Sri Ramana Maharshi
Happiness
All beings desire happiness always, happiness without a
tinge of sorrow. At the same time everybody loves himself best. The cause for
love is only happiness. So, that happiness must lie in one. Further that happiness
is daily experienced by everyone in sleep, when there is no mind. To attain
that natural happiness one must know oneself. For that, Self-Enquiry, 'Who
am I?' is the chief means.
Consciousness
Existence or Consciousness is the only reality.
Consciousness plus waking we call waking. Consciousness plus sleep we call
sleep. Consciousness plus dream, we call dream. Consciousness is the screen on
which all the pictures come and go. The screen is real, the pictures are mere
shadows on it.
Mind
Mind is a wonderful force inherent in the Self.
That which arises in this body as 'I' is the mind.
When the subtle mind emerges through the brain and the
senses, the gross names and forms are cognized. When it remains in the Heart
names and forms disappear... If the mind remains in the Heart, the 'I' or the
ego which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self, the Real,
Eternal 'I' alone will shine. Where there is not the slightest trace of the
ego, there is the Self.
"Who Am I?" -
Enquiry
For all thoughts the source is the 'I' thought.
The mind will merge only by Self-enquiry 'Who am I?' The
thought 'Who am l?' will destroy all other thoughts and finally kill itself
also. If other thoughts arise, without trying to complete them, one must
enquire to whom did this thought arise. What does it matter how many thoughts
arise? As each thought arises one must be watchful and ask to whom is this
thought occurring. The answer will be 'to me'. If you enquire 'Who am I?' the
mind will return to its source (or where it issued from). The thought which arose
will also submerge. As you practise like this more and more, the power of the
mind to remain as its source is increased.
Surrender
There are two ways of achieving surrender. One is looking
into the source of the 'I' and merging into that source. The other is feeling
'I am helpless myself, God alone is all powerful and except throwing myself
completely on Him, there is no other means of safety for me', and thus
gradually developing the conviction that God alone. exists and the ego does not
count. Both methods lead to the same goal. Complete surrender is another name
for jnana or liberation.
The Three States: Waking,Dream and
Sleep
There is no difference between the dream and the waking
state except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result
of the mind. Our real state is beyond the waking, dream and sleep states,
called turiya.
GRACE AND GURU
I have not said that a Guru is not necessary. But a Guru
need not always be in human form. First a person thinks that he is an inferior
and that there is a superior, all-knowing, all powerful God who controls his
own and the world's destiny and worships him or does Bhakti. When he reaches a
certain stage and becomes fit for enlightenment, the same God whom he was
worshipping comes as Guru and leads him on. That Guru comes only to tell him
'That God is within yourself. Dive within and realize'. God, Guru and the Self
are the same.
Self-Realization
The state we call realization is simply being oneself, not
knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realized, he is that which
alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He
can only be That. Of course we loosely talk of self-realization for want of a
better term.
That which 'Is' is peace. All that we need do is to keep
quiet. Peace is our real nature. We spoil it. What is required is that we cease
to spoil it.
Heart
In the centre of the cavity of the Heart the sole Brahman
shines by itself as the atman (Self) in the feeling of 'I'-'I'. Reach
the Heart by diving within yourself, either with control of breath, or with
thought concentrated on the quest of Self. You will thus get fixed in the Self.
Renunciation
Asked 'How does a grihastha (householder) fare in the
scheme of Moksha (liberation)?' Bhagavan said, 'Why do you think you are
a grihastha? If you go out as sanyasi (ascetic), a similar
thought that you are a sanyasi will haunt you. Whether you continue in
the household or renounce it and go to the forest, your mind goes with you. The
ego is the source of all thought. It creates the body and the world and makes
you think you are a grihastha . If you renounce the world it will only
substitute the thought sanyasi for grihastha and the environments
in the forest for those of the household. But the mental obstacles will still
be there. They even increase in the new surroundings. There is no help in
change of environment. The obstacle is the mind. It must be got over whether at
home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not at home?
Therefore, why change your environment? Your efforts can be made even now - in
whatever environment you are now. The environment will never change according
to your desire'.
Fate and Freewill
Freewill and destiny are ever existent. Destiny is the
result of past action; it concerns the body. Let the body act as may suit it.
Why are you concerned about it? Why do you pay attention to it. Freewill and
destiny last as long as the body lasts. But jnana transcends both. The
Self is beyond knowledge and ignorance. Whatever happens, happens as the result
of one's past actions, of divine will and of other factors.
There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent
of it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny and discover that only the
ego is bound by destiny and not the Self and that the ego is non-existent.
The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering
to the Lord, by realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, 'Not I,
but Thou oh Lord' and giving up all sense of 'I' and mine, and leaving it to
the Lord to do what he likes with you. Complete effacement of the ego is
necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through
self-enquiry or bhakti marga (Path).
Jnani
A jnani has attained Liberation even while alive,
here and now. It is immaterial to him as to how, where and when he leaves the
body. Some jnanis may appear to suffer, others may be in samadhi; still
others may disappear from sight before death. But that makes no difference to
their jnana. Such suffering is apparent, seems real to the onlooker, but
not felt by the jnani, for he has already transcended the mistaken
identity of the Self with the body.
The jnani does not think he is the body. He does not
even see the body. He sees only the Self in the body. If the body is not
there, but only the Self, the question of its disappearing in any form does not
arise.
Practice, Dedication and Devotion
In the light of the life and teachings of Sri Ramana
Maharshi, the devotees of Arunachala Ashrama believe that spiritual practice
(sadhana) is essential. Peace, joy and immortality are available to those
aspirants who dedicate themselves to the practice of meditation and
Self-enquiry, devotion and dedication. The Grace of the Guru is always present,
but this Grace is only fully experienced by those few sincere sadhakas
(spiritual aspirants) who devote their lives to the practice of the teachings.
We believe that Sri Ramana Maharshi did not live for his
time alone. His presence and guidance can be experienced now just as when he
was physically present. Those who turn to him with sincere aspiration and
longing, those who try their best to apply his teachings, will feel his Grace
and guidance. There is no doubt about this.
In Arunachala Ashrama, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi remains
the teacher and Guru. Lectures and discussions may have a place in an
aspirant's life, but Arunachala Ashrama is maintained in a manner that allows
visitors and residents to absorb the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi through
silence. His teachings are always being disseminated in Silence, and to
hear them we must silence our mind. Lectures and discussions can obscure His
silent teaching in the Heart.
"Silence
is the ocean in which all the rivers of all the religions discharge
themselves."
—
Thayumanavar
Guru
Sri Maharshi did say that a Guru was necessary. He also said
that the Guru may not be external, as in his case. Again, upon his physical
demise he said that he was not leaving, as he was never identified with the
body; meaning, he is present even now.
The truth is that no one can give us liberation. The way can
be pointed out, directions can be given. Our intense earnestness and total
dedication to the goal is the most essential factor. If we become obsessed with
this one thing - realizing Truth — Truth, a physical Guru (if necessary)
and all else will be drawn to us automatically. The Guru will come to us when
we are ready. We simply need to attend to making ourselves ready and the rest
is automatic. For those with faith in the Maharshi's living presence there are
no doubts in this matter.
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