Who Am I? -
The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Translation by
Dr. T. M. P. MAHADEVAN
from the original Tamil
Published by
V. S. RAMANAN
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SRI RAMANASRAMAM
TIRUVANNAMALAI,
INTRODUCTION
"Who am I?" is
the title given to a set of questions and answers bearing on Self-enquiry. The
questions were put to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi by one Sri M. Sivaprakasam
Pillai about the year 1902. Sri Pillai, a graduate in Philosophy, was at the
time employed in the Revenue Department of the South Arcot Collectorate. During
his visit to Tiruvannamalai in 1902 on official work, he went to
Along with Vicharasangraham
(Self-Enquiry), Nan Yar (Who am I?) constitutes the first set of instructions
in the Master's own words. These two are the only prosepieces among Bhagavan's
Works. They clearly set forth the central teaching that the direct path to
liberation is Self-enquiry. The particular mode in which the enquiry is to be
made is lucidly set forth in Nan Yar. The mind consists of thoughts. The 'I'
thought is the first to arise in the mind. When the enquiry ' Who am I?' is
persistently pursued, all other thoughts get destroyed, and finally the 'I'
thought itself vanishes leaving the supreme non-dual Self alone. The false
identification of the Self with the phenomena of non-self such as the body and
mind thus ends, and there is illumination, Sakshatkara. The process of enquiry
of course, is not an easy one. As one enquires 'Who am I?',
other thoughts will arise; but as these arise, one should not yield to them by
following them , on the contrary, one should ask 'To whom do they arise ?' In
order to do this, one has to be extremely vigilant. Through constant enquiry
one should make the mind stay in its source, without allowing it to wander away
and get lost in the mazes of thought created by itself. All other disciplines
such as breath-control and meditation on the forms of God should be regarded as
auxiliary practices. They are useful in so far as they help the mind to become
quiescent and one-pointed.
For the mind that has
gained skill in concentration, Self-enquiry becomes comparatively easy. It is
by ceaseless enquiry that the thoughts are destroyed and the Self realized -
the plenary Reality in which there is not even the 'I' thought, the experience
which is referred to as "Silence".
This, in substance, is
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi's teaching in Nan Yar (Who am I?).
Who Am I? -
As all living beings desire
to be happy always, without misery, as in the case of everyone there is
observed supreme love for one's self, and as happiness alone is the cause for
love, in order to gain that happiness which is one's nature and which is experienced
in the state of deep sleep where there is no mind, one should know one's self. For
that, the path of knowledge, the inquiry of the form "Who am I?", is the principal means.
* * * *
1 . Who am I ?
The gross body which is composed of the seven humours (dhatus), I am not; the
five cognitive sense organs, viz. the senses of hearing, touch, sight, taste,
and smell, which apprehend their respective objects, viz. sound, touch, colour,
taste, and odour, I am not; the five cognitive sense-organs, viz. the organs of
speech, locomotion, grasping, excretion, and procreation, which have as their
respective functions speaking, moving, grasping, excreting, and enjoying, I am
not; the five vital airs, prana, etc., which perform respectively the five
functions of in-breathing, etc., I am not; even the mind which thinks, I am
not; the nescience too, which is endowed only with the residual impressions of
objects, and in which there are no objects and no functioning's, I am not.
2. If I am none of
these, then who am I?
After negating all of the above-mentioned as 'not this', 'not this', that
Awareness which alone remains - that I am.
3. What is the nature of
Awareness?
The nature of Awareness is existence-consciousness-bliss
4. When will the
realization of the Self be gained?
When the world which is what-is-seen has been removed, there will be
realization of the Self which is the seer.
5. Will there not be
realization of the Self even while the world is there (taken as real)?
There will not be.
6. Why?
The seer and the object seen are like the rope and the snake. Just as the
knowledge of the rope which is the substrate will not arise unless the false
knowledge of the illusory serpent goes, so the realization of the Self which is
the substrate will not be gained unless the belief that the world is real is
removed.
7. When will the world
which is the object seen be removed?
When the mind, which is the cause of all cognition's and of all actions,
becomes quiescent, the world will disappear.
8. What is the nature of
the mind?
What is called 'mind' is a wondrous power residing in the Self. It causes all
thoughts to arise. Apart from thoughts, there is no such thing as mind. Therefore,
thought is the nature of mind. Apart from thoughts, there is no independent
entity called the world. In deep sleep there are no thoughts, and there is no
world. In the states of waking and dream, there are thoughts, and there is a
world also. Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) out of itself and
again withdraws it into itself, likewise the mind projects the world out of
itself and again resolves it into itself. When the mind comes out of the Self,
the world appears. Therefore, when the world appears (to be real), the Self
does not appear; and when the Self appears (shines) the world does not appear. When
one persistently inquires into the nature of the mind, the mind will end
leaving the Self (as the residue). What is referred to as the Self is the
Atman. The mind always exists only in dependence on something gross; it cannot
stay alone. It is the mind that is called the subtle body or the soul (jiva).
9. What is the path of
inquiry for understanding the nature of the mind?
That which rises as 'I' in this body is the mind. If one inquires as to where
in the body the thought 'I' rises first, one would discover that it rises in
the heart. That is the place of the mind's origin. Even if one thinks
constantly 'I' 'I', one will be led to that place. Of all the thoughts that
arise in the mind, the 'I' thought is the first. It is only after the rise of
this that the other thoughts arise. It is after the appearance of the first
personal pronoun that the second and third personal pronouns appear; without
the first personal pronoun there will not be the second and third.
10. How will the mind
become quiescent?
By the inquiry 'Who am I?'. The thought 'who am I?'
will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the
burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then, there will arise Self-realization.
11. What is the means
for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am I?'
When other thoughts arise, one should not pursue them, but should inquire: 'To
whom do they arise?' It does not matter how many thoughts arise. As each
thought arises, one should inquire with diligence, "To whom has this
thought arisen?". The answer that would emerge
would be "To me". Thereupon if one inquires "Who am I?", the mind will go back to its source; and the thought
that arose will become quiescent. With repeated practice in this manner, the
mind will develop the skill to stay in its source. When the mind that is subtle
goes out through the brain and the sense-organs, the gross names and forms
appear; when it stays in the heart, the names and forms disappear. Not letting
the mind go out, but retaining it in the Heart is what
is called "inwardness" (antar-mukha). Letting the mind go out of the
Heart is known as "externalisation" (bahir-mukha). Thus, when the
mind stays in the Heart, the 'I' which is the source of all thoughts will go,
and the Self which ever exists will shine. Whatever
one does, one should do without the egoity "I". If one acts in that
way, all will appear as of the nature of Siva (God).
12. Are there no other
means for making the mind quiescent?
Other than inquiry, there are no adequate means. If through other means it is
sought to control the mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will
again go forth. Through the control of breath also, the mind will become
quiescent; but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath remains
controlled, and when the breath resumes the mind also will again start moving
and will wander as impelled by residual impressions. The source is the same for
both mind and breath. Thought, indeed, is the nature of the mind. The thought
"I" is the first thought of the mind; and that is egoity. It is from
that whence egoity originates that breath also originates. Therefore, when the
mind becomes quiescent, the breath is controlled, and when the breath is
controlled the mind becomes quiescent. But in deep sleep, although the mind
becomes quiescent, the breath does not stop. This is because of the will of
God, so that the body may be preserved and other people may not be under the
impression that it is dead. In the state of waking and in samadhi, when the
mind becomes quiescent the breath is controlled. Breath is the gross form of
mind. Till the time of death, the mind keeps breath in the body; and when the
body dies the mind takes the breath along with it. Therefore, the exercise of
breath-control is only an aid for rendering the mind quiescent (manonigraha);
it will not destroy the mind (manonasa).
Like the practice of breath-control. meditation on the forms of God, repetition
of mantras, restriction on food, etc., are but aids for rendering the mind
quiescent.
Through meditation on the
forms of God and through repetition of mantras, the mind becomes one-pointed. The
mind will always be wandering. Just as when a chain is given to an elephant to
hold in its trunk it will go along grasping the chain and nothing else, so also
when the mind is occupied with a name or form it will grasp that alone. When
the mind expands in the form of countless thoughts, each thought becomes weak;
but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes one-pointed and strong; for such
a mind Self-inquiry will become easy. Of all the restrictive rules, that
relating to the taking of sattvic food in moderate quantities is the best; by
observing this rule, the sattvic quality of mind will increase, and that will
be helpful to Self-inquiry.
13. The residual
impressions (thoughts) of objects appear wending like the waves of an ocean. When
will all of them get destroyed?
As the meditation on the Self rises higher and higher, the thoughts will get
destroyed.
14. Is it possible for
the residual impressions of objects that come from beginningless time, as it
were, to be resolved, and for one to remain as the pure Self?
Without yielding to the doubt "Is it possible, or not?",
one should persistently hold on to the meditation on the Self. Even if one be a
great sinner, one should not worry and weep "O! I am a sinner, how can I
be saved?"; one should completely renounce the
thought "I am a sinner"; and concentrate keenly on meditation on the
Self; then, one would surely succeed. There are not two minds - one good and
the other evil; the mind is only one. It is the residual impressions that are
of two kinds - auspicious and inauspicious. When the mind is under the
influence of auspicious impressions it is called good; and when it is under the
influence of inauspicious impressions it is regarded as evil.
The mind should not be allowed to wander towards worldly objects and what
concerns other people. However bad other people may be, one should bear no
hatred for them. Both desire and hatred should be eschewed. All
that one gives to others one gives to one's self. If this truth is
understood who will not give to others? When one's self arises all arises; when
one's self becomes quiescent all becomes quiescent. To the extent we behave with
humility, to that extent there will result good. If the mind is rendered
quiescent, one may live anywhere.
15. How long should
inquiry be practised?
As long as there are impressions of objects in the mind, so long the inquiry
"Who am I?" is required. As thoughts arise they should be destroyed
then and there in the very place of their origin, through inquiry. If one
resorts to contemplation of the Self unintermittently, until the Self is
gained, that alone would do. As long as there are enemies within the fortress,
they will continue to sally forth; if they are destroyed as they emerge, the
fortress will fall into our hands.
16. What is the nature
of the Self?
What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul, and God
are appearances in it. like silver in mother-of-pearl,
these three appear at the same time, and disappear at the same time. The Self
is that where there is absolutely no "I" thought. That is called
"Silence". The Self itself is the world; the Self itself is
"I"; the Self itself is God; all is Siva, the Self.
17. Is
not everything the work of God?
Without desire, resolve, or effort, the sun rises; and in its mere presence,
the sun-stone emits fire, the lotus blooms, water evaporates; people perform
their various functions and then rest. Just as in the presence of the magnet
the needle moves, it is by virtue of the mere presence of God that the souls
governed by the three (cosmic) functions or the fivefold divine activity
perform their actions and then rest, in accordance with their respective
karmas. God has no resolve; no karma attaches itself to Him. That is like
worldly actions not affecting the sun, or like the merits and demerits of the
other four elements not affecting all pervading space.
18. Of the devotees, who
is the greatest?
He who gives himself up to the Self that is God is the most excellent devotee. Giving one's self up to God means remaining constantly in the Self
without giving room for the rise of any thoughts other than that of the Self.
Whatever burdens are thrown on God, He bears them. Since the supreme power of
God makes all things move, why should we, without submitting ourselves to it,
constantly worry ourselves with thoughts as to what should be done and how, and
what should not be done and how not? We know that the train carries all loads,
so after getting on it why should we carry our small luggage on our head to our
discomfort, instead of putting it down in the train and feeling at ease?
19. What is
non-attachment?
As thoughts arise, destroying them utterly without any residue in the very
place of their origin is non-attachment. Just as the pearl-diver ties a stone
to his waist, sinks to the bottom of the sea and there takes the pearls, so
each one of us should be endowed with non-attachment, dive within oneself and
obtain the Self-Pearl.
20. Is it not possible
for God and the Guru to effect the release of a soul?
God and the Guru will only show the way to release; they will not by themselves
take the soul to the state of release. In truth, God and the Guru are not
different. Just as the prey which has fallen into the jaws of a tiger has no
escape, so those who have come within the ambit of the Guru's gracious look
will be saved by the Guru and will not get lost; yet, each one should by his
own effort pursue the path shown by God or Guru and gain release. One can know
oneself only with one's own eye of knowledge, and not with somebody else's. Does
he who is Rama require the help of a mirror to know that he is Rama?
21. Is it necessary for
one who longs for release to inquire into the nature of categories (tattvas)?
Just as one who wants to throw away garbage has no need to analyse it and see what
it is, so one who wants to know the Self has no need to count the number of
categories or inquire into their characteristics; what he has to do is to
reject altogether the categories that hide the Self. The world should be
considered like a dream.
22. Is there no
difference between waking and dream?
Waking is long and a dream short; other than this there is no difference. Just
as waking happenings seem real while awake. so do
those in a dream while dreaming. In dream the mind takes on another body. In
both waking and dream states thoughts. names and forms
occur simultaneously.
23. Is it any use
reading books for those who long for release?
All the texts say that in order to gain release one should render the mind
quiescent; therefore their conclusive teaching is that the mind should be
rendered quiescent; once this has been understood there is no need for endless
reading. In order to quieten the mind one has only to inquire within oneself
what one's Self is; how could this search be done in books? One should know
one's Self with one's own eye of wisdom. The Self is within the five sheaths;
but books are outside them. Since the Self has to be inquired into by
discarding the five sheaths, it is futile to search for it in books. There will
come a time when one will have to forget all that one has learned.
24. What is happiness?
Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not
different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We imagine through
our ignorance that we derive happiness from objects. When the mind goes out, it
experiences misery. In truth, when its desires are fulfilled, it returns to its
own place and enjoys the happiness that is the Self. Similarly, in the states
of sleep, samadhi and fainting, and when the object desired is obtained or the
object disliked is removed, the mind becomes inward-turned, and enjoys pure
Self-Happiness. Thus the mind moves without rest alternately going out of the
Self and returning to it. Under the tree the shade is pleasant; out in the open
the heat is scorching. A person who has been going about in the sun feels cool
when he reaches the shade. Someone who keeps on going from the shade into the
sun and then back into the shade is a fool. A wise man stays permanently in the
shade. Similarly, the mind of the one who knows the truth does not leave
Brahman. The mind of the ignorant, on the contrary, revolves in the world,
feeling miserable, and for a little time returns to Brahman to experience
happiness. In fact, what is called the world is only thought. When the world
disappears, i.e. when there is no thought, the mind experiences happiness; and
when the world appears, it goes through misery.
25. What is
wisdom-insight (jnana-drsti)?
Remaining quiet is what is called wisdom-insight. To remain quiet is to resolve
the mind in the Self. Telepathy, knowing past, present and future happenings
and clairvoyance do not constitute wisdom-insight.
26. What is the relation
between desirelessness and wisdom?
Desirelessness is wisdom. The two are not different; they are the same. Desirelessness
is refraining from turning the mind towards any object. Wisdom means the
appearance of no object. In other words, not seeking what is other than the
Self is detachment or desirelessness; not leaving the Self is wisdom.
27. What is the
difference between inquiry and meditation?
Inquiry consists in retaining the mind in the Self. Meditation consists in
thinking that one's self is Brahman, existence-consciousness-bliss.
28. What is release?
Inquiring into the nature of one's self that is in bondage, and realising one's
true nature is release.
SRI RAMANARPANAM ASTU
Self Enquiry
(Vicharasangraham)
Of
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Eighth edition 1971
Ninth edition 1981
Tenth edition 1990
Reprint 1994
A new
translation by
Dr T. M. P. Mahadevan, M.A., Ph.D.
From the original Tamil
Published by
V. S. RAMANAN
President, Board of Trustees
SRI RAMANASRAMAM
TIRUVANNAMALAI (
INTRODUCTION
The present work in prose
consists of forty questions with answers covering the entire range of spiritual
disciplines required for the gaining of release (moksha). The questioner was
Gambhiram Seshayya, one of the early devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He
was a Municipal Overseer at Tiruvannamalai about 1900. Besides being an ardent
Ramabhakta (worshipper of Rama) he was interested in the study and practice of
Yoga. He used to read Swami Vivekananda's lectures on the different yoga's as
also an English translation of the Rama-gita. For resolving the difficulties
which he came across while studying these books and in his spiritual practices,
he approached Bhagavan Sri Ramana from time to time. Bhagavan, who was only
twenty-one years old, was then living in Virupaksha cave on Arunachala Hill. As
he was keeping silent at the time not because of any vow taken but because he
was not inclined to talk - he wrote out his answers to Seshayya's questions on
bits of paper. These writings over the period 1900-1902 were later copied in a
note-book by Seshayya. The material thus gathered was published by Sri
Ramanasramam under the little Vichara-sangraham which literally means 'A Compendium
of Self-Enquiry.' A digest of the teaching contained in this work was later
printed in English bearing the title 'Self-Enquiry'. In that English version,
the questions were omitted and the substance of Bhagavan's teaching was given,
classifying it in twelve short chapters with appropriate headings. The present
English translation is of the entire original text Vichara-sangraham as it is
in Tamil. The Vichara-sangraham has unique value in the sense that it
constitutes the first set of instructions given by Bhagavan in his own
hand-writing.
A careful study of the
instructions given by Bhagavan here will reveal that they are based on his own
plenary experience as confirmed by the sacred texts which were brought to his
notice by the early devotees and which he perused for the purpose of clearing
the doubts that arose in the minds of the devotees. In the course of his
instructions, Bhagavan makes use of such expressions as, 'the scriptures
declare', 'thus say the sages,' etc.; he also cites passages from texts like
the Bhagavad-gita and the Vivekachudamani and once he mentions by name the
Ribhu-gita. But it is quite clear that these citations are offered only as
confirmations of the truth discovered by Bhagavan himself in his own
experience.
The basic teaching is that
of Advaita-Vedanta. The plenary experience of the non-dual Self is the goal;
enquiry into the nature of the self is the means. When the mind identifies the
self with the not-self (the body, etc.), there is bondage; when this wrong
identification is removed through the enquiry 'Who am I ?'
there is release. Thus, Self-enquiry is the direct path taught by Bhagavan
Ramana. The 'I'-experience is common to all. Of all thoughts, the 'I'-thought
is the first to arise. What one has to do is to enquire into the source of the
'I'-thought. This is the reverse process of what ordinarily happens in the life
of the mind. The mind enquires into the constitution and source of everything
else which, on examination, will be found to be its own projection; it does not
reflect on itself and trace itself to its source. Self-discovery can be
achieved by giving the mind an inward turn. This is not to be confused with the
introspection of which the psychologists speak. Self-enquiry is not the mind's
inspection of its own contents; it is tracing the mind's first mode, the
'I'-thought to its source which is the Self. When there is proper and
persistent enquiry, the 'I'-thought also ceases and there is the wordless
illumination of the form 'I'-'I' which is the pure consciousness. This is
release, freedom from bondage. The method by which
this is accomplished, as has been shown, is enquiry which, in Vedanta, is
termed jnana, knowledge.
True devotion (bhakti),
meditation (dhyana), and concentration (yoga) are identical therewith. As
Bhagavan makes it perfectly clear, not to forget the plenary Self-experience is
real devotion, mind-control, knowledge, and all other austerities. In the
language of devotion, the final goal may be described as the resolution of the
mind in its source which is God, the Self, in that of technical yoga, it may be described as the dissolution of the mind in
the Heart-lotus. These are only different ways of expressing the same truth.
The path of Self-enquiry is
found difficult by those who have not acquired the necessary competence for it.
The mind should first be rendered pure and one-pointed. This is done through
meditation, etc. So, the various paths, in their secondary sense, are
auxiliaries to the direct path which is Self-enquiry. In this context, Bhagavan
refers to three grades of aspirants: the highest, the medium, and the lowest. For
the highest type of aspirants, the path prescribed is Vedanta enquiry; through
this path, the mind becomes quiescent in the Self and finally ceases to be,
leaving the pure Self-experience untarnished and resplendent. The path for the
medium is meditation on the Self; meditation consists in directing a continuous
flow of the mind towards the same object; there are several modes of
meditation; the best mode is that which is of the form 'I am the Self'; this
mode eventually culminates in Self-realization. For the lowest grade of
aspirants, the discipline that is useful is breath-control which in turn
results in mind control.
Bhagavan explains the
difference between jnana-yoga (path of knowledge) and dhyana-yoga (path of
meditation) thus: jnana is like subduing a self-willed bull by coaxing it with
the help of a sheaf of green grass, while dhyana is like controlling it by
using force. Just as there are eight limbs for dhyana-yoga, there are eight for
jnana-yoga. The limbs of the latter are more proximate to the final stage than
those of the former. For instance, while the pranayama of technical yoga
consists in regulating and restraining breath, the pranayama that is a limb of
jnana relates to rejecting the name-and-form world which is non-real and
realizing the Real which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.
Realization of the Self can
be gained in this very life. In fact, Self-realization is not something which
is to be gained afresh. We are already the Self; the Self alone is. It is
ignorance that makes us imagine that we have not realized the Self. When this
ignorance is removed through Self-knowledge, we realize our eternal
Self-nature. One who has gained this realization is called a jivan-mukta
(liberated while living). To others, he may appear to continue to tenant a
body. For the benefit of those others it is stated that the body will continue
so long as the residue of the prarabdha-karma (that karma of the past which has
begun to fructify in the shape of the present body) lasts, and that when the
momentum is spent the body will fall and the jivan-mukta will become a
videha-mukta. But from the standpoint of the absolute truth, there is no
difference in mukti. What needs to be understood is that mukti or release is
the inalienable nature of the Self.
This, in substance, is
Bhagavan Sri Ramana's teaching in the Vichara-sangraham.
T. M. P. MAHADEVAN
Note
to the Eighth Edition
The earliest edition of
this work in Question-Answer form, I have come across, is dated 1930, published
by A. Shivalinga Mudaliyar and V. Subrahmanya Achari and printed at Saravana
Bava Press, Madras. This bears a foreword by Muruganar which is dated
T. M. P. MAHADEVAN
INVOCATION:
Is there any way of adoring the Supreme which
is all, except by abiding firmly as that!
1
Disciple: Master! What is the means to gain
the state of eternal bliss, ever devoid of misery?
Master: Apart from the statement in the
Veda that wherever there is body there is misery, this is also the direct
experience of all people; therefore, one should enquire into one's true nature
which is ever bodiless, and one should remain as such. This is the means to
gaining that state.
2
D: What is meant by saying that one
should enquire into one's true nature and understand it?
M: Experiences such as "I went; I
came; I was; I did" come naturally to everyone. From these experiences,
does it not appear that the consciousness "I" is the subject of those
various acts? Enquiry into the true nature of that consciousness, and remaining
as oneself is the way to understand, through enquiry, one's true nature.
3
D: How is one to enquire: "Who am
I?"
M: Actions such as 'going' and
'coming' belong only to the body. And so, when one says "I went, I came", it amounts to saying that the body is
"I". But, can the body be said to be the consciousness "I",
since the body was not before it was born, is made up of the five elements, is
non-existent in the state of deep sleep, and becomes a corpse when dead? Can
this body which is inert like a log of wood be said to shine as "I"
"I"? Therefore, the "I" consciousness which at first arises
in respect of the body is referred to variously as self-conceit (tarbodham),
egoity (ahankara), nescience (avidya), maya, impurity (mala), and individual
soul (jiva) . Can we remain without enquiring into this? Is it not for our
redemption through enquiry that all the scriptures declare that the destruction
of "self-conceit" is release (mukti)? Therefore, making the
corpse-body remain as a corpse, and not even uttering the word "I",
one should enquire keenly thus: "Now, what is it that rises as 'I'". Then,
there would shine in the Heart a kind of wordless illumination of the form 'I'
'I'. That is, there would shine of its own accord the pure consciousness which
is unlimited and one, the limited and the many thoughts having disappeared. If
one remains quiescent without abandoning that (experience), the egoity, the
individual sense, of the form 'I am the body' will be totally destroyed, and at
the end the final thought, viz. the 'I'-form also will be quenched like the
fire that burns camphor*. The great sages and scriptures declare that this alone
is release.
*
i.e., without leaving any sediment.
4
D: When one enquires into the root of
'self conceit' which is of the form 'I', all sorts of different thoughts
without number seem to rise; and not any separate 'I' thought.
M: Whether the nominative case, which
is the first case, appears or not, the sentences in which the other cases
appear have as their basis the first case; similarly, all the thoughts that
appear in the heart have as their basis the egoity which is the first mental
mode 'I', the cognition of the form 'I am the body'; thus, it is the rise of
egoity that is the cause and source of the rise of all other thoughts;
therefore, if the self-conceit of the form of egoity which is the root of the
illusory tree of samsara (bondage consisting of transmigration) is destroyed,
all other thoughts will perish completely like an uprooted tree. Whatever
thoughts arise as obstacles to one's sadhana (spiritual discipline) - the mind
should not be allowed to go in their direction, but should be made to rest in
one's self which is the Atman; one should remain as witness to whatever
happens, adopting the attitude 'Let whatever strange things happen, happen; let
us see!' This should be one's practice. In other words, one should not identify
oneself with appearances; one should never relinquish one's self.
This is the proper means
for destruction of the mind (manonasa) which is of the nature of seeing the
body as self, and which is the cause of all the aforesaid
obstacles. This method which easily destroys egoity deserves to be
called devotion (bhakti), meditation (dhyana), concentration (yoga), and
knowledge (jnana). Because God remains of the nature of the Self, shining as
'I' in the heart, because the scriptures declare that thought itself is
bondage, the best discipline is to stay quiescent without ever forgetting Him
(God, the Self), after resolving in Him the mind which is of the form of the
'I'-thought, no matter by what means. This is the conclusive teaching of the
Scriptures.
5
D: Is enquiry only the means for
removal of the false belief of selfhood in the gross body, or is it also the
means for removal of the false belief of selfhood in the subtle and causal
bodies?
M: It is on the gross body that the
other bodies subsist. In the false belief of the form "I am the body"
are included all the three bodies consisting of the five sheaths. And
destruction of the false belief of selfhood in the gross body is itself the
destruction of the false belief of selfhood in the other bodies. So inquiry is
the means to removal of the false belief of selfhood in all the three bodies.
6
D: While there are different
modifications of the internal organ, viz. manas (reflection), buddhi
(intellect), chitta (memory) and ahankara (egoity), how can it be said that the
destruction of the mind alone is release?
M: In the books explaining the nature
of the mind, it is thus stated: "The mind is formed by the concretion of
the subtle portion of the food we eat; it grows with the passions such as
attachment and aversion, desire and anger; being the aggregate of mind,
intellect, memory and egoity, it receives the collective singular name 'mind',
the characteristics that it bears are thinking, determining, etc.; since it is
an object of consciousness (the self), it is what is seen, inert; even though
inert, it appears as if conscious because of association with consciousness
(like a red-hot iron ball); it is limited, non-eternal, partite, and changing
like wax, gold, candle, etc.; it is of the nature of all elements (of
phenomenal existence); its locus is the heart-lotus even as the loci of the
sense of sight, etc., are the eyes, etc.; it is the adjunct of the individual
soul thinking of an object, it transforms itself into a mode, and along with
the knowledge that is in the brain, it flows through the five sense-channels,
gets joined to objects by the brain (that is associated with knowledge), and
thus knows and experiences objects and gains satisfaction. That substance is
the mind". Even as one and the same person is called by different names
according to the different functions he performs, so also one and the same mind
is called by the different names: mind, intellect, memory, and egoity, on
account of the difference in the modes - and not because of any real
difference. The mind itself is of the form of all, i.e. of soul, God and world;
when it becomes of the form of the Self through knowledge there is release,
which is of the nature of Brahman: this is the teaching.
7
D: If these four - mind, intellect,
memory and egoity - are one and the same why are separate locations mentioned
for them?
M: It is true that the throat is
stated to be the location of the mind, the face or the heart of the intellect,
the navel of the memory, and the heart or sarvanga of the egoity; though
differently stated thus yet, for the aggregate of these, that is the mind or
internal organ, the location is the heart alone. This is conclusively declared
in the Scriptures.
8
D: Why is it said that only the mind
which is the internal organ, shines as the form of all,
that is of soul, God and world?
M: As instruments for knowing the
objects the sense organs are outside, and so they are called outer senses; and
the mind is called the inner sense because it is inside. But the distinction
between inner and outer is only with reference to the body; in truth, there is neither inner or outer. The mind's nature is to remain pure
like ether. What is referred to as the heart or the mind is the collocation of
the elements (of phenomenal existence) that appear as inner and outer. So there
is no doubt that all phenomena consisting of names and forms are of the nature
of mind alone. All that appear outside are in reality inside and not outside;
it is in order to teach this that in the Vedas also all have been described as
of the nature of the heart. What is called the heart is no other than Brahman.
9
D: How can it be said that the heart
is no other than Brahman?
M: Although the self enjoys its
experiences in the states of waking, dream, and deep sleep, residing
respectively in the eyes, throat and heart, in reality, however, it never
leaves its principal seat, the heart. In the heart-lotus which is of the nature
of all, in other words in the mind-ether, the light of that self in the form
'I' shines. As it shines thus in everybody, this very self is referred to as
the witness (sakshi) and the transcendent (turiya literally the fourth). The
'I'-less supreme Brahman which shines in all bodies as interior to the light in
the form 'I' is the Self-ether (or knowledge-ether): that alone is the absolute
Reality. This is the super-transcendent (turiyatita). Therefore, it is stated
that what is called the heart s no other than Brahman. Moreover, for the reason
that Brahman shines in the hearts of all souls as the Self, the name 'Heart' is
given to Brahman*. The meaning of the word hridayam, when split thus
'hrit-ayam', is in fact Brahman. The adequate evidence for the fact that Brahman,
which shines as the self, resides in the hearts of all is that all people
indicate themselves by pointing to the chest when saying 'I'.
*
"In the hearts of all individual souls that which shines is Brahman and
hence is called the Heart" --Brahma-gita.
10
D: If the entire universe is of the
form of mind, then does it not follow that the universe is an illusion? If that
be the case, why is the creation of the universe mentioned in the Veda?
M: There is no doubt whatsoever that
the universe is the merest illusion. The principal purport of the Veda is to
make known the true Brahman, after showing the apparent universe to be false. It
is for this purpose that the Vedas admit the creation of the world and not for
any other reason. Moreover, for the less qualified persons creation is taught,
that is the phased evolution of prakriti (primal nature), mahat-tattva (the
great intellect), tanmatras (the subtle essences), bhutas (the gross elements),
the world, the body, etc., from Brahman: while for the more qualified
simultaneous creation is taught, that is, that this world arose like a dream on
account of one's own thoughts induced by the defect of not knowing oneself as
the Self. Thus, from the fact that the creation of the world has been described
in different ways it is clear that the purport of the Vedas rests only in
teaching the true nature of Brahman after showing somehow or other the illusory
nature of the universe. That the world is illusory, every one can directly know
in the state of realization which is in the form of experience of one's
bliss-nature.
11
D: Is Self-experience possible for the
mind, whose nature is constant change?
M: Since sattva-guna (the constituent
of prakriti which makes for purity, intelligence, etc.) is the nature of mind,
and since the mind is pure and undefiled like ether, what is called mind is, in
truth, of the nature of knowledge. When it stays in that natural (i.e. pure)
state, it has not even the name 'mind'. It is only the erroneous knowledge
which mistakes one for another that is called mind. What was (originally) the
pure sattva mind, of the nature of pure knowledge, forgets its knowledge-nature
on account of nescience, gets transformed into the world under the influence of
tamo-guna (i.e. the constituent of prakriti which makes for dullness,
inertness, etc.), being under the influence of rajo-guna (i.e. the constituent
of prakriti which makes for activity, passions, etc.), imagines "I am the
body, etc.; the world is real", it acquires the consequent merit and
demerit through attachment, aversion, etc., and, through the residual
impressions (vasanas) thereof, attains birth and death. But the mind, which has
got rid of its defilement (sin) through action without attachment performed in
many past lives, listens to the teaching of scripture from a true guru,
reflects on its meaning, and meditates in order to gain the natural state of
the mental mode of the form of the Self, i.e. of the form 'I am Brahman' which
is the result of the continued contemplation of Brahman. Thus will be removed
the mind's transformation into the world in the aspect of tamo-guna, and its
roving therein in the aspect of rajo-guna. When this removal takes place the
mind becomes subtle and unmoving. It is only by the mind that is impure and is
under the influence of rajas and tamas that Reality (i.e. the Self) which is
very subtle and unchanging cannot be experienced; just as a piece of fine silk
cloth cannot be stitched with a heavy crowbar, or as the details of subtle
objects cannot be distinguished by the light of a lamp flame that flickers in
the wind. But in the pure mind that has been rendered subtle and unmoving by
the meditation described above, the Self-bliss (i.e. Brahman) will become
manifest. As without mind there cannot be experience, it is possible for the
purified mind endowed with the extremely subtle mode (vritti) to experience the
Self-bliss, by remaining in that form (i.e. in the form of Brahman). Then, that
one's self is of the nature of Brahman will be clearly experienced.
12
D: Is the aforesaid Self-experience
possible, even in the state of empirical existence, for the mind which has to
perform functions in accordance with its prarabdha (the past karma which has
begun to fructify)?
M: A Brahmin may play various parts in
a drama; yet the thought that he is a Brahmin does not leave his mind. Similarly,
when one is engaged in various empirical acts there should be the firm
conviction "I am the Self", without allowing the false idea "I
am the body, etc." to rise. If the mind should stray away from its state,
then immediately one should enquire, "Oh! Oh! We are not the body etc.!
Who are we?" and thus one should reinstate the mind in that (pure) state. The
enquiry "Who am I?" is the principal means to the removal of all
misery and the attainment of the supreme bliss. When in this manner the mind
becomes quiescent in its own state, Self-experience arises of its own accord,
without any hindrance. Thereafter sensory pleasures and pains will not affect
the mind. All (phenomena) will appear then, without attachment, like a dream. Never
forgetting one's plenary Self-experience is real bhakti (devotion), yoga
(mind-control), jnana (knowledge) and all other austerities. Thus say the
sages.
13
D: When there is activity in regard to
works, we are neither the agents of those works nor their enjoyers. The
activity is of the three instruments (i.e., the mind, speech, and body). Could
we remain (unattached) thinking thus?
M: After the mind has been made to
stay in the Self which is its Deity, and has been rendered indifferent to
empirical matters because it does not stray away from the Self, how can the
mind think as mentioned above? Do not such thoughts constitute bondage? When
such thoughts arise due to residual impressions (vasanas), one should restrain
the mind from flowing that way, endeavour to retain it in the Self-state, and
make it turn indifferent to empirical matters. One should not give room in the
mind for such thoughts as: "Is this good? Or, is that good? Can this be
done? Or, can that be done?" One should be vigilant even before such
thoughts arise and make the mind stay in its native state. If any little room
is given, such a (disturbed) mind will do harm to us while posing as our
friend; like the foe appearing to be a friend, it will topple us down. Is it
not because one forgets one's Self that such thoughts arise and cause more and
more evil? While it is true that to think through discrimination, "I do
not do anything; all actions are performed by the instruments", is a means
to prevent the mind from flowing along thought vasanas, does it not also follow
that only if the mind flows along thought vasanas that it must be restrained
through discrimination as stated before? Can the mind that remains in the
Self-state think as 'I' and as 'I behave empirically thus and thus'? In all
manner of ways possible one should endeavour gradually not to forget one's
(true) Self that is God. If that is accomplished, all will be accomplished. The
mind should not be directed to any other matter. Even though one may perform,
like a mad person, the actions that are the result of prarabdha-karma, one
should retain the mind in the Self-state without letting the thought 'I do'
arise. Have not countless bhaktas (devotees) performed their numerous empirical
functions with an attitude of indifference?
14
D: What is the real purpose of
sannyasa (renunciation)?
M: Sannyasa is only the renunciation
of the 'I' thought, and not the rejection of the external objects. He who has
renounced (the "I" thought) thus remains the same whether he is alone
or in the midst of the extensive samsara (empirical world). Just as when the
mind is concentrated on some object, it does not observe other things even
though they may be proximate, so also, although the sage may perform any number
of empirical acts, in reality he performs nothing, because he makes the mind
rest in the Self without letting the 'I' thought arise. Even as in a dream one
appears to fall head downwards, while in reality one is unmoving, so also the
ignorant person, i.e., the person for whom the 'I' thought has not ceased,
although he remains alone in constant meditation, is in fact one who performs
all empirical actions*. Thus the wise ones have said.
* Like those who listen
to a story with their attention fixed elsewhere, the mind whose residual
impressions have worn away does not really function even if it appears to do
so. The mind that is not free from residual impressions really functions even
if it does not appear to do so; this is like those who while remaining stationary
imagine in their dreams that they climb up a hill and fall therefrom.
15
D: The mind, sense-organs, etc., have
the ability to perceive; yet why are they regarded as perceived objects?
M:
|
Drik |
Drisya |
|
1. The seer |
Pot (i.e.
the seen object) |
|
Further |
|
|
2. The eye organ |
Body, Pot, etc. |
|
3. The sense of sight |
The eye organ |
|
4. The mind |
The sense of sight |
|
5. The individual soul |
The mind |
|
6. Consciousness (the Self) |
The individual soul |
As shown in the above scheme, since we, the consciousness, know all objects, we
are said to be drik (knower). The categories ending with pot are the objects
seen, since they are what are known. In the table of 'knowledge: ignorance
(i.e. knower-known)' given above, among the knowers and objects of knowledge,
it is seen that one is knower in relation to another; yet, since that one is
object in relation to another, none of those categories is, in reality, the
knower. Although we are said to be the 'knower' because we know all, and not
the 'known' because we are not known by anything else, we are said to be the
'knower' only in relation to the known objects. In truth, however, what is
called the 'known' is not apart from us. And so we are the
Reality that transcends those two (the knower and the known). All the
others fall within the knower-known categories.
16
D: How do egoity, soul, self, and
Brahman come to be identified?
M:
|
The example |
The exemplified |
|
1. The iron-ball |
Egoity |
|
2. The heated iron-ball |
The soul
which appears as a superimposition on the Self |
|
3. The
fire that is in the heated iron-ball |
The light
of consciousness, i.e. the immutable Brahman, which shines in the soul in
everybody |
|
4. The
flame of fire which remains as one |
The all
pervading Brahman which remains as one |
From the examples given above, it will be clear how egoity, soul, witness, and
All-witness come to be identified.
Just as in the wax-lump
that is with the smith numerous and varied metal-particles lie included and all
of them appear to be one wax-lump, so also in deep sleep the gross and subtle
bodies of all the individual souls are included in the cosmic maya which is
nescience, of the nature of sheer darkness, and since the souls are resolved in
the Self becoming one with it, they see everywhere darkness alone. From the
darkness of sleep, the subtle body, viz. egoity, and from that (egoity) the
gross body arise respectively. Even as the egoity arises, it appears
superimposed on the nature of the Self, like the heated iron-ball. Thus,
without the soul (jiva) which is the mind or egoity that is conjoined with the
Consciousness-light, there is no witness of the soul, viz. the Self, and
without the Self there is no Brahman that is the All-witness. Just as when the
iron ball is beaten into various shapes by the smith, the fire that is in it
does not change thereby in any manner, even so the soul may be involved in ever
so many experiences and undergo pleasures and pains, and yet the Self-light
that is in it does not change in the least thereby, and like the ether it is
the all-pervasive pure knowledge that is one, and it shines in the heart as
Brahman.
17
D: How is one to know that in the
heart the Self itself shines as Brahman?
M: Just as the elemental ether within
the flame of a lamp is known to fill without any difference and without any
limit both the inside and the outside of the flame, so also the knowledge-ether
that is within the Self-light in the heart, fills without any difference and
without any limit both the inside and the outside of that Self-light. This is
what is referred to as Brahman.
18
D: How do the three states of
experience, the three bodies, etc., which are imaginations, appear in the
Self-light which is one, impartite and self-luminous? Even
if they should appear, how is one to know that the Self alone remains ever
unmoving?
M:
|
The Example |
The Exemplified |
|
1. The Lamp |
The Self |
|
2. The door |
Sleep |
|
3. The door-step |
Mahat-tattva |
|
4. The inner wall |
Nescience
or the causal body |
|
5. The mirror |
The egoity |
|
6. The windows |
The five
cognitive sense-organs |
|
7. The inner chamber |
Deep
sleep in which the causal body is manifest |
|
8. The middle chamber |
Dream in
which the subtle body is manifest |
|
9. The outer court |
Waking
state in which the gross body is manifest |
The Self which is the lamp
(1) shines of its own accord in the inner chamber, i.e., the causal body (7)
that is endowed with nescience as the inner wall (4) and sleep as the door (2);
when by the vital principle as conditioned by time, karma, etc., the sleep-door
is opened, there occurs a reflection of the Self in the egoity-mirror (5) that
is placed next to the door-step - Mahat-tattva; the egoity-mirror thus
illumines the middle chamber, i.e., the dream state (8), and, through the
windows which are the five cognitive sense-organs (6), the outer court, i.e.,
the waking state. When, again, by the vital principle as conditioned by time,
karma, etc., the sleep-door gets shut, the egoity ceases along with waking and
dream, and the Self alone ever shines. The example just given explains how the
Self is unmoving, how there is difference between the Self and the egoity and
how the three states of experience, the three bodies, etc., appear.
19
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.
20
D: What is the reason for the absence
of mental strength?
M: The means that make one qualified
for enquiry are meditation, yoga, etc. One should gain proficiency in these
through graded practice, and thus secure a stream of mental modes that is
natural and helpful. When the mind that has in this manner become ripe, listens
to the present enquiry, it will at once realize its true nature which is the
Self, and remain in perfect peace, without deviating from that state. To a mind
which has not become ripe, immediate realization and peace are hard to gain
through listening to enquiry. Yet, if one practices the means for mind-control
for some time, peace of mind can be obtained eventually.
21
D: Of the means for mind-control,
which is the most important?
M: Breath-control is the means for
mind-control.
22
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).
23
D: What is absolute retention of
breath?
M: It is making the vital air stay
firmly in the heart even without exhalation and inhalation. This is achieved
through meditation on the vital principle, etc.
24
D: What is regulation of breath?
M: It is making the vital air stay
firmly in the heart through exhalation, inhalation, and retention, according to
the instructions given in the yoga texts.
25
D: How is breath-control the means for
mind-control?
M: There is no doubt that
breath-control is the means for mind-control, because the mind, like breath, is
a part of air, because the nature of mobility is common to both, because the
place of origin is the same for both, and because when one of them is
controlled the other gets controlled.
26
D: Since breath-control leads only to
quiescence of the mind (manolaya) and not to its destruction (manonasa), how
can it be said that breath-control is the means for enquiry which aims at the
destruction of mind?
M: The scriptures teach the means for
gaining Self-realization in two modes - as the yoga with eight limbs
(ashtanga-yoga) and as knowledge with eight limbs (ashtanga-jnana). By
regulation of breath (pranayama) or by absolute retention thereof
(kevala-kumbhaka), which is one of the limbs of yoga, the mind gets controlled.
Without leaving the mind at that, if one practises the further discipline such
as withdrawal of the mind from external objects (pratyahara), then at the end,
Self-realization which is the fruit of enquiry will surely be gained.
27
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 of the
Gayatrimantra once. Thus pranayama consisting of rechaka, puraka, and kumbhaka,
should be practised daily according to ability, slowly and gradually. Then,
there would arise for the mind a desire to rest in happiness without moving. After
this, one should practise pratyahara.
(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 lotus***
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.
* The aim of yama and
niyama is the attainment of all good paths open to those eligible for moksha. For
more details see works like the Yoga-sutra, Hathayoga-dipika.
** Siddhasana: Left heel should be placed over the genital organ and over that,
the right heel. Fixing one's gaze between the eyebrows one's body
should be motionless and erect like a stick.
*** Although it is true that the lotus in the crown of the head is said to have
a thousand petals, it also may be described as having eight petals because each
of these eight consists of 125 sub-petals.
28
D: What is the purport of the teaching
that in pratyahara one should meditate on the pranava?
M: The purport of prescribing
meditation on the pranava is this. The pranava is Omkara consisting of three
and a half matras, viz., a, u, m, and ardha-matra. of these, a stands for the
waking state, Visva-jiva, and the gross body; u stands for the dream-state
Taijasa-jiva, and the subtle body; m stands for the sleep-state, Prajnajiva and
the causal body; the ardha-matra represents the Turiya which is the self or
'I'-nature; and what is beyond that is the state of Turiyatita, or pure Bliss. The
fourth state which is the state of 'I'-nature was referred to in the section on
meditation (dhyana): this has been variously described - as of the nature of
amatra which includes the three matras, a, u, and m; as maunakshara (silence
syllable); as ajapa (as muttering without muttering) and as the Advaita-mantra
which is the essence of all mantras such as panchakshara. In order to get at this
true significance, one should meditate on the pranava. This is meditation which
is of the nature of devotion consisting in reflection on the truth of the Self.
The fruition of this process is samadhi which yields release which is the state
of unsurpassed bliss. The revered Gurus also have said that release is to be
gained only by devotion which is of the nature of reflection on the truth of
the Self.
29
D : What is the purport of the teaching
that one should meditate, through the 'I am He' thought, on the truth that one
is not different from the self-luminous Reality that shines like a flame?
M: (A) The purport of teaching that
one should cultivate the idea that one is not different from the self-luminous
Reality is this: Scripture defines meditation in these words, "In the
middle of the eight-petalled heart-lotus which is of the nature of all, and
which is referred to as Kailasa, Vaikundha, and Parama-pada, there is the
Reality which is of the size of the thumb, which is dazzling like lightning and
which shines like a flame. By meditating on it, a person gains
immortality". From this we should know that by such meditation one avoids
the defects of (1) the thought of difference, of the form 'I am different, and
that is different', (2) the meditation on what is limited, (3) the idea that
the real is limited, and (4) that it is confined to one place.
(B) The purport of teaching
that one should meditate with the 'I am He' thought is this: sahaham: soham;
sah the supreme Self, aham the Self that is manifest as 'I'. The jiva which is
the Shiva-linga resides in the heart-lotus which is its seat situated in the
body which is the city of Brahman; the mind which is of the nature of egoity,
goes outward identifying itself with the body, etc. Now the mind should be resolved
in the heart, i.e. the I-sense that is placed in the body, etc., should be got
rid of; when thus one enquires 'Who am I?', remaining undisturbed, in that
state the Self-nature becomes manifest in a subtle manner as 'I-I'; that
self-nature is all and yet none, and is manifest as the supreme Self everywhere
without the distinction of inner and outer; that shines like a flame, as was
stated above, signifying the truth 'I am Brahman'. If,
without meditating on that as being identical with oneself, one imagines it to
be different, ignorance will not leave. Hence, the identity-meditation
is prescribed.
If one meditates for a long
time, without disturbance, on the Self ceaselessly, with the 'I am He' thought
which is the technique of reflection on the Self, the darkness of ignorance
which is in the heart and all the impediments which are but the effects of
ignorance will he removed, and the plenary wisdom will be gained*.
Thus, realizing the Reality
in the heart-cave which is in the city (of Brahman), viz. the body, is the same
as realizing the all-perfect God.
In the city with nine
gates, which is the body, the wise one resides at ease**.
The body is the temple; the
jiva is God (Shiva). If one worships him with the 'I am He' thought, one will
gain release.
The body which consists of
the five sheaths is the cave, the supreme that resides there is the lord of the
cave. Thus the scriptures declare.
Since the Self is the
reality of all the gods, the meditation on the Self which is oneself
is the greatest of all meditations. All other meditations are included in this.
It is for gaining this that the other meditations are prescribed. So, if this
is gained, the others are not necessary. Knowing one's Self is
knowing God. Without knowing one's Self that meditates, imagining that
there is a deity which is different and meditating on it, is compared by the
great ones to the act of measuring with one's foot one's own shadow, and to the
search for a trivial conch after throwing away a priceless gem that is already
in one's possession***.
* If meditation in the
form 'I am Shiva' (Shivoham bhavana), which prevents the thought going
outwards, is practised always, samadhi will come about.-
Vallalar.
** In the city that has nine false gates, He resides in the form of bliss. Bhagavad gita.
*** We shall meditate on that which, existing in the form of self, is the
atma-tattva, is effulgent, and which residing in all living things always says
"I", "I". To seek for a God outside, leaving the God
residing in the cave of the heart, is like throwing
away a priceless gem and searching for a trivial bead.
30
D: Even though the heart and the
Brahmarandhra alone are the loci fit for meditation, could one meditate, if
necessary, on the six mystic centres (adharas)?
M: The six mystic centres, etc., which
are said to be loci of meditation, are but products of imagination. All these
are meant for beginners in yoga. With reference to meditation on the six
centres, the Shiva-yogins say, "God, who is of the nature of the non-dual,
plenary, consciousness-self, manifests, sustains and resolves us all. It is a
great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms
such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva", and
the Vedantins declare, "All those are but imaginations of the mind". Therefore,
if one knows one's Self which is of the nature of consciousness that knows
everything, one knows everything. The great ones have also said: "When
that One is known as it is in Itself, all that has not been known becomes
known". If we who are endowed with various thoughts meditate on God that
is the Self we would get rid of the plurality of thoughts by that one thought;
and then even that one thought would vanish. This is what is meant by saying
that knowing one's Self is knowing God. This knowledge
is release.
31
D: How is one to think of the Self?
M: The Self is self-luminous without
darkness and light, and is the reality which is self-manifest. Therefore, one
should not think of it as this or as that. The very thought of thinking will
end in bondage. The purport of meditation on the Self is to make the mind take
the form of the Self. In the middle of the heart-cave the pure Brahman is
directly manifest as the Self in the form 'I-I'. Can there be greater ignorance
than to think of it in manifold ways, without knowing it as aforementioned?
32
D: It was stated that Brahman is
manifest as the Self in the form 'I-I', in the heart. To facilitate an
understanding of this statement, can it be still further explained?
M: Is it not within the experience of
all that during deep sleep, swoon, etc., there is no knowledge whatsoever, i.e.
neither self-knowledge nor other-knowledge? Afterwards, when there is
experience of the form "I have woken up from sleep" or "I have
recovered from swoon" - is that not a mode of specific knowledge that has
arisen from the aforementioned distinctionless state? This specific knowledge
is called vijnana. This vijnana becomes manifest only as pertaining to either
the Self or the not-self, and not by itself. When it pertains to the Self, it
is called true knowledge, knowledge in the form of that mental mode whose
object is the Self, or knowledge which has for its
content the impartite (Self); and when it relates to the not-self, it is called
ignorance. The state of this vijnana, when it pertains to the Self and is
manifest as of the form of the Self, is said to be the 'I'-manifestation.
This manifestation cannot take place as apart from the Real (i.e. the Self). It
is this manifestation that serves as the mark for the direct experience of the
Real. Yet, this by itself cannot constitute the state of being the Real. That,
depending on which this manifestation takes place is the basic reality which is
also called prajnana. The Vedantic text "prajnanam brahma" teaches
the same truth.
Know this as the purport of
the scripture also. The Self which is self-luminous and the witness of
everything manifests itself as residing in the vijnanakosa
(sheath of the intellect). By the mental mode which is impartite, seize this
Self as your goal and enjoy it as the Self.
33
D: What is that which is called the
inner worship or worship of the attributeless?
M: In texts such as the Ribhu-gita,
the worship of the attributeless has been elaborately explained (as a separate
discipline). Yet, all disciplines such as sacrifice, charity, austerity,
observance of vows, japa, yoga, and puja, are, in effect, modes of meditation
of the form 'I am Brahman'. So, in all the modes of disciplines, one should see
to it that one does not stray away from the thought 'I am Brahman'. This is the
purport of the worship of the attributeless.
34
D: What are the eight limbs of
knowledge (jnana-ashtanga)?
M: The eight limbs are those which
have been already mentioned, viz., yama, niyama, etc. but differently
defined.
Of these -
(1) Yama:-This is
controlling the aggregate of sense-organs, realizing the defects that are
present in the world consisting of the body, etc.
(2) Niyama:- This is
maintaining a stream of mental modes that relate to the Self and rejecting the
contrary modes. In other words, it means love that arises uninterruptedly for
the supreme Self.
(3) Asana:- That with the
help of which constant meditation on Brahman is made possible with ease is
asana.
(4) Pranayama:-
Rechaka (exhalation) is removing the two unreal aspects of name and form from
the objects constituting the world, the body etc., puraka (inhalation) is grasping
the three real aspects, existence, consciousness and bliss, which are constant
in those objects, and kumbhaka is retaining those aspects thus grasped.
(5) Pratyahara:- This is
preventing name and form which have been removed from re-entering the mind.
(6) Dharana:- This is making
the mind stay in the heart, without straying outward, and realizing that one is
the Self itself which is existence-consciousness-bliss.
(7) Dhyana:- This is
meditation of the form 'I am only pure consciousness'. That is, after leaving
aside the body which consists of five sheaths, one enquires 'Who am I'?, and as a result of that, one stays as 'I' which shines
as the Self.
(8) Samadhi:- When the
'I'-manifestation also ceases, there is (subtle) direct experience. This is samadhi.
For the pranayama, etc.,
detailed here, the disciplines such as asana, etc., mentioned in connection
with yoga, are not necessary. The limbs of knowledge may be practised at all
places and at all times. Of yoga and knowledge, one may follow whichever is
pleasing to one, or both, according to circumstances. The great teachers say
that forgetfulness is the root of all evil, and is death for those who seek
release*; so one should rest the mind in one's Self and should never forget the
Self : this is the aim. If the mind is controlled, all
else can be controlled. The distinction between yoga with eight limbs and
knowledge with eight limbs has been set forth elaborately in the sacred texts;
so only the substance of this teaching has been given here.
* Death or Kala is the
giving up on this earth of the contemplation of the Self which should never be
given up even the least bit. - Vivekachudamani.
35
D: Is it possible to practise at the
same time the pranayama belonging to yoga and the pranayama pertaining to
knowledge?
M: So long as the mind has not been
made to rest in the heart, either through absolute retention (kevala-kumbhaka)
or through enquiry, rechaka, puraka, etc., are needed. Hence, the pranayama of
yoga is to be practised during training, and the other pranayama may be
practised always. Thus, both may be practised. It is enough if the yogic
pranayama is practised till skill is gained in absolute retention.
36
D: Why should the path to release be differently taught? Will it not create confusion in the
minds of aspirants?
M: Several paths are taught in the
Vedas to suit the different grades of qualified aspirants. Yet, since release
is but the destruction of mind, all efforts have for their aim the control of
mind. Although the modes of meditation may appear to be different from one
another, in the end all of them become one. There is no need to doubt this. One
may adopt that path which suits the maturity of one's mind.
The control of prana which
is yoga, and the control of mind which is jnana* - these are the two principal
means for the destruction of mind. To some, the former may appear easy, and to
others the latter. Yet, jnana is like subduing a turbulent bull by coaxing it
with green grass, while yoga is like controlling through the use of force. Thus
the wise ones say: of the three grades of qualified aspirants, the highest
reach the goal by making the mind firm in the Self through determining the
nature of the real by Vedantic enquiry and by looking upon one's self and all
things as of the nature of the real; the mediocre by making the mind stay in
the heart through kevala-kumbhaka and meditating for a long time on the real,
and the lowest grade, by gaining that state in a gradual manner through
breath-control, etc.
The mind should be made to
rest in the heart till the destruction of the 'I'-thought which is of the form
of ignorance, residing in the heart. This itself is
jnana; this alone is dhyana also. The rest are a mere digression of words,
digression of the texts. Thus the scriptures proclaim. Therefore, if one gains
the skill of retaining the mind in one's Self through some means or other, one
need not worry about other matters.
The great teachers also
have taught that the devotee is greater than the yogins** and that the means to
release is devotion, which is of the nature of reflection on one's own Self***.
Thus, it is the path of
realizing Brahman that is variously called Dahara-vidya, Brahma-vidya,
Atma-vidya, etc. What more can be said than this? One should understand the
rest by inference.
The Scriptures teach in
different modes. After analysing all those modes the great ones declare this to
be the shortest and the best means.
* Seeing everything as
Real according to the Scripture: I am Brahman -one only without a second.
** Of all Yogins, only he who rests his unwavering mind and love in me is dear
to
*** Of the means to release only bhakti (devotion) may be said to be the
highest. For, bhakti is constant reflection on one's own Self.-
Vivekachudamani.
37
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.
* Though the obstacles
which cause the bondage of birth may be many, the root-cause for all such
changes is ahankara. This root-cause must be destroyed for ever.- Vivekachudamani.
38
D: If the jiva is by nature identical
with the Self, what is it that prevents the jiva from realizing its true
nature?
M: It is forgetfulness of the jiva's
true nature; this is known as the power of veiling.
39
D: If it is true that the jiva has
forgotten itself, how does the 'I'-experience arise for all?
M: The veil does not completely hide
the jiva*; it only hides the Self-nature of 'I' and projects the 'I am the
body' notion; but it does not hide the Self's existence which is 'I', and which
is real and eternal.
* Ignorance cannot hide
the basic 'I', but it hides the specific truth that the jiva is the Supreme
(Self).
40
D: What are the characteristics of the
jivan-mukta (the liberated in life) and the videha-mukta (the liberated at
death)?
M: 'I am not the body; I am Brahman
which is manifest as the Self. In me who am the plenary Reality*, the world
consisting of bodies etc., are mere appearance, like the blue of the sky'. He
who has realized the truth thus is a jivan-mukta. Yet so long as his mind has
not been resolved, there may arise some misery for him because of relation to
objects on account of prarabdha (karma which has begun to fructify and whose
result is the present body), and as the movement of mind has not ceased there
will not be also the experience of bliss. The experience of Self
is possible only for the mind that has become subtle and unmoving as a result
of prolonged meditation. He who is thus endowed with a mind that has become
subtle, and who has the experience of the Self is called a jivan-mukta. It is
the state of jivan-mukti that is referred to as the attributeless Brahman and
as the Turiya. When even the subtle mind gets resolved, and experience of self
ceases, and when one is immersed in the ocean of bliss and has become one with
it without any differentiated existence, one is called a videha-mukta. It is
the state of videha-mukti that is referred to as the transcendent attributeless
Brahman and as the transcendent Turiya. This is the final goal. Because of the
grades in misery and happiness, the released ones, the jivan-muktas and
videha-muktas, may be spoken of as belonging to four categories - Brahmavid, -
vara--variyan, and varishtha. But these distinctions are from the standpoint of
the others who look at them; in reality, however, there are no distinctions in
release gained through jnana.
* If there is prolonged
meditation that the worlds are an appearance in me who am the plenary Reality,
where can ignorance stand?
OBEISANCE
May the Feet of Ramana, the Master, who is the
great Shiva Himself and is also in human form, flourish for ever!
Spiritual Instruction
Of
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Eighth Edition 1974
A Revised Translation
Published by
V. S. RAMANAN
President, Board of Trustees
SRI RAMANASRAMAM
TIRUVANNAMALAI (
Foreword to the Original Tamil
Edition
The Tamil-speaking world
knows the life-history and the spiritual instructions of Bhagavan Sri Ramana
Maharshi well through the books which have already come out. He shines in the
resplendent Arunachala Hill (Tiruvannamalai) as the sun of knowledge which
destroys the sorrows of those who worship him. In this book named Upadesa
Manjari (bouquet of spiritual instructions) Sri Natanananda, a true devotee of
his, who serves and praises him by laying at his lotus feet many garlands of
songs, has brought out Bhagavan's words heard by him at different times. They
consist of questions and answers comprising four chapters entitled upadesa
(instruction), abhyasa (practice), anubhava (experience) and arudha
(attainment). I humbly request devotees to accept this small book which offers
wholesome food for the spirit.
Viswanathan
Sri Ramanasramam
Contents
Foreword
Invocation
Importance of the Work
Chapter
I Instruction(Upadesa)
II. Practice(Abhyasa)
III. Experience(Anubhava)
IV. Attainment(Arudha)
Invocation
I seek refuge at the sacred
feet of the blessed Ramana, who performs the entire work of creation,
preservation and destruction, while remaining wholly unattached, and who makes
us aware of what is real and thus protects us, that I may set down his words
fittingly.
Importance of the Work
Worshipping with the
instruments (of thought, word and body) the sacred lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri
Ramana Maharshi, the very embodiment of the beginningless infinite supreme
Brahman, the Satchitananda (existence, consciousness, bliss), I have gathered
this bouquet of the flowers of his instructions (upadesamanjari) for the
benefit of those who are foremost among the seekers of Liberation and who are
adored by learned persons, in order that they might adorn themselves with it
and attain salvation.
This book is an epitome of
the immortal words of that great soul, Sri Ramana Maharshi, whose teachings
entirely dispelled the doubts and wrong notions of this humble person even as
the sun dispels darkness.
The subject of this book is
that eternal Brahman which shines as the pinnacle and heart of all the Vedas
and Agamas.
That incomparable
Self-realization (atmasiddhi) which is praised by all the Upanisads and which
is the supreme good to be sought by all noble aspirants (brahmavids) is the
theme of this work.
Chapter 1
Instruction (Upadesa)
1. What are the marks of
a real teacher (Sadguru)?
Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye, unshakeable
courage at all times, in all places and circumstances, etc.
2. What are the marks of
an earnest disciple (sadsisya)?
An intense longing for the removal of sorrow and attainment
of joy and an intense aversion for all kinds of mundane pleasure.
3. What are the
characteristics of instruction (upadesa)?
The word 'upadesa' means : 'near the place or seat'
(upa - near, desa - place or seat). The Guru who is the embodiment of that
which is indicated by the terms sat, chit, and ananda (existence, consciousness
and bliss), prevents the disciple who, on account of his acceptance of the
forms of the objects of the senses, has swerved from his true state and is
consequently distressed and buffeted by joys and sorrows, from continuing so
and establishes him in his own real nature without differentiation.
Upadesa also means showing
a distant object quite near. It is brought home to the disciple that the
Brahman which he believes to be distant and different from himself
is near and not different from himself.
4. If it be true that
the Guru is one's own Self (atman), what is the principle underlying the
doctrine which says that, however learned a disciple may be or whatever occult
powers he may possess, he cannot attain self-realization (atma-siddhi) without
the grace of the Guru?
Although in absolute truth the state of the Guru is that of oneself it is very
hard for the Self which has become the individual soul (jiva) through ignorance
to realize its true state or nature without the grace of the Guru.
All mental concepts are
controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he were to say to one who
arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning
or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well-nigh
impossible, "Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you learnt
(to know) yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are
almost impossible, have you seen yourself?", they
will bow their heads (in shame) and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only
by the grace of the Guru and by no other accomplishment is it possible to know
oneself.
5. What are the marks of
the Guru's grace?
It is beyond words or thoughts.
6. If that is so, how is
it that it is said that the disciple realizes his true state by the Guru's
grace?
It is like the elephant which wakes up on seeing a lion in its dream. Even as
the elephant wakes up at the mere sight of the lion, so too is it certain that
the disciple wakes up from the sleep of ignorance into the wakefulness of true
knowledge through the Guru's benevolent look of grace.
7. What is the
significance of the saying that the nature of the real Guru is that of the
Supreme Lord (Sarvesvara)?
In the case of the individual soul which desires to attain the state of true
knowledge or the state of Godhood (Isvara) and with that object always
practises devotion, when the individual's devotion has reached a mature stage,
the Lord who is the witness of that individual soul and identical with it,
comes forth in human form with the help of sat-chit-ananda, His three natural
features, and form and name which he also graciously assumes, and in the guise
of blessing the disciple, absorbs him in Himself. According to this doctrine
the Guru can truly be called the Lord.
8. How then did some
great persons attain knowledge without a Guru?
To a few mature persons the Lord shines as the light of knowledge and imparts
awareness of the truth.
9. What is the end of devotion (bhakti) and the path of Siddhanta
(i.e., Saiva Siddhanta)?
It is to learn the truth that all one's actions performed with unselfish
devotion, with the aid of the three purified instruments (body, speech and
mind), in the capacity of the servant of the Lord, become the Lord's actions,
and to stand forth free from the sense of 'I' and 'mine'. This is also the
truth of what the Saiva-Siddhantins call para-bhakti (supreme devotion) or
living in the service of God (irai-pani-nittral).
10. What is the end of
the path of knowledge (jnana) or Vedanta?
It is to know the truth that the 'I' is not different from the Lord (Isvara)
and to be free from the feeling of being the doer (kartrtva, ahamkara).
11. How can it be said
that the end of both these paths is the same?
Whatever the means, the destruction of the sense 'I' and 'mine' is the goal,
and as these are interdependent, the destruction of either of them causes the
destruction of the other; therefore in order to achieve that state of Silence
which is beyond thought and word, either the path of knowledge which removes
the sense of 'I' or the path of devotion which removes the sense of 'mine',
will suffice. So there is no doubt that the end of the paths of devotion and
knowledge is one and the same.
NOTE: So long as the 'I'
exists it is necessary to accept the Lord also. If any one wishes to regain
easily the supreme state of identity (sayujya) now lost to him, it is only
proper that he should accept this conclusion.
12. What is the mark of
the ego?
The individual soul of the form of 'I' is the ego The Self which is of the
nature of intelligence (chit) has no sense of 'I'. Nor does the insentient body
possess a sense of 'I'. The mysterious appearance of a delusive ego between the
intelligent and the insentient, being the root cause of all these troubles,
upon its destruction by whatever means, that which
really exists will be seen as it is. This is called Liberation (moksha).
Chapter II
Practice (Abhyasa)
1. What is the method of practice?
As the Self of a person who tries to attain Self-realization is not different
from him and as there is nothing other than or superior to him to be attained
by him, Self-realization being only the realization of one's own nature, the
seeker of Liberation realizes, without doubts or misconceptions, his real
nature by distinguishing the eternal from the transient, and never swerves from
his natural state. This is known as the practice of knowledge. This is the
enquiry leading to Self-realization.
2. Can this path of
enquiry be followed by all aspirants?
This is suitable only for the ripe souls. The rest should follow different
methods according to the state of their minds.
3. What are the other
methods?
They are (i) stuti, (ii) japa, (iii) dhyana, (iv) yoga,(v) jnana, etc.
(i) stuti
is singing the praises of the Lord with a great feeling of devotion.
(ii) japa
is uttering the names of the gods or sacred mantras like
(iii) dhyana
denotes the repetition of the names, etc., mentally (japa) with feelings of
devotion. In this method the state of the mind will be understood easily. For
the mind does not become concentrated and diffused simultaneously. When one is
in dhyana it does not contact the objects of the senses, and when it is in
contact with the objects it is not in dhyana. Therefore those who are in this
state can observe the vagaries of the mind then and there and by stopping the
mind from thinking other thoughts, fix it in dhyana. Perfection in dhyana is
the state of abiding in the Self (lit., abiding in the form of 'that'
tadakaranilai) .
As meditation functions in an exceedingly subtle manner at the source of the
mind it is not difficult to perceive its rise and subsidence.
(iv) yoga:
The source of the breath is the same as that of the mind; therefore the subsidence
of either leads effortlessly to that of the other. The practice of stilling the
mind through breath control (pranayama) is called yoga. Fixing their minds on
psychic centres such as the sahasrara (lit. the thousand-petalled lotus) yogis
remain any length of time without awareness of their bodies. As long as this
state continues they appear to be immersed in some kind of joy. But when the
mind which has become tranquil emerges (becomes active again) it resumes its
worldly thoughts. It is therefore necessary to train it with the help of
practices like dhyana, whenever it becomes externalised. It will then attain a
state in which there is neither subsidence nor emergence.
(v) jnana
is the annihilation of the mind in which it is made to assume the form of the
Self through the constant practice of dhyana or enquiry (vichara). The
extinction of the mind is the state in which there is a cessation of all
efforts. Those who are established in this state never swerve from their true
state. The terms 'silence' (mouna) and inaction refer to this state alone.
NOTE: (1) All practices are followed only with the object of
concentrating the mind. As all the mental activities like remembering,
forgetting, desiring, hating, attracting, discarding, etc., are modifications
of the mind, they cannot be one's true state. Simple, changeless being is one's
true nature. Therefore to know the truth of one's being and to be it, is known as release from bondage and the destruction of
the knot (granthi nasam). Until this state of tranquillity of mind is firmly
attained, the practice of unswerving abidance in the Self and keeping the mind
unsoiled by various thoughts, is essential for an
aspirant.
(2) Although the
practices for achieving strength of mind are numerous, all of them achieve the
same end. For it can be seen that whoever concentrates his mind on any object,
will, on the cessation of all mental concepts, ultimately remain merely as that
object. This is called successful meditation (dhyana siddhi). Those who follow
the path of enquiry realize that the mind which remains at the end of the
enquiry is Brahman. Those who practise meditation realize that the mind which
remains at the end of the meditation is the object of their meditation. As the
result is the same in either case it is the duty of aspirants to practise
continuously either of these methods till the goal is reached.
4. Is the state of
'being still' a state involving effort or effortless?
It is not an effortless state of indolence. All mundane activities which are
ordinarily called effort are performed with the aid of a portion of the mind
and with frequent breaks. But the act of communion with the Self (atma
vyavahara) or remaining still inwardly is intense activity which is performed
with the entire mind and without break.
Maya (delusion or
ignorance) which cannot be destroyed by any other act is completely destroyed
by this intense activity which is called 'silence' (mouna).
5. What is the nature of
maya?
Maya is that which makes us regard as non-existent the Self, the Reality, which
is always and everywhere present, all-pervasive and self-luminous, and as
existent the individual soul (jiva), the world (jagat), and God (para) which
have been conclusively proved to be non-existent at all times and places.
6. As the Self shines
fully of its own accord why is it not generally
recognised like the other objects of the world by all persons?
Wherever particular objects are known it is the Self which has known itself in
the form of those objects. For what is known as knowledge or
awareness is only the patency of the Self (atma sakti). The Self is the
only sentient object. There is nothing apart from the Self. If there are such
objects they are all insentient and therefore cannot either know themselves or
mutually know one another. It is because the Self does not know its true nature
in this manner that it seems to be immersed and struggling in the ocean of
birth (and death) in the form of the individual soul.
7. Although the Lord is
all-pervasive it appears, from passages like "adorning him through His
Grace", that He can be known only through His grace. How then can the
individual soul by its own efforts attain self-realization in he absence of the Lord's Grace?
As the Lord denotes the Self and as Grace means the Lord's presence or
revelation, there is no time when the Lord remains unknown. If the light of the
sun is invisible to the owl it is only the fault of that bird and not of the
sun. Similarly can the unawareness by ignorant persons of the Self which is
always of the nature of awareness be other than their own fault? How can it be
the fault of the Self? It is because Grace is of the very nature of the Lord
that He is well-known as 'the blessed Grace'. Therefore the
Lord, whose nature itself is Grace, does not have to bestow His Grace. Nor is there any particular time for bestowing His Grace.
8. What part of the body
is the abode of the Self?
The heart on the right side of the chest is generally indicated. This is
because we usually point to the right side of the chest when we refer to
ourselves. Some say that the sahasrara (the thousand-petalled lotus) is the
abode of the Self. But if that were true the head should not fall forward when
we go to sleep or faint.
9. What is the nature of
the heart?
The sacred texts describing it say:
Between the two nipples, below the chest and above the abdomen, there are six
organs of different colours*. One of them resembling the bud of a water lily
and situated two digits to the right is the heart. It is inverted and within it
is a tiny orifice which is the seat of dense darkness (ignorance) full of
desires. All the psychic nerves (nadis) depend upon it. It is the abode of the
vital forces, the mind and the light (of consciousness). (See
Appendix to Reality in Forty Verses 18 -19).
But, although it is
described thus, the meaning of the word heart (hrdayam) is the Self (atman). As
it is denoted by the terms existence, consciousness, bliss, eternal and plenum
(sat, chit, anandam, nityam, purnam) it has no differences such as exterior and
interior or up and down. That tranquil state in which all thoughts come to an
end is called the state of the Self. When it is realized as it is, there is no
scope for discussions about its location inside the body or outside.
* These are not the same
as the Chakras.
10. 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.
11. How do the triple
factors (i.e., knower, known and knowledge), which are absent in deep sleep,
samadhi, etc., manifest themselves in the Self (in the states of waking and
dreaming)?
From the Self there arise in succession
(i) Chidabhasa (reflected consciousness) which is a kind of luminosity.
(ii) Jiva (the individual consciousness) or the seer or the first concept.
(iii) Phenomena, that is the world.
12. Since the Self is
free from the notions of knowledge and ignorance how can it be said to pervade
the entire body in the shape of sentience or to impart sentience to the senses?
Wise men say that there is a connection between the source of the various
psychic nerves and the Self, that this is the knot of the heart, that the
connection between the sentient and the insentient will exist until this is cut
asunder with the aid of true knowledge, that just as the subtle and invisible
force of electricity travels through wires and does many wonderful things, so
the force of the Self also travels through the psychic nerves and, pervading
the entire body, imparts sentience to the senses, and that if this knot is cut
the Self will remain as it always is, without any attributes.
13. How can there be a
connection between the Self which is pure knowledge and the triple factors
which are relative knowledge?
This is, in a way, like the working of a cinema as shown below:-
|
CINEMA SHOW |
SELF |
|
1/ The
lamp inside (the apparatus) |
1/ The Self |
|
2/ The
lens in front of the lamp |
2/ The
pure (sattvic) mind close to the Self. |
|
3/ The
film which is a long series of (separate photos). |
3/ The
stream of latent tendencies consisting of subtle thoughts. |
|
4/ The
lens, the light passing through it and the lamp, which together form the
focused light. |
4/ The
mind, the illumination of it and the Self, which together form the seer or
the Jiva. |
|
5/ The
light passing through the lens and falling on the screen. |
5/ The
light of the Self emerging from the mind through the senses, and falling on
the world. |
|
6/ The
various kinds of pictures appearing in the light of the screen. |
6/ The
various forms and names appearing as the objects perceived in the light of
the world. |
|
7/ The
mechanism which sets the film in motion. |
7/ The
divine law manifesting the latent tendencies of the mind. |
Just as the pictures appear on the screen as long as the film throws the
shadows through the lens, so the phenomenal world will continue to appear to
the individual in the waking and dream states as long as there are latent
mental impressions. Just as the lens magnifies the tiny specks on the film to a
huge size and as a number of pictures are shown in a second, so the mind
enlarges the sprout-like tendencies into tree-like thoughts and shows in a
second innumerable worlds. Again, just as there is only the light of the lamp
visible when there is no film, so the Self alone shines without the triple
factors when the mental concepts in the form of tendencies are absent in the
states of deep sleep, swoon and samadhi. Just as the lamp illumines the lens,
etc., while remaining unaffected, the Self illumines the ego (chidabhasa),
etc., while remaining unaffected.
14. What is dhyana
(meditation)?
It is abiding as one's Self without swerving in any way from one's real nature
and without feeling that one is meditating. As one is not in the least
conscious of the different states (waking, dreaming, etc.) in this condition,
the sleep (noticeable) here is also regarded as dhyana.
15. What is the
difference between dhyana and samadhi?
Dhyana is achieved through deliberate mental effort; in samadhi there is no
such effort.
16. What are the factors
to be kept in view in dhyana ?
It is important for one who is established in his Self (atma nista) to see that
he does not swerve in the least from this absorption. By swerving from his true
nature he may see before him bright effulgences, etc., or hear (unusual) sounds
or regard as real the visions of gods appearing within or outside himself. He
should not be deceived by these and forget himself.
NOTE: (i) If the moments that are wasted in thinking of the objects
which are not the Self, are spent on enquiry into the Self, self-realization
will be attained in a very short time.
(ii) Until the mind becomes established in itself some kind of bhavana
(contemplation of a personified god or goddess with deep emotion and religious
feeling) is essential. Otherwise the mind will be frequently assailed by
wayward thoughts or sleep.
(iii) Without spending all the time in practising bhavanas like 'I am Siva' or
'I am Brahman', which are regarded as nirgunopasana (contemplation of the
attributeless Brahman), the method of enquiry into oneself should be practised
as soon as the mental strength which is the result of such upasana
(contemplation) is attained.
(iv) The excellence of the practice (sadhana) lies in
not giving room for even a single mental concept (vritti)
17. What are the rules
of conduct which an aspirant (sadhaka) should follow?
Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in
speech.
18. 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.
19. What is the meaning
of dwelling in solitude (ekanta vasa)?
As the Self is all-pervasive it has no particular place for solitude. The state
of being free from mental concepts is called 'dwelling in solitude'.
20. What is the sign of
wisdom (viveka)?
Its beauty lies in remaining free from delusion after realising the truth once.
There is fear only for one who sees at least a slight difference in the Supreme
Brahman. So long as there is the idea that the body is the Self one cannot be a
realizer of truth whoever he might be.
21. If everything
happens according to karma (prarabdha: the result of one's acts in the past)
how is one to overcome the obstacles to meditation (dhyana)?
Prarabdha concerns only the out-turned, not the in-turned mind. One who seeks
his real Self will not be afraid of any obstacle.
22. Is asceticism
(sanyasa) one of the essential requisites for a person to become established in
the Self (atma nista)?
The effort that is made to get rid of attachment to one's body is really
towards abiding in the Self. Maturity of thought and enquiry alone removes
attachment to the body, not the stations of life (asramas), such as student
(brahmachari), etc. For the attachment is in the mind while
the stations pertain to the body. How can bodily stations remove the
attachment in the mind? As maturity of thought and enquiry pertain to the mind
these alone can, by enquiry on the part of the same mind, remove the
attachments which have crept into it through thoughtlessness. But, as the
discipline of asceticism (sanyasasrama) is the means for attaining dispassion
(vairagya), and as dispassion is the means for enquiry, joining an order of
ascetics may be regarded, in a way, as a means of enquiry through dispassion. Instead
of wasting one's life by entering the order of ascetics before one is fit for
it, it is better to live the householder's life. In order to fix the mind in
the Self which is its true nature it is necessary to separate it from the
family of fancies (samkalpas) and doubts (vikalpas), that is to renounce the
family (samsara) in the mind. This is the real asceticism.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. How can cessation of
activity (nivritti) and peace of mind be attained in the midst of household
duties which are of the nature of constant activity?
As the activities of the wise man exist only in the eyes of others and not in
his own, although he may be accomplishing immense tasks, he really does
nothing. Therefore his activities do not stand in the way of inaction and peace
of mind. For he knows the truth that all activities take
place in his mere presence and that he does nothing. Hence he will
remain as the silent witness of all the activities taking place.
26. Just as the Sage's
past karma is the cause of his present activities will not the impressions
(vasanas) caused by his present activities adhere to him in future?
Only one who is free from all the latent tendencies (vasanas) is a Sage. That
being so how can the tendencies of karma affect him who is entirely unattached
to activity?
27. What is the meaning
of brahmacharya?
Only enquiry into Brahman should be called brahmacharya.
28. Will the practice of
brahmacharya which is followed in conformity with the (four) orders of life
(asramas) be a means of knowledge?
As the various means of knowledge, such as control of senses, etc., are
included in brahmacharya the virtuous practices duly followed by those who
belong to the order of students (brahmacharins) are very helpful for their
improvement.
29. Can one enter the
order of ascetics (sanyasa) directly from the order of students (brahmacharya)?
Those who are competent need not formally enter the orders of brahmacharya,
etc., in the order laid down. One who has realized his Self does not
distinguish between the various orders of life. Therefore no order of life
either helps or hinders him.
30. Does an aspirant
(sadhaka) lose anything by not observing the rules of caste and orders of life?
As the attainment (anusthana, lit. practice) of knowledge is the supreme end of
all other practices, there is no rule that one who remains in any one order of
life and constantly acquires knowledge is bound to follow the rules laid down
for that order of life. If he follows the rules of caste and orders of life he
does so for the good of the world. He does not derive any benefit by observing
the rules. Nor does he lose anything by not observing them.
CHAPTER III
EXPERIENCE (Anubhava)
1. What is the light of consciousness?
It is the self-luminous existence-consciousness which reveals to the seer the
world of names and forms both inside and outside. The existence of this
existence-consciousness can be inferred by the objects illuminated by it. It
does not become the object of consciousness.
2. What is knowledge
(vijnana)?
It is that tranquil state of existence-consciousness which is experienced by
the aspirant and which is like the waveless ocean or the motionless ether.
3. What is bliss?
It is the experience of joy (or peace) in the state of vijnana free of all
activities and similar to deep sleep. This is also called the state of kevala
nirvikalpa (remaining without concepts).
4. What is the state
beyond bliss?
It is the state of unceasing peace of mind which is found in the state of
absolute quiescence, jagrat-sushupti (lit. sleep with awareness) which
resembles inactive deep sleep. In this state, in spite of the activity of the
body and the senses, there is no external awareness, like a child immersed in
sleep* (who is not conscious of the food given to him by his mother). A yogi
who is in this state is inactive even while engaged in activity. This is also
called sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi (natural state of absorption in oneself
without concepts).
* The acts of sleeping
children like eating and drinking are acts only in the eyes of others and not in their own. They do not therefore really do those acts
in spite of their appearing to do them.
5. What is the authority
for saying that the entire moving and unmoving worlds depend upon oneself?
The Self means the embodied being. It is only after the energy, which was
latent in the state of deep sleep, emerges with the idea of 'I' that all
objects are experienced. The Self is present in all perceptions as the
perceiver. There are no objects to be seen when the 'I' is absent. For all
these reasons it may undoubtedly be said that everything comes out of the Self
and goes back to the Self.
6. As the bodies and the
selves animating them are everywhere actually observed to be innumerable how
can it be said that the Self is only one?
If the idea 'I am the body' is accepted*, the selves are multiple. The state in
which this idea vanishes is the Self since in that state there are no other
objects. It is for this reason that the Self is regarded as one only.
* The idea that one is
one's body is what is called hrdaya-granthi (knot of the heart). Of the various
knots this knot, which binds together what is conscious with what is
insentient, is what causes bondage.
7. What is the authority
for saying that Brahman can be apprehended by the mind and at the same time
that it cannot be apprehended by the mind?
It cannot be apprehended by the impure mind but can be apprehended by the pure
mind.
8. What is pure mind and
what is impure mind?
When the indefinable power of Brahman separates itself from Brahman and, in
union with the reflection of consciousness (chidabhasa) assumes various forms,
it is called the impure mind. When it becomes free from the reflection of
consciousness (abhasa), through discrimination, it is called the pure mind. Its
state of union with the Brahman is its apprehension of Brahman. The energy
which is accompanied by the reflection of consciousness is called the impure
mind and its state of separation from Brahman is its non-apprehension of
Brahman.
9. Is it possible to overcome,
even while the body exists, the karma (prarabdha) which is said to last till
the end of the body?
Yes. If the agent (doer) upon whom the karma depends, namely the ego, which has
come into existence between the body and the Self, merges in its source and
loses its form, will the karma which depends upon it alone survive? Therefore
when there is no 'I' there is no karma.
10. As the Self is
existence and consciousness, what is the reason for describing it as different
from the existent and the non-existent, the sentient and the insentient?
Although the Self is real, as it comprises everything, it does not give room
for questions involving duality about its reality or unreality. Therefore it is
said to be different from the real and the unreal. Similarly, even though it is
consciousness, since there is nothing for it to know or to make itself known to, it is said to be different from the
sentient and the insentient.
CHAPTER IV
ATTAINMENT (Arudha)
1. What is the state of attainment of knowledge?
It is firm and effortless abidance in the Self in which the mind which has
become one with the Self does not subsequently emerge again at any time. That
is, just as everyone usually and naturally has the idea, 'I am not a goat nor a
cow nor any other animal but a man', when he thinks of his body, so also when
he has the idea 'I am not the principles (tatwas) beginning with the body and
ending with sound (nada), but the Self which is existence, consciousness and
bliss', the innate self-consciousness (atmaprajna), he is said to have attained
firm knowledge.
2. To which of the seven
stages of knowledge (jnana-bhoomikas)1 does the sage
(jnani) belong?
He belongs to the fourth stage.
3. If that is so why
have three more stages superior to it been distinguished?
The marks of the stages
1 The seven jnana
bhoomikas are:-
1. subheccha (the desire for enlightenment).
2. vicharana (enquiry).
3. tanumanasa (tenuous mind).
4. satwapatti (self-realization).
5. asamsakti (non-attachment).
6. padarthabhavana (non-perception of objects).
7. turyaga (transcendence).
Those who have attained the last four bhoomikas are called brahmavit,
brahmavidvara, brahmavidvariya and brahmavid varistha
respectively.
4. As liberation is
common to all, why is the varistha (lit. the most excellent) alone praised
excessively?
So far as the varistha's common experience of bliss is concerned he is extolled
only because of the special merit acquired by him in his previous births which
is the cause of it.
5. As there is no one
who does not desire to experience constant bliss what is the reason why all
sages (jnanis) do not attain the state of varistha?
It is not to be attained by mere desire or effort. Karma (prarabdha) is its
cause. As the ego dies along with its cause even in the fourth stage
(bhoomika), what agent is there beyond that stage to desire anything or to make
efforts? So long as they make efforts they will not be sages (jnanis) . Do the sacred texts (srutis) which specially mention the
varistha say that the other three are unenlightened persons?
6. As some sacred texts
say that the supreme state is that in which the sense organs and the mind are
completely destroyed, how can that state be compatible with the experience of
the body and the senses?
If that were so there would not be any difference between that state and the
state of deep sleep. Further how can it be said to be the natural state when it
exists at one time and not at another? This happens, as stated before, to some
persons according to their karma (prarabdha) for some time or till death. It
cannot properly be regarded as the final state. If it could it would mean that
all great souls and the Lord, who were the authors of the Vedantic works (jnana
granthas) and the Vedas, were unenlightened persons. If the supreme state is
that in which neither the senses nor the mind exist and not the state in which
they exist, how can it be the perfect state (paripurnam)? As karma alone is
responsible for the activity or inactivity of the sages, great souls have
declared the state of sahaja nirvikalpa (the natural state without concepts)
alone to be the ultimate state.
7. What is the
difference between ordinary sleep and waking sleep (jagrat sushupti)?
In ordinary sleep there are not only no thoughts but also no awareness. In
waking sleep there is awareness alone. That is why it is called awake while
sleeping, that is the sleep in which there is awareness.
8. Why is the Self
described both as the fourth state (turiya) and beyond the fourth state
(turiyatita)?
Turiya means that which is the fourth. The experiencers (jivas) of the three
states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep, known as visva, taijasa and prajna,
who wander successively in these three states, are not the Self. It is with the
object of making this clear, namely that the Self is that which is different
from them and which is the witness of these states, that it is called the
fourth (turiya). When this is known the three experiencers disappear and the
idea that the Self is a witness, that it is the fourth, also disappears. That
is why the Self is described as beyond the fourth (turiyatita).
9. What is the benefit
derived by the sage from the sacred books (Srutis)?
The sage who is the embodiment of the truths mentioned in the scriptures has no
use for them.
10. Is there any
connection between the attainment of supernatural powers (siddhis) and
Liberation (mukti)?
Enlightened enquiry alone leads to Liberation. Supernatural powers are all illusory
appearances created by the power of maya (mayashakti). Self-realization which
is permanent is the only true accomplishment (siddhi). Accomplishments which
appear and disappear, being the effect of maya, cannot be real. They are
accomplished with the object of enjoying fame, pleasures, etc. They come
unsought to some persons through their karma. Know that union with Brahman is
the real aim of all accomplishments. This is also the state of Liberation
(aikya mukti) known as union (sayujya).
11. If this is the
nature of Liberation (moksha) why do some scriptures connect it with the body
and say that the individual soul can attain Liberation only when it does not
leave the body?
It is only if bondage is real that Liberation and the nature of its experiences
have to be considered. So far as the Self (Purusha) is concerned it has really
no bondage in any of the four states. As bondage is merely a verbal assumption
according to the emphatic proclamation of the Vedanta system, how can the
question of Liberation, which depends upon the question of bondage, arise when
there is no bondage? Without knowing this truth, to enquire into the nature of
bondage and Liberation, is like enquiring into the non-existent height, colour,
etc., of a barren woman's son or the horns of a hare.
12. If that is so, do
not the descriptions of bondage and release found in the scriptures become
irrelevant and untrue?
No, they do not. On the contrary, the delusion of bondage fabricated by
ignorance from time immemorial can be removed only by knowledge, and for this
purpose the term 'Liberation' (mukti) has been usually accepted. That is all.
The fact that the characteristics of Liberation are described in different ways
proves that they are imaginary.
13. If that is so, are
not all efforts such as study (lit. hearing) reflection, etc., useless?
No, they are not. The firm conviction that there is neither bondage nor
liberation is the supreme purpose of all efforts. As this purpose of seeing
boldly, through direct experience, that bondage and liberation do not exist,
cannot be achieved except with the aid of the aforesaid practices, these
efforts are useful.
14. Is there any
authority for saying that there is neither bondage nor Liberation?
This is decided on the strength of experience and not merely on the strength of
the scriptures.
15. If it is experienced
how is it experienced?
'Bondage' and 'Liberation' are mere linguistic terms. They have no reality of
their own. Therefore they cannot function of their own accord. It is necessary
to accept the existence of some basic thing of which they are the
modifications. If one enquires, 'for whom is there bondage and Liberation?' it
will be seen, 'they are for me'. If one enquires, 'who am I?',
one will see that there is no such thing as the 'I'. It will then be as clear
as an amalaka fruit in one's hand that what remains is one's real being. As
this truth will be naturally and clearly experienced by those who leave aside
mere verbal discussions and enquire into themselves inwardly, there is no doubt
that all realized persons uniformly see neither bondage nor Liberation so far
as the true Self is concerned.
16. If truly there is
neither bondage nor Liberation what is the reason for the actual experience of
joys and sorrows?
They appear to be real only when one turns aside from one's real nature. They
do not really exist.
17. Is it possible for
everyone to know directly without doubt what exactly is one's
true nature?
Undoubtedly it is possible.
18. How?
It is the experience of everyone that even in the states of deep sleep,
fainting, etc., when the entire universe, moving and stationary, beginning with
earth and ending with the unmanifested (Prakriti), disappear, he does not
disappear. Therefore the state of pure being which is common to all and which
is always experienced directly by everybody is one's true nature. The
conclusion is that all experiences in the enlightened as well as the ignorant
state, which may be described by newer and newer words, are opposed to one's
real nature.
May this book consisting of the words of experience, which
have come out of the lotus heart of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, shine as a
lamp of true knowledge to illuminate the true minds of those who have renounced
(the world).
BLESSINGS
May the world be blessed for long with the feet of Guru Ramana who abides as that silent principle which absorbs all of us and remains by itself as the root of the three principles (soul, world and Iswara). Spiritual Instruction
|
|
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi |
|
As I look into the eyes of this
Great One I cannot think of a single word to say. For more information
take a look at the "official" website of the Ashram in http://www.arunachala.org/ramana/ The photo above is from this
website |
|
. |
The Essence of Instruction of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi New translation and
commentary by Vamadeva Background Upadeshasaram means the
essence of instruction. In this Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi explains the all
main yogic practices culminating in jnana yoga, the yoga of knowledge its
main method of Self-inquiry that he emphasized. He shows how aspirants grow
and mature from preliminary practices into the higher knowledge and finally
into Self-realization. The first half of the
teaching consists of the foundational practices of the yogas of karma,
bhakti, mantra, and prana. The second half consists of a specific explication
of jnana yoga and its various methods. Some people, noting
Ramana's emphasis on Self-inquiry, have come to the wrong conclusion that he
rejected the other yogas as useless. In this teaching he shows their place
and their stage by stage unfoldment. That so much could be contained in a
mere thirty verses is quite amazing to say the least. I have added a
commentary that tries to show the practices intended by the verses and their
relationship. 1. By
the command of the Creator one gains the fruit of one's deeds. Karma is not
the supreme. Karma by itself is inert. The first stage of
spiritual practice is recognizing the law of karma by which we are caught in
the cycle of rebirth and its resultant sorrows of birth and death. Karma, the
fruit of our actions, accrues owing to the will of God, which has the power
to take us beyond them. Recognizing that karma depends upon the Divine we
cease to pursue action as our goal in the life and look to its source. Because of our past deeds
we are trapped in the ocean of samsara that binds us to the transient and
prevents us from contacting the freedom of our eternal nature. Recognizing
this we gain detachment from outer actions, which is the necessary basis of
all yogic practices. 3.
Action dedicated to the Lord, not done by desire, is the means of purifying
the mind and of facilitating liberation. Karma yoga in general is
now defined, which is the beginning of spiritual practice. The way out of the
web of karma is through karma yoga or selfless service, action dedicated to
God. This purifies our minds and aids us in gaining liberation. It is not
karma that binds us but desire. Desireless action is the foundation of the
spiritual path and all its methods, which should be free of selfish
motivation. 4. The
supreme duties of body, speech and mind are ritual, mantra and
meditation.
Our nature compels us to
act. Liberating action consists of spiritual practices. These are threefold
according to the three aspects of our nature as body, speech and mind. The
supreme bodily duty is puja or service to God and humanity. The supreme duty
of speech is mantra or repetition of Divine names. The supreme duty of the
mind is meditation. 5.
Service to the world should be done with the thought of God. Ritualistic
worship should be of the Lord who takes the form of the eight aspects of
creation. This verse explains the
two aspects of karma yoga done with the body as service (seva) and devotional
worship (puja). Service to the world should be done with the thought that the
world is a manifestation of God. Ritual worship, as of Divine images, should
be based upon the recognition of the Divine presence in the world, the
Creator who takes the form of the eight aspects of creation. These are the
five elements, mind, ego and nature that are embodied in the different
aspects of puja. Without this inner recognition service or ritual
remain mechanical and ineffective. Note that yogic asanas come under
ritual as a form of bodily practice. 6.
Better than loud chanting of mantras, is the soft muttering of them, best is
their mental repetition. This verse explains
mantra yoga that deals with speech, which is usually the next stage after
karma yoga that deals with the body. Mantras take three forms. Loud chanting
helps us imbibe the basic quality of the mantra. Soft muttering of mantras
connects them with the breath. Mental repetition, in which they come to
reverberate in the subconscious mind, has the strongest transformative
effect. Practicing mantras in these three stages and holding them at the
third stage is the best. The Ramanashram, since
Ramana's time, has always held daily Vedic chanting for its power to calm and
purify the mind. Ramana also recommended to various people the chanting of
mantras like 7. Like
the flow of ghee in a steady stream, the simple and sustained thought is
better than that which is complex and broken. This verse explains the
basis of meditation or concentration (dharana). Meditation, of whatever form,
should be simple, pure and unbroken like a pouring stream of warm ghee
(clarified butter). This follows the mental repetition of the mantra, which
should become a stream of meditation. 8. From
meditation on difference, one proceeds to meditating on "He am I." Meditation without difference is regarded as
most purifying.
This verse shows the form
aspect of devotional meditation or bhakti yoga. One begins with meditation on
forms, like those of Gods like Shiva, Vishnu or the Goddess, as different
from oneself. Then by degree one comes to understand that the Gods are just
forms of one's own deeper Self or pure consciousness, the Divine presence in
the heart. This is the realization as "He the Self within the Deity) am
I." One comes to meditate upon the deity as oneself. This seeing of the
Self in the deity is the real purifying power, not the particular form that
one uses, however useful that is as a vehicle. Ramana himself worshipped
Lord Shiva in the form of Arunachala mountain and as the main deity of the
Tiruvannamalai temple, experiencing directly the form path of bhakti yoga. He
also worshipped the Goddess both at 9. From
the absence of any particular state comes abidance in the state of being. From
the strength of that feeling comes the highest
devotion. This verse shows the
formless aspect of bhakti yoga. Once one goes beyond the feeling for a
particular form one comes to the state of pure being. From the strength of
feeling that pure being in all comes the highest devotion that goes beyond
all forms. Note that the Maharshi first explains karma, mantra and bhakti
yogas as the basis for jnana that is taught later. 10. When
the mind attains its composure in its abode within the heart, this is
certainly the essence of karma, bhakti, yoga and jnana. This verse explains the
essence of all yogic practices described in the previous verses which is knowing the origin of the mind within the heart. Though
they have different mean their goal is the same. After this Ramana focuses
on the how to abide in the heart, which mainly has two methods of yoga
(control of prana) and jnana (mind control) as the heart is the source of
both mind and prana. 11. By
controlling the breath, the mind comes to rest like a bird in a net. Breath
control is a means to control the mind. The mind can be
controlled by controlling the prana. This is the basis of yoga sadhana that
emphasizes the practice of pranayama. Generally only rare advanced aspirants
can control the mind directly. For most practitioners the use of prana to
control the mind is a great aid. Without the net of prana, the bird of the
mind is almost impossible to catch. Ramana mentioned that if
one is not in the company of a great teacher or sadhu, pranayama is the best
method to gain power and energy in one's practice. It should not be ignored
by those of us in the West who don't have such company
or circumstances to inspire us. Pranayama purifies the body and energizes the
mind for meditation. It helps us control the unruly senses that draw the mind
outward into external involvements. 12. Mind
and prana are endowed with knowledge and action. They are two branches whose
root is a common power. The mind is the power of
knowledge and prana is the power of action. They are like the two wings of a
bird. Knowledge implies action and action requires knowledge. The mind has
its energy and the prana has its intelligence. Both have a common power
behind them which is that of the Self. One can control both of them by going
to their root energy, the power of consciousness. 13.
Mergence and dissolution are the two types of mind control. The mind that is
merged will rise up again. The dissolved mind is dead. Breath control
temporarily suspends the mind. Self-knowledge dissolves the mind permanently.
Therefore, however useful a tool breath control is, without advancing to
direct mind control the aim of dissolving the mind cannot be attained. So one
should use pranayama as a means to mind-control and not stop short with it as
the goal. The highest yogi goes beyond it. 16. The
mind dissolved in the Self repels all objectivity. The vision of pure
consciousness is the vision of truth. The key to dissolving the
mind is turning one's attention away from all objectivity. This is the
practice of pratyahara or control of the outgoing mind and senses. It links
control of prana with control of the mind. Ramana himself practiced total
pratyahara, simulating the death experience, and drawing all his prana into
the heart, when he had his realization as a lad of sixteen. Without
withdrawal from sensory activity and external attachments, the practice of
Self-inquiry is like gathering water in a vessel with holes in it. Therefore
pratyahara should be practiced as the basis for Self-inquiry. Having explained mind
control in general, Ramana now focuses on the specific methods of
Self-inquiry that bring this about. 17. What
is the nature of the mind? When the search is accomplished, there is no mind.
This is the direct path. When pratyahara has been
achieved and one has turned completely away from the world, one can look
directly into the nature of the mind. Without the support of any external
object on which it depends, the mind itself disappears. This is the direct
path for which one has to hold the mind in the heart. If we look for the mind
we will not find it because the mind itself is a form of external seeking
which introversion removes. The first stage of the direct path is to look
into the nature of the mind. 18. All
mental activities are rooted in the I-thought. The mind is its thoughts. Know
that the ego is the mind. These three verses
explain the practice of Self-inquiry which involves tracing the I thought back to its origin in the heart. Returning
the mind and ego to the heart, one discovers infinite being as one's true
awareness. This is Ramana's most characteristic teaching and the main path of
jnana yoga. 21. This
heart is known by the word I in our daily experience. Even when the ego is
forgotten in deep sleep, it continues as its foundational being. Another method of
Self-inquiry is to trace our waking consciousness back to the awareness that
persists even in deep sleep when the mind is put to rest. That deep sleep I
is the real Self, while the waking ego is an illusion. Once one has learned
Self-inquiry in the waking state one must carry it over to dream and deep
sleep for it to be really efficacious. 22. I am
not the body, the senses, the prana, the intellect or the ignorance behind them.
I am the Unitary Being. That which is dependent is non-being. Yet another method is to
discriminate between the seer and the seen (drig drishya viveka). This is
done on all levels of our being. We must learn to differentiate our true
Self, subjectivity and sentience from our various bodies, vehicles or
instruments which depend upon it. This practice starts with the physical body
which is an instrument of action, to the senses, which are instruments of
knowledge, to the prana, which is the power of action, and the mind that is
the power of knowing. The Self that these depend upon is different and abides
in the heart behind all these instrumentalities. We must practice
Self-inquiry not only on a conceptual level but in our physical, sensory and
pranic activities as well on all layers of the mind down to its core. Self-inquiry
is not just tracing the root of thought into the heart but the root of our
entire existence. 23. As
the illuminator of Being how can Consciousness be different from it? Consciousness
exists as Being. That consciousness exists as I. Another method is to see
being as consciousness and consciousness as I or pure subjectivity. Once we
have returned to that Unitary Being we realize it as pure consciousness and
the true Self. 24. God
and the soul are distinguished by their vestures. Their Self-nature as pure
being is the supreme reality. God and the soul are the
two ultimate factors of the universe, which is their field of action. They
differ by their vestures. God has an all powerful mind and prana. The soul
has a limited mind and prana. Yet their common Self-nature unites them in the
supreme reality. The way to unite God and the individual soul is to negate
their names and forms and recognize the common Being and Consciousness behind
both of them. One can only truly know God as one Self. Otherwise knowledge of
God is indirect and not real. This method includes and unites both jnana and
bhakti. 26. The
condition of the Self is the perception of the Self. From the non-dual nature
of the Self is abidance in the Self. To see is to be. To see
the Self is to be the Self. To be the Self is to see the Self. Meditating on
the unity of being and seeing is another important approach. Actually there
is no approach because the Self simply is what it is. 27.
Consciousness devoid of knowing and not knowing is the real knowledge. What
else is there to know? Another method is to
meditate on "What is knowledge?" The real knowledge is devoid of
any object to be known. It is self-luminous self-aware wisdom. The highest
knowing is going beyond knowledge. This is not a mere theoretical leap but a
revolution at the core of consciousness. 28. What
is the Self-nature? In the perception of the Self is the immutable, unborn,
consciousness bliss absolute. Another method is to
inquire as to what the Self-nature of all things really is. The Self cannot
be anything limited by objectivity, by time, space or causation. It is no
body and no thing. 29. The
supreme bliss beyond bondage and release, who attains that here
is a Divine soul.
The soul becomes Divine
by achieving that state beyond bondage and release. This is the supreme goal
of practice that is beyond all goals. To reach it is a Divine gift and
follows from all the practices set forth in the previous verses. This bliss
that is our origin and end as the Upanishads say. 30.
One's own awareness free of the ego, this is the great tapas and the Word of
Ramana. This pure awareness
beyond the separate self is the highest knowledge. But it is not conceptual.
It is like a great fire. It is the tapas or ascetic practice that Ramana
proved in his daily actions. Ramana did not merely talk about
Self-realization or teach it as a mere theory, fantasy or emotion. He lived
it, to the extent of letting his body be eaten by ants and mosquitoes while
he was in samadhi. Those who want to achieve this state must have the tapas
to bring it about or they are only indulging in wishful thinking. Many years
of such tapas are usually necessary to achieve the goal. This teaching is also
Ramana's Divine Word. It arose from the Divine Word in the heart and is not a
product of human thought or any person's ego, even Ramana's. It is very easy
to read such teachings and not difficult to understand them logically. One
can use them to create a mental or emotional high. But their true realization
is quite another matter and entirely beyond our human limitations. To reach
that we must dedicate ourselves to the task in all that we do and in all that
we are. Vamadeva, also known as Dr David Frawley, is one of the world's most important and respected Vedic Scholars |
BHAGAVAN RAMANA
by
T. M. P. MAHADEVAN, M. A., Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy,
Published by
V. S. RAMANAN
President, Board of Trustees
SRI RAMANASRAMAM
TIRUVANNAMALAI 606-603
SOUTH INDIA
Reprinted from Ramana Maharshi and His Philosophy of Existence
© Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai 606-603, Tamil
PREFACE
THE present essay was
originally written for a book on The Saints; and it appears as General
Introduction in a work on Bhagavan entitled Ramana Maharshi and His Philosophy
of Existence. As it is felt that this essay may be of interest to the general
readers, it is being issued separately also in the form of a booklet.
May Bhagavan accept this
offering!
Aradhana Day T. M. P.
MAHADEVAN
INVOCATION
O - Vinayaka, who wrote on
a scroll (i.e., the slopes of Mt. Meru) the words of the Great Sage (i.e.,
Vyasa) and who presides at the victorious Arunachala, do remove the disease (i.e.
maya) that is the cause of repeated births, and protect graciously the
great Noble Faith (i.e., the Upanisadic philosophy and religion)
which brims with the honey of the Self.
This a prayer to Lord
Ganesa, the Remover of all obstacles, composed by Bhagavan Sri Ramana. Reference
is made to the Puranic story that Ganesa served as a scribe to Vyasa and
wrote down the Mahabharata and His Grace is here invoked for the
protection of the Vedanta philosophy. The printed Tamil verse is a
facsimile of Bhagavan's own handwriting.
BHAGAVAN RAMANA
THE Scriptures tell us that
it is as difficult to trace the path a sage pursues as it is to draw a line
marking the course a bird takes in the air while on its wings. Most humans have
to be content with a slow and laborious journey towards the goal. But a few are
born as adepts in flying non-stop to the common home of all beings - the
supreme Self. The generality of mankind takes heart when such a sage appears. Though
it is unable to keep pace with him, it feels uplifted in his presence and has a
foretaste of the felicity compared to which the pleasures of the world pale
into nothing. Countless people who went to Tiruvannamalai during the life-time
of Maharshi Sri Ramana had this experience. They saw in him a sage without the
least touch of worldliness, a saint of matchless purity, a witness to the
eternal truth of Vedanta. It is not often that a spiritual genius of the
magnitude of Sri Ramana visits this earth. But when such an event occurs, the
entire humanity gets benefited and a new era of hope opens before it.
About
thirty miles south of
It was apparently by
accident that Venkataraman heard about Arunachala when he was sixteen years of
age. One day an elderly relative of his called on the family in
Referring to this incident
the Sage says later on in one of his hymns to Arunachala :
'Oh, great wonder! As an insentient hill it stands. Its action is difficult for
anyone to understand. From my childhood it appeared to my intelligence that
Arunachala was something very great. But even when I came to know through
another that it was the same as Tiruvannamalai I did not understand its
meaning. When, stilling my mind, it drew me up to it, and I came close, I found
that it was the Immovable.'
Quickly following the
incident which attracted Venkataraman's attention to Arunachala, there was
another happening which also contributed to the turning of the boy's mind to
the deeper values of spirituality. He chanced to lay his hands, on a copy of
Sekkilar's Periyapuranam which relates the lives of the Saiva saints. He
read the book and was enthralled by it. This was the first piece of religious
literature that he read. The example of the saints fascinated him; and in the
inner recesses of his heart he found something responding favourably. Without
any apparent earlier preparation, a longing arose in him to emulate the spirit
of renunciation and devotion that constituted the essence of saintly life.
The spiritual experience
that Venkataraman was now wishing devoutly to have came to him soon, and quite
unexpectedly. It was about the middle of the year 1896; Venkataraman was
seventeen then. One day he was sitting up alone on the first floor of his
uncle's house. He was in his usual health. There was nothing wrong with it. But
a sudden and unmistakable fear of death took hold of him. He felt he was going
to die. Why this feeling should have come to him he did not know. The feeling
of impending death, however, did not unnerve him. He calmly thought about what
he should do. He said to himself, "Now, death has come. What does it mean?
What is it that is dying? This body dies." Immediately thereafter he lay
down stretching his limbs out and holding them stiff as though rigor mortis
had set in. He held his breath and kept his lips tightly closed, so that to all
outward appearance his body resembled a corpse. Now, what would happen? This
was what he thought : "Well, this body is now
dead. It will be carried to the burning ground and there burnt and reduced to
ashes. But with the death, of this body am I dead? Is the body I? This body is
silent and inert. But I feel the full force of my personality and even the
voice of the 'I' within me, apart from it. So I am the Spirit transcending the
body. The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by
death. That means I am the deathless Spirit". As Bhagavan Sri Ramana
narrated this experience later on for the benefit of his devotees it looked as
though this was a process of reasoning. But he took care to explain that this
was not so. The realization came to him in a flash. He perceived the truth
directly. 'I' was something very real, the only real thing. Fear of death had
vanished once and for all. From then on, 'I' continued like the fundamental sruti
note that underlies and blends with all the other notes. Thus young
Venkataraman found himself on the peak of spirituality without any arduous or
prolonged sadhana. The ego was lost in the flood of Self-awareness. All on a
sudden the boy that used to be called Venkataraman had flowered into a sage and
saint.
There was noticed a
complete change in the young sage's life. The things that he had valued earlier
now lost their value. The spiritual values which he had ignored till then
became the only objects of attention. School-studies, friends, relations - none
of these had now any significance for him. He grew utterly indifferent to his
surroundings. Humility, meekness, non-resistance and other virtues became his
adornment. Avoiding company he preferred to sit alone, all-absorbed in
concentration on the Self. He went to the Minaksi temple every day and
experienced an exaltation every time he stood before
the images of the gods and the saints. Tears flowed from his eyes profusely.
The new vision was constantly with him. His was the transfigured life.
Venkataraman's elder
brother observed the great change that had come upon him. On several occasions
he rebuked the boy for his indifferent and yogi-like behaviour. About
six weeks after the great experience the crisis came. It was
There was a curse on
Venkataraman's family - in truth, it was a blessing -
that one out of every generation should turn out to be a mendicant. This curse
was administered by a wandering ascetic who, it is said, begged alms at the
house of one of Venkataraman's forbears, and was refused. A paternal uncle of
Sundaram Aiyar's became a sannyasin; so did Sundaram Aiyar's elder
brother. Now, it was the turn of Venkataraman, although no one could have
foreseen that the curse would work out in this manner. Dispassion found
lodgement in Venkataraman's heart, and he became a parivrajaka.
It was an epic journey that
Venkataraman made from
At daybreak he went into
the town, and was looking out for the sign-post to Tiruvannamalai. He saw a
sign-board reading 'Mambalappattu' but did not know then that Mambalappattu was
a place en route to Tiruvannamalai. Before making further efforts to
find out which road he was to take, he wanted to refresh himself as he was
tired and hungry. He went up to a hotel and asked for food. He had to wait till
It was sometime in the
afternoon when Venkataraman arrived at Mambalappattu by train. From there he
set out on foot for Tiruvannamalai. About ten miles he walked, and it was late
in the evening. There was the
Next morning he woke up. It
was
The rest of what we regard
as Ramana's life - this is how we shall call him hereafter - was spent in
Tiruvannamalai. Ramana was not formally initiated into sannyasa. As he
came out of the temple and was walking along the streets of the town, someone
called out and asked whether he wanted his tuft removed. He consented readily,
and was conducted to the Ayyankulam tank where a barber shaved his head. Then
he stood on the steps of the tank and threw away into the water his remaining
money. He also discarded the packet of sweets given by the Bhagavatar's wife. The
next to go was the sacred thread he was wearing. As he was returning to the
temple he was just wondering why he should give his body the luxury of a bath,
when there was a downpour which drenched him.
The first place of Ramana's
residence in Tiruvannamalai was the great temple. For a few weeks he remained
in the thousand-pillared hall. But he was troubled by urchins who pelted stones
at him as he sat in meditation. He shifted himself to obscure corners and even
to an underground vault known as Patala-lingam. Undisturbed he used to
spend several days in deep absorption. Without moving he sat in samadhi,
not being aware of even the bites of vermin and pests. But the mischievous boys
soon discovered the retreat and indulged in their pastime of throwing potsherds
at the young Svami. There was at the time in Tiruvannamalai a senior Svami
by name Seshadri. Those who did not know him took him for a madman. He
sometimes stood guard over the young Svami, and drove away the urchins. At long
last he was removed from the pit by devotees without his being aware of it and
deposited in the vicinity of a shrine of Subrahmanya. From then on there was
some one or other to take care of Ramana. The seat of residence had to be
changed frequently. Gardens, groves, shrines - these were chosen to keep the
Svami. The Svami himself never spoke. Not that he took any vow of silence; he
had no inclination to talk. At times the texts like Vasistham and Kaivalyanavanitam
used to be read out to him.
A little less than six
months after his arrival at Tiruvannamalai Ramana shifted his residence to a
shrine called Gurumurtam at the earnest request of its keeper, a Tambiransvami.
As days passed and as Ramana's fame spread, increasing numbers of pilgrims and
sight-seers came to visit him. After about a year's stay at Gurumurtam, the
Svami - locally he was known as Brahmana-svami - moved to a neighbouring mango
orchard. It was here that one of his uncles, Nelliyappa Aiyar traced him out. Nelliyappa
Aiyar was a second-grade pleader at Manamadurai. Having learnt from a friend
that Venkataraman was then a revered Sadhu at Tiruvannamalai, he went
there to see him. He tried his best to take Ramana along with him to
Manamadurai. But the young sage would not respond. He did not show any sign of
interest in the visitor. So, Nelliyappa Aiyar went back disappointed to
Manamadurai. However, he conveyed the news to Alagammal, Ramana's mother.
The mother went to
Tiruvannamalai accompanied by her eldest son. Ramana was then living at Pavalakkunru,
one of the eastern spurs of Arunachala. With tears in her eyes Alagammal
entreated Ramana to go back with her. But, for the sage there was no going
back. Nothing moved him -- not even the wailings and weepings of his mother. He
kept silent giving no reply. A devotee who had been observing the struggle of
the mother for several days requested Ramana to write out at least what he had
to say. The sage wrote on a piece of paper quite in an impersonal way thus : "In accordance with the prarabdha of each,
the One whose function it is to ordain makes each to act. What will not
happen will never happen, whatever effort one may put forth.
And what will happen will not fail to happen, however much one may seek to
prevent it. This is certain. The part of wisdom therefore is to stay
quiet."
Disappointed and with a
heavy heart, the mother went back to Manamadurai. Sometime after this event
Ramana went up the hill Arunachala, and started living in a cave called
Virupaksa after a saint who dwelt and was buried there. Here also the crowds
came, and among them were a few earnest seekers. These latter used to put him
questions regarding spiritual experience or bring sacred books for having some
points explained. Ramana sometimes wrote out his answers and explanations. One
of the books that was brought to him during this
period was Sankara's Vivekacudamani which later on he rendered into
Tamil prose. There were also some simple unlettered folk that came to him for
solace and spiritual guidance. One of them was Echammal who having lost her
husband, son, and daughter, was disconsolate till the Fates guided her to
Ramana's presence. She made it a point to visit the Svami every day and took
upon herself the task of bringing food for him as well as for those who lived
with him.
In 1903 there came to
Tiruvannamalai a great Samskrit scholar and savant, Ganapati Sastri
known also as Ganapati Muni because of the austerities he had been observing. He
had the title Kavya-kantha (one who had poetry at his throat), and his
disciples addressed him as nayana (father). He was a specialist in the
worship of the Divine Mother. He visited Ramana in the Virupaksa cave quite a
few times. Once in 1907 he was assailed by doubts regarding his own spiritual
practices. He went up the hill, saw Ramana sitting alone in the cave, and
expressed himself thus : "All that has to be read I have read; even Vedanta
sastra I have fully understood; I have done japa to my heart's
content; yet I have not up to this time understood what tapas is. Therefore
I have sought refuge at your feet. Pray enlighten me as to the nature of tapas."
Ramana replied, now speaking, "If one watches whence the notion 'I'
arises, the mind gets absorbed there; that is tapas. When a mantra
is repeated, if one watches whence that mantra sound arises, the mind
gets absorbed there; that is tapas." To the scholar this came as a
revelation; he felt the grace of the sage enveloping him. He it was that
proclaimed Ramana to be Maharshi and Bhagavan. He composed hymns
in Samskrit in praise of the sage, and also wrote the Ramana-Gita
explaining his teachings.
Ramana's mother, Alagammal,
after her return to Manamadurai, lost her eldest son. Two years later, her
youngest son, Nagasundaram paid a brief visit to Tiruvannamalai. She herself
went there once on her return from a pilgrimage to
Ramana's first Western
devotee was F. H. Humphrys. He came to
It was not all good people
that went to the Asrama. Sometimes bad ones turned up also - even bad sadhus.
Twice in the year 1924 thieves broke into the Asrama in quest of loot. On the
second of these occasions they even beat the Maharshi, finding that there was
very little for them to take. When one of the devotees sought the sage's
permission to punish the thieves, the sage forbade him, saying
: "They have their dharma, we have ours. It is for us to
bear and forbear. Let us not interfere with them." When one of the thieves
gave him a blow on the left thigh, he told him :
"If you are not satisfied you can strike the other leg also." After
the thieves had left, a devotee enquired about the beating. The sage remarked,
"I also have received some puja," punning on the word which means
'worship' but is also used to mean 'blows'.
The spirit of harmlessness
that permeated the sage and his environs made even animals and birds make
friends with him. He showed them the same consideration that he did to the
humans that went to him. When he referred to any of them, he used the form 'he'
or 'she' and not 'it'. Birds and squirrels built their nests around him. Cows,
dogs and monkeys found asylum in the Asrama. All of them behaved intelligently
- especially the cow Laksmi. He knew their ways quite intimately. He would see
to it that they were fed properly and well. And, when any of them died, the
body would be buried with due ceremony. The life in the Asrama flowed on
smoothly. With the passage of time more and more of visitors came - some of
them for a short stay and others for longer periods. The dimensions of the
Asrama increased, and new features and departments were added - a home for the
cattle, a school for the study of the Vedas, a department for
publication, and the Mother's temple with regular worship, etc. Ramana sat most
of the time in the hall that had been constructed for the purpose as the
witness to all that happened around him. It was not that he was not active. He
used to stitch leaf-plates, dress vegetables, read proofs received from the
press, look into newspapers and books, suggest lines of reply to letters
received, etc. yet it was quite evident that he was apart from everything. There
were numerous invitations for him to undertake tours. But he never moved out of
Tiruvannamalai, and in the later years out of the Asrama. Most of the time,
every day, people sat before him. They sat mostly in
silence. Sometimes some of them asked questions; and sometimes he answered
them. It was a great experience to sit before him and to look at his beaming
eyes. Many did experience time coming to a stop and a stillness and peace
beyond description.
The golden jubilee of
Ramana's coming to stay at Tiruvannamalai was celebrated in 1946. In 1947 his
health began to fail. He was not yet seventy, but looked much older. Towards
the end of 1948 a small nodule appeared below the elbow of his left arm. As it
grew in size, the doctor in charge of the Asrama dispensary cut it out. But in
a month's time it reappeared. Surgeons from
The end came on
Ramana Maharshi seldom
wrote; and what little he did write in prose or verse was written to meet the
specific demands of his devotees. He himself declared once :
"Somehow, it never occurs to me to write a book or compose poems. All the
poems I have made were on the request of someone or other in connection with
some particular event." The most important of his works is The Forty
Verses on Existence. In the Upadesa Saram which is also a poem the
quintessence of Vedanta is set forth. The sage composed five hymns to
Arunachala. Some of the works of Sankara like Vivekacudamani and Atma-bodha
were rendered into Tamil by him. Most of what he wrote is in Tamil. But he
wrote also in Sanskrit, Telugu, and Malayalam.
The philosophy of Sri
Ramana - which is the same as that of Advaita-Vedanta
has for its aim Self-realization. The central path taught in this philosophy is
the inquiry into the nature of Self, the content of
the notion 'I'. Ordinarily the sphere of the 'I' varies and covers a
multiplicity of factors. But these factors are not really the 'I'. For
instance, we speak of the physical body as 'I'; we say, 'I am fat', 'I am lean'
etc. It will not take long to discover that this is a wrong usage. The body
itself cannot say, 'I' for it is inert. Even the most ignorant man understands
the implication of the expression 'my body'. It is not easy, however, to
resolve the mistaken identity of the 'I' with egoity (ahankara). That is
because the inquiring mind is the ego, and in order to remove the wrong identification
it has to pass a sentence of death, as it were, on itself. This is by no means
a simple thing. The offering of the ego in the fire of wisdom is the greatest
form of sacrifice.
The discrimination of the
Self from the ego, we said, is not easy. But it is not impossible. All of us
can have this discrimination if we ponder over the implication of our
sleep-experience. In sleep 'we are', though the ego has made
its exit. The ego does not function there. Still there is the 'I' that
witnesses the absence of the ego as well as of the objects. If the 'I' were not
there, one would not recall on waking from one's sleep-experience, and say;
"I slept happily. I did not know anything". We have, then, two 'I's'
- the 'pseudo-I' which is the ego and the true 'I' which is the Self. The
identification of the 'I' with the ego is so strong that we seldom see the ego
without its mask. Moreover, all our relative experience turns on the pivot of
the ego. With the rise of the ego on waking from sleep, the entire world rises
with it. The ego, therefore, looks so important and unassailable.
But this is really a
fortress made of cards. Once the process of inquiry starts, it will be found to
crumble and dissolve. For undertaking this inquiry, one must possess a sharp
mind - much sharper than the one required for unravelling the mysteries of
matter. It is with the one-pointed intellect that the truth is to be seen (drsyate
tu agraya buddhya). It is true that even the intellect will have to get
resolved before the final wisdom dawns. But up to that point it has to inquire
- and inquire relentlessly. Wisdom, surely, is not for the indolent!
The inquiry 'Who am I?' is
not to be regarded as a mental effort to understand the mind's nature. Its main
purpose is 'to focus the entire mind at its source'. The source of the
'pseudo-I' is the Self. What one does in Self-inquiry is to run against the
mental current instead of running along with it, and finally transcend the
sphere of mental modifications. When the 'pseudo-I' is tracked down to its
source, it vanishes. Then the Self shines in all its splendour - which shining
is called realization and release.
The cessation or
non-cessation of the body has nothing to do with release. The body may continue
to exist and the world may continue to appear, as in the case of the Maharshi. That
makes no difference at all to the Self that has been realized. In truth, there
is neither the body nor the world for him; there is only the Self, the eternal
Existence (sat), the Intelligence (cit), the unsurpassable bliss
(ananda). Such an experience is not entirely foreign to us. We have it
in sleep, where we are conscious neither of the external world of things nor of
the inner world of dreams. But that experience lies under the cover of
ignorance. So it is that we come back to the phantasies of dream and of the
world of waking. Non-return to duality is possible only when nescience has been
removed. To make this possible is the aim of Vedanta. To inspire even
the lowliest of us with hope and help us out of the Slough of Despond, is the
supreme significance of such illustrious exemplars as the Maharshi.
SRI RAMANASRAMAM, TIRUVANNAMALAI.
IDEALS AND ACTIVITIES
Sri Ramanasramam, where
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi lived and taught his Eternal Message of Advaita
Vedanta, is situated in a picturesque spot on the western end of the sacred
town of Arunachala - Tiruvannamalai - and the air of calm, peace and beauty
that prevails in the noble buildings that constitute the Asramam, where several
activities are carried on, has to be experienced to be believed.
The entire Asramam is an
ideal spot for calm and quiet meditation. People of all
nationalities look upon it as their own home.
Devotees of Bhagavan Sri
Ramana Maharshi who have not been in touch with the Asramam since His Mahanirvana,
have been making constant enquiries about the work of His Asramam ever since. In
response to such enquiries, we bring to their notice that Sri Ramanasramam is
functioning as in the days prior to Sri Ramana Maharshi's Mahanirvana. The
normal activities of the Asramam are as follows:
1. Sri Ramanasramam is
saturated with the Benign Grace of Bhagavan Sri Ramana; and the greatest
benefit that it has been conferring on his devotees of all religions is Mental
Peace, Bliss and Happiness.
The chief aim of the
Asramam is to give every possible aid to devotees who seek the said benefits. Many
devotees gather in the morning and evening for silent meditation and prayer and
they get all the help and convenience they need.
2. Puja is performed
at the Mahasamadhi of Sri Bhagavan both in the morning and in the
evening and also to that of Sri Bhagavan's mother, Sri Mathrubhuteswarar.
3 Veda Parayana
(Chanting of Vedas) is done regularly every day both in the morning and
evening. Devotees gather both times at the Shrines at the time of Arathi
(Waving of Lights).
4. The old Hall in which
Sri Bhagavan used to sit, is a very inspiring place
and devotees gather there for meditation.
5. The room in which
occurred the Brahma Nirvana of Bhagavan is a very sacred place for one
and all of His devotees.
6 Study groups meet in the
new Hall and discuss Sri Bhagavan's teachings.
7. To give wider publicity
to the teaching of Sri Bhagavan the Asramam is publishing a quarterly The
Mountain Path. which goes to distant parts of the
world.
Subscription Rates : Annual : In India Rs. 30/-, Foreign U.S. $15 by
surface mail. Air Mail Surcharge, differs from country to country. Life Subscription : Rs. 500/- in
8. The devotees of Sri
Bhagavan visit the Asramam from far and near and they are accommodated at the
Asramam and every effort is made to make their stay comfortable, so that they
may enjoy the peace of Sri Bhagavan's Being that
pervades the Asramam.
9. The Veda Patasala
is a limb of the Asramam and the boys who study there have free education,
boarding and lodging. They are taught the Yajur Veda, Sanskrit literature and
English, Tamil, Mathematics and General Knowledge.
10. The SRI CHAKRA (Meru
Prasthara) which Sri Bhagavan consecrated by His Touch is located within
the precincts of the Mother's Shrine and is offered special puja on all
Fridays, the full-moon day and the Masa Pravesa Day (The 1st day of
Tamil Month). The devotees of Sri Bhagavan are very keen in participating in
these pujas and obtaining the benefit of the worship.
11. The Gosala is
maintained as of old in an ideal condition. Milk supply for the needs of the
Asramites and the visiting devotees is made adequate and self-supporting.
12. The Asramam kitchen
functions as of old, catering to about 75 inmates and visiting devotees and a
number of poor people.
13. The Free Dispensary
runs as of old and the doctor gives his unstinted honorary services three days
in a week.
14. The Asramam is also
active in bringing out new publications and reprinting the old, in all
languages. The spoken words of Sri Bhagavan, which were recorded then and
there, are being published. Price lists on application.
15. The Asramam has an
excellent Library of 4,000 to 5,000 books in various languages on philosophical
and religious subjects for the free use of the devotees.
16. Every effort is being
made to make the Asramam a centre wherefrom the message of Sri Bhagavan will
radiate.
17. The Asramam maintains a
permanent roll of Life Members, and devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
enlist themselves, by paying Rs.100/- (Foreign £12.50 or U.S.$30.00). They are kept in touch with the Asramam by
communication from here at least prior to and after the JAYANTHI and the
ARADHANA of Sri Bhagavan. ---- No longer applicable from 1993.
18. The Asramam is run
purely out of the voluntary contributions of the devotees.
May His benign Grace be
ever upon one and all.
Some Teachings of Ramana Maharshi
There is no greater
mystery than this, that being the reality yourself,
you seek to gain reality.
You think there is something binding your reality and
that something
must be destroyed before the reality is freed. This is
ridiculous.
A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your efforts. What is there
to realize? The real is always as it is.
You have realized the unreal, in other words, you regard the unreal as
that which is real. Give up this attitude and you will attain wisdom.
There is nothing new nor anything you do not already have which needs
to be gained. The feeling that you have not yet realized is the sole
obstruction to realization.
In fact, you are already free. If it were not so, the realization would
be new. If it has not existed so far, it must take place hereafter.
What comes will also go, what can be gained can also be lost.
If realization is not eternal it is not worth having. Therefore what
you seek is not that which must happen afresh. It is only that which is
eternal, but not now known due to obstruction.
Remove the obstruction. That which is eternal is not known to be so
because of ignorance. Ignorance is the obstruction. Get over the
ignorance and all will be well.
The ignorance is identical with the 'I-thought'. Find its source and it
will vanish. Then the Self alone will shine as it always has, in the
stillness of being.
People often ask how the mind is controlled. I say to them, 'Show me
the mind and then you will know what to do.'
The fact is that the mind is only a bundle of thoughts. How can you
extinguish it by the thought of doing so, or by a desire?
Your thoughts and desires are part and parcel of the mind. The mind is
simply fattened by new thoughts rising up. Therefore it is foolish to
attempt to kill the mind by means of the mind.
The only way of doing it is to find its source and hold on to it. The
mind will then fade away of its own accord.
In deep sleep you are entirely free from thoughts, because the
'I-thought' is absent. The moment the 'I-thought' rises on waking, all
other thoughts rush forth spontaneously.
The wisest thing for one to do is therefore to catch hold of this
leading thought, the 'I-thought', and dissect it - who and what it is -
giving thereby no chance to other thoughts to distract you.
Therein lies the true value of self-inquiry and its efficacy in mind
control.
All that you need do is to find out the origin of the 'I-thought' and
abide there. Your efforts can extend only thus far. Then the beyond
will take care of itself.
It is with the inward-going mind that you eliminate the outward-going
mind.
You do not set about saying there is a mind and I'm going to kill it,
but you seek the source of the mind. Then you will find that the mind
does not exist at all.
The mind, turned outwards, results in thoughts and objects. Turned
inwards, it becomes itself the Self.
To ask the mind to kill the mind is like making the thief the
policeman. He will go with you and pretend to catch the thief, but
nothing will be gained.
So you must turn inward and see from where the mind rises and then it
will cease to exist.
Whenever you are disturbed by thoughts you need merely withdraw within
to the Self. This is not concentration or destruction of the mind but
withdrawal into the Self.
The degree of the absence of thoughts is the measure of your progress
towards Self-realization. But Self-realization itself does not admit of
progress, it is ever the same.
The Self remains always in realization. The obstacles are thoughts.
Progress is measured by the degree of removal of the obstacles to
understanding that the Self is always realized. So thoughts must be
checked by seeking to whom they arise. Go to their source and they will
not arise.
The truth of yourself alone is worthy to be scrutinized and known.
Taking it as the target of your attention, you should keenly seek to
know it in your spiritual heart.
This knowledge of yourself will be revealed only to the consciousness
which is silent, clear and free from the activity of the agitated and
suffering mind.
Know that the consciousness which always shines in the heart as the
formless Self, the true 'I', and which is known by your being still
without thinking about anything as existent or non-existent, alone is
the perfect reality.
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 the words 'Be still'.
What does stillness mean? It means destroy yourself. Because any form
or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion that 'I am so and
so'.
All that is required to realize the Self is to be still. What can be
easier than that?
Association with a realized master pushes the mind inward. He is also
in the heart of the seeker and so he draws the latter's inward-bent
mind into the heart.
Satsang will make the mind sink into the heart. Satsang means
association with truth.
Truth is the Self. Since the Self is not now understood to be truth,
the one reality, the company of the sage who has thus understood it is
sought.
That is satsang. Introversion results and truth is revealed. In all the
three worlds there is no boat like satsang to carry one safely across
the ocean of birth and death.
The truth of yourself alone is worthy to be scrutinized and known.
Taking it as the target of your attention, you should keenly seek to
know it in your spiritual heart.
This knowledge of yourself will be revealed only to the consciousness
which is silent, clear and free from the activity of the agitated and
suffering mind.
Know that the consciousness which always shines in the heart as the
formless Self, the true 'I', and which is known by your being still
without thinking about anything as existent or non-existent, alone is
the perfect reality.
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 the words 'Be still'.
What does stillness mean? It means destroy yourself. Because any form
or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion that 'I am so and
so'.
All that is required to realize the Self is to be still. What can be
easier than that?
Association with a realized master pushes the mind inward. He is also
in the heart of the seeker and so he draws the latter's inward-bent
mind into the heart.
Satsang will make the mind sink into the heart. Satsang means
association with truth.
Truth is the Self. Since the Self is not now understood to be truth,
the one reality, the company of the sage who has thus understood it is
sought.
That is satsang. Introversion results and truth is revealed. In all the
three worlds there is no boat like satsang to carry one safely across
the ocean of birth and death.
Man is always the Self and yet he does not know it. Instead he
confounds it with the non-Self, the body, etc. Such confusion is due to
ignorance.
If ignorance is wiped out, the confusion will cease to exist and the
true knowledge will be unfolded. By remaining in contact with realized
sages the man gradually loses the ignorance until its removal is
complete.
The eternal Self is thus revealed. When the mind is weak, grace is
necessary. Serving a realized being will bring forth the grace.
There is however nothing new to get. Just as a weak man comes under the
control of a stronger one, the weak mind of a man comes under control
easily in the presence of a strong-minded wise person.
Every plane of worldly existence has its own illusion, which can be
destroyed only by another illusion on the same plane. For example, a
man takes a full meal and goes to sleep. He dreams of being hungry in
spite of the food he has in his stomach. To satisfy the dream hunger,
he has to take dream food. A wound in dream requires dream treatment. A
great king once dreamt that he was ill but was too poor to call a
doctor. Although he had fabulous wealth in the waking state, it was of
no use to him in the dream state. Similarly, the illusion of ignorance
can be destroyed only by the illusion of the master's grace.
Liberation is ever present and bondage ever absent. That which is, is
only grace; there is nothing else; but as long as the dream prevails,
the master must be sought and served to evoke the grace.
Association with the wise, satsang, and service of them is required of
the disciple.
As very few can hold satsang with the unmanifested truth of being, the
absolute existence, most have to begin with association with the
manifested truth, that is, the embodied guru.
Association with sages should be made because thoughts are so
persistent. The sage has already overcome the mind and remains in
peace. Being in his proximity helps to bring about this condition;
otherwise there is no meaning in seeking his company.
Serve the guru selflessly with a full heart.
Service to the guru is primarily abidance in the Self, but it also
includes making the guru's body comfortable, looking after his place of
abode, and serving all mankind by seeing all as God.
It is the spiritual contact which is important. If the disciple finds
the guru internally, then the guru will always be with him no matter
where he goes.
In the proximity of a great master, the negative tendencies cease to be
active, the mind becomes still and samadhi results.
Thus the disciple gains true knowledge and right experience in the
presence of the master.
To remain unshaken in this peaceful state, further efforts are
necessary. Eventually the disciple will know it to be his real being
and will thus be liberated even while alive.
God is said to reside in the heart in the same way as you are said to
reside in your body. Yet heart is not a place. Some place must be named
as the dwelling of God for those who mistake their bodies as themselves
and who comprehend only relative knowledge.
The fact is neither God nor you occupy any space. You are bodiless and
spaceless in deep sleep, yet in the waking state and in dream you
appear to be the opposite.
Whatever the dream, the only thing that has value and is worth doing
with regard to dream is to wake up. When you wake up, do you say that
the experiences of the dream were real, although within the dream
everyone there would have tried to convince you of it? No.
Similarly, when you wake up to the Self these experiences of the world
will be unreal, like in a dream, although others in that state will try
to convince you that they are real.
In truth, you are ever in the peace of deep sleep. Being aware of this
peace while in the waking state is samadhi.
The unwise cannot remain long in that state because his ego pushes him
out of it. For the wise, although he has scotched it, the ego continues
to rise again and again due to the karma with which his body has taken
birth.
So, for both the wise and the unwise, the ego springs up, but with this
difference: Whereas the sage enjoys the transcendental experience,
keeping his attention always fixed on his source, the unwise is
completely ignorant of it.
For the wise, the ego is not harmful, being a mere skeleton of its
normal self, like a burnt up rope. By constantly fixing his attention
on his source, the heart, the ego of the wise gets dissolved like a
salt doll which has fallen into the ocean.
To the wise it is immaterial whether the world appears or not. In
either case, his attention is directed towards the Self. He sees
nothing separate from the Self. He is the Self. He always remains as
the Self. That is all.