https://selfdefinition.org/ramana/Talks-with-Sri-Ramana-Maharshi--complete.pdf
cont from patanjali converstaion, from part 6
pg 174
3rd June, 1936 Talk 192.
Maharshi explained in the course of conversation:
Whoever desires liberation? Everyone wants only happiness - happiness too as found in the enjoyment of the senses. This question was asked of a Guru, and the latter answered:
“Quite so. That happiness which is the result of enjoyment by the senses is the same as that of liberation. That desire of such liberation is one of the four qualifications for attainment. This is common to all. So all are eligible for this knowledge - Self-knowledge.”
In fact there may not be found any individual in the world who possesses all the qualities in perfection necessary for an aspirant as mentioned in Yoga Sutras, etc.
Still pursuit of Self-knowledge should not be abandoned.
Everyone is the Self by his own experience.
Still he is not aware, he identifies the Self with the body and feels miserable.
This is the greatest of all mysteries.
One is the Self. Why not abide as the Self and be done with miseries?
In the beginning one has to be told that he is not the body, because he thinks that he is the body only.
Whereas he is the body and all else. The body is only a part. Let him know it finally.
He must first discern consciousness from insentience and be the consciousness only.
Later let him realise that insentience is not apart from consciousness. This is discrimination (viveka).
The initial discrimination must persist to the end. Its fruit is liberation.
Talk 193.
Maharshi observed: Free-will 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 with it? Why do you pay attention to it?
Free-will and Destiny last as long as the body lasts. But wisdom (jnana) transcends both. The Self is beyond knowledge and ignorance. Should anything happen, it happens as the result of one’s past actions, of divine will and of other factors.
...
M.: Get hold of the mind.
D.: How?
M.: Mind is intangible. In fact, it does not exist.
The surest way of control is to seek it.
Then its activities cease.
D.: How to destroy the mind?
M.: Seek the mind. On being sought, it will disappear.
D.: I do not understand.
M.: The mind is only a bundle of thoughts. The thoughts arise because there is the thinker. The thinker is the ego. The ego, if sought, will vanish automatically. The ego and the mind are the same. The ego is the root-thought from which all other thoughts arise.
D.: How to seek the mind?
M.: Dive within. You are now aware that the mind rises up from within. So sink within and seek
D.: I do not yet understand how it is to be done.
M.: You are practising breath-control. Mechanical breath-control will not lead one to the goal. It is only an aid.
While doing it mechanically take care to be alert in mind and remember the ‘I’ thought and seek its source.
Then you will find that where breath sinks, there ‘I-thought’ arises.
They sink and rise together. The ‘I-thought’ also will sink along with breath.
Simultaneously, another luminous and infinite ‘I-I’ will become manifest, which will be continuous and unbroken.
That is the goal.
It goes by different names - God, Self, Kundalini Sakti, Consciousness, Yoga, Bhakti, Jnana, etc.
D.: Not clear yet.
M.: When the attempt is made, it will of itself take you to the goal.
.....\
D.: Seeking the ‘I’ there is nothing to be seen.
M.: Because you are accustomed to identify yourself with the body and sight with the eyes, therefore, you say you do not see anything.
What is there to be seen? Who is to see? How to see?
There is only one consciousness which, manifesting as ‘I-thought’,
identifies itself with the body,
projects itself through the eyes and sees the objects around.
The individual is limited in the waking state and expects to see something different.
The evidence of his senses will be the seal of authority. But he will not admit that the seer, the seen and the sight are all manifestations of the same consciousness - namely, ‘I-I’.
Contemplation helps one to overcome the illusion that the Self must be visual.
In truth, there is nothing visual.
How do you feel the ‘I’ now?
Do you hold a mirror before you to know your own being?
The awareness is the ‘I’. Realise it and that is the truth.
D.: On enquiry into the origin of thoughts there is a perception of ‘I’. But it does not satisfy me.
M.: Quite right. The perception of ‘I’ is associated with a form, maybe the body.
There should be nothing associated with the pure Self.
The Self is the unassociated, pure Reality, in whose light, the body, the ego, etc. shine.
On stilling all thoughts the pure consciousness remains over. Just on waking from sleep and before becoming aware of the world there is that pure ‘I-I’.
Hold to it without sleeping or without allowing thoughts to possess you.
If that is held firm it does not matter even though the world is seen. The seer remains unaffected by the phenomena.
D.: I begin to ask myself “Who am I?”, eliminate body as not ‘I’, the breath as not ‘I’, the mind as not ‘I’ and I am not able to proceed further.
M.: Well, that is so far as the intellect goes. Your process is only intellectual.
Indeed, all the scriptures mention the process only to guide the seeker to know the Truth.
The Truth cannot be directly pointed out.
Hence this intellectual process.
You see, the one who eliminates all the not I cannot eliminate the ‘I’.
To say ‘I am not this’ or ‘I am that’ there must be the ‘I’.
This ‘I’ is only the ego or the ‘I-thought’.
After the rising up of this ‘I-thought’, all other thoughts arise. The ‘I-thought’ is therefore the root-thought. If the root is pulled out all others are at the same time uprooted. Therefore seek the root ‘I’, question yourself “Who am I?”; find out its source.
Then all these will vanish and the pure Self will remain ever.
......
D.: Even so, I do not understand. ‘I’, you say, is the wrong ‘I’ now. How to eliminate this wrong ‘I’?
M.: You need not eliminate the wrong ‘I’. How can ‘I’ eliminate itself? All that you need do is to find out its origin and abide there. Your efforts can extend only thus far. Then the Beyond will take care of itself. You are helpless there. No effort can reach it.
D.: Is the individual capable of spiritual progress in the animal body?
M.: Not unlikely, though it is exceedingly rare
D.: What is Guru’s Grace? How does it work?
M.: Guru is the Self.
D.: How does it lead to realisation?
M.: Isvaro gururatmeti ... (God is the same as Guru and Self ...).
A person begins with dissatisfaction. Not content with the world he seeks satisfaction of desires by prayers to God; his mind is purified; he longs to know God more than to satisfy his carnal desires. Then God’s Grace begins to manifest.
God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the devotee; teaches him the Truth; purifies the mind by his teachings and contact; the mind gains strength, is able to turn inward; with meditation it is purified yet further, and eventually remains still without the least ripple. That stillness is the Self.
The Guru is both exterior and interior.
From the exterior he gives a push to the mind to turn inward; from the interior he pulls the mind towards the Self and helps the mind to achieve quietness.
That is Grace. Hence there is no difference between God, Guru and Self.
D.: What is samadhi?
M.: One’s own true nature.
D.: Why then is effort necessary to attain it?
M.: Whose is the effort?
....
Talk 200.
Mr. Cohen desired an explanation of the term “blazing light” used by Paul Brunton in the last chapter of 'A Search in Secret India.'
Maharshi: Since the experience is through the mind only, it appears first as a blaze of light. The mental predispositions are not yet destroyed. The mind is however functioning in its infinite capacity in this experience.
As for nirvikalpa samadhi i.e. samadhi, of non-differentiation (undifferentiated, supreme, beatific repose), it consists of pure consciousness, which is capable of illumining knowledge or ignorance; it is also beyond light or darkness.
That it is not darkness is certain; can it be however said to be not light? At present objects are perceived only in light. Is it wrong to say that realisation of one’s Self requires a light? Here light would mean the consciousness which reveals as the Self only.
The yogis are said to see photisms of colours and lights preliminary to Self-Realisation by the practice of yoga.
Once before Goddess Parvati practised austerities for realising the Supreme. She saw some kinds of light. She rejected them because they emanated from the Self, leaving the Self as it was ever before.
She determined that they were not supreme. She continued Her austerities and experienced a limitless light. She determined that this also was only a phenomenon and not the Supreme Reality.
Still she continued Her austerities until she gained transcendental peace. She realised that it was Supreme, that the Self was the sole Reality.
The Taittiriya Upanishad says, “Seek Brahman through penance”. Later on, “Penance is Brahman”. Another Upanishad says, “Itself is penance which is again made up of wisdom alone”. “There the sun shines not, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor fire; all these shine forth by Its light”.
D.: What about Aurobindo’s claim to start from Self-Realisation and develop further?
M.: Let us first realise and then see. Then Maharshi began to speak of similar theories:
The Visishtadvaitins say that the Self is first realised and the realised individual soul is surrendered to the universal soul.
Only then is it complete. The part is given up to the whole. That is liberation and sayujya union. Simple Self-Realisation stops at isolating the pure Self, says Visishtadvaita.
The siddhas say that the one who leaves his body behind as a corpse cannot attain mukti. They are reborn. Only those whose bodies dissolve in space, in light or away from sight, attain liberation.
The Advaitins of Sankara’s school stop short at Self-Realisation and this is not the end, the siddhas say.
There are also others who extol their own pet theories as the best, e.g., late Venkaswami Rao of Kumbakonam, Brahmananda Yogi of Cuddappah, etc.
The fact is: There is Reality. It is not affected by any discussions. Let us abide as Reality and not engage in futile discussions as to its nature, etc.
....
Talk 204.
Maharshi on Self-Illumination: The ‘I’ concept is the ego. I-illumination is the Realisation of the Real Self. It is ever shining forth as ‘I-I’ in the intellectual sheath.
It is pure Knowledge; relative knowledge is only a concept.
The bliss of the blissful sheath is also but a concept. Unless there is the experience, however subtle it is, one cannot say “I slept happily”. From his intellect he speaks of his blissful sheath. The bliss of sleep is but a concept to the person, the same as intellect. However, the concept of experience is exceedingly subtle in sleep. Experience is not possible without simultaneous knowledge of it (i.e. relative knowledge). The inherent nature of the Self is Bliss. Some kind of knowledge has to be admitted, even in the realisation of Supreme Bliss. It may be said to be subtler than the subtlest. The word vijnana (clear knowledge) is used both to denote the Realisation of the Self and knowing the objects. The Self is wisdom. It functions in two ways. When associated with the ego the knowledge is objective (vijnana).
When divested of the ego and the Universal Self is realised, it is also called vijnana. The word raises a mental concept. Therefore we say that the Self-Realised Sage knows by his mind, but his mind is pure.
Again we say that the vibrating mind is impure and the placid mind is pure. The pure mind is itself Brahman; therefore it follows that Brahman is not other than the mind of the sage.
The Mundaka Upanishad says: “The knower of Brahman becomes the Self of Brahman.”
Is it not ludicrous? To know Him and become Him?
They are mere words. The sage is Brahman - that is all.
Mental functioning is necessary to communicate his experience. He is said to be contemplating the unbroken expanse.
The Creator, Suka and others are also said never to swerve from such contemplation. : : : - Tejo Bindu Upanishad. 1 - 47 Such ‘contemplation’ is again a mere word.
How is that to be contemplated unless it is divided (into the contemplator and the contemplated). When undivided, how is contemplation possible? What function can Infinity have? Do we say that a river after its discharge into the ocean has become an ocean-like river? Why should we then speak of contemplation which has become unbroken, as being that of unbroken Infinity? The statement must be understood in the spirit in which it is made.
It signifies the merging into the Infinite. Self-Illumination or Self-Realisation is similar to it.
The Self is ever shining. What does this ‘I-illumination’ mean then? The expression is an implied admission of mind function. The gods and the sages experience the Infinite continuously and eternally, without their vision being obscured at any moment. Their minds are surmised by the spectators to function; but in fact they do not. Such surmise is due to the sense of individuality in those who draw inferences. There is no mental function in the absence of individuality.
Individuality and mind functions are co-existent. The one cannot remain without the other. The light of the Self can be experienced only in the intellectual sheath. Therefore vijnana of whatever kind (of object or of the Self) depends on the Self being Pure Knowledge.
...
I exist now. I am the enjoyer. I enjoy fruits of action. I was in the past and shall be in the future. Who is this ‘I’? Finding this ‘I’ to be pure Consciousness beyond action and enjoyment, freedom and happiness are gained. There is then no effort, for the Self is perfect and there remains nothing more to gain.
So long as there is individuality, one is the enjoyer and doer.
But if it is lost, the divine Will prevails and guides the course of events.
The individual is perceptible to others who cannot perceive divine force.
Restrictions and discipline are for other individuals and not for the liberated.
Free-will is implied in the scriptural injunctions to be good.
It implies overcoming fate. It is done by wisdom.
The fire of wisdom consumes all actions.
Wisdom is acquired by association with the wise, or rather, its mental atmosphere.
...
Talk 212.
Maharshi observed:
Pradakshina (the Hindu rite of going round the object of worship) is “All is within me.” The true significance of the act of going round Arunachala is said to be as effective as circuit round the world. That means that the whole world is condensed into this Hill. The circuit round the temple of Arunachala is equally good; and self circuit (i.e., turning round and round) is as good as the last. So all are contained in the Self.
Says the Ribhu Gita: “I remain fixed, whereas innumerable universes becoming concepts within my mind, rotate within me.
This meditation is the highest pradakshina.”
........
196
Kartuttva buddhi as an impediment to dhyana.
.
Aruna Achala ...bright like fire..dnyanagni
achala is hill..hill of wisdom..
...
Talk 220.
Mr. B. C. Das, the Physics Lecturer, asked: Contemplation is possible only with control of mind and control can be accomplished only by contemplation. Is it not a vicious circle?
M.: Yes, they are interdependent. They must go on side by side. Practice and dispassion bring about the result gradually.
Dispassion is practised to check the mind from being projected outward. The Practice is to keep it turned inward.
There is a struggle between control and contemplation. It is going on constantly within. Contemplation will in due course be successful.
D.: How to begin? Your Grace is needed for it.
M.: Grace is always there.
“Dispassion cannot be acquired, nor realization of the Truth, nor inherence in the Self, in the absence of Guru’s Grace,” the Master quoted.
Practice is necessary.
It is like training a roguish bull confined to his stall by tempting him with luscious grass and preventing him from straying.
Then the Master read out a stanza from Tiruvachakam, which is an address to the mind, saying:
“O humming bee (namely, mind)! Why do you take the pains of collecting tiny specks of honey from innumerable flowers?
There is one from whom you can have the whole store-house of honey by simply thinking or seeing or speaking of Him. Get within and hum to Him (hrimkara).”
.......
The Master quoted from “Upadesa Sara”:
“Merging the mind into the Heart certainly comprises meritorious duty (karma), devotion (bhakti), yoga and supreme wisdom (Dnyana).”
That is the whole truth in a nutshell.
............
The Master quoted again from the same book:
“Continuous search for what the mind is, results in its disappearance.
That is the straight path.”
...
D.: This ‘I-thought’ rises from me. But I do not know the Self.
M.: All these are only mental concepts. You are now identifying yourself with a wrong ‘I’, which is the ‘I-thought’. This ‘I-thought’ rises and sinks, whereas the true significance of ‘I’ is beyond both.
There cannot be a break in your being. You, who slept, are also now awake. There was not unhappiness in your deep sleep. Whereas it exists now. What is it that has happened now so that this difference is experienced? There was no ‘I-thought’ in your sleep, whereas it is present now. The true ‘I’ is not apparent and the false ‘I’ is parading itself.
This false ‘I’ is the obstacle to your right knowledge.
Find out where from this false ‘I’ arises.
Then it will disappear.
You will be only what you are - i.e., absolute Being.
They are removed by breath-control or association with the wise. In fact the mind is always in the Heart. But it is restive and moves about on account of latent tendencies.
When the tendencies are made ineffective it will be restful and at peace.
By breath-control the mind will be only temporarily quiescent, because the tendencies are still there.
If the mind is transformed into the Self it will no longer give trouble.
That is done by meditation.
...
204
Talk 226.
A visitor from Tirukoilur asked if the study of the sacred books will reveal the truth.
M.: That will not suffice.
D.: Why not?
M.: Samadhi alone can reveal it.
Thoughts cast a veil over Reality and so it cannot be clear in states other than Samadhi.
D.: Is there thought in Samadhi? Or is there not?
M.: There will only be the feeling ‘I am’ and no other thoughts.
D.: Is not ‘I am’ a thought?
M.: The egoless ‘I am’ is not a thought. It is realisation.
The meaning or significance of ‘I’ is God. The experience of ‘I am’ is to Be Still.
............
A visitor: Can one realise the Truth by learning the scriptures and study of books?
M.: No.
So long as predispositions remain latent in the mind, realisation cannot be achieved.
Sastra learning is itself a vasana.
Realisation is only in samadhi.
.. vol 1 ends.......................................end.............................................
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