLECTION OF GURU’S SAYINGS translated from original Tamil By Sadhu Om and Michael James
Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi about limbs of yoga(Yama,Niyama..)
A new translation by DR T. M. P. MAHADEVAN, M.A., Ph.D. from the original Tamil
D: Although I have listened to the explanation of the characteristics of enquiry in such great detail,my mind has not gained even a little peace. What is the reason for this?
M: The reason is the absence of strength or one-pointedness of the mind.
D: Of the means for mind-control, which is the most important?
M: Breath-control is the means for mind-control.
D: How is breath to be controlled?
M: Breath can be controlled either by absolute retention of breath (kevala-kumbhaka) or by regulation of breath (pranayama).
D: What are the limbs of yoga?
M: Yama, niyama, asana, ,pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Of these -
(1) Yama:- this stands, for the cultivation of such principles of good conduct as non-violence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possession (apari-graha).
(2) Niyama:- this stands for the observance of such rules of good conduct as purity (saucha),contentment (santosha), austerity (tapas), study of the sacred texts (svadhyaya), and devotion to God (Isvara-pranidhana).
(3) Asana:- Of the different postures, eighty-four are the main ones. Of these, again, four, viz.,simha, bhadra, padma, and siddha are said to be excellent. Of these too, it is only siddha, that is the most excellent. Thus the yoga-texts declare.
(4) Pranayama:- According to the measures prescribed in the sacred texts, exhaling the vital air is rechaka, inhaling is puraka and retaining it in the heart is kumbhaka. As regards ‘measure’,some texts say that rechaka and puraka should be equal in measure, and kumbhaka twice that measure, while other texts say that if rechaka is one measure, puraka should be of two measures,and kumbhaka of four. By ‘measure’ what is meant is the time that would be taken for the utterance
(5) Pratyahara:- This is regulating the mind by preventing it from flowing towards the external names and forms. The mind, which had been till then distracted, now becomes controlled. The aids in this respect are (1) meditation on the pranava, (2) fixing the attention betwixt the eyebrows,(3) looking at the tip of the nose, and (4) reflection on the nada. The mind that has thus become one-pointed will be fit to stay in one place. After this, dharana should be practised.
(6) Dharana:- This is fixing the mind in a locus which is fit for meditation. The loci that are eminently fit for meditation are the heart and Brahma-randhra (aperture in the crown of the head). One should think that in the middle of the eight-petalled lotus6 that is at this place there shines, like a flame, the Deity which is the Self, i.e. Brahman, and fix the mind therein. After this, one should meditate.
(7) Dhyana:- This is meditation, through the ‘I am He’ thought, that one is not different from the nature of the aforesaid flame. Even, thus, if one makes the enquiry ‘Who am I?’, then, as the Scripture declares, “The Brahman which is everywhere shines in the heart as the Self that is the witness of the intellect”, one would realize that is the Divine Self that shines in the heart as ‘I-I’.
This mode of reflection is the best meditation.
(8) Samadhi:- As a result of the fruition of the aforesaid meditation, the mind gets resolved in the object of meditation without harbouring the ideas ‘I am such and such; I am doing this and this’.This subtle state in which even the thought ‘I-I’ disappears is samadhi. If one practises this every day, seeing to it that sleep does not supervene, God will soon confer on one the supreme state of quiescence of mind.
D: By practising the disciplines taught above, one may get rid of the obstacles that are in the mind,viz. ignorance, doubt, error, etc., and thereby attain quiescence of mind. Yet, there is one last doubt. After the mind has been resolved in the heart, there is only consciousness shining as the plenary reality. When thus the mind has assumed the form of the Self, who is there to enquire? Such enquiry would result in self-worship. It would be like the story of the shepherd searching for the sheep that was all the time on his shoulders!
M: The jiva itself is Shiva; Shiva Himself is the jiva. It is true that the jiva is no other than Shiva.When the grain is hidden inside the husk, it is called paddy; when it is de-husked, it is called rice.Similarly, so long as one is bound by karma one remains a jiva; when the bond of ignorance is broken, one shines as Shiva, the Deity. Thus declares a scriptural text. Accordingly, the jiva which is mind is in reality the pure Self; but, forgetting this truth, it imagines itself to be an individual soul and gets bound in the shape of mind. So its search for the Self, which is itself, is like the search for the sheep by the shepherd. But still, the jiva which has forgotten its self will not become the Self through mere mediate knowledge. By the impediment caused by the residual impressions gathered in previous births, the jiva forgets again and again its identity with the Self, and gets deceived, identifying itself with the body, etc. Will a person become a high officer by merely looking at him? Is it not by steady effort in that direction that he could become a highly placed officer? Similarly, the jiva, which is in bondage through mental identification with the body, etc.,should put forth effort in the form of reflection on the Self, in a gradual and sustained manner; and when thus the mind gets destroyed, the jiva would become the Self.
The reflection on the Self which is thus practised constantly will destroy the mind, and thereafter will destroy itself like the stick that is used to kindle the cinders burning a corpse. It is this state that is called release.
D: Although I have listened to the explanation of the characteristics of enquiry in such great detail,my mind has not gained even a little peace. What is the reason for this?
M: The reason is the absence of strength or one-pointedness of the mind.
D: Of the means for mind-control, which is the most important?
M: Breath-control is the means for mind-control.
D: How is breath to be controlled?
M: Breath can be controlled either by absolute retention of breath (kevala-kumbhaka) or by regulation of breath (pranayama).
D: What are the limbs of yoga?
M: Yama, niyama, asana, ,pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Of these -
(1) Yama:- this stands, for the cultivation of such principles of good conduct as non-violence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possession (apari-graha).
(2) Niyama:- this stands for the observance of such rules of good conduct as purity (saucha),contentment (santosha), austerity (tapas), study of the sacred texts (svadhyaya), and devotion to God (Isvara-pranidhana).
(3) Asana:- Of the different postures, eighty-four are the main ones. Of these, again, four, viz.,simha, bhadra, padma, and siddha are said to be excellent. Of these too, it is only siddha, that is the most excellent. Thus the yoga-texts declare.
(4) Pranayama:- According to the measures prescribed in the sacred texts, exhaling the vital air is rechaka, inhaling is puraka and retaining it in the heart is kumbhaka. As regards ‘measure’,some texts say that rechaka and puraka should be equal in measure, and kumbhaka twice that measure, while other texts say that if rechaka is one measure, puraka should be of two measures,and kumbhaka of four. By ‘measure’ what is meant is the time that would be taken for the utterance
(5) Pratyahara:- This is regulating the mind by preventing it from flowing towards the external names and forms. The mind, which had been till then distracted, now becomes controlled. The aids in this respect are (1) meditation on the pranava, (2) fixing the attention betwixt the eyebrows,(3) looking at the tip of the nose, and (4) reflection on the nada. The mind that has thus become one-pointed will be fit to stay in one place. After this, dharana should be practised.
(6) Dharana:- This is fixing the mind in a locus which is fit for meditation. The loci that are eminently fit for meditation are the heart and Brahma-randhra (aperture in the crown of the head). One should think that in the middle of the eight-petalled lotus6 that is at this place there shines, like a flame, the Deity which is the Self, i.e. Brahman, and fix the mind therein. After this, one should meditate.
(7) Dhyana:- This is meditation, through the ‘I am He’ thought, that one is not different from the nature of the aforesaid flame. Even, thus, if one makes the enquiry ‘Who am I?’, then, as the Scripture declares, “The Brahman which is everywhere shines in the heart as the Self that is the witness of the intellect”, one would realize that is the Divine Self that shines in the heart as ‘I-I’.
This mode of reflection is the best meditation.
(8) Samadhi:- As a result of the fruition of the aforesaid meditation, the mind gets resolved in the object of meditation without harbouring the ideas ‘I am such and such; I am doing this and this’.This subtle state in which even the thought ‘I-I’ disappears is samadhi. If one practises this every day, seeing to it that sleep does not supervene, God will soon confer on one the supreme state of quiescence of mind.
D: By practising the disciplines taught above, one may get rid of the obstacles that are in the mind,viz. ignorance, doubt, error, etc., and thereby attain quiescence of mind. Yet, there is one last doubt. After the mind has been resolved in the heart, there is only consciousness shining as the plenary reality. When thus the mind has assumed the form of the Self, who is there to enquire? Such enquiry would result in self-worship. It would be like the story of the shepherd searching for the sheep that was all the time on his shoulders!
M: The jiva itself is Shiva; Shiva Himself is the jiva. It is true that the jiva is no other than Shiva.When the grain is hidden inside the husk, it is called paddy; when it is de-husked, it is called rice.Similarly, so long as one is bound by karma one remains a jiva; when the bond of ignorance is broken, one shines as Shiva, the Deity. Thus declares a scriptural text. Accordingly, the jiva which is mind is in reality the pure Self; but, forgetting this truth, it imagines itself to be an individual soul and gets bound in the shape of mind. So its search for the Self, which is itself, is like the search for the sheep by the shepherd. But still, the jiva which has forgotten its self will not become the Self through mere mediate knowledge. By the impediment caused by the residual impressions gathered in previous births, the jiva forgets again and again its identity with the Self, and gets deceived, identifying itself with the body, etc. Will a person become a high officer by merely looking at him? Is it not by steady effort in that direction that he could become a highly placed officer? Similarly, the jiva, which is in bondage through mental identification with the body, etc.,should put forth effort in the form of reflection on the Self, in a gradual and sustained manner; and when thus the mind gets destroyed, the jiva would become the Self.
The reflection on the Self which is thus practised constantly will destroy the mind, and thereafter will destroy itself like the stick that is used to kindle the cinders burning a corpse. It is this state that is called release.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Few Imp Translated Verses from Sadhanai Saram
After Bhagavan Sri Ramana cast off His mortal body in 1950, many of His devotees from both India and abroad gradually came to recognize Sri Sadhu Om Swamigal, not only as one of the foremost disciples of Sri Bhagavan, but also as a person endowed with a rare gift to elucidate His teachings in a clear and simple manner which could easily be understood and followed in practice by all seekers of true knowledge.
Following are translations of some verses from Sadhanai Saram, a Tamil work of Sri Sadhu Om.
Do not perform any action thinking ‘It should be done by me’. Nothing is done by you, (for) you are simply nothing ! By knowing this first, if you avoid the rising of doership, then everything will be done well by Him and your peace will remain undisturbed !
When scrutinizing ‘What is real?’, nothing in the world is (found to be) real; Self alone is real (satyam).Therefore, let us renounce everything and ever remain unshakably as the reality (sat). This alone is the service enjoined upon us by Sri Ramana, our eternal Lord!
To say, “He is great, he is a Jnani, I know”, is wrong.Even to say. “All are Jnanis”, is wrong, because seeing as if many people exist is a sign of ignorance (ajnana).There is only one who exists, and That is you. Thus should you know!
Therefore, if the thought again rises in you to know whether someone is a Jnani or an ajnani immediately reject it and be keen in fixing your attention, through the enquiry ‘Who am I?’, on the source from which that thought had risen.
Doubts can rise only about the existence of things other than oneself; no doubt can rise about the existence of oneself, If one’s existence is mistaken to be the body’s existence, then doubts will rise about the world and God (which come into existence only when the wrong,identification ‘I am the body’ rises); if one’s existence is known to be Self, the sale existence, no doubt will rise !
Until this primal doubt is cleared, replying to your other doubts will be just like cutting the leaves off the branches of a tree, because they will sprout again and again! But if the root is cut, they will not sprout again!
Remembering once the name of God with an unwavering (one-pointed) mind is more valuable than doing a thousand crores of Japa with a wandering mind.To call upon God even once by (mentally or vocally uttering) His name with full-hearted love is more valuable than doing a thousand crores of japa with a quiet (one-pointed) mind.
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
Following are translations of some verses from Sadhanai Saram, a Tamil work of Sri Sadhu Om.
Do not perform any action thinking ‘It should be done by me’. Nothing is done by you, (for) you are simply nothing ! By knowing this first, if you avoid the rising of doership, then everything will be done well by Him and your peace will remain undisturbed !
When scrutinizing ‘What is real?’, nothing in the world is (found to be) real; Self alone is real (satyam).Therefore, let us renounce everything and ever remain unshakably as the reality (sat). This alone is the service enjoined upon us by Sri Ramana, our eternal Lord!
To say, “He is great, he is a Jnani, I know”, is wrong.Even to say. “All are Jnanis”, is wrong, because seeing as if many people exist is a sign of ignorance (ajnana).There is only one who exists, and That is you. Thus should you know!
Therefore, if the thought again rises in you to know whether someone is a Jnani or an ajnani immediately reject it and be keen in fixing your attention, through the enquiry ‘Who am I?’, on the source from which that thought had risen.
Doubts can rise only about the existence of things other than oneself; no doubt can rise about the existence of oneself, If one’s existence is mistaken to be the body’s existence, then doubts will rise about the world and God (which come into existence only when the wrong,identification ‘I am the body’ rises); if one’s existence is known to be Self, the sale existence, no doubt will rise !
Until this primal doubt is cleared, replying to your other doubts will be just like cutting the leaves off the branches of a tree, because they will sprout again and again! But if the root is cut, they will not sprout again!
Remembering once the name of God with an unwavering (one-pointed) mind is more valuable than doing a thousand crores of Japa with a wandering mind.To call upon God even once by (mentally or vocally uttering) His name with full-hearted love is more valuable than doing a thousand crores of japa with a quiet (one-pointed) mind.
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi about Kantabharanam Story
A princes lost her golden necklace and she was seraching for it everywhere with concern and worry. At last when somebody among the courtiers pointed out that he necklace was already in the neck, the princess became happy. It was not a case of finding the necklace but she had only to recognise the necklace which was already with her. Same is the case with the Self (atman). All the search is meant to recognise the Self which has always been with us. We are that "Self". Bhagavan Sri Ramana called this illustrative story as the story of Kantabharanam -- the ornament which was already in the neck.
(Taken from Sri Ramana Jyothi, June 2009)
(Taken from Sri Ramana Jyothi, June 2009)
Ramana Maharshi about What is right and What is wrong
Q: If it is a question of doing something one considers wrong, and thereby saving someone else from a great wrong, should one do it or refrain?
Bhagavan: What is right and wrong? There is no standard by which to judge something to be right another to be wrong. Opinions differ according to the nature of the individual and according to the surroundings. They are again ideas and nothing more. Do not worry about them. But get rid of thoughts. If you always remain in the right, then right will prevail in the world.
When asked for further elucidation Sri Bhagavan then pointed out that to see wrong in another is one's own wrong. The discrimination between right and wrong is the origin of sin. One's own sin is reflected outside and the individual in ignorance superimposes it on another. The best course for one is to reach the state in which such discrimination does not arise. Do you see wrong or right in your sleep? Be asleep even in the wakeful state, abide as the Self and remain uncontaminated by what goes on around. Moreover, however much you might advise them, your hearers may not rectify themselves. Be in the right yourself and remain silent. Your silence will have more effect than your words or deeds.
Source: The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne
Bhagavan: What is right and wrong? There is no standard by which to judge something to be right another to be wrong. Opinions differ according to the nature of the individual and according to the surroundings. They are again ideas and nothing more. Do not worry about them. But get rid of thoughts. If you always remain in the right, then right will prevail in the world.
When asked for further elucidation Sri Bhagavan then pointed out that to see wrong in another is one's own wrong. The discrimination between right and wrong is the origin of sin. One's own sin is reflected outside and the individual in ignorance superimposes it on another. The best course for one is to reach the state in which such discrimination does not arise. Do you see wrong or right in your sleep? Be asleep even in the wakeful state, abide as the Self and remain uncontaminated by what goes on around. Moreover, however much you might advise them, your hearers may not rectify themselves. Be in the right yourself and remain silent. Your silence will have more effect than your words or deeds.
Source: The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne
Monday, 8 June 2009
What "Sri Arunachala Venba" book says about India and Arunachalam
“Among all the globes, this earth is the only one for attaining Liberation, and among all the countries on earth, Bharatam (India) is the best.Among all the holy places (kshetras) in Bharatam,where various divine powers are manifest and functioning, Arunachalam is the foremost !”
“Tiruvarur, Chidambaram and Kasi are the holy places which bestow Liberation upon those who are born in, who see, or who die in them respectively, but Arunachalam bestows Liberation upon anyone on earth who merely thinks of It !”
-- ‘Sri Arunachala Venba’, verses 1 and 2
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
“Tiruvarur, Chidambaram and Kasi are the holy places which bestow Liberation upon those who are born in, who see, or who die in them respectively, but Arunachalam bestows Liberation upon anyone on earth who merely thinks of It !”
-- ‘Sri Arunachala Venba’, verses 1 and 2
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
Ramana Maharshi's disciple says not to cheat ourselves in the name of service of the world
After Bhagavan Sri Ramana cast off His mortal body in 1950, many of His devotees from both India and abroad gradually came to recognize Sri Sadhu Om Swamigal, not only as one of the foremost disciples of Sri Bhagavan, but also as a person endowed with a rare gift to elucidate His teachings in a clear and simple manner which could easily be understood and followed in practice by all seekers of true knowledge.
Though some of Sri Swamigal’s writings in both prose and poetry were published during his lifetime, and though many more have been published in Tamil after he shed his physical body in March 1985, his attitude towards the publication of his writings was quite different from the attitude of many other writers of spiritual or philosophical books, who of their own accord seek to share their knowledge with the world by writing and publishing books.‘We should not open the door unless it is knocked’ was the principle underlying all his acts. Unless he was questioned with sincere earnestness, he would not speak or write anything about spiritual matters. Rising and going outwards to teach the world, getting on platforms to deliver lectures, seeking to enlighten the world by writing voluminous books, founding institutions, propagating religious doctrines by publishing magazines – all such activities he used strictly to avoid. And in doing so, he was but following the path lived and exemplified by Bhagavan Sri Ramana.
Sri Swamigal often used to say, “We should not run after the world; we should not look outwards at the world,we should look inwards at Self. Those sannyasis who run after the world achieve neither the world nor Self (God). If we try to chase after our shadow, we will never catch it; but if we go towards the sun, our shadow will automatically come running behind us. Those sannyasis who are always attending to the world with the aim of teaching the world became spoilt in the end. . . No Sage (jnani) who ever came on earth was the product of an ashramam, math or any such institution. Each one of them stood alone and realized the Truth by himself. There is no rule that a man can attain true knowledge (jnana) only by becoming an inmate of a religious institution. Therefore, in the name of service to the world, let no one cheat himself and retard his spiritual progress by forming foundations and associations and by preaching, shouting slogans and running magazines”.
An invitation once came to Sri Swamigal from an earnest seeker in U.S.A., “Will you not come to the West and guide us?” His attitude is shown clearly in his reply,which ran as follows: “. . .It is therefore unnecessary for the Reality to run after the world. Moreover, according to the great truth discovered and revealed by Sri Ramana Bhagavan, a good person leading a simple yet highly spiritual life and passing away unknown to the world does far greater good to the world than all the political and social reformers and all the platform-heroes of philosophy. A truly enlightened life will surely help earnest seekers even though they may be living in a remote corner of the world and even without any physical contact, communications, magazines or writings. This is Sri Ramana Bhagavan’s method of teaching the world through speech-transcending Mystic Silence, the greatest Power. Is it not up to us to follow the footsteps of our Guru, Sri Ramana’?… So why should I think of going anywhere? As He who has guided me to His home is the Father, Lord and inmost Self of one and all, does He not know best how to guide home earnest seekers,wherever they may be? Why then should an ego rise with the thought ‘I should guide people’? If such an ‘I’ were to rise, would it not be a self-conceited attempt to belittle the Grace of Sri Ramana, the one reality? Therefore, the thought of going to the West or the East, or here, there or anywhere else, has never occurred to me and will never occur to me!”
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
Though some of Sri Swamigal’s writings in both prose and poetry were published during his lifetime, and though many more have been published in Tamil after he shed his physical body in March 1985, his attitude towards the publication of his writings was quite different from the attitude of many other writers of spiritual or philosophical books, who of their own accord seek to share their knowledge with the world by writing and publishing books.‘We should not open the door unless it is knocked’ was the principle underlying all his acts. Unless he was questioned with sincere earnestness, he would not speak or write anything about spiritual matters. Rising and going outwards to teach the world, getting on platforms to deliver lectures, seeking to enlighten the world by writing voluminous books, founding institutions, propagating religious doctrines by publishing magazines – all such activities he used strictly to avoid. And in doing so, he was but following the path lived and exemplified by Bhagavan Sri Ramana.
Sri Swamigal often used to say, “We should not run after the world; we should not look outwards at the world,we should look inwards at Self. Those sannyasis who run after the world achieve neither the world nor Self (God). If we try to chase after our shadow, we will never catch it; but if we go towards the sun, our shadow will automatically come running behind us. Those sannyasis who are always attending to the world with the aim of teaching the world became spoilt in the end. . . No Sage (jnani) who ever came on earth was the product of an ashramam, math or any such institution. Each one of them stood alone and realized the Truth by himself. There is no rule that a man can attain true knowledge (jnana) only by becoming an inmate of a religious institution. Therefore, in the name of service to the world, let no one cheat himself and retard his spiritual progress by forming foundations and associations and by preaching, shouting slogans and running magazines”.
An invitation once came to Sri Swamigal from an earnest seeker in U.S.A., “Will you not come to the West and guide us?” His attitude is shown clearly in his reply,which ran as follows: “. . .It is therefore unnecessary for the Reality to run after the world. Moreover, according to the great truth discovered and revealed by Sri Ramana Bhagavan, a good person leading a simple yet highly spiritual life and passing away unknown to the world does far greater good to the world than all the political and social reformers and all the platform-heroes of philosophy. A truly enlightened life will surely help earnest seekers even though they may be living in a remote corner of the world and even without any physical contact, communications, magazines or writings. This is Sri Ramana Bhagavan’s method of teaching the world through speech-transcending Mystic Silence, the greatest Power. Is it not up to us to follow the footsteps of our Guru, Sri Ramana’?… So why should I think of going anywhere? As He who has guided me to His home is the Father, Lord and inmost Self of one and all, does He not know best how to guide home earnest seekers,wherever they may be? Why then should an ego rise with the thought ‘I should guide people’? If such an ‘I’ were to rise, would it not be a self-conceited attempt to belittle the Grace of Sri Ramana, the one reality? Therefore, the thought of going to the West or the East, or here, there or anywhere else, has never occurred to me and will never occur to me!”
Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om
Sunday, 7 June 2009
How to have peace in your mind?
Step 1
First, let go of trying to make everything and everyone in your life--perfect or to do as you desire. Everyone has choices, so everyone is going to see and do things differently.
Step 2
Try to be a "wondering" kind of person instead of a "hoping" kind of person. Wondering, when you think about it, offers more possibilities than hoping because when one hopes, there is always the hint that something could go wrong.
Step 3
Begin to trust in yourself. If you find it hard to trust in your judgment, make a list of good qualities that you have and then after reading those good qualities, realize that you have the potential and inside material to make good decisions.
Step 4
Tap your inside power that is within you. Everyone has power but some don't realize that they have it. Power comes from confidence, knowing that you are capable of handling any kind of situation. And, you can, but you must first believe that you're a child of God and that with prayer and belief in Him, you "can do all things."
Step 5
Having faith in God and knowing that He has it all in control even when we don't is very comforting to me. He has already overcome the world,- no matter what comes our way - we win!
Step 6
Keep noisy people out your business this is one thing I could never say enough. You do not have to be reassured by everybody that you are doing right. If you want to do things correctly do your research but do it quietly. Remember great minds think for themselves.
Step 7
Never hang among mean, or sarcastic people. These people are what I call drama which is one thing you want to stay away from. Because the more you hang around these people the more you become them. And the more you become them you will be labeled as one of them.
Step 8
Realize that nobody's perfect only God is. As you continue to live you will make mistakes but it only makes you human. Nobody said life would be easy but we must take the needed steps to correct what is wrong, and make it right. For their is nothing more peaceful that being correct for it builds confidence.
Step 9
Having inner peace is not as easy as one would think. With hectic schedules and all the responsibilities one has and challenges they face, sometimes peace can be hard to come. You must work for it.
Step 10
Taking time to pray and acknowledge God's presence in our life is important. He never leaves nor forsakes us and He is our shelter in the storm and our light in the darkness. Take time to set aside each day to realize that no matter what life throws your way, you can have an inner peace because He is there to protect you.
Step 11
Focus on the wonders around you--the earth, sky, stars, miracles and good people. Think of the good that is going on in your life and those around you. If nothing really good is going on in your life right now, think of how you could initiate some goodness, some happiness for yourself or perhaps someone close who could use some hope or happiness. Maybe there is something you could do to make life better?
Step 12
Lastly, focus on your blessings. Everyone is blest in some way. Find out and write down what your blessings are and then be thankful.
First, let go of trying to make everything and everyone in your life--perfect or to do as you desire. Everyone has choices, so everyone is going to see and do things differently.
Step 2
Try to be a "wondering" kind of person instead of a "hoping" kind of person. Wondering, when you think about it, offers more possibilities than hoping because when one hopes, there is always the hint that something could go wrong.
Step 3
Begin to trust in yourself. If you find it hard to trust in your judgment, make a list of good qualities that you have and then after reading those good qualities, realize that you have the potential and inside material to make good decisions.
Step 4
Tap your inside power that is within you. Everyone has power but some don't realize that they have it. Power comes from confidence, knowing that you are capable of handling any kind of situation. And, you can, but you must first believe that you're a child of God and that with prayer and belief in Him, you "can do all things."
Step 5
Having faith in God and knowing that He has it all in control even when we don't is very comforting to me. He has already overcome the world,- no matter what comes our way - we win!
Step 6
Keep noisy people out your business this is one thing I could never say enough. You do not have to be reassured by everybody that you are doing right. If you want to do things correctly do your research but do it quietly. Remember great minds think for themselves.
Step 7
Never hang among mean, or sarcastic people. These people are what I call drama which is one thing you want to stay away from. Because the more you hang around these people the more you become them. And the more you become them you will be labeled as one of them.
Step 8
Realize that nobody's perfect only God is. As you continue to live you will make mistakes but it only makes you human. Nobody said life would be easy but we must take the needed steps to correct what is wrong, and make it right. For their is nothing more peaceful that being correct for it builds confidence.
Step 9
Having inner peace is not as easy as one would think. With hectic schedules and all the responsibilities one has and challenges they face, sometimes peace can be hard to come. You must work for it.
Step 10
Taking time to pray and acknowledge God's presence in our life is important. He never leaves nor forsakes us and He is our shelter in the storm and our light in the darkness. Take time to set aside each day to realize that no matter what life throws your way, you can have an inner peace because He is there to protect you.
Step 11
Focus on the wonders around you--the earth, sky, stars, miracles and good people. Think of the good that is going on in your life and those around you. If nothing really good is going on in your life right now, think of how you could initiate some goodness, some happiness for yourself or perhaps someone close who could use some hope or happiness. Maybe there is something you could do to make life better?
Step 12
Lastly, focus on your blessings. Everyone is blest in some way. Find out and write down what your blessings are and then be thankful.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Six questions on maya in Kaivalya Navaneeta Book
Kaivalya Navaneeta, The Cream of Emancipation is an English translation by Munagala Venkataramiah of this classical Tamil work on Advaita philosophy. The Maharshi regularly referred to this book and often requested devotees to study it.
1. What is maya?
The answer is: It is anirvachaniya or indescribable.
2. To whom does it come?
The answer is: To the mind or ego who feels that he is a separate entity, who thinks ‘I do this’ or ‘This is mine’.
3. Where does it come from and how did it originate?
The answer: Nobody can say.
4. How did it arise?
The answer is: Through non-vichara,through failure to enquire ‘Who am I?’
5. If the Self and maya both exist, does this not invalidate the theory of Advaita?
The answer is: It need not, since maya is dependent on the Self as the picture is on the screen. The picture is not real in the sense that the screen is real.
6. If the Self and maya are one, could it not be argued that the Self is of the nature of maya and that it is also illusory?
The answer is: No, the Self can be capable of producing illusion without being illusory. A conjuror may create for our entertainment the illusion of people, animals and things, and we see all of them as clearly as we see him, but after the performance he alone remains and all the visions he created have disappeared.
He is not a part of the vision but solid and real.
Source: Gems from Bhagavan A NECKLACE OF SAYINGS BY BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI ON VARIOUS VITAL SUBJECTS STRUNG TOGETHER BY A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
1. What is maya?
The answer is: It is anirvachaniya or indescribable.
2. To whom does it come?
The answer is: To the mind or ego who feels that he is a separate entity, who thinks ‘I do this’ or ‘This is mine’.
3. Where does it come from and how did it originate?
The answer: Nobody can say.
4. How did it arise?
The answer is: Through non-vichara,through failure to enquire ‘Who am I?’
5. If the Self and maya both exist, does this not invalidate the theory of Advaita?
The answer is: It need not, since maya is dependent on the Self as the picture is on the screen. The picture is not real in the sense that the screen is real.
6. If the Self and maya are one, could it not be argued that the Self is of the nature of maya and that it is also illusory?
The answer is: No, the Self can be capable of producing illusion without being illusory. A conjuror may create for our entertainment the illusion of people, animals and things, and we see all of them as clearly as we see him, but after the performance he alone remains and all the visions he created have disappeared.
He is not a part of the vision but solid and real.
Source: Gems from Bhagavan A NECKLACE OF SAYINGS BY BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI ON VARIOUS VITAL SUBJECTS STRUNG TOGETHER BY A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR
Nan Yar? (Who am I?) From the original Tamil prose of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Translated by Michael James
In 1901, when Bhagavan Sri Ramana was just twenty-one years old and was living in a cave on the holy hill Arunachala, a humble and self-effacing devotee named Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai began to visit him and asked him many questions about spiritual philosophy and practice. Sri Ramana, who seldom spoke in those early times, answered most of his questions by writing either on the sandy ground, or on a slate or slips of paper that Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai gave him.
Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai copied many of these questions and answers in a notebook, but for more than twenty years he did not publish them. However in 1923, at the request of other devotees, he published them under the title Nan Yar? (ehd; ahh;?), which means 'Who am I?', or more precisely 'I [am] Who?', in a small booklet containing thirty-two (if I remember correctly, or perhaps it was just thirty) questions and answers.
PARAGRAPH ONE
Since all living beings desire to be always happy [and] devoid of misery, since all [of them] have greatest love only for their own self, and since happiness alone is the cause of love, [in order] to attain that happiness, which is their own [true] nature that they experience daily in [dreamless] sleep, which is devoid of the mind, knowing [their own real] self is necessary. For that, jñanavichara [scrutinising our consciousness to know] 'who am I?' alone is the principal means.
PARAGRAPH TWO
Who am I? The sthula deha [the 'gross' or physical body], which is [composed] of the sapta dhatus [the seven constituents, namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, bone and semen], is not 'I'. The five jñanendriyas [sense organs], namely the ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose, which individually [and respectively] know the five vishayas [sense 'domains' or types of sense perception], namely sound,touch [texture and other qualities perceived by touch], form [shape, colour and other qualities perceived by sight], taste and smell, are also not 'I'. The five karmendriyas [organs of action],namely the vocal cords, feet [or legs], hands [or arms], anus and genitals, which [respectively] do the five actions, namely speaking, walking, holding [or giving], defecation and [sexual] enjoyment,are also not 'I'. The pancha vayus [the five 'winds', 'vital airs' or metabolic forces], beginning with prana [breath], which perform the five [metabolic] functions, beginning with respiration, are also not 'I'. The mind, which thinks, is also not 'I'. The ignorance [the absence of all dualistic knowledge] that is combined with only vishaya-vasanas [latent inclinations, impulsions, desires, liking or taste for sense perceptions or sense enjoyments] when all sense perceptions and all actions have been severed [as in sleep], is also not 'I'. Having done neti [negation, elimination or denial of whatever is not ourself by thinking] that all the abovesaid things are not 'I', not 'I', the knowledge that [then] stands detached alone is 'I'. The nature of [this] knowledge ['I am'] is sat-chit-ananda [beingconsciousness-bliss].
PARAGRAPH THREE
If [our] mind, which is the cause of all [dualistic, relative or objective] knowledge and of all activity, subsides [becomes still, disappears or ceases to exist], [our] perception of the world will cease. Just as knowledge of the rope, which is the base [that underlies and supports the appearance of the snake], will not arise unless knowledge of the imaginary snake ceases, svarupa-darsana [true experiential knowledge of our own essential nature or real self], which is the base [that underlies and supports the appearance of the world], will not arise unless [our] perception of the world, which is an imagination [or fabrication], ceases.
PARAGRAPH FOUR
That which is called 'mind' is an atisaya sakti [an extraordinary or wonderful power] that exists in atma-svarupa [our essential self]. It projects all thoughts [or causes all thoughts to appear]. When [we] see [what remains] having removed [relinquished, discarded, dispelled, erased or destroyed] all [our] thoughts, [we will discover that] solitarily [separate from or independent of thoughts] there is no such thing as 'mind'; therefore thought alone is the svarupa [the 'own form' or basic nature] of
[our] mind. Having removed [all our] thoughts, [we will discover that] there is no such thing as 'world' [existing separately or independently] as other [than our thoughts]. In sleep there are no thoughts, [and consequently] there is also no world; in waking and dream there are thoughts, [and consequently] there is also a world. Just as a spider spins out [a] thread from within itself and again draws [it back] into itself, so [our] mind projects [this or some other] world from within itself and again dissolves [it back] into itself. When [our] mind comes out from atma-svarupa [our essential self], the world appears. Therefore when the world appears, svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self] does not appear [as it really is, that is, as the absolute and infinite non-dual consciousness of just being]; when svarupa appears (shines) [as it really is], the world does not appear. If [we] go on investigating the nature of [our] mind, 'tan' alone will finally appear as [the one underlying reality that we now mistake to be our] mind. That which is [here] called 'tan' [a Tamil reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'ourself'] is only atma-svarupa [our own essential self].[Our] mind stands only by always following [conforming or attaching itself to] a gross object [a physical body]; solitarily it does not stand. [Our] mind alone is spoken of as sukshma sarira [our 'subtle body', that is, the subtle form or seed of all the imaginary physical bodies that our mind creates and mistakes to be itself] and as jiva [our 'soul' or individual self].
PARAGRAPH FIVE
What rises in this body as 'I', that alone is [our] mind. If [we] investigate in what place the thought 'I' rises first in [our] body, [we] will come to know that [it rises first] in [our] heart [the innermost core of our being]. That alone is the birthplace of [our] mind. Even if [we] remain thinking 'I, I', it will take [us] and leave [us] in that place. Of all the thoughts that appear [or arise] in [our] mind,the thought 'I' alone is the first thought. Only after this rises do other thoughts rise. Only after the first person appears do the second and third persons appear; without the first person the second and third persons do not exist.
PARAGRAPH SIX
Only by [means of] the investigation 'who am I?' will [our] mind subside [shrink, settle down,become still, disappear or cease to be]; the thought 'who am I?' [that is, the effort we make to attend to our essential being], having destroyed all other thoughts, will itself in the end be destroyed like a corpse-burning stick [that is, a stick that is used to stir a funeral pyre to ensure that the corpse is burnt entirely]. If other thoughts rise, without trying to complete them [we] must investigate to whom they have occurred. However many thoughts rise, what [does it matter]? As soon as each thought appears, if [we] vigilantly investigate to whom it has occurred, 'to me' will be clear [that is,we will be clearly reminded of ourself, to whom each thought occurs]. If [we thus] investigate 'who am I?' [that is, if we turn our attention back towards ourself and keep it fixed firmly, keenly and
vigilantly upon our own essential self-conscious being in order to discover what this 'me' really is],[our] mind will return to its birthplace [the innermost core of our being, which is the source from which it arose]; [and since we thereby refrain from attending to it] the thought which had risen will also subside. When [we] practise and practise in this manner, to [our] mind the power to stand firmly established in its birthplace will increase [that is, by repeatedly practising turning our attention towards our mere being, which is the birthplace of our mind, our mind's ability to remain as mere being will increase]. When [our] subtle mind goes out through the portal of [our] brain and sense organs, gross names and forms [the thoughts or mental images that constitute our mind, and the objects that constitute this world] appear; when it remains in [our] heart [the core of our being],names and forms disappear. Only to [this state of] retaining [our] mind in [our] heart without letting [it] go outwards [is] the name 'ahamukham' ['I-facing' or self-attention] or 'antarmukham' ['inwardfacing' or introversion] [truly applicable]. Only to [the state of] letting [it] go outwards [is] the name 'bahirmukham' ['outward-facing' or extroversion] [truly applicable]. Only when [our] mind remains firmly established in [our] heart in this manner, will [our primal thought] 'I', which is the root [base,foundation or origin] of all thoughts, go [leave, disappear or cease to be], and will [our] ever-
existing [real] self alone shine. The place [that is, the state or reality] devoid of even a little [trace] of [our primal] thought 'I' is svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self]. That alone is called 'mauna' [silence]. Only to [this state of] just being [is] the name 'jñana-drishti' ['knowledge-seeing', that is,the experience of true knowledge] [truly applicable]. That [state] which is just being is only [the
state of] making [our] mind to subside [settle down, melt, dissolve, disappear, be absorbed or perish] in atma-svarupa [our own essential self]. Besides [this state of non-dual being], these [states of dualistic knowledge] which are knowing the thoughts of others, knowing the three times [what happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in future], and knowing what is happening in a distant place cannot be jñana-drishti [the experience of true knowledge].
PARAGRAPH SEVEN
That which actually exists is only atma-svarupa [our own essential self]. The world, soul and God are kalpanaigal [imaginations, mental creations or fabrications] in it [our essential self], like [the imaginary] silver [that we see] in a shell. These three [basic elements of relativity or duality] appear at the same time and disappear at the same time. [Our] svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self] alone is the world; [our] svarupa alone is 'I' [our mind or individual self]; [our] svarupa alone is God; everything is siva-svarupa [our essential self, which is siva, the absolute and only truly existing reality].
PARAGRAPH EIGHT
To make the mind subside [permanently], there are no adequate means other than vichara [investigation, that is, the art of self-attentive being]. If restrained by other means, the mind will remain as if subsided, [but] will emerge again. Even by pranayama [breath-restraint], the mind will subside; however, [though] the mind remains subsided so long as the breath remains subsided,when the breath emerges [or becomes manifest] it will also emerge and wander under the sway of [its] vasanas [inclinations, impulses or desires]. The birthplace both of the mind and of the prana [the breath or life-force] is one. Thought alone is the svarupa [the 'own form'] of the mind. The thought 'I' alone is the first [or basic] thought of the mind; it alone is the ego. From where the ego arises, from there alone the breath also arises. Therefore when the mind subsides the prana also [subsides], [and] when the prana subsides the mind also subsides. However in sleep, even though the mind has subsided, the breath does not subside. It is arranged thus by the ordinance of God for the purpose of protecting the body, and so that other people do not wonder whether that body has died. When the mind subsides in waking and in samadhi [any of the various types of mental absorption that result from yogic or other forms of spiritual practice], the prana subsides. The prana is said to be the gross form of the mind. Until the time of death the mind keeps the prana in the body, and at the moment the body dies it [the mind] grabs and takes it [the prana] away. Therefore pranayama is just an aid to restrain the mind, but will not bring about mano-nasa [the annihilation of the mind].
PARAGRAPH NINE
Just like pranayama, murti-dhyana [meditation upon a form of God], mantra-japa [repetition of sacred words such as a name of God] and ahara-niyama [restriction of diet, particularly the restriction of consuming only vegetarian food] are [just] aids that restrain the mind [but will not bring about its annihilation]. By both murti-dhyana and mantra-japa the mind gains onepointedness [or concentration]. Just as, if [someone] gives a chain in the trunk of an elephant, which is always moving [swinging about trying to catch hold of something or other], that elephant will proceed holding it fast without [grabbing and] holding fast anything else, so indeed the mind, which is always moving [wandering about thinking of something or other], will, if trained in [the practice of thinking of] any one [particular] name or form [of God], remain holding it fast [without thinking unnecessary thoughts about anything else]. Because the mind spreads out [scattering its energy] as innumerable thoughts, each thought becomes extremely weak. For the mind which has gained onepointedness when thoughts shrink and shrink [that is, which has gained one-pointedness due to the progressive reduction of its thoughts] and which has thereby gained strength, atma-vichara [selfinvestigation,which is the art of self-attentive being] will be easily accomplished. By mita sattvika ahara-niyama [the restraint of consuming only a moderate quantity of pure or sattvika food], which is the best among all restrictions, the sattva-guna [the quality of calmness, clarity or 'being-ness'] of the mind will increase and [thereby] help will arise for self-investigation.
PARAGRAPH TEN
Even though vishaya-vasanas [our latent impulsions or desires to attend to things other than ourself], which come from time immemorial, rise [as thoughts] in countless numbers like oceanwaves,they will all be destroyed when svarupa-dhyana [self-attentiveness] increases and increases.Without giving room to the doubting thought, 'Is it possible to dissolve so many vasanas and be [or remain] only as self?', [we] should cling tenaciously to self-attentiveness. However great a sinner a person may be, if instead of lamenting and weeping, 'I am a sinner! How am I going to be saved?',[he] completely rejects the thought that he is a sinner and is zealous [or steadfast] in selfattentiveness,he will certainly be reformed [or transformed into the true 'form' of thought-free selfconscious being].
PARAGRAPH ELEVEN
As long as vishaya-vasanas [latent impulsions or desires to attend to anything other than ourself] exist in [our] mind, so long the investigation 'who am I?' is necessary. As and when thoughts arise,then and there it is necessary [for us] to annihilate them all by investigation [keen and vigilant selfattentiveness] in the very place from which they arise. Being [abiding or remaining] without attending to [anything] other [than ourself] is vairagya [dispassion] or nirasa [desirelessness]; being [abiding or remaining] without leaving [separating from or letting go of our real] self is jñana [knowledge]. In truth [these] two [desirelessness and true knowledge] are only one. Just as a pearldiver,tying a stone to his waist and submerging, picks up a pearl which lies in the ocean, so each person, submerging [beneath the surface activity of their mind] and sinking [deep] within themself with vairagya [freedom from desire or passion for anything other than being], can attain the pearl of self.If one clings fast to uninterrupted svarupa-smarana [self-remembrance] until one attains svarupa [one's own essential self], that alone [will be] sufficient. So long as enemies are within the fort, they will continue coming out from it. If [we] continue destroying [or cutting down] all of them as and when they come, the fort will [eventually] come into [our] possession.
PARAGRAPH TWELVE
God and guru are in truth not different. Just as that [prey] which has been caught in the jaws of a tiger will not return, so those who have been caught in the glance of guru's grace will surely be saved by him and will never instead be forsaken; nevertheless, it is necessary [for them] to proceed [behave or act] unfailingly according to the path that guru has shown.
PARAGRAPH THIRTEEN
Being completely absorbed in atma-nishtha [self-abidance, the state of just being as we really are],giving not even the slightest room to the rising of any thought other than atma-chintana selfcontemplation,the 'thought' of our own real self], is giving ourself to God. Even though we place whatever amount of burden upon God, that entire amount he will bear. Since one paramesvara sakti [supreme power of God] is driving all activities [that is, since it is causing and controlling everything that happens in this world], why should we always think, 'it is necessary [for me] to act in this way; it is necessary [for me] to act in that way', instead of being [calm, peaceful and happy] having yielded [ourself together with our entire burden] to that [supreme controlling power]? Though we know that the train is carrying all the burdens, why should we who travel in it suffer by carrying our small luggage on our head instead of leaving it placed on that [train]?
PARAGRAPH FOURTEEN
What is called happiness is only svarupa [the 'own form' or essential nature] of atma [self];happiness and atma-svarupa [our own essential self] are not different. Atma-sukha [the happiness of self] alone exists; that alone is real. Happiness is not obtained from any of the objects of the world.We think that happiness is obtained from them because of our lack of discrimination. When [our] mind comes out, it experiences unhappiness. In truth, whenever our thoughts [or wishes] are fulfilled, it [our mind] turns back to its proper place [the core of our being, our real self, which is the source from which it arose] and experiences only the happiness of [our real] self. In the same way, at times of sleep, samadhi [a state of intense contemplation or absorption of mind] and fainting, and when a desired thing is obtained, and when termination occurs to a disliked thing [that is, when our mind avoids or is relieved from some experience that it dislikes], [our] mind becomes introverted and experiences only the happiness of self. In this way [our] mind wavers about without rest, going outwards leaving [our essential] self, and [then] turning [back] inwards. At the foot of a tree the shade is delightful. Outside the heat of the sun is severe. A person who is wandering outside is cooled by going into the shade. Emerging outside after a short while, he is unable to bear the heat,so he again comes to the foot of the tree. In this way he continues, going from the shade into the sunshine, and going [back] from the sunshine into the shade. A person who acts in this manner is someone lacking in discrimination. But a person of discrimination will not leave the shade.Similarly, the mind of a jñani [a person of true self-knowledge] does not leave brahman [the fundamental and absolute reality, which is our own essential being or self]. But the mind of an ajñani [a person lacking true self-knowledge] continues to undergo misery by roaming about in the world, and to obtain happiness by returning to brahman for a short while. What is called the world is only thought [because all that we know as the world is nothing but a series of mental images or thoughts that we have formed in our mind by our power of imagination]. When the world disappears, that is, when thought ceases, [our] mind experiences happiness; when the world appears, it experiences unhappiness.
PARAGRAPH FIFTEEN
Just as in the mere presence of the sun, which rose without iccha [wish, desire or liking], samkalpa [volition or intention], [or] yatna [effort or exertion], a crystal stone [or magnifying lens] will emit fire, a lotus will blossom, water will evaporate, and people of the world will engage in [or begin] their respective activities, do [those activities] and subside [or cease being active], and [just as] in front of a magnet a needle will move, [so] jivas [living beings], who are caught in [the finite state governed by] muttozhil [the threefold function of God, namely the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world] or panchakrityas [the five functions of God, namely creation, sustenance,dissolution, concealment and grace], which happen due to nothing but the special nature of the presence of God, move [busy themselves, perform activities, make effort or strive] and subside [cease being active, become still or sleep] in accordance with their respective karmas [that is, in accordance not only with their prarabdha karma or destiny, which impels them to do whatever actions are necessary in order for them to experience all the pleasant and unpleasant things that they are destined to experience, but also with their karma vasanas, their inclinations or impulsions to desire, think and act in particular ways, which impel them to make effort to experience certain pleasant things that they are not destined to experience, and to avoid certain unpleasant things that they are destined to experience]. Nevertheless, he [God] is not samkalpa sahitar [a person connected with or possessing volition or intention]. Even one karma does not adhere to him [that is,he is not bound or affected by any karma or action whatsoever]. That is like world-actions [the actions happening here on earth] not adhering to [or affecting] the sun, and [like] the qualities and defects of the other four elements [earth, water, air and fire] not adhering to the all-pervading space.
PARAGRAPH SIXTEEN
Since in every [true spiritual] treatise it is said that for attaining mukti [spiritual emancipation,liberation or salvation] it is necessary [for us] to restrain [our] mind, after knowing that manonigraha [holding down, holding within,restraining, subduing, suppressing or destroying our mind] is the ultimate intention [or purpose] of [such] treatises, there is no benefit [to be gained] by studying without limit [a countless number of] treatises. For restraining [our] mind it is necessary [for us] to investigate ourself [in order to know] who [we really are], [but] instead [of doing so] how [can we know ourself by] investigating in treatises? It is necessary [for us] to know ourself only by our own eye of jñana [true knowledge, that is, by our own selfward-turned consciousness]. Does [a person called] Raman need a mirror to know himself as Raman? [Our] 'self' is within the panchakosas [the 'five sheaths' with which we seem to have covered and obscured our true being, namely our physical body, our prana or life force, our mind, our intellect and the seeming darkness or ignorance of sleep], whereas treatises are outside them. Therefore investigating in treatises [hoping to be able thereby to know] ourself, whom we should investigate [with an inward-turned attention] having removed [set aside, abandoned or separated] all the pancha-kosas, is useless [or unprofitable]. Knowing our yathartha svarupa [our own real self or essential being] having investigated who is [our false individual] self, who is in bondage [being bound within the imaginary confines of our mind], is mukti [emancipation]. The name 'atma-vichara' [is truly applicable] only to [the practice of] always being [abiding or remaining] having put [placed, kept, seated, deposited,detained, fixed or established our] mind in atma [our own real self], whereas dhyana [meditation] is imagining ourself to be sat-chit-ananda brahman [the absolute reality, which is beingconsciousness-bliss]. At one time it will become necessary [for us] to forget all that [we] have learnt.
PARAGRAPH SEVENTEEN
Just as no benefit [is to be gained] by a person, who should sweep up and throw away rubbish,scrutinising it, so no benefit [is to be gained] by a person, who should know [his or her real] self,calculating that the tattvas, which are concealing [our real] self, are this many, and scrutinising their qualities, instead of gathering up and rejecting all of them. It is necessary [for us] to consider the world [which is composed of these tattvas] like a dream.
PARAGRAPH EIGHTEEN
Except that waking is dirgha [long lasting] and dream is kshanika [momentary or lasting for only a short while], there is no other difference [between these two imaginary states of mental activity]. To the extent to which all the vyavaharas [doings, activities, affairs or occurrences] that happen in waking appear [at this present moment] to be real, to that [same] extent even the vyavaharas that happen in dream appear at that time to be real. In dream [our] mind takes another body [to be itself].In both waking and dream thoughts and names-and-forms [the objects of the seemingly external world] occur in one time [that is, simultaneously].
PARAGRAPH NINETEEN
There are not two [classes of] minds, namely a good [class of] mind and a bad [class of] mind. Only vasanas [impulsions or latent desires] are of two kinds, namely subha [good or agreeable] and asubha [bad or disagreeable]. When [a person's] mind is under the sway of subha-vasanas [agreeable impulsions] it is said to be a good mind, and when it is under the sway of asubhavasanas [disagreeable impulsions] a bad mind. However bad other people may appear to be,disliking them is not proper [or appropriate]. Likes and dislikes are both fit [for us] to dislike [or to renounce]. It is not proper [for us] to let [our] mind [dwell] much on worldly matters. It is not proper [for us] to enter in the affairs of other people [an idiomatic way of saying that we should mind our own business and not interfere in other people's affairs]. All that one gives to others one is giving only to oneself. If [everyone] knew this truth, who indeed would refrain from giving?
PARAGRAPH TWENTY
If [our individual] self rises, everything rises; if [our individual] self subsides [or ceases],everything subsides [or ceases]. To whatever extent we behave humbly, to that extent there is goodness [or virtue]. If [we] are restraining [curbing,subduing, condensing, contracting or reducing our] mind, wherever [we] may be [we] can be [or wherever we may be let us be].
Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai copied many of these questions and answers in a notebook, but for more than twenty years he did not publish them. However in 1923, at the request of other devotees, he published them under the title Nan Yar? (ehd; ahh;?), which means 'Who am I?', or more precisely 'I [am] Who?', in a small booklet containing thirty-two (if I remember correctly, or perhaps it was just thirty) questions and answers.
PARAGRAPH ONE
Since all living beings desire to be always happy [and] devoid of misery, since all [of them] have greatest love only for their own self, and since happiness alone is the cause of love, [in order] to attain that happiness, which is their own [true] nature that they experience daily in [dreamless] sleep, which is devoid of the mind, knowing [their own real] self is necessary. For that, jñanavichara [scrutinising our consciousness to know] 'who am I?' alone is the principal means.
PARAGRAPH TWO
Who am I? The sthula deha [the 'gross' or physical body], which is [composed] of the sapta dhatus [the seven constituents, namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, bone and semen], is not 'I'. The five jñanendriyas [sense organs], namely the ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose, which individually [and respectively] know the five vishayas [sense 'domains' or types of sense perception], namely sound,touch [texture and other qualities perceived by touch], form [shape, colour and other qualities perceived by sight], taste and smell, are also not 'I'. The five karmendriyas [organs of action],namely the vocal cords, feet [or legs], hands [or arms], anus and genitals, which [respectively] do the five actions, namely speaking, walking, holding [or giving], defecation and [sexual] enjoyment,are also not 'I'. The pancha vayus [the five 'winds', 'vital airs' or metabolic forces], beginning with prana [breath], which perform the five [metabolic] functions, beginning with respiration, are also not 'I'. The mind, which thinks, is also not 'I'. The ignorance [the absence of all dualistic knowledge] that is combined with only vishaya-vasanas [latent inclinations, impulsions, desires, liking or taste for sense perceptions or sense enjoyments] when all sense perceptions and all actions have been severed [as in sleep], is also not 'I'. Having done neti [negation, elimination or denial of whatever is not ourself by thinking] that all the abovesaid things are not 'I', not 'I', the knowledge that [then] stands detached alone is 'I'. The nature of [this] knowledge ['I am'] is sat-chit-ananda [beingconsciousness-bliss].
PARAGRAPH THREE
If [our] mind, which is the cause of all [dualistic, relative or objective] knowledge and of all activity, subsides [becomes still, disappears or ceases to exist], [our] perception of the world will cease. Just as knowledge of the rope, which is the base [that underlies and supports the appearance of the snake], will not arise unless knowledge of the imaginary snake ceases, svarupa-darsana [true experiential knowledge of our own essential nature or real self], which is the base [that underlies and supports the appearance of the world], will not arise unless [our] perception of the world, which is an imagination [or fabrication], ceases.
PARAGRAPH FOUR
That which is called 'mind' is an atisaya sakti [an extraordinary or wonderful power] that exists in atma-svarupa [our essential self]. It projects all thoughts [or causes all thoughts to appear]. When [we] see [what remains] having removed [relinquished, discarded, dispelled, erased or destroyed] all [our] thoughts, [we will discover that] solitarily [separate from or independent of thoughts] there is no such thing as 'mind'; therefore thought alone is the svarupa [the 'own form' or basic nature] of
[our] mind. Having removed [all our] thoughts, [we will discover that] there is no such thing as 'world' [existing separately or independently] as other [than our thoughts]. In sleep there are no thoughts, [and consequently] there is also no world; in waking and dream there are thoughts, [and consequently] there is also a world. Just as a spider spins out [a] thread from within itself and again draws [it back] into itself, so [our] mind projects [this or some other] world from within itself and again dissolves [it back] into itself. When [our] mind comes out from atma-svarupa [our essential self], the world appears. Therefore when the world appears, svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self] does not appear [as it really is, that is, as the absolute and infinite non-dual consciousness of just being]; when svarupa appears (shines) [as it really is], the world does not appear. If [we] go on investigating the nature of [our] mind, 'tan' alone will finally appear as [the one underlying reality that we now mistake to be our] mind. That which is [here] called 'tan' [a Tamil reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'ourself'] is only atma-svarupa [our own essential self].[Our] mind stands only by always following [conforming or attaching itself to] a gross object [a physical body]; solitarily it does not stand. [Our] mind alone is spoken of as sukshma sarira [our 'subtle body', that is, the subtle form or seed of all the imaginary physical bodies that our mind creates and mistakes to be itself] and as jiva [our 'soul' or individual self].
PARAGRAPH FIVE
What rises in this body as 'I', that alone is [our] mind. If [we] investigate in what place the thought 'I' rises first in [our] body, [we] will come to know that [it rises first] in [our] heart [the innermost core of our being]. That alone is the birthplace of [our] mind. Even if [we] remain thinking 'I, I', it will take [us] and leave [us] in that place. Of all the thoughts that appear [or arise] in [our] mind,the thought 'I' alone is the first thought. Only after this rises do other thoughts rise. Only after the first person appears do the second and third persons appear; without the first person the second and third persons do not exist.
PARAGRAPH SIX
Only by [means of] the investigation 'who am I?' will [our] mind subside [shrink, settle down,become still, disappear or cease to be]; the thought 'who am I?' [that is, the effort we make to attend to our essential being], having destroyed all other thoughts, will itself in the end be destroyed like a corpse-burning stick [that is, a stick that is used to stir a funeral pyre to ensure that the corpse is burnt entirely]. If other thoughts rise, without trying to complete them [we] must investigate to whom they have occurred. However many thoughts rise, what [does it matter]? As soon as each thought appears, if [we] vigilantly investigate to whom it has occurred, 'to me' will be clear [that is,we will be clearly reminded of ourself, to whom each thought occurs]. If [we thus] investigate 'who am I?' [that is, if we turn our attention back towards ourself and keep it fixed firmly, keenly and
vigilantly upon our own essential self-conscious being in order to discover what this 'me' really is],[our] mind will return to its birthplace [the innermost core of our being, which is the source from which it arose]; [and since we thereby refrain from attending to it] the thought which had risen will also subside. When [we] practise and practise in this manner, to [our] mind the power to stand firmly established in its birthplace will increase [that is, by repeatedly practising turning our attention towards our mere being, which is the birthplace of our mind, our mind's ability to remain as mere being will increase]. When [our] subtle mind goes out through the portal of [our] brain and sense organs, gross names and forms [the thoughts or mental images that constitute our mind, and the objects that constitute this world] appear; when it remains in [our] heart [the core of our being],names and forms disappear. Only to [this state of] retaining [our] mind in [our] heart without letting [it] go outwards [is] the name 'ahamukham' ['I-facing' or self-attention] or 'antarmukham' ['inwardfacing' or introversion] [truly applicable]. Only to [the state of] letting [it] go outwards [is] the name 'bahirmukham' ['outward-facing' or extroversion] [truly applicable]. Only when [our] mind remains firmly established in [our] heart in this manner, will [our primal thought] 'I', which is the root [base,foundation or origin] of all thoughts, go [leave, disappear or cease to be], and will [our] ever-
existing [real] self alone shine. The place [that is, the state or reality] devoid of even a little [trace] of [our primal] thought 'I' is svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self]. That alone is called 'mauna' [silence]. Only to [this state of] just being [is] the name 'jñana-drishti' ['knowledge-seeing', that is,the experience of true knowledge] [truly applicable]. That [state] which is just being is only [the
state of] making [our] mind to subside [settle down, melt, dissolve, disappear, be absorbed or perish] in atma-svarupa [our own essential self]. Besides [this state of non-dual being], these [states of dualistic knowledge] which are knowing the thoughts of others, knowing the three times [what happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in future], and knowing what is happening in a distant place cannot be jñana-drishti [the experience of true knowledge].
PARAGRAPH SEVEN
That which actually exists is only atma-svarupa [our own essential self]. The world, soul and God are kalpanaigal [imaginations, mental creations or fabrications] in it [our essential self], like [the imaginary] silver [that we see] in a shell. These three [basic elements of relativity or duality] appear at the same time and disappear at the same time. [Our] svarupa [our 'own form' or essential self] alone is the world; [our] svarupa alone is 'I' [our mind or individual self]; [our] svarupa alone is God; everything is siva-svarupa [our essential self, which is siva, the absolute and only truly existing reality].
PARAGRAPH EIGHT
To make the mind subside [permanently], there are no adequate means other than vichara [investigation, that is, the art of self-attentive being]. If restrained by other means, the mind will remain as if subsided, [but] will emerge again. Even by pranayama [breath-restraint], the mind will subside; however, [though] the mind remains subsided so long as the breath remains subsided,when the breath emerges [or becomes manifest] it will also emerge and wander under the sway of [its] vasanas [inclinations, impulses or desires]. The birthplace both of the mind and of the prana [the breath or life-force] is one. Thought alone is the svarupa [the 'own form'] of the mind. The thought 'I' alone is the first [or basic] thought of the mind; it alone is the ego. From where the ego arises, from there alone the breath also arises. Therefore when the mind subsides the prana also [subsides], [and] when the prana subsides the mind also subsides. However in sleep, even though the mind has subsided, the breath does not subside. It is arranged thus by the ordinance of God for the purpose of protecting the body, and so that other people do not wonder whether that body has died. When the mind subsides in waking and in samadhi [any of the various types of mental absorption that result from yogic or other forms of spiritual practice], the prana subsides. The prana is said to be the gross form of the mind. Until the time of death the mind keeps the prana in the body, and at the moment the body dies it [the mind] grabs and takes it [the prana] away. Therefore pranayama is just an aid to restrain the mind, but will not bring about mano-nasa [the annihilation of the mind].
PARAGRAPH NINE
Just like pranayama, murti-dhyana [meditation upon a form of God], mantra-japa [repetition of sacred words such as a name of God] and ahara-niyama [restriction of diet, particularly the restriction of consuming only vegetarian food] are [just] aids that restrain the mind [but will not bring about its annihilation]. By both murti-dhyana and mantra-japa the mind gains onepointedness [or concentration]. Just as, if [someone] gives a chain in the trunk of an elephant, which is always moving [swinging about trying to catch hold of something or other], that elephant will proceed holding it fast without [grabbing and] holding fast anything else, so indeed the mind, which is always moving [wandering about thinking of something or other], will, if trained in [the practice of thinking of] any one [particular] name or form [of God], remain holding it fast [without thinking unnecessary thoughts about anything else]. Because the mind spreads out [scattering its energy] as innumerable thoughts, each thought becomes extremely weak. For the mind which has gained onepointedness when thoughts shrink and shrink [that is, which has gained one-pointedness due to the progressive reduction of its thoughts] and which has thereby gained strength, atma-vichara [selfinvestigation,which is the art of self-attentive being] will be easily accomplished. By mita sattvika ahara-niyama [the restraint of consuming only a moderate quantity of pure or sattvika food], which is the best among all restrictions, the sattva-guna [the quality of calmness, clarity or 'being-ness'] of the mind will increase and [thereby] help will arise for self-investigation.
PARAGRAPH TEN
Even though vishaya-vasanas [our latent impulsions or desires to attend to things other than ourself], which come from time immemorial, rise [as thoughts] in countless numbers like oceanwaves,they will all be destroyed when svarupa-dhyana [self-attentiveness] increases and increases.Without giving room to the doubting thought, 'Is it possible to dissolve so many vasanas and be [or remain] only as self?', [we] should cling tenaciously to self-attentiveness. However great a sinner a person may be, if instead of lamenting and weeping, 'I am a sinner! How am I going to be saved?',[he] completely rejects the thought that he is a sinner and is zealous [or steadfast] in selfattentiveness,he will certainly be reformed [or transformed into the true 'form' of thought-free selfconscious being].
PARAGRAPH ELEVEN
As long as vishaya-vasanas [latent impulsions or desires to attend to anything other than ourself] exist in [our] mind, so long the investigation 'who am I?' is necessary. As and when thoughts arise,then and there it is necessary [for us] to annihilate them all by investigation [keen and vigilant selfattentiveness] in the very place from which they arise. Being [abiding or remaining] without attending to [anything] other [than ourself] is vairagya [dispassion] or nirasa [desirelessness]; being [abiding or remaining] without leaving [separating from or letting go of our real] self is jñana [knowledge]. In truth [these] two [desirelessness and true knowledge] are only one. Just as a pearldiver,tying a stone to his waist and submerging, picks up a pearl which lies in the ocean, so each person, submerging [beneath the surface activity of their mind] and sinking [deep] within themself with vairagya [freedom from desire or passion for anything other than being], can attain the pearl of self.If one clings fast to uninterrupted svarupa-smarana [self-remembrance] until one attains svarupa [one's own essential self], that alone [will be] sufficient. So long as enemies are within the fort, they will continue coming out from it. If [we] continue destroying [or cutting down] all of them as and when they come, the fort will [eventually] come into [our] possession.
PARAGRAPH TWELVE
God and guru are in truth not different. Just as that [prey] which has been caught in the jaws of a tiger will not return, so those who have been caught in the glance of guru's grace will surely be saved by him and will never instead be forsaken; nevertheless, it is necessary [for them] to proceed [behave or act] unfailingly according to the path that guru has shown.
PARAGRAPH THIRTEEN
Being completely absorbed in atma-nishtha [self-abidance, the state of just being as we really are],giving not even the slightest room to the rising of any thought other than atma-chintana selfcontemplation,the 'thought' of our own real self], is giving ourself to God. Even though we place whatever amount of burden upon God, that entire amount he will bear. Since one paramesvara sakti [supreme power of God] is driving all activities [that is, since it is causing and controlling everything that happens in this world], why should we always think, 'it is necessary [for me] to act in this way; it is necessary [for me] to act in that way', instead of being [calm, peaceful and happy] having yielded [ourself together with our entire burden] to that [supreme controlling power]? Though we know that the train is carrying all the burdens, why should we who travel in it suffer by carrying our small luggage on our head instead of leaving it placed on that [train]?
PARAGRAPH FOURTEEN
What is called happiness is only svarupa [the 'own form' or essential nature] of atma [self];happiness and atma-svarupa [our own essential self] are not different. Atma-sukha [the happiness of self] alone exists; that alone is real. Happiness is not obtained from any of the objects of the world.We think that happiness is obtained from them because of our lack of discrimination. When [our] mind comes out, it experiences unhappiness. In truth, whenever our thoughts [or wishes] are fulfilled, it [our mind] turns back to its proper place [the core of our being, our real self, which is the source from which it arose] and experiences only the happiness of [our real] self. In the same way, at times of sleep, samadhi [a state of intense contemplation or absorption of mind] and fainting, and when a desired thing is obtained, and when termination occurs to a disliked thing [that is, when our mind avoids or is relieved from some experience that it dislikes], [our] mind becomes introverted and experiences only the happiness of self. In this way [our] mind wavers about without rest, going outwards leaving [our essential] self, and [then] turning [back] inwards. At the foot of a tree the shade is delightful. Outside the heat of the sun is severe. A person who is wandering outside is cooled by going into the shade. Emerging outside after a short while, he is unable to bear the heat,so he again comes to the foot of the tree. In this way he continues, going from the shade into the sunshine, and going [back] from the sunshine into the shade. A person who acts in this manner is someone lacking in discrimination. But a person of discrimination will not leave the shade.Similarly, the mind of a jñani [a person of true self-knowledge] does not leave brahman [the fundamental and absolute reality, which is our own essential being or self]. But the mind of an ajñani [a person lacking true self-knowledge] continues to undergo misery by roaming about in the world, and to obtain happiness by returning to brahman for a short while. What is called the world is only thought [because all that we know as the world is nothing but a series of mental images or thoughts that we have formed in our mind by our power of imagination]. When the world disappears, that is, when thought ceases, [our] mind experiences happiness; when the world appears, it experiences unhappiness.
PARAGRAPH FIFTEEN
Just as in the mere presence of the sun, which rose without iccha [wish, desire or liking], samkalpa [volition or intention], [or] yatna [effort or exertion], a crystal stone [or magnifying lens] will emit fire, a lotus will blossom, water will evaporate, and people of the world will engage in [or begin] their respective activities, do [those activities] and subside [or cease being active], and [just as] in front of a magnet a needle will move, [so] jivas [living beings], who are caught in [the finite state governed by] muttozhil [the threefold function of God, namely the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world] or panchakrityas [the five functions of God, namely creation, sustenance,dissolution, concealment and grace], which happen due to nothing but the special nature of the presence of God, move [busy themselves, perform activities, make effort or strive] and subside [cease being active, become still or sleep] in accordance with their respective karmas [that is, in accordance not only with their prarabdha karma or destiny, which impels them to do whatever actions are necessary in order for them to experience all the pleasant and unpleasant things that they are destined to experience, but also with their karma vasanas, their inclinations or impulsions to desire, think and act in particular ways, which impel them to make effort to experience certain pleasant things that they are not destined to experience, and to avoid certain unpleasant things that they are destined to experience]. Nevertheless, he [God] is not samkalpa sahitar [a person connected with or possessing volition or intention]. Even one karma does not adhere to him [that is,he is not bound or affected by any karma or action whatsoever]. That is like world-actions [the actions happening here on earth] not adhering to [or affecting] the sun, and [like] the qualities and defects of the other four elements [earth, water, air and fire] not adhering to the all-pervading space.
PARAGRAPH SIXTEEN
Since in every [true spiritual] treatise it is said that for attaining mukti [spiritual emancipation,liberation or salvation] it is necessary [for us] to restrain [our] mind, after knowing that manonigraha [holding down, holding within,restraining, subduing, suppressing or destroying our mind] is the ultimate intention [or purpose] of [such] treatises, there is no benefit [to be gained] by studying without limit [a countless number of] treatises. For restraining [our] mind it is necessary [for us] to investigate ourself [in order to know] who [we really are], [but] instead [of doing so] how [can we know ourself by] investigating in treatises? It is necessary [for us] to know ourself only by our own eye of jñana [true knowledge, that is, by our own selfward-turned consciousness]. Does [a person called] Raman need a mirror to know himself as Raman? [Our] 'self' is within the panchakosas [the 'five sheaths' with which we seem to have covered and obscured our true being, namely our physical body, our prana or life force, our mind, our intellect and the seeming darkness or ignorance of sleep], whereas treatises are outside them. Therefore investigating in treatises [hoping to be able thereby to know] ourself, whom we should investigate [with an inward-turned attention] having removed [set aside, abandoned or separated] all the pancha-kosas, is useless [or unprofitable]. Knowing our yathartha svarupa [our own real self or essential being] having investigated who is [our false individual] self, who is in bondage [being bound within the imaginary confines of our mind], is mukti [emancipation]. The name 'atma-vichara' [is truly applicable] only to [the practice of] always being [abiding or remaining] having put [placed, kept, seated, deposited,detained, fixed or established our] mind in atma [our own real self], whereas dhyana [meditation] is imagining ourself to be sat-chit-ananda brahman [the absolute reality, which is beingconsciousness-bliss]. At one time it will become necessary [for us] to forget all that [we] have learnt.
PARAGRAPH SEVENTEEN
Just as no benefit [is to be gained] by a person, who should sweep up and throw away rubbish,scrutinising it, so no benefit [is to be gained] by a person, who should know [his or her real] self,calculating that the tattvas, which are concealing [our real] self, are this many, and scrutinising their qualities, instead of gathering up and rejecting all of them. It is necessary [for us] to consider the world [which is composed of these tattvas] like a dream.
PARAGRAPH EIGHTEEN
Except that waking is dirgha [long lasting] and dream is kshanika [momentary or lasting for only a short while], there is no other difference [between these two imaginary states of mental activity]. To the extent to which all the vyavaharas [doings, activities, affairs or occurrences] that happen in waking appear [at this present moment] to be real, to that [same] extent even the vyavaharas that happen in dream appear at that time to be real. In dream [our] mind takes another body [to be itself].In both waking and dream thoughts and names-and-forms [the objects of the seemingly external world] occur in one time [that is, simultaneously].
PARAGRAPH NINETEEN
There are not two [classes of] minds, namely a good [class of] mind and a bad [class of] mind. Only vasanas [impulsions or latent desires] are of two kinds, namely subha [good or agreeable] and asubha [bad or disagreeable]. When [a person's] mind is under the sway of subha-vasanas [agreeable impulsions] it is said to be a good mind, and when it is under the sway of asubhavasanas [disagreeable impulsions] a bad mind. However bad other people may appear to be,disliking them is not proper [or appropriate]. Likes and dislikes are both fit [for us] to dislike [or to renounce]. It is not proper [for us] to let [our] mind [dwell] much on worldly matters. It is not proper [for us] to enter in the affairs of other people [an idiomatic way of saying that we should mind our own business and not interfere in other people's affairs]. All that one gives to others one is giving only to oneself. If [everyone] knew this truth, who indeed would refrain from giving?
PARAGRAPH TWENTY
If [our individual] self rises, everything rises; if [our individual] self subsides [or ceases],everything subsides [or ceases]. To whatever extent we behave humbly, to that extent there is goodness [or virtue]. If [we] are restraining [curbing,subduing, condensing, contracting or reducing our] mind, wherever [we] may be [we] can be [or wherever we may be let us be].
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Ramana Maharshi says wise householder should discharge duties without attachment
Why do thoughts of many objects arise in the mind even when there is no contact with external objects?
All such thoughts are due to latent tendencies (purva samskaras). They appear only to the individual consciousness (jiva) which has forgotten its real nature and become externalised. Whenever particular things are perceived, the enquiry “Who is it that sees them”? should be made; they will then disappear at once.
What are the rules of conduct which an aspirant (sadhaka) should follow?
Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in speech.
How long should one practice?
Until the mind attains effortlessly its natural state of freedom from concepts, that is till the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ exists no longer.
It is an established rule that so long as there is the least idea of I-am-the-doer, Self-knowledge cannot be attained, but is it possible for an aspirant who is a householder to discharge his duties properly without this sense?
As there is no rule that action should depend upon a sense of being the doer it is unnecessary to doubt whether any action will take place without a doer or an act of doing. Although the officer of a government treasury may appear, in the eyes of others, to be doing his duty attentively and responsibly all day long, he will be discharging his duties without attachment, thinking ‘I have no real connection with all this money’ and without a sense of involvement in his mind. In the same manner a wise householder may also discharge without attachment the various household duties which fall to his lot according to his past karma, like a tool in the hands of another. Action and knowledge are not obstacles to each other.
Of what use to his family is a wise householder who is unmindful of his bodily comforts and of what use is his family to him?
Although he is entirely unmindful of his bodily comforts, if, owing to his past karma, his family have to subsist by his efforts, he may be regarded as doing service to others. If it is asked whether the wise man derives any benefit from the discharge of domestic duties, it may be answered that, as he has already attained the state of complete satisfaction which is the sum total of all benefits and the highest good of all, he does not stand to gain anything more by discharging family duties.
Source: Spiritual Instruction Of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Readers interested in this article are requested to read below similar articles also
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-suggests-how.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/11/sri-ramakrishna-on-how-to-lead.html
All such thoughts are due to latent tendencies (purva samskaras). They appear only to the individual consciousness (jiva) which has forgotten its real nature and become externalised. Whenever particular things are perceived, the enquiry “Who is it that sees them”? should be made; they will then disappear at once.
What are the rules of conduct which an aspirant (sadhaka) should follow?
Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in speech.
How long should one practice?
Until the mind attains effortlessly its natural state of freedom from concepts, that is till the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ exists no longer.
It is an established rule that so long as there is the least idea of I-am-the-doer, Self-knowledge cannot be attained, but is it possible for an aspirant who is a householder to discharge his duties properly without this sense?
As there is no rule that action should depend upon a sense of being the doer it is unnecessary to doubt whether any action will take place without a doer or an act of doing. Although the officer of a government treasury may appear, in the eyes of others, to be doing his duty attentively and responsibly all day long, he will be discharging his duties without attachment, thinking ‘I have no real connection with all this money’ and without a sense of involvement in his mind. In the same manner a wise householder may also discharge without attachment the various household duties which fall to his lot according to his past karma, like a tool in the hands of another. Action and knowledge are not obstacles to each other.
Of what use to his family is a wise householder who is unmindful of his bodily comforts and of what use is his family to him?
Although he is entirely unmindful of his bodily comforts, if, owing to his past karma, his family have to subsist by his efforts, he may be regarded as doing service to others. If it is asked whether the wise man derives any benefit from the discharge of domestic duties, it may be answered that, as he has already attained the state of complete satisfaction which is the sum total of all benefits and the highest good of all, he does not stand to gain anything more by discharging family duties.
Source: Spiritual Instruction Of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Readers interested in this article are requested to read below similar articles also
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-suggests-how.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/11/sri-ramakrishna-on-how-to-lead.html
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Arunachala Hill Acc to Puranas
In the language of the Puranas, it is the Heart of the World, and the ancient legend of its origin goes like this:
Brahma, the Lord of creation, and Vishnu, the divine sustainer of it, were quarrelling about their status, as to which one of them was the greater. As their discussion grew heated,things in the universe got into disorder, and the minor deities fell in fear and anxiety. Finally they resorted to Lord Siva, the All-powerful, for aid. Between the quarrelling Gods there appeared suddenly a gigantic pillar of light, the sight of which dumbfounded them for a moment. Out of this light came a mysterious Voice:
“He who shall find the upper or the lower end of Me shall be deemed the greater one.”
Immediately both of the antagonists put themselves to work.Vishnu took the form of a boar and started to dig deep into the soil in search of the lower end of the column of light. Brahma transformed himself into a swan and soared higher and higher.
Neither of them arrived at an end of the apparition.Vishnu, catching the idea that the mysterious Voice might have a deeper meaning, gave up and sat down, to find it in the depth of meditation.
Brahma, troubled by the idea that Vishnu might have been successful, became envious, and when there came falling just then a heavenly flower, he grasped it and decided to pretend that he had found it on top of the magic light.
Vishnu, thus being deceived, complained to Lord Siva,asking why He had bestowed on Brahma the Grace of success.
Thereupon Siva revealed Himself in the pillar of Light, and,blessing both of them, declared:
“I am Siva; I am Brahman, the mystery of the universe,and thus Atman, the mystery of beings. Nobody can reach Me by his own endeavour. But to those who surrender wholeheartedly to Me, to them I reveal Myself. You ask Me to stay on earth for being worshipped. Well, I shall stay here as Arunachala, the Hill of Light, and when during Autumn the Moon shall arise on the horizon at the same hour when the Sun is setting, there shall be a huge fire lit on the summit, radiating far around. To those who see the Light and meditate on it as the symbol of enlightenment I shall grant the highest Truth.”
In this legend of Arunachala, Brahma stands for buddhi, the reason, Vishnu for ahamkara, the ego of man, Siva for Atman, the secret of man’s true Nature. Neither reason nor ego can, of their own talents, reach the Supreme Atman, the supreme Self, the true nature of man; they have to submit. Only then the Atman reveals Itself.
Source: HUNTING THE ‘I’ according to Sri Ramana Maharshi By LUCY CORNELSSEN
Brahma, the Lord of creation, and Vishnu, the divine sustainer of it, were quarrelling about their status, as to which one of them was the greater. As their discussion grew heated,things in the universe got into disorder, and the minor deities fell in fear and anxiety. Finally they resorted to Lord Siva, the All-powerful, for aid. Between the quarrelling Gods there appeared suddenly a gigantic pillar of light, the sight of which dumbfounded them for a moment. Out of this light came a mysterious Voice:
“He who shall find the upper or the lower end of Me shall be deemed the greater one.”
Immediately both of the antagonists put themselves to work.Vishnu took the form of a boar and started to dig deep into the soil in search of the lower end of the column of light. Brahma transformed himself into a swan and soared higher and higher.
Neither of them arrived at an end of the apparition.Vishnu, catching the idea that the mysterious Voice might have a deeper meaning, gave up and sat down, to find it in the depth of meditation.
Brahma, troubled by the idea that Vishnu might have been successful, became envious, and when there came falling just then a heavenly flower, he grasped it and decided to pretend that he had found it on top of the magic light.
Vishnu, thus being deceived, complained to Lord Siva,asking why He had bestowed on Brahma the Grace of success.
Thereupon Siva revealed Himself in the pillar of Light, and,blessing both of them, declared:
“I am Siva; I am Brahman, the mystery of the universe,and thus Atman, the mystery of beings. Nobody can reach Me by his own endeavour. But to those who surrender wholeheartedly to Me, to them I reveal Myself. You ask Me to stay on earth for being worshipped. Well, I shall stay here as Arunachala, the Hill of Light, and when during Autumn the Moon shall arise on the horizon at the same hour when the Sun is setting, there shall be a huge fire lit on the summit, radiating far around. To those who see the Light and meditate on it as the symbol of enlightenment I shall grant the highest Truth.”
In this legend of Arunachala, Brahma stands for buddhi, the reason, Vishnu for ahamkara, the ego of man, Siva for Atman, the secret of man’s true Nature. Neither reason nor ego can, of their own talents, reach the Supreme Atman, the supreme Self, the true nature of man; they have to submit. Only then the Atman reveals Itself.
Source: HUNTING THE ‘I’ according to Sri Ramana Maharshi By LUCY CORNELSSEN
Significance of Aarati - The Ritual Lamp
It has a deep philosophical and ritualistic significance.
The flame in the Aarti represents the soul of the devotee, which is offered to the deity. To forget the self in the sacred invocation of heavenly power,to be one with it, is the quintessence of Aarati as of bhakti ...Waving of the light before the deity is a ritual known as Aarati,which is done towards the close of the worship sequences. Either camphor (karpura) or a set of three, five or seven wicks dipped in ghee or oil is used.
The light containers may be in the form of a serpent (Naga deepa), chariot (Ragha deepa), elephant (Gaja deepa),Nandi (Bull deepa), and so on. The first round of waving must be from the head of the deity to th feet, the second from the face to the knees, and the third from the neck to the loins.
(Condensed from Tattavaloka, Dec. 2008) - - (Taken from Sri Ramana Jyoti, February 2009)
The flame in the Aarti represents the soul of the devotee, which is offered to the deity. To forget the self in the sacred invocation of heavenly power,to be one with it, is the quintessence of Aarati as of bhakti ...Waving of the light before the deity is a ritual known as Aarati,which is done towards the close of the worship sequences. Either camphor (karpura) or a set of three, five or seven wicks dipped in ghee or oil is used.
The light containers may be in the form of a serpent (Naga deepa), chariot (Ragha deepa), elephant (Gaja deepa),Nandi (Bull deepa), and so on. The first round of waving must be from the head of the deity to th feet, the second from the face to the knees, and the third from the neck to the loins.
(Condensed from Tattavaloka, Dec. 2008) - - (Taken from Sri Ramana Jyoti, February 2009)
Swami Vivekananda about animal desire And Reincarnation
THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS JNANA
Volume 9, Lectures and Discourses
It need not be proved that we are in bondage. For instance: I would be very glad to get out of this room through this wall, but I cannot; I would be very glad if I never became sick, but I cannot prevent it; I would be very glad not to die, but I have to; I would be very glad to do millions of things that I cannot do. The will is there, but we do not succeed in accomplishing the desire. When we have any desire and not the means of fulfilling it, we get that peculiar reaction called misery. Who is the cause of desire? I, myself. Therefore, I myself am the cause of all the miseries I am in.
To understand reincarnation, we have first to know that in this universe something can never be produced out of nothing. If there is such a thing as a human soul, it cannot be produced out of nothing. If something can be produced out of nothing, then something would disappear into nothing also. If we are produced out of nothing, then we will also go back into nothing. That which has a beginning must have an end. Therefore, as souls we could not have had any beginning. We have been existing all the time.
Then again, if we did not exist previously, there is no explanation of our present existence. The child is born with a bundle of causes. How many things we see in a child which can never be explained until we grant that the child has had past experience — for instance, fear of death and a great number of innate tendencies. Who taught the baby to drink milk and to do so in a peculiar fashion? Where did it acquire this knowledge?
In the same way, the question was why these tendencies are in the child. Why should it have fear of death if it never saw death? If this is the first time it was ever born, how did it know to suck the mother's milk? If the answer is "Oh, it was instinct", that is simply returning the question. If a man stands up and says, "I do not know", he is in a better position than the man who says, "It is instinct" and all such nonsense.
Let us look a little closer into the matter. Say, for instance, here is a father. A child is born to him. We see that the same qualities [which the father possesses] have entered into his child. Very good. Now how did the qualities of the father come to be in the child? Nobody knows. So this gap the modern physicists want to fill with the big word transmission. And what does this transmission mean? Nobody knows.
Someone takes advantage of the light of the sun to break into your house and rob you. And then when he is caught by the policeman, he may cry: "Oh sun, why did you make me steal?" It was not the sun's fault at all, because there are thousands of other people who did much good to their fellow beings under the light of the same sun. The sun did not tell this man to go about stealing and robbing.
Each one of us reaps what we ourselves have sown. These miseries under which we suffer, these bondages under which we struggle, have been caused by ourselves, and none else in the universe is to blame. God is the least to blame for it.
The natural desire of man is to go towards the senses. Turning away from the senses takes him back to God. So the first lesson we have to learn is to turn away from the vanities of the world.
We are slaves in the hands of nature — slaves to a bit of bread, slaves to praise, slaves to blame, slaves to wife, to husband, to child, slaves to everything. Why, I go about all over the world — beg, steal, rob, do anything — to make happy a boy who is, perhaps, hump-backed or ugly-looking. I will do every wicked thing to make him happy. Why? Because I am his father. And, at the same time, there are millions and millions of boys in this world dying of starvation — boys beautiful in body and in mind. But they are nothing to me. Let them all die. I am apt to kill them all to save this one rascal to whom I have given birth. This is what you call love. Not I. Not I. This is brutality.
There are millions of women — beautiful in body and mind, good, gentle, virtuous — dying of starvation this minute. I do not care for them at all. But that Jennie who is mine — who beats me three times a day, and scolds me the whole day — for that Jennie I am going to beg, borrow, cheat and steal so that she will have a nice gown.
Do you call that love? Not I. This is mere desire, animal desire — nothing more. Turn away from these things. Is there no end to these hideous dreams? Put a stop to them.
So when you have realized the misery of this physical existence — when you have become convinced that such a life is not worth living — you have made the first step towards Jnana.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_9/Lectures_and_Discourses/The_First_Step_towards_Jnana
Volume 9, Lectures and Discourses
It need not be proved that we are in bondage. For instance: I would be very glad to get out of this room through this wall, but I cannot; I would be very glad if I never became sick, but I cannot prevent it; I would be very glad not to die, but I have to; I would be very glad to do millions of things that I cannot do. The will is there, but we do not succeed in accomplishing the desire. When we have any desire and not the means of fulfilling it, we get that peculiar reaction called misery. Who is the cause of desire? I, myself. Therefore, I myself am the cause of all the miseries I am in.
To understand reincarnation, we have first to know that in this universe something can never be produced out of nothing. If there is such a thing as a human soul, it cannot be produced out of nothing. If something can be produced out of nothing, then something would disappear into nothing also. If we are produced out of nothing, then we will also go back into nothing. That which has a beginning must have an end. Therefore, as souls we could not have had any beginning. We have been existing all the time.
Then again, if we did not exist previously, there is no explanation of our present existence. The child is born with a bundle of causes. How many things we see in a child which can never be explained until we grant that the child has had past experience — for instance, fear of death and a great number of innate tendencies. Who taught the baby to drink milk and to do so in a peculiar fashion? Where did it acquire this knowledge?
In the same way, the question was why these tendencies are in the child. Why should it have fear of death if it never saw death? If this is the first time it was ever born, how did it know to suck the mother's milk? If the answer is "Oh, it was instinct", that is simply returning the question. If a man stands up and says, "I do not know", he is in a better position than the man who says, "It is instinct" and all such nonsense.
Let us look a little closer into the matter. Say, for instance, here is a father. A child is born to him. We see that the same qualities [which the father possesses] have entered into his child. Very good. Now how did the qualities of the father come to be in the child? Nobody knows. So this gap the modern physicists want to fill with the big word transmission. And what does this transmission mean? Nobody knows.
Someone takes advantage of the light of the sun to break into your house and rob you. And then when he is caught by the policeman, he may cry: "Oh sun, why did you make me steal?" It was not the sun's fault at all, because there are thousands of other people who did much good to their fellow beings under the light of the same sun. The sun did not tell this man to go about stealing and robbing.
Each one of us reaps what we ourselves have sown. These miseries under which we suffer, these bondages under which we struggle, have been caused by ourselves, and none else in the universe is to blame. God is the least to blame for it.
The natural desire of man is to go towards the senses. Turning away from the senses takes him back to God. So the first lesson we have to learn is to turn away from the vanities of the world.
We are slaves in the hands of nature — slaves to a bit of bread, slaves to praise, slaves to blame, slaves to wife, to husband, to child, slaves to everything. Why, I go about all over the world — beg, steal, rob, do anything — to make happy a boy who is, perhaps, hump-backed or ugly-looking. I will do every wicked thing to make him happy. Why? Because I am his father. And, at the same time, there are millions and millions of boys in this world dying of starvation — boys beautiful in body and in mind. But they are nothing to me. Let them all die. I am apt to kill them all to save this one rascal to whom I have given birth. This is what you call love. Not I. Not I. This is brutality.
There are millions of women — beautiful in body and mind, good, gentle, virtuous — dying of starvation this minute. I do not care for them at all. But that Jennie who is mine — who beats me three times a day, and scolds me the whole day — for that Jennie I am going to beg, borrow, cheat and steal so that she will have a nice gown.
Do you call that love? Not I. This is mere desire, animal desire — nothing more. Turn away from these things. Is there no end to these hideous dreams? Put a stop to them.
So when you have realized the misery of this physical existence — when you have become convinced that such a life is not worth living — you have made the first step towards Jnana.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_9/Lectures_and_Discourses/The_First_Step_towards_Jnana
Swami Vivekananda on Women of India
THE WOMEN OF INDIA (New Discoveries, Vol. 2, pp. 411-26.)
Volume 9, Lectures and Discourses
Going back to our Vedas — they are the oldest literature the world possesses and are composed by your and my common ancestors (they were not written in India — perhaps on the coast of the Baltic, perhaps in Central Asia — we do not know).
Their oldest portion is composed of hymns, and these hymns are to the gods whom the Aryans worshipped. I may be pardoned for using the word gods; the literal translation is "the bright ones". These hymns are dedicated to Fire, to the Sun, to Varuna and other deities. The titles run: "such-and-such a sage composed this verse, dedicated to such-and-such a deity".
In the tenth chapter comes a peculiar hymn — for the sage is a woman — and it is dedicated to the one God who is at the background of all these gods. All the previous hymns are spoken in the third person, as if someone were addressing the deities. But this hymn takes a departure: God [as the Devi] is speaking for herself. The pronoun used is "I". "I am the Empress of the Universe, the Fulfiller of all prayers." (Vide “Devi Sukta”, Rig-Veda 10.125)
There is that beautiful story of the great sage Yâjnavalkya, the one who visited the kingdom of the great king Janaka. And there in that assembly of the learned, people came to ask him questions. One man asked him, "How am I to perform this sacrifice?" Another asked him, "How am I to perform the other sacrifice?" And after he had answered them, there arose a woman who said, "These are childish questions. Now, have a care: I take these two arrows, my two questions. Answer them if you can, and we will then call you a sage. The first is: What is the soul? The second is: What is God?" ( Brihadâranyaka Upanishad 3.8.1.-12.)
Thus arose in India the great questions about the soul and God, and these came from the mouth of a woman. The sage had to pass an examination before her, and he passed well.
Drinking wine, killing a woman and killing a Brahmin are the highest crimes in the Hindu religion.
We come to another class of women. This mild Hindu race produces fighting women from time to time. Some of you may have heard of the woman [Lakshmi Bai, Queen of Jhansi] who, during the Mutiny of 1857, fought against the English soldiers and held her own ground for two years — leading modern armies, managing batteries and always charging at the head of her army. This queen was a Brahmin girl.
The very peculiarity of Hindu women, which they have developed and which is the idea of their life, is that of the mother. If you enter a Hindu's home, you will not find the wife to be the same equal companion of the husband as you find her here. But when you find the mother, she is the very pillar of the Hindu home. The wife must wait to become the mother, and then she will be everything.
It is alone in the Sanskrit language that we find four words meaning husband and wife together. It is only in our marriage that they [both] promise, "What has been my heart now may be thine". It is there that we see that the husband is made to look at the Pole-star, touching the hand of his wife and saying, "As the Pole-star is fixed in the heavens, so may I be fixed in my affection to thee". And the wife does the same.
Aryan civilization has been of three types: the Roman, the Greek, the Hindu. The Roman type is the type of organization, conquest, steadiness — but lacking in emotional nature, appreciation of beauty and the higher emotions. Its defect is cruelty. The Greek is essentially enthusiastic for the beautiful, but frivolous and has a tendency to become immoral. The Hindu type is essentially metaphysical and religious, but lacking in all the elements of organization and work.
And let me tell you, this should be done by women. There are some of our books which say that the next incarnation, and the last (we believe in ten), is to come in the form of a woman.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_9/Lectures_and_Discourses/The_Women_of_India
Volume 9, Lectures and Discourses
Going back to our Vedas — they are the oldest literature the world possesses and are composed by your and my common ancestors (they were not written in India — perhaps on the coast of the Baltic, perhaps in Central Asia — we do not know).
Their oldest portion is composed of hymns, and these hymns are to the gods whom the Aryans worshipped. I may be pardoned for using the word gods; the literal translation is "the bright ones". These hymns are dedicated to Fire, to the Sun, to Varuna and other deities. The titles run: "such-and-such a sage composed this verse, dedicated to such-and-such a deity".
In the tenth chapter comes a peculiar hymn — for the sage is a woman — and it is dedicated to the one God who is at the background of all these gods. All the previous hymns are spoken in the third person, as if someone were addressing the deities. But this hymn takes a departure: God [as the Devi] is speaking for herself. The pronoun used is "I". "I am the Empress of the Universe, the Fulfiller of all prayers." (Vide “Devi Sukta”, Rig-Veda 10.125)
There is that beautiful story of the great sage Yâjnavalkya, the one who visited the kingdom of the great king Janaka. And there in that assembly of the learned, people came to ask him questions. One man asked him, "How am I to perform this sacrifice?" Another asked him, "How am I to perform the other sacrifice?" And after he had answered them, there arose a woman who said, "These are childish questions. Now, have a care: I take these two arrows, my two questions. Answer them if you can, and we will then call you a sage. The first is: What is the soul? The second is: What is God?" ( Brihadâranyaka Upanishad 3.8.1.-12.)
Thus arose in India the great questions about the soul and God, and these came from the mouth of a woman. The sage had to pass an examination before her, and he passed well.
Drinking wine, killing a woman and killing a Brahmin are the highest crimes in the Hindu religion.
We come to another class of women. This mild Hindu race produces fighting women from time to time. Some of you may have heard of the woman [Lakshmi Bai, Queen of Jhansi] who, during the Mutiny of 1857, fought against the English soldiers and held her own ground for two years — leading modern armies, managing batteries and always charging at the head of her army. This queen was a Brahmin girl.
The very peculiarity of Hindu women, which they have developed and which is the idea of their life, is that of the mother. If you enter a Hindu's home, you will not find the wife to be the same equal companion of the husband as you find her here. But when you find the mother, she is the very pillar of the Hindu home. The wife must wait to become the mother, and then she will be everything.
It is alone in the Sanskrit language that we find four words meaning husband and wife together. It is only in our marriage that they [both] promise, "What has been my heart now may be thine". It is there that we see that the husband is made to look at the Pole-star, touching the hand of his wife and saying, "As the Pole-star is fixed in the heavens, so may I be fixed in my affection to thee". And the wife does the same.
Aryan civilization has been of three types: the Roman, the Greek, the Hindu. The Roman type is the type of organization, conquest, steadiness — but lacking in emotional nature, appreciation of beauty and the higher emotions. Its defect is cruelty. The Greek is essentially enthusiastic for the beautiful, but frivolous and has a tendency to become immoral. The Hindu type is essentially metaphysical and religious, but lacking in all the elements of organization and work.
And let me tell you, this should be done by women. There are some of our books which say that the next incarnation, and the last (we believe in ten), is to come in the form of a woman.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_9/Lectures_and_Discourses/The_Women_of_India
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Talks Of Ramana Maharshi
“How to avoid misery?” The Master answers: “Has misery a shape? Misery is only an unwanted thought. The mind is not strong enough to resist it. It can be strengthened by worship of God.” -- Talks 241
“I have no peace of mind. Something prevents it — probably my destiny.” Bhagavan answers: “What is destiny? There is no destiny. Surrender and all will be well. Throw all the responsibility on God. Do not bear the burden yourself. What can destiny do to you then?” -- Talks 244
“Siva made over all His possessions to Vishnu and went roaming about in forests, wildernesses and graveyards, living on begged food. He found non-possession to be higher in the scale of happiness than possessions. The higher happiness is freedom from anxiety — anxiety over how to protect the possessions and how to utilise them, etc.” -- Talks 225
“If happiness is due to one’s possessions, then it should increase and decrease proportionately to their increase and decrease, and becomes nil if one has nothing to possess. But is this true? Does experience bear this out? “In deep sleep one is devoid of possessions, including one’s own body; yet one then is supremely happy. Everyone desires sound sleep. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in one’s own self and is not due to external causes. One must realise his Self in order to open for oneself the store of unalloyed happiness.” -- Talks 3
“What is happiness? Is it inherent in the Self or in the object, or in the contact between the subject and the object?” Bhagavan: “When there is contact with a desirable object or memory thereof, and when there is freedom from undesirable contacts, or memory thereof, we say there is happiness. Such happiness is relative and is better called pleasure. But we want absolute and permanent happiness. This does not reside in objects but in the Absolute. It is peace free from pain and pleasure — it is a neutral state.” -- Talks 28
“There is a state beyond our efforts and effortlessness. Until it is realised, effort is necessary. (This is the state of samadhi, which is blissful). After tasting such bliss even once, one will repeatedly try to regain it. Having once experienced the bliss of peace, no one would like to be out of it, or engage himself otherwise. It is as difficult for the Jnani to engage in thought as it is for an ajnani to be free from thought. Any kind of activity does not affect a jnani; his mind remains ever in eternal peace.” -- Talks 141
“The universe exists on account of the ‘I’-thought. If that ends there is an end of misery also. The person who is in sleep is also now awake. There is happiness in sleep but misery in wakefulness. In sleep there was no ‘I’-thought, but it is now while awake. The state of happiness in sleep is effortless. We should therefore aim to bring about that state even now. That requires effort.” -- Talks 222
“Your nature is happiness. You say that this is not apparent. See what obstructs you from your true being. It is pointed out to you that the obstruction is the wrong identity. Eliminate the error. The patient himself must take the medicine to cure his illness. If, as you say, the patient is too weak to help himself, then he must remain quiet, giving a free hand to the doctor. That is effortlessness.” -- Talks 295
“The desire for happiness is a proof of the ever-existent happiness of the Self. Otherwise how can desire for it arise? If headache were natural to human beings, no one would try to get rid of it. One desires only that which is natural to him. Happiness, being natural, it is not acquired. Primal bliss is obscured by the not-Self, which is non-bliss, or misery. Loss of unhappiness amounts to gaining of happiness. When misery is eliminated the bliss which is ever-present is said to be gained. Happiness mixed with misery is only misery.” -- Talks 619
“Why should there be suffering now?” Bhagavan: “If there were no suffering, how could the desire to be happy arise? If that desire did not arise,how would the quest of the Self be successful? What is happiness? Is it a healthy and handsome body, or timely meals and the like? Even an Emperor has endless troubles, though he may be healthy. All suffering is due to the false notion ‘I-am-the-body’. Getting rid of it is jnanam.” -- Talks 633
News of someone’s death was brought to the Master. He remarked: “Good. The dead are indeed happy. They have got rid of the troublesome overgrowth — the body.The dead man does not grieve. The survivors grieve for him. Do men fear sleep? On the contrary they court it and on waking up they remark that they have had a happy sleep. Yet sleep is nothing but temporary death. Death is a long sleep.” -- Talks 64
“See how a tree, whose branches are cut grows again. So long as the life-source is not affected it will grow. Similarly the samskaras sink into the heart in death: they do not perish. They are reborn. Just as a big banyan tree sprouts from a tiny seed, so the wide universe with names and forms sprouts forth from the Heart.” -- Talks 108
“If a person we love dies, grief results. Shall we avoid grief by loving all alike, or by not loving at all?” Bhagavan: “Both amount to the same thing. When all have become the one Self, who remains to be loved or hated? The ego that grieves must die. That is the only way.” -- Talks 252
“As long as you feel yourself the doer of action so long you are bound to enjoy its fruits. But if you find out whose karma it is, you will see that you are not the doer. Then you will be free. This requires the Grace of God, for which you should pray to Him and meditate on Him.” -- Talks 115
“Action without motive does not bind. Even a Jnani acts and there can be no action without effort and without sankalpas — motives. Therefore there are sankalpas for everyone. But these are of two kinds, the binding (bandha-hetu) and the liberating (mukti-hetu). The former must be given up and the latter cultivated.” -- Talks 115
“It is not enough that one thinks of God while doing karma (service, or worship), but one must continually and unceasingly think of Him. Only then will the mind become pure.” Bhagavan’s attendant then remarked: “Is it then not enough that I serve Bhagavan physically, but must also remember him constantly?” To which Bhagavan remarked: “‘I-am-the-body’ idea must vanish through vichara.” -- Talks 337
“Your idea of will-power is success insured, whereas willpower should be understood as the strength of mind which meets success and failure with equanimity. It is not synonymous with certain success. Why should one’s attempts be always attended with success? Success develops arrogance and one’s spiritual progress is thereby arrested. Failures on the other hand are beneficial, inasmuch as they open one’s eyes to one’s limitations and prepare him to surrender himself. Therefore one should try to gain equipoise of mind under all circumstances. That is will-power. Again success and failure are the results of prarabdha and not of will-power. One man may be doing only good and yet prove a failure. Another may do otherwise and yet be uniformly successful. This does not mean that the will-power is absent in one and present in the other.” -- Talks 423
“Leave off false notions and perceive intuitively the Real.That alone matters. If you melt a gold ornament what matters how it is melted, whole or in parts, or of what shape the ornament had been? You are only interested in the gold. Realise the Self.” -- Talks 31
“Celibacy is certainly an aid to realisation among so many other aids.” -- Talks 17
“Is not then celibacy indispensable? Can a married man realise the Self?” Bhagavan: “Certainly, it (Realisation) is a matter of fitness of mind. Married or unmarried one can realise the Self, because the Self is here and now.” -- Talks 17
“How does a grihasta fare in the scheme of Moksha?” Bhagavan: “Why do you think yourself to be a grihasta? If you go out as a sannyasi, the thought that you are a sannyasi will haunt you. You will be only substituting one thought by another. The mental obstacles are always there. They even increase in new surroundings. There is no help in the change of environment. The mind is the obstacle. Therefore why change the environment?” -- Talks 54
“Is the world perceived after Self-realisation?” Bhagavan: “What does it matter if the world is perceived or not? The ajnani sees the Jnani active and is confounded. The world is perceived by both; but their outlooks differ. Take the cinema, for instance. Pictures move on the screen. Let the pictures disappear. What remains? The screen alone. So also here. Even when the world appears find out to whom it appears. Hold the substratum of the ‘I’. When the substratum is held what does it matter if the world appears or disappears?” -- Talks 65
“How to turn the mind away from the world, you say? Is there a world apart from the Self? Does the world say that it exists. It is you who say that there is a world.Find out the Self who says it.” -- Talks 81
“You say that the world is materialistic. Whether it is materialistic or spiritual, it is according to your outlook. Make your outlook right. The Creator knows how to take care of His creation.” -- Talks 240
“Does Bhagavan believe in evolution?” Bhagavan: “Evolution must be from one state to another When differences are not admitted, how can evolution arise? You say that when Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that after several births the seeker gains knowledge and thus knows “Me”, denotes evolution. But you must not forget that the Gita begins with “Neither I was, nor you, nor these chiefs, etc.”; “neither it is born, nor does it die, etc.” So there is no birth, no death, no present as you look at it. Reality was, is, and will always be. It is changeless.” -- Talks 264
“What should we do to ameliorate the condition of the world?” Bhagavan: “If you are free from pain, there will be no pain anywhere. The trouble is due to your seeing the world externally and also thinking that it has pain. But both the pain and the world are within you. If you look within there will be no pain.” -- Talks 272
“A phenomenon cannot be a reality simply because it serves a purpose. Dreams also serve dream purposes; for example, the dream water quenches dream thirst. The dream creation is however contradicted in the waking state. What is not continuous cannot be real. The real is ever real, and not real once and unreal at other times. The same is with magic, which appears real yet it is illusory. Similarly the world is not real apart from the reality which underlies it.” -- Talks 315
“There is fire on the screen in a cinema show: does it burn the screen? There is a cascade of water: does it wet the screen? There are tools: do they damage the screen? Fire and water are only phenomena on the screen of Brahman and do not affect it.” -- Talks 316
A Spanish lady writes in a letter: “If the individual self merges in the universal Self, how can we pray to God for the uplift of humanity?” Bhagavan comments: “They pray to God and finish with, ‘Thy will be done.’ If His will be done why do they pray at all? It is true that the Divine will prevails at all times and under all circumstances. The individuals cannot act of their own accord. Recognise the force of the Divine will and keep quiet. Each one is looked after by God. He has created all. You are among 2,000 millions. When He looks after so many will He omit you? “Again there is no need to let Him know your needs. He knows them Himself and will look after them.” -- Talks 594
“Still more, why do you pray? Does not your Creator and Protector know that you are weak? You say God helps those who help themselves. Certainly, help yourself and that is itself according to God’s will. Every action is prompted by Him only. As for prayers for others it looks so unselfish on the surface of it. But analyse the feeling and you will detect selfishness there also. You desire others’ happiness so that you may be happy. Or you want the credit for having interceded on others’ behalf.God does not require intermediaries. Mind your business and all will be well.” -- Talks 594
“Does not God work His will through some chosen person?” Bhagavan: “God is in all and works through all. But His presence is better recognised in purified minds. The pure one reflects God’s actions more clearly than the impure mind. Therefore people say that they are the chosen ones. But the chosen man does not himself say so. If he thinks that he is the intermediary, then it is clear that he retains his individuality and that there is no complete surrender.” -- Talks 594
“Are not the Brahmins considered to be the priests or intermediaries between God and others?” Bhagavan: “Yes, but who is a Brahmin? A Brahmin is one who has realised Brahman. Such an one has no sense of individuality in him. He cannot think that he acts as an intermediary.” -- Talks 594
“The mind is like akasa (ether of space). Just as there are objects in space, so there are thoughts in the mind.... One cannot hope to measure the universe and study the phenomena. It is impossible. For the objects are mental creation; it is like trying to stamp with one’s foot on the head of one’s shadow; the farther one moves the farther goes the shadow’s head.” -- Talks 485
“Look how every person believes in his own existence. Does he look in the mirror to see his being? His awareness of his existence gives him the assurance of it. But he compares it with the body, etc. Why should he do that? Is he aware of his body in sleep? He is not, yet he does not cease to exist while in sleep. He has therefore only to be aware of his being and this will be evident to him.” -- Talks 363
“You speak of the vision of Siva. Vision is always of an object, which implies the existence of the subject.Whatever appears must also disappear. A vision can never be eternal. But Siva is eternal. He is the consciousness. He is the Self.“TO BE is to realise — hence I AM THAT I AM. I AM is Siva. Nothing can be without Him. Therefore enquire ‘Who am I?’ Sink deep and abide as the Self. That is Siva as BEing.Do not expect to have visions of Him.” -- Talks 450
“There is no being who is not conscious and therefore who is not Siva. Not only he is Siva but also all else. Yet he thinks in sheer ignorance that he sees the universe in diverse forms. But if he sees the Self he will not be aware of his separateness from the universe. Siva is then seen as the universe. But (unfortunately) the seer does not see the background. Think of the man who sees only the cloth and not the cotton of which it is made, or the pictures and not the screen; or the letters which he reads and not the paper on which they are written. Siva is both the Being assuming the forms in the universe as well as the consciousness that sees them. That is to say Siva is the background underlying both the subject and the object — Siva in repose and Siva in action. Whatever it is said to be, it is only Consciousness, whether in repose or in action.” -- Talks 450
“The Cosmic Mind, being not limited by the ego, has nothing separate from itself and is therefore only aware. This is what the Bible means by ‘I am that I Am’.” -- Talks 187
“There is the peaceful mind which is the supreme. When the same becomes restless, it is afflicted by thoughts. Mind is only the dynamic power (shakti) of the Self. There is no difference between matter and spirit. Modern science admits that all matter is energy. Energy is power or force (shakti). Therefore all are resolved in Siva and Shakti, i.e., the Self and the Mind.” -- Talks 268
“Should I meditate on the right chest in order to meditate on the Heart?” Bhagavan: “The Heart is not physical. Meditation should not be on the right or the left. It should be on the Self. Everyone knows “I am”. It is neither within nor without, neither on the right nor the left: ‘I am’ — that is all.” -- Talks 273
“The silence of solitude is forced. Restrained speech in society amounts to silence. For the man then controls his speech. If the speaker is engaged otherwise speech becomes restrained. Introverted mind is otherwise active and is not anxious to speak.” -- Talks 60
Bhagavan says that going to places of solitude for the purpose of cultivating the habit of silence is not of much value; for it is a forced state for lack of company; whereas control of the tongue in society is true silence, and thus true self-control.
“Mouna as a disciplinary measure is meant for limiting the mental activities due to speech. If the mind is otherwise controlled disciplinary mouna is unnecessary. For mouna becomes natural.” -- Talks 60
Note: Why do sadhakas cultivate silence? In order to silence the mind. But this is holding the stick by the wrong end; for it is not speech that causes thinking, but thinking that causes speaking. Conversation, no doubt, provokes thinking and therefore talking, but if the mind has not been brought under control, even if there is no one to talk to, the mind will talk to itself; memory in particular will surge up and will fill the mind with thoughts of the dead past. The mind in solitude will then be in a far worse condition than in society. Memory is a more dangerous companion than the society of sattvic friends, who may sometimes talk on irrelevant matters, but this may prove a help to the sadhaka,in that it serves to break his brooding over a chain of unhappy events which are dead and gone, and whose resuscitation may depress the mind, which he endeavours to keep cheerful for the sake of a successful sadhana.
“When Sita was asked by the wives of the Rishis who was her husband among the then assembled Rishis in the forest, she denied each one as he by turn was pointed to her, but simply speechlessly hung down her head when Rama himself was pointed out. Her silence was eloquent. The Vedas are similarly eloquent in ‘Neti’, ‘Neti’ (‘not this’, ‘not this’) and then remain silent. Their silence is the Real state. This is the meaning of teaching through silence.When the source of the ‘I’-thought is reached, it vanishes and what remains over is the Self.” -- Talks 130
“Mouna is not closing the mouth. It is the state which transcends speech and thought. Hold some concept firmly and trace it back. By such concentration silence results. When practice becomes natural it will end in silence. Meditation without mental activity is silence.” -- Talks 231
“Does distance have any effect on Grace?” asks the American visitor, and Sri Bhagavan answers: “Time and space are within you. You are always the Self you are seeking. How do time and space affect it?” -- Talks 127
“How to transcend the mind?” The Master answers: “Mind is by nature restless. Begin liberating it from its restlessness: give it peace; make it free from distractions; train it to look inward; make this a habit. This is done by ignoring the external world and removal of the obstacles to the peace of mind.” -- Talks 26
“External contacts — contacts with objects other than itself — make the mind restless. Loss of interests in the not-Self (vairagya) is the first step. Then the habits of introspection and concentration follow, ending in samadhi.” -- Talks 26
“An examination of the ephemeral nature of the external phenomena leads to vairagya. Hence enquiry is the first and foremost step to be taken, which will result in contempt for wealth, fame, ease, pleasure, etc. The ‘I’- thought becomes clearer for inspection.” -- Talks 27
“If, however, the aspirant is not temperamentally suited to the vichara marga, he must develop bhakti (devotion) to an Ideal — maybe God, Guru, Humanity in general,ethical laws, or even the idea of Beauty. When one of these has taken possession of the individual, other attachments grow weaker and dispassion (vairagya) develops. Thus ekagrata (concentration) grows simultaneously and imperceptibly.
“In the absence of vichara and bhakti, control of breath (pranayama) may be tried. This is known as Yoga marga. If the breath is held the mind cannot jump at its pets — the objects. Thus there is rest for the mind so long as the breath is held. The mind improves by practice and becomes finer, just as the razor’s edge is sharpened by stropping.” -- Talks 27
“If the origin is sat only, why is it not felt?” Bhagavan: “The salt in lump is visible, but invisible in solution; still it is cognised by its taste. Similarly sat (or truth), though not perceived by the intellect is still realisable in other ways. How? Just as a man who has been robbed and blindfolded by robbers and thrown in a jungle enquires his way and returns home, so also the ajnani who is blinded by ignorance enquires his way from the Jnani and returns to his source.” -- Talks 108
“Please help me to realise the Self. It is no use reading books.” Bhagavan answers, “Quite so. If the Self be found in books, it would have been realised long ago. Is it not a wonder that we should seek the Self in books? Can it be found there? Of course books have impelled the question.” -- Talks 117
“He who instructs an ardent seeker to do this or that (work) is not a true master. The seeker is already afflicted by his activities and wants peace and rest. He wants cessation of his activities. Instead he is told to do something in addition to, or in place of, his other activities.” -- Talks 601
“Be what you are. There is nothing to come down or manifest itself. What is needed is losing the ego. That which is, is ever present. Even now you are It, and not apart from It. The blank is seen by you. You are always there. What do you wait for? The expectation to see and the desire to get something are all the working of the ego. You have fallen into the snare of the ego, which says all this. Be yourself and nothing more.” -- Talks 183
“Grace is always there, but practice is necessary.” -- Talks 220
“There is no entity by the name mind. Because of the emergence of thoughts we surmise a thing from which they start. That we term mind. When we probe to see what it is, there is nothing like it. Buddhi or intellect is the thinking or discriminating faculty. But these are mere names. Ego, mind and intellect are all the same. Whose mind? Whose intellect? The ego’s. Is the ego real? No. We confound the ego and call it intellect or mind.” -- Talks 237
“To realise the Self effort is necessary. Just as water is got by boring wells, so also you realise the Self by investigation.” -- Talks 240
“Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts; distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness. By constant meditation it gains strength, i.e., weakness of fugitive thoughts gives place to the enduring background free from thoughts. This expanse devoid of thoughts is the Self. Mind in purity is the Self.” -- Talks 293
“The Bible says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Stillness is the sole requisite for the realisation of the Self as God. The whole Vedanta is contained in the two Biblical statements: ‘I AM THAT I AM’, and ‘BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD’.” -- Talks 338
“Deep sleep is nothing but the experience of pure being.” -- Talks 617
“A child and a Jnani are similar in a way. The interest of the child in things ends with the things. These leave no impressions in the child’s mind. The same is the case with the Jnani.” -- Talks 9
Note: Desires are the cause of all our trouble. We look around this magnificent world of diversity and desire the things which impress us most, and so do our best to obtain them.We sacrifice a lot and suffer any amount of inconvenience for the sake of the desired object till we get it. Yet our trouble does not end with this acquisition, for new aims and objects rise before us and lure us into new desires and what we call new needs, for which we have again to exert and again to suffer; and so on and on endlessly. Thus we remain bound hand and foot to the world without rest and without satisfaction. But the Jnani, having cultivated and achieved desirelessness, has not the least interest in the world around him, so that his perceptions do not leave any impression on his mind. Even if he evinces an interest in an object it is only one of curiosity, much like that of a child in its surroundings, which passes away the moment it turns its back on them.
“A Self-realised being cannot help benefiting the world His very existence is the highest good.” -- Talks 210
Note: This should satisfy those who criticise the Jnani as a useless ascetic, should they be fortunate enough to read it.The wisdom that flows from his lips and the purity of his life and conduct stand as shining ideals for humanity to emulate, or aspire for, which no amount of preaching Socialism,Communism and philanthropy can do. What has all this preaching created except more antagonism, more divisions,more jealousy, and thus more hatred in the world. If these preachers really mean well and are sincere, they should turn into true ascetics and become Saints themselves and see the difference between their old preaching and the good they can do with their holiness and purity by their mere presence. If they cannot do that, they should mind their own business, and try to bring peace and good to themselves before they can stand before the world and boast of doing good to others.
Source: REFLECTIONS ON TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI By S.S. COHEN
..... to think is not your real nature. (Talks 184).
Just on waking from sleep and before becoming aware of the world there is that pure ‘I’—‘I’. Hold it without sleeping or without allowing thoughts to possess you. If that is held firm it does not matter even though the world is seen. The seer remains unaffected by the phenomena. (Talks, 196).
Your duty is to be; and not to be this or that. ‘I AM THAT I AM’ sums up the whole truth. The method is, summed up in ‘BE STILL’. What does stillness mean? It means ‘destroy yourself ’. Because any form or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion ‘I am so and so’. (Talks, 363).
It is in the mind that birth and death, pleasure and pain,in short, the world and ego, exist. If the mind is destroyed all else are destroyed too. Note that it should be annihilated, not just made latent. For the mind is dormant in sleep. It does not know anything. Still, on waking up you are as you were before.There is no end of grief. But if the mind be destroyed the grief will have no background and will disappear along with the mind. (Talks, 195).
‘Be still and know that I am God’. To be still is not to think. Know, and not think, is the word! (Talks, 131).
Solitude is in the mind of man. One might be in the thick of the world and maintain serenity of mind; such a one is in solitude. Another may stay in the forest but still be unable to control his mind. He cannot be said to be in solitude. Solitude is a function of the mind. A man attached to desire cannot get solitude wherever he many be; a detached man is always in solitude. (Talks, 20).
Jnana-marga and bhakti-marga are one and the same. Selfsurrender leads to realisation just as enquiry does. Complete self-surrender means that you have no further thought of ‘I’.Then all your vasanas are washed off and you are free. You should not continue as a separate entity at the end of either course. (Talks, 31).
Dvaita and Advaita are relative terms. They are based on the sense of duality. The Self is as It is. There is neither dvaita nor advaita, I AM THAT I AM. Simple Be-ing is the Self. (Talks, 433).
The Self is known to everyone but not clearly. You always exist. The Be-ing is the Self. ‘I am’ is the name of God. Of all the definitions of God, none is indeed so well put as the Biblical statement ‘I am that I am’ in Exodus 3, Verse 14. None is so direct as the name JEHOVAH... I AM. The Absolute Be-ing is what is... It is the Self. It is God. Knowing the Self, God is known. In fact God is none other than the Self. (Talks, 106).
The Bible says ‘Be still and know that I am God’.Stillness is the sole requisite for the realisation of the Self as God. (Talks, 338).
But men want absolute and permanent happiness. This does not reside in objects, but in the Absolute. It is Peace, free from pain and pleasure... it is a neutral state. (Talks, 28).
Nirvana is Perfection. In the Perfect State there is neither subject nor object; there is nothing to see, nothing to feel,nothing to know. Seeking and knowing are the functions of the mind. In Nirvana there is nothing but the blissful pure consciousness ‘I am’. (Talks, 406).
Source: HUNTING THE ‘I’ according to Sri Ramana Maharshi By LUCY CORNELSSEN
“I have no peace of mind. Something prevents it — probably my destiny.” Bhagavan answers: “What is destiny? There is no destiny. Surrender and all will be well. Throw all the responsibility on God. Do not bear the burden yourself. What can destiny do to you then?” -- Talks 244
“Siva made over all His possessions to Vishnu and went roaming about in forests, wildernesses and graveyards, living on begged food. He found non-possession to be higher in the scale of happiness than possessions. The higher happiness is freedom from anxiety — anxiety over how to protect the possessions and how to utilise them, etc.” -- Talks 225
“If happiness is due to one’s possessions, then it should increase and decrease proportionately to their increase and decrease, and becomes nil if one has nothing to possess. But is this true? Does experience bear this out? “In deep sleep one is devoid of possessions, including one’s own body; yet one then is supremely happy. Everyone desires sound sleep. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in one’s own self and is not due to external causes. One must realise his Self in order to open for oneself the store of unalloyed happiness.” -- Talks 3
“What is happiness? Is it inherent in the Self or in the object, or in the contact between the subject and the object?” Bhagavan: “When there is contact with a desirable object or memory thereof, and when there is freedom from undesirable contacts, or memory thereof, we say there is happiness. Such happiness is relative and is better called pleasure. But we want absolute and permanent happiness. This does not reside in objects but in the Absolute. It is peace free from pain and pleasure — it is a neutral state.” -- Talks 28
“There is a state beyond our efforts and effortlessness. Until it is realised, effort is necessary. (This is the state of samadhi, which is blissful). After tasting such bliss even once, one will repeatedly try to regain it. Having once experienced the bliss of peace, no one would like to be out of it, or engage himself otherwise. It is as difficult for the Jnani to engage in thought as it is for an ajnani to be free from thought. Any kind of activity does not affect a jnani; his mind remains ever in eternal peace.” -- Talks 141
“The universe exists on account of the ‘I’-thought. If that ends there is an end of misery also. The person who is in sleep is also now awake. There is happiness in sleep but misery in wakefulness. In sleep there was no ‘I’-thought, but it is now while awake. The state of happiness in sleep is effortless. We should therefore aim to bring about that state even now. That requires effort.” -- Talks 222
“Your nature is happiness. You say that this is not apparent. See what obstructs you from your true being. It is pointed out to you that the obstruction is the wrong identity. Eliminate the error. The patient himself must take the medicine to cure his illness. If, as you say, the patient is too weak to help himself, then he must remain quiet, giving a free hand to the doctor. That is effortlessness.” -- Talks 295
“The desire for happiness is a proof of the ever-existent happiness of the Self. Otherwise how can desire for it arise? If headache were natural to human beings, no one would try to get rid of it. One desires only that which is natural to him. Happiness, being natural, it is not acquired. Primal bliss is obscured by the not-Self, which is non-bliss, or misery. Loss of unhappiness amounts to gaining of happiness. When misery is eliminated the bliss which is ever-present is said to be gained. Happiness mixed with misery is only misery.” -- Talks 619
“Why should there be suffering now?” Bhagavan: “If there were no suffering, how could the desire to be happy arise? If that desire did not arise,how would the quest of the Self be successful? What is happiness? Is it a healthy and handsome body, or timely meals and the like? Even an Emperor has endless troubles, though he may be healthy. All suffering is due to the false notion ‘I-am-the-body’. Getting rid of it is jnanam.” -- Talks 633
News of someone’s death was brought to the Master. He remarked: “Good. The dead are indeed happy. They have got rid of the troublesome overgrowth — the body.The dead man does not grieve. The survivors grieve for him. Do men fear sleep? On the contrary they court it and on waking up they remark that they have had a happy sleep. Yet sleep is nothing but temporary death. Death is a long sleep.” -- Talks 64
“See how a tree, whose branches are cut grows again. So long as the life-source is not affected it will grow. Similarly the samskaras sink into the heart in death: they do not perish. They are reborn. Just as a big banyan tree sprouts from a tiny seed, so the wide universe with names and forms sprouts forth from the Heart.” -- Talks 108
“If a person we love dies, grief results. Shall we avoid grief by loving all alike, or by not loving at all?” Bhagavan: “Both amount to the same thing. When all have become the one Self, who remains to be loved or hated? The ego that grieves must die. That is the only way.” -- Talks 252
“As long as you feel yourself the doer of action so long you are bound to enjoy its fruits. But if you find out whose karma it is, you will see that you are not the doer. Then you will be free. This requires the Grace of God, for which you should pray to Him and meditate on Him.” -- Talks 115
“Action without motive does not bind. Even a Jnani acts and there can be no action without effort and without sankalpas — motives. Therefore there are sankalpas for everyone. But these are of two kinds, the binding (bandha-hetu) and the liberating (mukti-hetu). The former must be given up and the latter cultivated.” -- Talks 115
“It is not enough that one thinks of God while doing karma (service, or worship), but one must continually and unceasingly think of Him. Only then will the mind become pure.” Bhagavan’s attendant then remarked: “Is it then not enough that I serve Bhagavan physically, but must also remember him constantly?” To which Bhagavan remarked: “‘I-am-the-body’ idea must vanish through vichara.” -- Talks 337
“Your idea of will-power is success insured, whereas willpower should be understood as the strength of mind which meets success and failure with equanimity. It is not synonymous with certain success. Why should one’s attempts be always attended with success? Success develops arrogance and one’s spiritual progress is thereby arrested. Failures on the other hand are beneficial, inasmuch as they open one’s eyes to one’s limitations and prepare him to surrender himself. Therefore one should try to gain equipoise of mind under all circumstances. That is will-power. Again success and failure are the results of prarabdha and not of will-power. One man may be doing only good and yet prove a failure. Another may do otherwise and yet be uniformly successful. This does not mean that the will-power is absent in one and present in the other.” -- Talks 423
“Leave off false notions and perceive intuitively the Real.That alone matters. If you melt a gold ornament what matters how it is melted, whole or in parts, or of what shape the ornament had been? You are only interested in the gold. Realise the Self.” -- Talks 31
“Celibacy is certainly an aid to realisation among so many other aids.” -- Talks 17
“Is not then celibacy indispensable? Can a married man realise the Self?” Bhagavan: “Certainly, it (Realisation) is a matter of fitness of mind. Married or unmarried one can realise the Self, because the Self is here and now.” -- Talks 17
“How does a grihasta fare in the scheme of Moksha?” Bhagavan: “Why do you think yourself to be a grihasta? If you go out as a sannyasi, the thought that you are a sannyasi will haunt you. You will be only substituting one thought by another. The mental obstacles are always there. They even increase in new surroundings. There is no help in the change of environment. The mind is the obstacle. Therefore why change the environment?” -- Talks 54
“Is the world perceived after Self-realisation?” Bhagavan: “What does it matter if the world is perceived or not? The ajnani sees the Jnani active and is confounded. The world is perceived by both; but their outlooks differ. Take the cinema, for instance. Pictures move on the screen. Let the pictures disappear. What remains? The screen alone. So also here. Even when the world appears find out to whom it appears. Hold the substratum of the ‘I’. When the substratum is held what does it matter if the world appears or disappears?” -- Talks 65
“How to turn the mind away from the world, you say? Is there a world apart from the Self? Does the world say that it exists. It is you who say that there is a world.Find out the Self who says it.” -- Talks 81
“You say that the world is materialistic. Whether it is materialistic or spiritual, it is according to your outlook. Make your outlook right. The Creator knows how to take care of His creation.” -- Talks 240
“Does Bhagavan believe in evolution?” Bhagavan: “Evolution must be from one state to another When differences are not admitted, how can evolution arise? You say that when Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that after several births the seeker gains knowledge and thus knows “Me”, denotes evolution. But you must not forget that the Gita begins with “Neither I was, nor you, nor these chiefs, etc.”; “neither it is born, nor does it die, etc.” So there is no birth, no death, no present as you look at it. Reality was, is, and will always be. It is changeless.” -- Talks 264
“What should we do to ameliorate the condition of the world?” Bhagavan: “If you are free from pain, there will be no pain anywhere. The trouble is due to your seeing the world externally and also thinking that it has pain. But both the pain and the world are within you. If you look within there will be no pain.” -- Talks 272
“A phenomenon cannot be a reality simply because it serves a purpose. Dreams also serve dream purposes; for example, the dream water quenches dream thirst. The dream creation is however contradicted in the waking state. What is not continuous cannot be real. The real is ever real, and not real once and unreal at other times. The same is with magic, which appears real yet it is illusory. Similarly the world is not real apart from the reality which underlies it.” -- Talks 315
“There is fire on the screen in a cinema show: does it burn the screen? There is a cascade of water: does it wet the screen? There are tools: do they damage the screen? Fire and water are only phenomena on the screen of Brahman and do not affect it.” -- Talks 316
A Spanish lady writes in a letter: “If the individual self merges in the universal Self, how can we pray to God for the uplift of humanity?” Bhagavan comments: “They pray to God and finish with, ‘Thy will be done.’ If His will be done why do they pray at all? It is true that the Divine will prevails at all times and under all circumstances. The individuals cannot act of their own accord. Recognise the force of the Divine will and keep quiet. Each one is looked after by God. He has created all. You are among 2,000 millions. When He looks after so many will He omit you? “Again there is no need to let Him know your needs. He knows them Himself and will look after them.” -- Talks 594
“Still more, why do you pray? Does not your Creator and Protector know that you are weak? You say God helps those who help themselves. Certainly, help yourself and that is itself according to God’s will. Every action is prompted by Him only. As for prayers for others it looks so unselfish on the surface of it. But analyse the feeling and you will detect selfishness there also. You desire others’ happiness so that you may be happy. Or you want the credit for having interceded on others’ behalf.God does not require intermediaries. Mind your business and all will be well.” -- Talks 594
“Does not God work His will through some chosen person?” Bhagavan: “God is in all and works through all. But His presence is better recognised in purified minds. The pure one reflects God’s actions more clearly than the impure mind. Therefore people say that they are the chosen ones. But the chosen man does not himself say so. If he thinks that he is the intermediary, then it is clear that he retains his individuality and that there is no complete surrender.” -- Talks 594
“Are not the Brahmins considered to be the priests or intermediaries between God and others?” Bhagavan: “Yes, but who is a Brahmin? A Brahmin is one who has realised Brahman. Such an one has no sense of individuality in him. He cannot think that he acts as an intermediary.” -- Talks 594
“The mind is like akasa (ether of space). Just as there are objects in space, so there are thoughts in the mind.... One cannot hope to measure the universe and study the phenomena. It is impossible. For the objects are mental creation; it is like trying to stamp with one’s foot on the head of one’s shadow; the farther one moves the farther goes the shadow’s head.” -- Talks 485
“Look how every person believes in his own existence. Does he look in the mirror to see his being? His awareness of his existence gives him the assurance of it. But he compares it with the body, etc. Why should he do that? Is he aware of his body in sleep? He is not, yet he does not cease to exist while in sleep. He has therefore only to be aware of his being and this will be evident to him.” -- Talks 363
“You speak of the vision of Siva. Vision is always of an object, which implies the existence of the subject.Whatever appears must also disappear. A vision can never be eternal. But Siva is eternal. He is the consciousness. He is the Self.“TO BE is to realise — hence I AM THAT I AM. I AM is Siva. Nothing can be without Him. Therefore enquire ‘Who am I?’ Sink deep and abide as the Self. That is Siva as BEing.Do not expect to have visions of Him.” -- Talks 450
“There is no being who is not conscious and therefore who is not Siva. Not only he is Siva but also all else. Yet he thinks in sheer ignorance that he sees the universe in diverse forms. But if he sees the Self he will not be aware of his separateness from the universe. Siva is then seen as the universe. But (unfortunately) the seer does not see the background. Think of the man who sees only the cloth and not the cotton of which it is made, or the pictures and not the screen; or the letters which he reads and not the paper on which they are written. Siva is both the Being assuming the forms in the universe as well as the consciousness that sees them. That is to say Siva is the background underlying both the subject and the object — Siva in repose and Siva in action. Whatever it is said to be, it is only Consciousness, whether in repose or in action.” -- Talks 450
“The Cosmic Mind, being not limited by the ego, has nothing separate from itself and is therefore only aware. This is what the Bible means by ‘I am that I Am’.” -- Talks 187
“There is the peaceful mind which is the supreme. When the same becomes restless, it is afflicted by thoughts. Mind is only the dynamic power (shakti) of the Self. There is no difference between matter and spirit. Modern science admits that all matter is energy. Energy is power or force (shakti). Therefore all are resolved in Siva and Shakti, i.e., the Self and the Mind.” -- Talks 268
“Should I meditate on the right chest in order to meditate on the Heart?” Bhagavan: “The Heart is not physical. Meditation should not be on the right or the left. It should be on the Self. Everyone knows “I am”. It is neither within nor without, neither on the right nor the left: ‘I am’ — that is all.” -- Talks 273
“The silence of solitude is forced. Restrained speech in society amounts to silence. For the man then controls his speech. If the speaker is engaged otherwise speech becomes restrained. Introverted mind is otherwise active and is not anxious to speak.” -- Talks 60
Bhagavan says that going to places of solitude for the purpose of cultivating the habit of silence is not of much value; for it is a forced state for lack of company; whereas control of the tongue in society is true silence, and thus true self-control.
“Mouna as a disciplinary measure is meant for limiting the mental activities due to speech. If the mind is otherwise controlled disciplinary mouna is unnecessary. For mouna becomes natural.” -- Talks 60
Note: Why do sadhakas cultivate silence? In order to silence the mind. But this is holding the stick by the wrong end; for it is not speech that causes thinking, but thinking that causes speaking. Conversation, no doubt, provokes thinking and therefore talking, but if the mind has not been brought under control, even if there is no one to talk to, the mind will talk to itself; memory in particular will surge up and will fill the mind with thoughts of the dead past. The mind in solitude will then be in a far worse condition than in society. Memory is a more dangerous companion than the society of sattvic friends, who may sometimes talk on irrelevant matters, but this may prove a help to the sadhaka,in that it serves to break his brooding over a chain of unhappy events which are dead and gone, and whose resuscitation may depress the mind, which he endeavours to keep cheerful for the sake of a successful sadhana.
“When Sita was asked by the wives of the Rishis who was her husband among the then assembled Rishis in the forest, she denied each one as he by turn was pointed to her, but simply speechlessly hung down her head when Rama himself was pointed out. Her silence was eloquent. The Vedas are similarly eloquent in ‘Neti’, ‘Neti’ (‘not this’, ‘not this’) and then remain silent. Their silence is the Real state. This is the meaning of teaching through silence.When the source of the ‘I’-thought is reached, it vanishes and what remains over is the Self.” -- Talks 130
“Mouna is not closing the mouth. It is the state which transcends speech and thought. Hold some concept firmly and trace it back. By such concentration silence results. When practice becomes natural it will end in silence. Meditation without mental activity is silence.” -- Talks 231
“Does distance have any effect on Grace?” asks the American visitor, and Sri Bhagavan answers: “Time and space are within you. You are always the Self you are seeking. How do time and space affect it?” -- Talks 127
“How to transcend the mind?” The Master answers: “Mind is by nature restless. Begin liberating it from its restlessness: give it peace; make it free from distractions; train it to look inward; make this a habit. This is done by ignoring the external world and removal of the obstacles to the peace of mind.” -- Talks 26
“External contacts — contacts with objects other than itself — make the mind restless. Loss of interests in the not-Self (vairagya) is the first step. Then the habits of introspection and concentration follow, ending in samadhi.” -- Talks 26
“An examination of the ephemeral nature of the external phenomena leads to vairagya. Hence enquiry is the first and foremost step to be taken, which will result in contempt for wealth, fame, ease, pleasure, etc. The ‘I’- thought becomes clearer for inspection.” -- Talks 27
“If, however, the aspirant is not temperamentally suited to the vichara marga, he must develop bhakti (devotion) to an Ideal — maybe God, Guru, Humanity in general,ethical laws, or even the idea of Beauty. When one of these has taken possession of the individual, other attachments grow weaker and dispassion (vairagya) develops. Thus ekagrata (concentration) grows simultaneously and imperceptibly.
“In the absence of vichara and bhakti, control of breath (pranayama) may be tried. This is known as Yoga marga. If the breath is held the mind cannot jump at its pets — the objects. Thus there is rest for the mind so long as the breath is held. The mind improves by practice and becomes finer, just as the razor’s edge is sharpened by stropping.” -- Talks 27
“If the origin is sat only, why is it not felt?” Bhagavan: “The salt in lump is visible, but invisible in solution; still it is cognised by its taste. Similarly sat (or truth), though not perceived by the intellect is still realisable in other ways. How? Just as a man who has been robbed and blindfolded by robbers and thrown in a jungle enquires his way and returns home, so also the ajnani who is blinded by ignorance enquires his way from the Jnani and returns to his source.” -- Talks 108
“Please help me to realise the Self. It is no use reading books.” Bhagavan answers, “Quite so. If the Self be found in books, it would have been realised long ago. Is it not a wonder that we should seek the Self in books? Can it be found there? Of course books have impelled the question.” -- Talks 117
“He who instructs an ardent seeker to do this or that (work) is not a true master. The seeker is already afflicted by his activities and wants peace and rest. He wants cessation of his activities. Instead he is told to do something in addition to, or in place of, his other activities.” -- Talks 601
“Be what you are. There is nothing to come down or manifest itself. What is needed is losing the ego. That which is, is ever present. Even now you are It, and not apart from It. The blank is seen by you. You are always there. What do you wait for? The expectation to see and the desire to get something are all the working of the ego. You have fallen into the snare of the ego, which says all this. Be yourself and nothing more.” -- Talks 183
“Grace is always there, but practice is necessary.” -- Talks 220
“There is no entity by the name mind. Because of the emergence of thoughts we surmise a thing from which they start. That we term mind. When we probe to see what it is, there is nothing like it. Buddhi or intellect is the thinking or discriminating faculty. But these are mere names. Ego, mind and intellect are all the same. Whose mind? Whose intellect? The ego’s. Is the ego real? No. We confound the ego and call it intellect or mind.” -- Talks 237
“To realise the Self effort is necessary. Just as water is got by boring wells, so also you realise the Self by investigation.” -- Talks 240
“Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts; distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness. By constant meditation it gains strength, i.e., weakness of fugitive thoughts gives place to the enduring background free from thoughts. This expanse devoid of thoughts is the Self. Mind in purity is the Self.” -- Talks 293
“The Bible says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Stillness is the sole requisite for the realisation of the Self as God. The whole Vedanta is contained in the two Biblical statements: ‘I AM THAT I AM’, and ‘BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD’.” -- Talks 338
“Deep sleep is nothing but the experience of pure being.” -- Talks 617
“A child and a Jnani are similar in a way. The interest of the child in things ends with the things. These leave no impressions in the child’s mind. The same is the case with the Jnani.” -- Talks 9
Note: Desires are the cause of all our trouble. We look around this magnificent world of diversity and desire the things which impress us most, and so do our best to obtain them.We sacrifice a lot and suffer any amount of inconvenience for the sake of the desired object till we get it. Yet our trouble does not end with this acquisition, for new aims and objects rise before us and lure us into new desires and what we call new needs, for which we have again to exert and again to suffer; and so on and on endlessly. Thus we remain bound hand and foot to the world without rest and without satisfaction. But the Jnani, having cultivated and achieved desirelessness, has not the least interest in the world around him, so that his perceptions do not leave any impression on his mind. Even if he evinces an interest in an object it is only one of curiosity, much like that of a child in its surroundings, which passes away the moment it turns its back on them.
“A Self-realised being cannot help benefiting the world His very existence is the highest good.” -- Talks 210
Note: This should satisfy those who criticise the Jnani as a useless ascetic, should they be fortunate enough to read it.The wisdom that flows from his lips and the purity of his life and conduct stand as shining ideals for humanity to emulate, or aspire for, which no amount of preaching Socialism,Communism and philanthropy can do. What has all this preaching created except more antagonism, more divisions,more jealousy, and thus more hatred in the world. If these preachers really mean well and are sincere, they should turn into true ascetics and become Saints themselves and see the difference between their old preaching and the good they can do with their holiness and purity by their mere presence. If they cannot do that, they should mind their own business, and try to bring peace and good to themselves before they can stand before the world and boast of doing good to others.
Source: REFLECTIONS ON TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI By S.S. COHEN
..... to think is not your real nature. (Talks 184).
Just on waking from sleep and before becoming aware of the world there is that pure ‘I’—‘I’. Hold it without sleeping or without allowing thoughts to possess you. If that is held firm it does not matter even though the world is seen. The seer remains unaffected by the phenomena. (Talks, 196).
Your duty is to be; and not to be this or that. ‘I AM THAT I AM’ sums up the whole truth. The method is, summed up in ‘BE STILL’. What does stillness mean? It means ‘destroy yourself ’. Because any form or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion ‘I am so and so’. (Talks, 363).
It is in the mind that birth and death, pleasure and pain,in short, the world and ego, exist. If the mind is destroyed all else are destroyed too. Note that it should be annihilated, not just made latent. For the mind is dormant in sleep. It does not know anything. Still, on waking up you are as you were before.There is no end of grief. But if the mind be destroyed the grief will have no background and will disappear along with the mind. (Talks, 195).
‘Be still and know that I am God’. To be still is not to think. Know, and not think, is the word! (Talks, 131).
Solitude is in the mind of man. One might be in the thick of the world and maintain serenity of mind; such a one is in solitude. Another may stay in the forest but still be unable to control his mind. He cannot be said to be in solitude. Solitude is a function of the mind. A man attached to desire cannot get solitude wherever he many be; a detached man is always in solitude. (Talks, 20).
Jnana-marga and bhakti-marga are one and the same. Selfsurrender leads to realisation just as enquiry does. Complete self-surrender means that you have no further thought of ‘I’.Then all your vasanas are washed off and you are free. You should not continue as a separate entity at the end of either course. (Talks, 31).
Dvaita and Advaita are relative terms. They are based on the sense of duality. The Self is as It is. There is neither dvaita nor advaita, I AM THAT I AM. Simple Be-ing is the Self. (Talks, 433).
The Self is known to everyone but not clearly. You always exist. The Be-ing is the Self. ‘I am’ is the name of God. Of all the definitions of God, none is indeed so well put as the Biblical statement ‘I am that I am’ in Exodus 3, Verse 14. None is so direct as the name JEHOVAH... I AM. The Absolute Be-ing is what is... It is the Self. It is God. Knowing the Self, God is known. In fact God is none other than the Self. (Talks, 106).
The Bible says ‘Be still and know that I am God’.Stillness is the sole requisite for the realisation of the Self as God. (Talks, 338).
But men want absolute and permanent happiness. This does not reside in objects, but in the Absolute. It is Peace, free from pain and pleasure... it is a neutral state. (Talks, 28).
Nirvana is Perfection. In the Perfect State there is neither subject nor object; there is nothing to see, nothing to feel,nothing to know. Seeking and knowing are the functions of the mind. In Nirvana there is nothing but the blissful pure consciousness ‘I am’. (Talks, 406).
Source: HUNTING THE ‘I’ according to Sri Ramana Maharshi By LUCY CORNELSSEN
Swami Vivekananda about Laws Of Life And Death
The Laws Of Life And Death (Report of a lecture delivered in Oakland on March 7, 1900, with editorial comments of the Oakland Tribune)
Volume 8, Notes Of Class Talks And Lectures
Life can only spring from life, thought from thought, matter from matter. A universe cannot be created out of matter. It has existed for ever. If human beings came into the world fresh from the hands of nature, they would come without impressions; but we do not come in that way, which shows that we are not created afresh. If human souls are created out of nothing, what is to prevent them from going back into nothing? If we are to live all the time in the future, we must have lived all the time in the past.
It is the belief of the Hindu that the soul is neither mind nor body. What is it which remains stable -- which can say, "I am I"? Not the body, for it is always changing; and not the mind, which changes more rapidly than the body, which never has the same thoughts for even a few minutes. There must be an identity which does not change -- something which is to man what the banks are to the river -- the banks which do not change and without whose immobility we would not be conscious of the constantly moving stream. Behind the body, behind the mind, there must be something, viz the soul, which unifies the man. Mind is merely the fine instrument through which the soul -- the master -- acts on the body. In India we say a man has given up his body, while you say, a man gives up his ghost. The Hindus believe that a man is a soul and has a body, while Western people believe he is a body and possesses a soul.
Death overtakes everything which is complex. The soul is a single element, not composed of anything else, and therefore it cannot die. By its very nature the soul must be immortal. Body, mind, and soul turn upon the wheel of law -- none can escape. No more can we transcend the law than can the stars, than can the sun -- it is all a universe of law. The law of Karma is that every action must be followed sooner or later by an effect. Action can never die without producing action. Now, if our acts can only produce their appropriate effects on this plane of existence, it follows that we must all come back to round out the circle of causes and effects. This is the doctrine of reincarnation. We are the slaves of law, the slaves of conduct, the slaves of thirst, the slaves of desire, the slaves of a thousand things. Only by escaping from life can we escape from slavery to freedom. God is the only one who is free. God and freedom are one and the same.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Notes_Of_Class_Talks_And_Lectures/The_Laws_Of_Life_And_Death
Volume 8, Notes Of Class Talks And Lectures
Life can only spring from life, thought from thought, matter from matter. A universe cannot be created out of matter. It has existed for ever. If human beings came into the world fresh from the hands of nature, they would come without impressions; but we do not come in that way, which shows that we are not created afresh. If human souls are created out of nothing, what is to prevent them from going back into nothing? If we are to live all the time in the future, we must have lived all the time in the past.
It is the belief of the Hindu that the soul is neither mind nor body. What is it which remains stable -- which can say, "I am I"? Not the body, for it is always changing; and not the mind, which changes more rapidly than the body, which never has the same thoughts for even a few minutes. There must be an identity which does not change -- something which is to man what the banks are to the river -- the banks which do not change and without whose immobility we would not be conscious of the constantly moving stream. Behind the body, behind the mind, there must be something, viz the soul, which unifies the man. Mind is merely the fine instrument through which the soul -- the master -- acts on the body. In India we say a man has given up his body, while you say, a man gives up his ghost. The Hindus believe that a man is a soul and has a body, while Western people believe he is a body and possesses a soul.
Death overtakes everything which is complex. The soul is a single element, not composed of anything else, and therefore it cannot die. By its very nature the soul must be immortal. Body, mind, and soul turn upon the wheel of law -- none can escape. No more can we transcend the law than can the stars, than can the sun -- it is all a universe of law. The law of Karma is that every action must be followed sooner or later by an effect. Action can never die without producing action. Now, if our acts can only produce their appropriate effects on this plane of existence, it follows that we must all come back to round out the circle of causes and effects. This is the doctrine of reincarnation. We are the slaves of law, the slaves of conduct, the slaves of thirst, the slaves of desire, the slaves of a thousand things. Only by escaping from life can we escape from slavery to freedom. God is the only one who is free. God and freedom are one and the same.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Notes_Of_Class_Talks_And_Lectures/The_Laws_Of_Life_And_Death
Ramana Maharshi about True and False Mouna
“The silence of solitude is forced. Restrained speech in society amounts to silence. For the man then controls his speech. If the speaker is engaged otherwise speech becomes restrained. Introverted mind is otherwise active and is not anxious to speak.” -- Talks 60
Bhagavan says that going to places of solitude for the purpose of cultivating the habit of silence is not of much value; for it is a forced state for lack of company; whereas control of the tongue in society is true silence, and thus true self-control.
The desire to speak arises in the mind, but if the mind is engaged on a subject other than that of the conversation,speech becomes greatly minimised.
Bhagavan continues:
“Mouna as a disciplinary measure is meant for limiting the mental activities due to speech. If the mind is otherwise controlled disciplinary mouna is unnecessary. For mouna becomes natural.” -- Talks 60
Note: Why do sadhakas cultivate silence? In order to silence the mind. But this is holding the stick by the wrong end; for it is not speech that causes thinking, but thinking that causes speaking. Conversation, no doubt, provokes thinking and therefore talking, but if the mind has not been brought under control, even if there is no one to talk to, the mind will talk to itself; memory in particular will surge up and will fill the mind with thoughts of the dead past. The mind in solitude will then be in a far worse condition than in society. Memory is a more dangerous companion than the society of sattvic friends, who may sometimes talk on irrelevant matters, but this may prove a help to the sadhaka,in that it serves to break his brooding over a chain of unhappy events which are dead and gone, and whose resuscitation may depress the mind, which he endeavours to keep cheerful for the sake of a successful sadhana.
“When Sita was asked by the wives of the Rishis who was her husband among the then assembled Rishis in the forest, she denied each one as he by turn was pointed to her, but simply speechlessly hung down her head when Rama himself was pointed out. Her silence was eloquent. The Vedas are similarly eloquent in ‘Neti’, ‘Neti’ (‘not this’, ‘not this’) and then remain silent. Their silence is the Real state. This is the meaning of teaching through silence.When the source of the ‘I’-thought is reached, it vanishes and what remains over is the Self.” -- Talks 130
“Mouna is not closing the mouth. It is the state which transcends speech and thought. Hold some concept firmly and trace it back. By such concentration silence results. When practice becomes natural it will end in silence. Meditation without mental activity is silence.” -- Talks 231
Source: REFLECTIONS ON TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI BY S.S. COHEN
Bhagavan says that going to places of solitude for the purpose of cultivating the habit of silence is not of much value; for it is a forced state for lack of company; whereas control of the tongue in society is true silence, and thus true self-control.
The desire to speak arises in the mind, but if the mind is engaged on a subject other than that of the conversation,speech becomes greatly minimised.
Bhagavan continues:
“Mouna as a disciplinary measure is meant for limiting the mental activities due to speech. If the mind is otherwise controlled disciplinary mouna is unnecessary. For mouna becomes natural.” -- Talks 60
Note: Why do sadhakas cultivate silence? In order to silence the mind. But this is holding the stick by the wrong end; for it is not speech that causes thinking, but thinking that causes speaking. Conversation, no doubt, provokes thinking and therefore talking, but if the mind has not been brought under control, even if there is no one to talk to, the mind will talk to itself; memory in particular will surge up and will fill the mind with thoughts of the dead past. The mind in solitude will then be in a far worse condition than in society. Memory is a more dangerous companion than the society of sattvic friends, who may sometimes talk on irrelevant matters, but this may prove a help to the sadhaka,in that it serves to break his brooding over a chain of unhappy events which are dead and gone, and whose resuscitation may depress the mind, which he endeavours to keep cheerful for the sake of a successful sadhana.
“When Sita was asked by the wives of the Rishis who was her husband among the then assembled Rishis in the forest, she denied each one as he by turn was pointed to her, but simply speechlessly hung down her head when Rama himself was pointed out. Her silence was eloquent. The Vedas are similarly eloquent in ‘Neti’, ‘Neti’ (‘not this’, ‘not this’) and then remain silent. Their silence is the Real state. This is the meaning of teaching through silence.When the source of the ‘I’-thought is reached, it vanishes and what remains over is the Self.” -- Talks 130
“Mouna is not closing the mouth. It is the state which transcends speech and thought. Hold some concept firmly and trace it back. By such concentration silence results. When practice becomes natural it will end in silence. Meditation without mental activity is silence.” -- Talks 231
Source: REFLECTIONS ON TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI BY S.S. COHEN
Swami Vivekananda about are Christ and Buddha Identical?
Notes Of Class Talks
Volume 8, Notes Of Class Talks And Lectures
It is my particular fancy that the same Buddha became Christ. Buddha prophesied, "I will come again in five hundred years", and Christ came here in five hundred years. These are the two Lights of the whole human nature. Two men have been produced, Buddha and Christ; these are the two giants, huge gigantic personalities, two Gods. Between them they divide the whole world. Wherever there is the least knowledge in the world, people bow down either to Buddha or Christ. It would be very hard to produce more like them, but I hope there will be. Mohammed came five hundred years after, five hundred years after came Luther with his Protestant wave, and this is five hundred years after that again. It is a great thing in a few thousand years to produce two such men as Jesus and Buddha. Are not two such enough? Christ and Buddha were Gods, the others were prophets. Study the life of these two and see the manifestation of power in them -- calm and non - resisting, poor beggars owning nothing, without a cent in their pockets, despised all their lives, called heretic and fool -- and think of the immense spiritual power they have wielded over humanity.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Notes_Of_Class_Talks_And_Lectures/Notes_Of_Class_Talks
Volume 8, Notes Of Class Talks And Lectures
It is my particular fancy that the same Buddha became Christ. Buddha prophesied, "I will come again in five hundred years", and Christ came here in five hundred years. These are the two Lights of the whole human nature. Two men have been produced, Buddha and Christ; these are the two giants, huge gigantic personalities, two Gods. Between them they divide the whole world. Wherever there is the least knowledge in the world, people bow down either to Buddha or Christ. It would be very hard to produce more like them, but I hope there will be. Mohammed came five hundred years after, five hundred years after came Luther with his Protestant wave, and this is five hundred years after that again. It is a great thing in a few thousand years to produce two such men as Jesus and Buddha. Are not two such enough? Christ and Buddha were Gods, the others were prophets. Study the life of these two and see the manifestation of power in them -- calm and non - resisting, poor beggars owning nothing, without a cent in their pockets, despised all their lives, called heretic and fool -- and think of the immense spiritual power they have wielded over humanity.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Notes_Of_Class_Talks_And_Lectures/Notes_Of_Class_Talks
Monday, 1 June 2009
Gems From Ramana Maharshi
Meditation is not so much thinking of the Self as giving up thinking of the notSelf.When you give up thinking of outward objects and prevent your mind from going outwards by turning it inwards and fixing it in the Self, the Self alone remains.
The proper way to get rid of a desire is to find out "Who gets the desire? What is its source?" When this is found, the desire is rooted out and it will never again emerge or grow.
The mind turned inwards is the Self; turned outwards, it becomes the ego and all the world.
You, being the Self, want to know how to attain the Self. It is something like a man being at Ramanasramam asking how many ways there are to reach Ramanasramam and which is the best way for him.
There is no alternative for you but to accept the world as unreal if you are seeking the truth and the truth alone.
The idea of time is only in your mind. It is not in the Self. There is no time for the Self. Time arises as an idea after the ego arises.
The mind is merely thoughts. Of all thoughts the thought "I" is the root.Therefore, the mind is only the thought "I."
When King Janaka exclaimed, "Now I have discovered the thief who has been ruining me all along. He shall be dealt with summarily," the king was really referring to the ego or the mind.
The mind will subside only by means of the inquiry, "Who am I?" The thought "Who am I," destroying all other thoughts, will itself finally be destroyed like the stick used for stirring the funeral pyre.
Just as a pearldiver tying a stone to his waist dives into the sea and takes the pearl lying at the bottom, so everyone, diving deep within himself with nonattachment,can attain the pearl of the Self.
He who thinks he is the doer is also the sufferer.
There is no standard by which to judge something to be right and another to be wrong. Opinions differ according to the nature of the individual and according to the surroundings. They are ideas, and nothing more.
Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence.
Surrender can never be regarded as complete so long as the devotee wants this or that from the Lord.
The sense of doership is bondage, and not the actions themselves. "Be still and know that I am God." Stillness will prevail and there will be no agitation of the mind. Agitation of the mind is the cause of desire, the sense of doership, and of personality, or the personal sense of "I." If that is stopped,there is quiet.
Renunciation does not imply apparent divesting of costumes, family ties,home, etc., but renunciation of desires and attachment.
There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny, and discover that only the ego is bound by destiny and not the Self, and that the ego is non-existent.
The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, `Not I, but Thou Oh Lord' and giving up all sense of `I' and `mine', and leaving it to the Lord to do what he likes with you.
Complete effacement of the ego is necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through Self- enquiry or bhakti marga (path of devotion).
From silence came thought, from thought the ego, and from ego speech. So, if speech is effective, how much more so must be its source?
-- Source: http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/gems/gem013.html
“What will it be like when one achieves Self-realization?” a devotee asked. “The question is wrong, one does not realize anything new”, said Bhagavan. “I do not get you, Swami”, persisted the devotee. “It is very simple. Now you feel you are in the world. There you feel that the world is in you”, explained Bhagavan.
One day when the doctor was dressing Bhagavan’s arm,they chatted about taking photos. Bhagavan said, “In a pinhole camera, when the hole is small, you see shapes and colours.When the hole is made big, the images disappear and one sees only clear light. Similarly when the mind is small and narrow, it is full of shapes and words. When it broadens,it sees pure light. When the box is destroyed altogether, only
the light remains.
- Source: RAMANA SMRTI
The proper way to get rid of a desire is to find out "Who gets the desire? What is its source?" When this is found, the desire is rooted out and it will never again emerge or grow.
The mind turned inwards is the Self; turned outwards, it becomes the ego and all the world.
You, being the Self, want to know how to attain the Self. It is something like a man being at Ramanasramam asking how many ways there are to reach Ramanasramam and which is the best way for him.
There is no alternative for you but to accept the world as unreal if you are seeking the truth and the truth alone.
The idea of time is only in your mind. It is not in the Self. There is no time for the Self. Time arises as an idea after the ego arises.
The mind is merely thoughts. Of all thoughts the thought "I" is the root.Therefore, the mind is only the thought "I."
When King Janaka exclaimed, "Now I have discovered the thief who has been ruining me all along. He shall be dealt with summarily," the king was really referring to the ego or the mind.
The mind will subside only by means of the inquiry, "Who am I?" The thought "Who am I," destroying all other thoughts, will itself finally be destroyed like the stick used for stirring the funeral pyre.
Just as a pearldiver tying a stone to his waist dives into the sea and takes the pearl lying at the bottom, so everyone, diving deep within himself with nonattachment,can attain the pearl of the Self.
He who thinks he is the doer is also the sufferer.
There is no standard by which to judge something to be right and another to be wrong. Opinions differ according to the nature of the individual and according to the surroundings. They are ideas, and nothing more.
Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence.
Surrender can never be regarded as complete so long as the devotee wants this or that from the Lord.
The sense of doership is bondage, and not the actions themselves. "Be still and know that I am God." Stillness will prevail and there will be no agitation of the mind. Agitation of the mind is the cause of desire, the sense of doership, and of personality, or the personal sense of "I." If that is stopped,there is quiet.
Renunciation does not imply apparent divesting of costumes, family ties,home, etc., but renunciation of desires and attachment.
There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny, and discover that only the ego is bound by destiny and not the Self, and that the ego is non-existent.
The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, `Not I, but Thou Oh Lord' and giving up all sense of `I' and `mine', and leaving it to the Lord to do what he likes with you.
Complete effacement of the ego is necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through Self- enquiry or bhakti marga (path of devotion).
From silence came thought, from thought the ego, and from ego speech. So, if speech is effective, how much more so must be its source?
-- Source: http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/gems/gem013.html
“What will it be like when one achieves Self-realization?” a devotee asked. “The question is wrong, one does not realize anything new”, said Bhagavan. “I do not get you, Swami”, persisted the devotee. “It is very simple. Now you feel you are in the world. There you feel that the world is in you”, explained Bhagavan.
One day when the doctor was dressing Bhagavan’s arm,they chatted about taking photos. Bhagavan said, “In a pinhole camera, when the hole is small, you see shapes and colours.When the hole is made big, the images disappear and one sees only clear light. Similarly when the mind is small and narrow, it is full of shapes and words. When it broadens,it sees pure light. When the box is destroyed altogether, only
the light remains.
- Source: RAMANA SMRTI
Swami Vivekananda says a true disciple should follow these four conditions
Discipleship (Delivered in San Francisco, on March 29, 1900)
Volume 8, Lectures And Discourses
The first condition is that the student who wants to know the truth must give up all desires for gain in this world or in the life to come.
The second condition is that the disciple must be able to control the internal and the external senses and must be established in several other spiritual virtues.
The next qualification is that the disciple must have faith in the Guru (teacher). In the West the teacher simply gives intellectual knowledge; that is all. The relationship with the teacher is the greatest in life. My dearest and nearest relative in life is my Guru; next, my mother; then my father. My first reverence is to the Guru. If my father says, "Do this", and my Guru says, "Do not do this", I do not do it. The Guru frees my soul. The father and mother give me this body; but the Guru gives me rebirth in the soul.
Some years ago one of your Christian teachers, a friend of mine, said, "You believe in Christ?" "Yes," I answered, "but perhaps with a little more reverence." "Then why don't you be baptised?" How could I be baptised? By whom? Where is the man who can give true baptism? What is baptism? Is it sprinkling some water over you, or dipping you in water, while muttering formulas?
Baptism is the direct introduction into the life of the spirit. If you receive the real baptism, you know you are not the body but the spirit. Give me that baptism if you can. If not, you are not Christians. Even after the so - called baptism which you received, you have remained the same. What is the sense of merely saying you have been baptised in the name of the Christ? Mere talk, talk -- ever disturbing the world with your foolishness! "Ever steeped in the darkness of ignorance, yet considering themselves wise and learned, the fools go round and round, staggering to and fro like the blind led by the blind." Therefore do not say you are Christians, do not brag about baptism and things of that sort.
We are like moths plunging into the flaming fire, knowing that it will burn us, knowing that the senses only burn us, that they only enhance desire. "Desire is never satiated by enjoyment; enjoyment only increases desire as butter fed into fire increases the fire." Desire is increased by desire. Knowing all this, people still plunge into it all the time. Life after life they have been going after the objects of desire, suffering extremely in consequence, yet they cannot give up desire. Even religion, which should rescue them from this terrible bondage of desire, they have made a means of satisfying desire. Rarely do they ask God to free them from bondage to the body and senses, from slavery to desires. Instead, they pray to Him for health and prosperity, for long life: "O God, cure my headache, give me some money or something!"
The fourth and last condition of discipleship is the discrimination of the real from the unreal. There is only one thing that is real -- god. All the time the mind must be drawn to Him, dedicated to Him. God exists, nothing else exists, everything else comes and goes. Any desire for the world is illusion, because the world is unreal. More and more the mind must become conscious of God alone, until everything else appears as it really is -- unreal.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Lectures_And_Discourses/Discipleship
Volume 8, Lectures And Discourses
The first condition is that the student who wants to know the truth must give up all desires for gain in this world or in the life to come.
The second condition is that the disciple must be able to control the internal and the external senses and must be established in several other spiritual virtues.
The next qualification is that the disciple must have faith in the Guru (teacher). In the West the teacher simply gives intellectual knowledge; that is all. The relationship with the teacher is the greatest in life. My dearest and nearest relative in life is my Guru; next, my mother; then my father. My first reverence is to the Guru. If my father says, "Do this", and my Guru says, "Do not do this", I do not do it. The Guru frees my soul. The father and mother give me this body; but the Guru gives me rebirth in the soul.
Some years ago one of your Christian teachers, a friend of mine, said, "You believe in Christ?" "Yes," I answered, "but perhaps with a little more reverence." "Then why don't you be baptised?" How could I be baptised? By whom? Where is the man who can give true baptism? What is baptism? Is it sprinkling some water over you, or dipping you in water, while muttering formulas?
Baptism is the direct introduction into the life of the spirit. If you receive the real baptism, you know you are not the body but the spirit. Give me that baptism if you can. If not, you are not Christians. Even after the so - called baptism which you received, you have remained the same. What is the sense of merely saying you have been baptised in the name of the Christ? Mere talk, talk -- ever disturbing the world with your foolishness! "Ever steeped in the darkness of ignorance, yet considering themselves wise and learned, the fools go round and round, staggering to and fro like the blind led by the blind." Therefore do not say you are Christians, do not brag about baptism and things of that sort.
We are like moths plunging into the flaming fire, knowing that it will burn us, knowing that the senses only burn us, that they only enhance desire. "Desire is never satiated by enjoyment; enjoyment only increases desire as butter fed into fire increases the fire." Desire is increased by desire. Knowing all this, people still plunge into it all the time. Life after life they have been going after the objects of desire, suffering extremely in consequence, yet they cannot give up desire. Even religion, which should rescue them from this terrible bondage of desire, they have made a means of satisfying desire. Rarely do they ask God to free them from bondage to the body and senses, from slavery to desires. Instead, they pray to Him for health and prosperity, for long life: "O God, cure my headache, give me some money or something!"
The fourth and last condition of discipleship is the discrimination of the real from the unreal. There is only one thing that is real -- god. All the time the mind must be drawn to Him, dedicated to Him. God exists, nothing else exists, everything else comes and goes. Any desire for the world is illusion, because the world is unreal. More and more the mind must become conscious of God alone, until everything else appears as it really is -- unreal.
Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda/Volume_8/Lectures_And_Discourses/Discipleship
Thus spake Ramana
"As for myself, my body is weak
and shakes while walking; my mind
has grown very dull; the Vedic Mantras
I have forgotten; old age has overtaken
me; and my eyes are dim. Though learned,
I remain ignorant. O Sad-Guru Ramana,
Save me!
Wantonly inflated by the pride of being
the lord of all the senses, the mind does
not see its true Lord seated in the heart.
Till now, looking on life as the ultimate,
I have not achieved the Goal. Ah! when
Sad-Guru Ramana, shall I realize the Self?
In the world what was pleasing always
perished. But the miserable mind always
runs after sense-pleasures only.
O Ramana Bhagavan, I have not yet
realized the Supreme Brahman adored
by the fortunate. This life is lived in vain.
Alas! What greater misfortune can there be?"
"The Saints are the sustainers of society.
Philo remarks: 'Households, cities, countries
and nations have enjoyed great happiness,
when a single individual has taken heed of
the good and the beautiful. Such men not
only liberate themselves; they fill those they
meet with a free mind.' "
"The true sages possess the inner joy and
peace which are independent of outer circumstances.
Their happiness is not dependent on outer things.
They have passed beyond the forms of social life.
They work for the fulfillment of the Divine in the
world, for the good of all beings, for the fulfillment
of the Purpose. They are one in action and consciousness
with the Divine."
"Sri Ramana adopts the metaphysical
position of Advaita Vedanta. He speaks
to us of the Divine.....
When one discovers the Divine within
oneself, one must discover it also in the
outer world of men and things. While the
heights within are revealed...the process
of seeing all in the fullness of the Divine
is more arduous.
God is both eternal silence and perpetual
activity, the unmoved witness and the
ground of all that is, the metaphysical
Absolute and the personal Lord. The
Divine reveals itself anew in all life and
existence.....
Sri Ramana dwells not only in a world
of pure subjectivity but has also a sense
of the Infinite that is within all.....
Like all saints, he has the foundation in God."
"The Maharshi is above the spirit of the time.
Long after the spirit of the time will have been
succeeded by the spirit of another Age,
Sri Ramana will be remembered as an Immortal."
"After having studied the lives and ways of
teaching of Saints and Sages of the world,
belonging to various traditions and periods
of time;
It strikes one that Sri Ramana falls into a class of his own..."
"Sri Ramana declares that life is full of latent
happiness.....because the Divine heritage is
ever there, waiting to be received, God-Reality
is ever present within the heart of all.....
the dawn of Self-realization is not a new creation,
but the remembering of a lost state of consciousness.
It is an entering into the ancient heritage."
"Sri Ramana is a true son of the Indian earth.
He is genuine and, in addition to that, something
quite phenomenal. In India he is the whitest spot
in a white space.
What we find in the life and teachings of Sri Ramana
is the purest of India; with its breath of world-liberated
and liberating humanity, it is a chant of milleniums.....
The identification of the Self with God will strike the
European as shocking. It is a specifically oriental
Realization, as expressed in Sri Ramana's utterances.
Psychology cannot contribute anything further to it,
except the remark that it lies far beyond its scope to propose
such a thing. However, it is clear to the Indian that the
Self as spiritual Source is not different from God;
and in so far as man abides in his Self, he is not
only contained in God but is God Himself.
Sri Ramana is quite clear in this respect."
"I bow to the Lotus-feet of Sage Sri Ramana,
the great Teacher, Who revealed to me the Lord
Supreme in His glory transcending darkness."
--Sri Kavyakantha--Ganapati Muni--
"Glory to Sri Ramana the Sage,
Who firmly established in devotion
to the Lotus-feet of Arunachaleswara,
can undo the evil of the world and
the misery of those who take refuge
in Him. Glory to Ramana,
glowing with merciful love for all."
"Bhagavan Sri Ramana's Realization is unique
and unparalleled in the annals of history.
He realised in his boyhood the Eternal Truth,
the Self Supreme, without the aid of initiation
by any external Guru, without the need for
theoretical knowledge and without any study
of the Scriptures, and without having resorted
to any ritualistic form of worship.....other than
his spontaneous realization of the eternal nature
of the "I", the Self Supreme."
The sense of body is a thought;
the thought is of the mind,
The mind rises after the "I"-thought,
the "I"-thought is the root-thought.
If that is held,
the other thoughts will disappear.
There will be no body,
no mind, not even the ego;
only the Self in all its purity.
To remain as the Self
is not difficult.
Why should one think of birth and death?
Are you really born?
....all these are only of the mind.
So long as the body is considered,
birth is real. But the body is not "I".
The Self is not born, nor does it die.
There is nothing new.
The Sages see everything as being
in and of the Self;
there is no diversity in it,
Therefore, there is neither birth nor death.
The soul remains always uncontaminated.
It is the substratum funning through these three states:
Wakefulness passes off, I Am
the dream state passes off, I Am;
the sleep states passes off, I Am;
They repeat themselves,
and yet "I Am" remains.
They are like pictures
moving on a screen at the cinema show.
They do not affect the screen.
"I Am" remains unaffected...
Any new appearances are bound to disappear.
Anything created will certainly be destroyed.
The eternal is not born nor does it die.
We are now confounding appearances with reality.
Appearance carries its end in itself.
What is it that appears newly?
If you cannot find it, surrender unreservedly
to the substratum of appearances;
then, the reality remains as residue.
Engage yourself in the living present.
The future will take care of itself.
Do not worry about the future.
Doubts cease when the confusion is surpassed.
Engage in self-investigation,
then the non-self will disappear.
The Self will be left over.
This is self-investigation of the Self.
The one word "Self"
is equivalent to the mind,
body, man, individual,
the Supreme and all else.
The Real is That what is;
the others are only appearances.
Diversity is not its nature.
We are reading the printed characters
on paper, but ignore the paper
which is the background.
Similarly, you are taken up by the manifestations
of the mind, and let go the background.
Whose fault is it?
Is there a difference between the
individual soul and the Self?
That is what IS.
The mind obstructs the innate peace.
Our investigation is only in the mind.
Investigate the mind;
then it will disappear.
There is no entity by the name "mind."
Because of the emergence of thoughts,
we surmise something from which they start;
that we term "mind."
When we probe to see what it is,
there is nothing of the sort.
After it has vanished,
Peace will be found to remain eternal.
We misapprehend the ego
and call it intellect or mind.
Being of the nature of Bliss,
why does one continue to crave for happiness?
To be rid of that craving is itself salvation.
The Scriptures say, "You Are That."
The imparting of that knowledge is their purpose.
The Realization must be
by your finding out who you are
and abiding as That, i. e., your Self
To be repeating "I am that"
or "not this" is a waste of time.
For the worthy disciple
the work lies within
and not without.
There was no "I" thought in your sleep
whereas it is present now.
The true "I" is not manifest
and the false "I" is parading itself.
This false "I" is the obstacle
to your right knowledge.
Find out wherefrom this false "I" arises.
Then it will disappear.
You will be only what you are --
i. e., absolute Being.
Search for the source of the "I" thought.
That is all one has to do.
The universe exists on account of the "I" thought.
If that ends, there is an end of misery, also.
The false "I" will end only when its source is sought.
The universe is like a painting on a screen.
That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from.
The finality of the universe is God --
meditating on Him or on the seer, the Self;
there is a mental vibration "I" to which all are reduced.
Tracing the source of "I",
the primal "I"-"I" alone remains,
and it is inexpressible.
The seat of Realization is within
and the seeker cannot find it as an object outside him.
That seat is bliss, and is the core of all beings;
hence it is called the Heart.
The only useful purpose of the present birth
is to turn within and realize it.
There is nothing else to do.
Is there a mind in the first place?
What you call mind is an illusion.
It starts from the "I"-thought.
Without the gross or subtle senses,
you cannot be aware of the body or the mind.
Still, it is possible for you to be without these senses.
In such a state, you are either asleep
or aware of the Self only.
Awareness of Self is ever there.
Remain what you truly are
and this question will not arise.
The Self is more intimate than the objects.
Find the subject [your Self]
and the objects will take care of themselves.
the objects are seen by different persons
according to their outlook --
and these theories evolved.
But who is the seer,
the cognizer of these theories?
It is you.
Find your Self.
Then there is an end to
these vagaries of the mind.
Yoga implies prior division and it means
later union of one with another.
Who is to be united with whom?
You are the seeker,
seeking union with something.
That something is apart from you.
Your Self is intimate to you.
You are aware of the Self.
Seek it and be it.
That will expand as the infinite.
Man owes his movements to another Power,
whereas he thinks he does everything himself --
just like a lame man bluffing that,
were he helped to stand up,
he would fight and chase away the enemy.
Action is impelled by desire;
desire arises only after the rise of the ego;
and this ego owes its origin to a Higher Power
on which its existence depends.
It can not remain apart.
Why then prattle, "I do, or I act, or I function"?
A Self-realized being cannot help but benefit the world.
His very existence is the highest good.
I exist now. I am the enjoyer.
I enjoy fruits of action.
I was in the past --
and shall be in the future.
Who is this "I"?
Finding this "I" to be pure Consciousness
beyond action and enjoyment;
freedom and happiness are gained.
There is then no effort,
for the Self is perfect
and there remains nothing more to gain.
To say that one is apart
from the Primal Source
is itself a pretension;
to add that one divested of the ego
becomes pure and yet retains individuality
only to enjoy or serve the Supreme,
is a deceitful stratagem.
What duplicity is this --
first to appropriate what is really His,
and then pretend to experience or serve Him!
Is not all this already known to Him?
It is enough that one surrenders oneself.
Surrender is to give oneself up
to the original cause of one's being.
Do not delude yourself
by imagining such a source
to be some God outside you.
One's source is within oneself.
Give yourself up to it.
That means that you should
seek the source and merge in it.
The Swami continued, “In actual practice,sadhakas, even sincere ones, sometimes become dejected and lose faith in God. How to restore their faith? What should we do for them?”
Bhagavan:
If one cannot believe in God, it does not matter. I suppose he believes in himself, in his own existence. Let him find out the source from which he came.
Swami:
Such a man will only say the source from which he comes are his parents.
Bhagavan:
He cannot be such an ignoramus, as you started by saying he was a sadhaka in this line already"
Deep sleep is only the state of nonduality.
Can the difference between individuals
and Universal souls persist there?
Sleep implies forgetfulness
of all differences.
This alone constitutes happiness.
All efforts are meant only to end ignorance.
They have no use after realization.
It is enough that one surrender oneself.
Surrender is to give yourself up
to the original cause of one's being.
The gods and sages
experience the Infinite
continuously and eternally,
without their vision being obscured
at any moment.
Their minds are surmised by the spectators
to function, but in fact they do not.
Such surmising is due to the sense of individuality
in those who draw inferences.
There is no mental function
in the absence of individuality.
Individuality and mind functions
are co-existent.
The one cannot remain without the other.
The inherent nature of the Self is Bliss
Some kind of knowledge has to be admitted,
even in the realization of Supreme Bliss.
it may be said to be subtler than the subtlest.
The pure mind is itself Brahman;
therefore it follows that Brahman
is not other than
the mind of the sage.
We are happy in deep sleep.
We remain then as the pure Self.
We are the same even now.
In such sleep there was neither the wife
nor others nor even "I."
Now they become apparent
and give rise to pleasure or pain.
Why should not the Self,
which was blissful in deep sleep,
continue its blissful nature even now?
The sole obstruction to such continuity
is the wrong identification
of the Self with the body.
"I am Brahman," is only a thought.
Who says it?
Brahman itself does not say so.
What need is there for it to say it?
Nor can the real "I" say so.
For "I" always abides as Brahman.
To be saying it is only a thought.
Whose thought is it?
All thoughts are from the unreal "I,"
i.e., the "I"-thought.
Remain without thinking.
So long as there is thought
there will be fear.
There is no use discussing transcendental experiences
by those whose limitations are not removed.
Learn what surrender is.
It is to merge in the source of the ego.
The ego is surrendered to the Self.
Everything is dear to us
because of love of the Self.
The Self is that
to which we surrender our ego
and let the Supreme Power,
I. e., the Self, do what it pleases.
The ego is already of the Self.
We have no rights over the ego, even as it is.
However, supposing we had,
we must surrender them.
and shakes while walking; my mind
has grown very dull; the Vedic Mantras
I have forgotten; old age has overtaken
me; and my eyes are dim. Though learned,
I remain ignorant. O Sad-Guru Ramana,
Save me!
Wantonly inflated by the pride of being
the lord of all the senses, the mind does
not see its true Lord seated in the heart.
Till now, looking on life as the ultimate,
I have not achieved the Goal. Ah! when
Sad-Guru Ramana, shall I realize the Self?
In the world what was pleasing always
perished. But the miserable mind always
runs after sense-pleasures only.
O Ramana Bhagavan, I have not yet
realized the Supreme Brahman adored
by the fortunate. This life is lived in vain.
Alas! What greater misfortune can there be?"
"The Saints are the sustainers of society.
Philo remarks: 'Households, cities, countries
and nations have enjoyed great happiness,
when a single individual has taken heed of
the good and the beautiful. Such men not
only liberate themselves; they fill those they
meet with a free mind.' "
"The true sages possess the inner joy and
peace which are independent of outer circumstances.
Their happiness is not dependent on outer things.
They have passed beyond the forms of social life.
They work for the fulfillment of the Divine in the
world, for the good of all beings, for the fulfillment
of the Purpose. They are one in action and consciousness
with the Divine."
"Sri Ramana adopts the metaphysical
position of Advaita Vedanta. He speaks
to us of the Divine.....
When one discovers the Divine within
oneself, one must discover it also in the
outer world of men and things. While the
heights within are revealed...the process
of seeing all in the fullness of the Divine
is more arduous.
God is both eternal silence and perpetual
activity, the unmoved witness and the
ground of all that is, the metaphysical
Absolute and the personal Lord. The
Divine reveals itself anew in all life and
existence.....
Sri Ramana dwells not only in a world
of pure subjectivity but has also a sense
of the Infinite that is within all.....
Like all saints, he has the foundation in God."
"The Maharshi is above the spirit of the time.
Long after the spirit of the time will have been
succeeded by the spirit of another Age,
Sri Ramana will be remembered as an Immortal."
"After having studied the lives and ways of
teaching of Saints and Sages of the world,
belonging to various traditions and periods
of time;
It strikes one that Sri Ramana falls into a class of his own..."
"Sri Ramana declares that life is full of latent
happiness.....because the Divine heritage is
ever there, waiting to be received, God-Reality
is ever present within the heart of all.....
the dawn of Self-realization is not a new creation,
but the remembering of a lost state of consciousness.
It is an entering into the ancient heritage."
"Sri Ramana is a true son of the Indian earth.
He is genuine and, in addition to that, something
quite phenomenal. In India he is the whitest spot
in a white space.
What we find in the life and teachings of Sri Ramana
is the purest of India; with its breath of world-liberated
and liberating humanity, it is a chant of milleniums.....
The identification of the Self with God will strike the
European as shocking. It is a specifically oriental
Realization, as expressed in Sri Ramana's utterances.
Psychology cannot contribute anything further to it,
except the remark that it lies far beyond its scope to propose
such a thing. However, it is clear to the Indian that the
Self as spiritual Source is not different from God;
and in so far as man abides in his Self, he is not
only contained in God but is God Himself.
Sri Ramana is quite clear in this respect."
"I bow to the Lotus-feet of Sage Sri Ramana,
the great Teacher, Who revealed to me the Lord
Supreme in His glory transcending darkness."
--Sri Kavyakantha--Ganapati Muni--
"Glory to Sri Ramana the Sage,
Who firmly established in devotion
to the Lotus-feet of Arunachaleswara,
can undo the evil of the world and
the misery of those who take refuge
in Him. Glory to Ramana,
glowing with merciful love for all."
"Bhagavan Sri Ramana's Realization is unique
and unparalleled in the annals of history.
He realised in his boyhood the Eternal Truth,
the Self Supreme, without the aid of initiation
by any external Guru, without the need for
theoretical knowledge and without any study
of the Scriptures, and without having resorted
to any ritualistic form of worship.....other than
his spontaneous realization of the eternal nature
of the "I", the Self Supreme."
The sense of body is a thought;
the thought is of the mind,
The mind rises after the "I"-thought,
the "I"-thought is the root-thought.
If that is held,
the other thoughts will disappear.
There will be no body,
no mind, not even the ego;
only the Self in all its purity.
To remain as the Self
is not difficult.
Why should one think of birth and death?
Are you really born?
....all these are only of the mind.
So long as the body is considered,
birth is real. But the body is not "I".
The Self is not born, nor does it die.
There is nothing new.
The Sages see everything as being
in and of the Self;
there is no diversity in it,
Therefore, there is neither birth nor death.
The soul remains always uncontaminated.
It is the substratum funning through these three states:
Wakefulness passes off, I Am
the dream state passes off, I Am;
the sleep states passes off, I Am;
They repeat themselves,
and yet "I Am" remains.
They are like pictures
moving on a screen at the cinema show.
They do not affect the screen.
"I Am" remains unaffected...
Any new appearances are bound to disappear.
Anything created will certainly be destroyed.
The eternal is not born nor does it die.
We are now confounding appearances with reality.
Appearance carries its end in itself.
What is it that appears newly?
If you cannot find it, surrender unreservedly
to the substratum of appearances;
then, the reality remains as residue.
Engage yourself in the living present.
The future will take care of itself.
Do not worry about the future.
Doubts cease when the confusion is surpassed.
Engage in self-investigation,
then the non-self will disappear.
The Self will be left over.
This is self-investigation of the Self.
The one word "Self"
is equivalent to the mind,
body, man, individual,
the Supreme and all else.
The Real is That what is;
the others are only appearances.
Diversity is not its nature.
We are reading the printed characters
on paper, but ignore the paper
which is the background.
Similarly, you are taken up by the manifestations
of the mind, and let go the background.
Whose fault is it?
Is there a difference between the
individual soul and the Self?
That is what IS.
The mind obstructs the innate peace.
Our investigation is only in the mind.
Investigate the mind;
then it will disappear.
There is no entity by the name "mind."
Because of the emergence of thoughts,
we surmise something from which they start;
that we term "mind."
When we probe to see what it is,
there is nothing of the sort.
After it has vanished,
Peace will be found to remain eternal.
We misapprehend the ego
and call it intellect or mind.
Being of the nature of Bliss,
why does one continue to crave for happiness?
To be rid of that craving is itself salvation.
The Scriptures say, "You Are That."
The imparting of that knowledge is their purpose.
The Realization must be
by your finding out who you are
and abiding as That, i. e., your Self
To be repeating "I am that"
or "not this" is a waste of time.
For the worthy disciple
the work lies within
and not without.
There was no "I" thought in your sleep
whereas it is present now.
The true "I" is not manifest
and the false "I" is parading itself.
This false "I" is the obstacle
to your right knowledge.
Find out wherefrom this false "I" arises.
Then it will disappear.
You will be only what you are --
i. e., absolute Being.
Search for the source of the "I" thought.
That is all one has to do.
The universe exists on account of the "I" thought.
If that ends, there is an end of misery, also.
The false "I" will end only when its source is sought.
The universe is like a painting on a screen.
That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from.
The finality of the universe is God --
meditating on Him or on the seer, the Self;
there is a mental vibration "I" to which all are reduced.
Tracing the source of "I",
the primal "I"-"I" alone remains,
and it is inexpressible.
The seat of Realization is within
and the seeker cannot find it as an object outside him.
That seat is bliss, and is the core of all beings;
hence it is called the Heart.
The only useful purpose of the present birth
is to turn within and realize it.
There is nothing else to do.
Is there a mind in the first place?
What you call mind is an illusion.
It starts from the "I"-thought.
Without the gross or subtle senses,
you cannot be aware of the body or the mind.
Still, it is possible for you to be without these senses.
In such a state, you are either asleep
or aware of the Self only.
Awareness of Self is ever there.
Remain what you truly are
and this question will not arise.
The Self is more intimate than the objects.
Find the subject [your Self]
and the objects will take care of themselves.
the objects are seen by different persons
according to their outlook --
and these theories evolved.
But who is the seer,
the cognizer of these theories?
It is you.
Find your Self.
Then there is an end to
these vagaries of the mind.
Yoga implies prior division and it means
later union of one with another.
Who is to be united with whom?
You are the seeker,
seeking union with something.
That something is apart from you.
Your Self is intimate to you.
You are aware of the Self.
Seek it and be it.
That will expand as the infinite.
Man owes his movements to another Power,
whereas he thinks he does everything himself --
just like a lame man bluffing that,
were he helped to stand up,
he would fight and chase away the enemy.
Action is impelled by desire;
desire arises only after the rise of the ego;
and this ego owes its origin to a Higher Power
on which its existence depends.
It can not remain apart.
Why then prattle, "I do, or I act, or I function"?
A Self-realized being cannot help but benefit the world.
His very existence is the highest good.
I exist now. I am the enjoyer.
I enjoy fruits of action.
I was in the past --
and shall be in the future.
Who is this "I"?
Finding this "I" to be pure Consciousness
beyond action and enjoyment;
freedom and happiness are gained.
There is then no effort,
for the Self is perfect
and there remains nothing more to gain.
To say that one is apart
from the Primal Source
is itself a pretension;
to add that one divested of the ego
becomes pure and yet retains individuality
only to enjoy or serve the Supreme,
is a deceitful stratagem.
What duplicity is this --
first to appropriate what is really His,
and then pretend to experience or serve Him!
Is not all this already known to Him?
It is enough that one surrenders oneself.
Surrender is to give oneself up
to the original cause of one's being.
Do not delude yourself
by imagining such a source
to be some God outside you.
One's source is within oneself.
Give yourself up to it.
That means that you should
seek the source and merge in it.
The Swami continued, “In actual practice,sadhakas, even sincere ones, sometimes become dejected and lose faith in God. How to restore their faith? What should we do for them?”
Bhagavan:
If one cannot believe in God, it does not matter. I suppose he believes in himself, in his own existence. Let him find out the source from which he came.
Swami:
Such a man will only say the source from which he comes are his parents.
Bhagavan:
He cannot be such an ignoramus, as you started by saying he was a sadhaka in this line already"
Deep sleep is only the state of nonduality.
Can the difference between individuals
and Universal souls persist there?
Sleep implies forgetfulness
of all differences.
This alone constitutes happiness.
All efforts are meant only to end ignorance.
They have no use after realization.
It is enough that one surrender oneself.
Surrender is to give yourself up
to the original cause of one's being.
The gods and sages
experience the Infinite
continuously and eternally,
without their vision being obscured
at any moment.
Their minds are surmised by the spectators
to function, but in fact they do not.
Such surmising is due to the sense of individuality
in those who draw inferences.
There is no mental function
in the absence of individuality.
Individuality and mind functions
are co-existent.
The one cannot remain without the other.
The inherent nature of the Self is Bliss
Some kind of knowledge has to be admitted,
even in the realization of Supreme Bliss.
it may be said to be subtler than the subtlest.
The pure mind is itself Brahman;
therefore it follows that Brahman
is not other than
the mind of the sage.
We are happy in deep sleep.
We remain then as the pure Self.
We are the same even now.
In such sleep there was neither the wife
nor others nor even "I."
Now they become apparent
and give rise to pleasure or pain.
Why should not the Self,
which was blissful in deep sleep,
continue its blissful nature even now?
The sole obstruction to such continuity
is the wrong identification
of the Self with the body.
"I am Brahman," is only a thought.
Who says it?
Brahman itself does not say so.
What need is there for it to say it?
Nor can the real "I" say so.
For "I" always abides as Brahman.
To be saying it is only a thought.
Whose thought is it?
All thoughts are from the unreal "I,"
i.e., the "I"-thought.
Remain without thinking.
So long as there is thought
there will be fear.
There is no use discussing transcendental experiences
by those whose limitations are not removed.
Learn what surrender is.
It is to merge in the source of the ego.
The ego is surrendered to the Self.
Everything is dear to us
because of love of the Self.
The Self is that
to which we surrender our ego
and let the Supreme Power,
I. e., the Self, do what it pleases.
The ego is already of the Self.
We have no rights over the ego, even as it is.
However, supposing we had,
we must surrender them.
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