Talks-part 14
https://selfdefinition.org/ramana/Talks-with-Sri-Ramana-Maharshi--complete.pdf
490
Abhyasa consists in withdrawal within the Self every time you are disturbed by thought.
It is not concentration or destruction of the mind but withdrawal into the Self.
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Talk 489.
Another group of visitors was asking the method of Realisation.
In the course of a reply Sri Bhagavan said:
“Holding the mind and investigating it is advised for a beginner.
But what is the mind after all? It is a projection of the Self.
See for whom it appears and from where it rises.
The ‘I-thought’ will be found to be the root-cause.
Go deeper; the ‘I-thought’ disappears and there is an infinitely expanded ‘I-consciousness’.
That is otherwise called Hiranyagarbha.
When it puts on limitations it appears as individuals.”
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M.: If Realisation be something outside you a way can be shown consistent with the safety of the individual, his capacity. etc. Then the questions if it is realisable and, if so, in what time - will also arise. But here, Realisation is of the Self. You cannot remain without the Self. The Self is always realised. But only you do not recognise the fact.
The Realisation is now obscured by the present world idea.
The world is now seen outside you and the idea associated with it obscures your real nature. All that is needed is to overcome this ignorance and then the Self stands revealed.
No special effort is necessary to realise the Self. All efforts are for eliminating the present obscuration of the Truth.
A lady is wearing a necklace round her neck. She forgets it, imagines it to be lost and impulsively looks for it here, there and everywhere. Not finding it, she asks her friends if they have found it anywhere, until one kind friend points to her neck and tells her to feel the necklace round the neck. The seeker does so and feels happy that the necklace is found.
Again, when she meets her other friends, they ask her if her lost necklace was found. She says ‘yes’ to them, as if it were lost and later recovered. Her happiness on re-discovering it round her neck is the same as if some lost property was recovered. In fact she never lost it nor recovered it. And yet she was once miserable and now she is happy.
So also with the realisation of the Self. The Self is always realised. The Realisation is now obscured. When the veil is removed the person feels happy at rediscovering the ever-realised Self. The ever-present Realisation appears to be a new Realisation.
Now, what should one do to overcome the present ignorance.
Be eager to have the true knowledge.
As this eagerness grows the wrong knowledge diminishes in strength until it finally disappears.
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Avidya nasa is alone Self-Realisation.
Self-Realisation is only owpacharika.
Self Realisation is only a euphemism for elimination of ignorance.
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If one knows that Bliss is none other than the Self, then the mind becomes inward turned.
If the Self is gained all the desires are fulfilled.
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The Master being the Self. Grace is inseparable from the Self.
D.: But Yoga Vasishtha says that the chitta (mind) of a jivanmukta is achala (unchanging).
M.: So it is. Achala chitta (unchanging mind) is the same as suddha manas (pure mind).
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528
M.: First surrender and see. The doubts arise because of the absence of surrender.
Acquire strength by surrender and then your surroundings will be found to have improved to the degree of strength acquired by you.
The thoughts change but not you.
Let go the passing thoughts and hold on to the unchanging Self.
M.: Even better than the man who thinks “I have renounced everything” is the one who does his duty but does not think “I do this” or “I am the doer”.
M.: The Bhagavad Gita says:
Sanaissanairuparamet (The mind must gradually be brought to a standstill);
Atma samstham manah krtva (making the mind inhere in the Self);
Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam (by practice and dispassion).
Practice is necessary. Progress will be slow.
Atma sakshatkara (Self-Realisation) is thus only anatma nirasana (giving up the non-Self).
575
They pray to God and finish with “Thy Will be done!”
If His Will be done why do they pray at all?
It is true that the Divine Will prevails at all times and under all circumstances.
The individuals cannot act of their own accord.
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Recognise the force of the Divine Will and keep quiet.
Each one is looked after by God. He has created all. You are one among 2,000 millions. When He looks after so many will He omit you?
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Even common sense dictates that one should abide by His Will.
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A visitor asked: Sri Bhagavan said last night that God is guiding us. Then why should we make an effort to do anything?
M.: Who asks you to do so? If there was that faith in the guidance of God this question would not have arisen.
D.: The fact is that God guides us. Then what is the use of these instructions to people?
M.: They are for those who seek instructions.
If you are firm in your belief in the guidance of God, stick to it, and do not concern yourself with what happens around you.
Furthermore, there may be happiness or misery. Be equally indifferent to both and abide in the faith of God.
That will be so only when one’s faith is strong that God looks after all of us.
Mr. Chopra asked: “How shall I secure that firm faith?”
M.: Exactly. It is for such as these who want instructions. There are persons who seek freedom from misery.
They are told that God guides all and so there need not be any concern about what happens.
If they are of the best type they at once believe it and firmly abide by faith in God.
But there are others who are not so easily convinced of the truth of the bare statement.
They ask: “Who is God? What is His nature? Where is He? How can He be realised?” and so on.
In order to satisfy them intellectual discussion is found necessary.
Statements are made, their pros and cons are argued, and the truth is thus made clear to the intellect.
When the matter is understood intellectually the earnest seeker begins to apply it practically.
He argues at every moment, “For whom are these thoughts? Who am I?” and so forth, until he is well-established in the conviction that a Higher Power guides us.
That is firmness of faith.
Then all his doubts are cleared and he needs no further instructions.
......
D.: We also have faith in God.
M.: If it had been firm no questions would have arisen. The person will remain perfectly happy in his Faith in the Omnipotent.
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D.: Is an intellectual understanding of the Truth necessary?
M.: Yes. Otherwise why does not the person realise God or the Self at once?
i.e. As soon as he is told that God is all or the Self is all?
That shows some wavering on his part.
He must argue with himself and gradually convince himself of the Truth before his faith becomes firm.
D.: Can samadhi come and go?
M.: What is samadhi? Samadhi is one’s essential nature.
How then can it come or go?
If you do not realise your essential nature, your sight remains obstructed.
What is the obstruction? Find it and remove it. So one’s efforts are meant only for the removal of obstructions which hide the true vision. The real nature remains the same.
When once it is realised it is permanent.
But the real state must be effortless.
The effortless samadhi is the true one and the perfect state. It is permanent.
...
M.: Now see which is your real nature. Is it that which is free from thoughts or that which is full of thoughts?
Being is continuous. The thoughts are discontinuous. So which is permanent?
D.: Being.
M.: That is it. Realise it. That is your true nature. Your nature is simple Being, free from thoughts.
Because you identify yourself with the body you want to know about creation. The world and the objects including your body appear in the waking state but disappear in the state of sleep. You exist all through these states. What is it then that persists through all these states? Find it out. That is your Self.
The only thing that matters is that you see the Self.
This can be done wherever you remain.
The Self must be sought within.
The search must be steadfast.
If that is gained there is no need to stay near the Master as a physical being.
The ‘statement’ is meant for those who cannot find the Self remaining where they are.
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Therefore the seeker’s aim must be to drain away the vasanas from the heart and let no reflection obstruct the Light of Eternal Consciousness.
This is achieved by the search for the origin of the ego and by diving into the heart. This is the direct method for Self-Realisation.
One who adopts it need not worry about nadis, the brain, the Sushumna, the Paranadi, the Kundalini, pranayama or the six centres.
Talk 642.
Mr. K. L. Sarma asked: Svasvarupanusandhanam bhaktirityabhidhiyate. Again - Svatmatattvanusadhanam bhaktirityapare joguh. What is the difference between the two?
M.: The former is vichara - Who am I? (Koham?) It represents jnana.
The latter is dhyana - Whence am I? (Kutoham?) This admits a jivatma which seeks the Paramatma.
M.: Sadhanas are needed so long as one has not realised it. They are for putting an end to obstacles. Finally there comes a stage when a person feels helpless notwithstanding the sadhanas.
He is unable to pursue the much-cherished sadhana also.
It is then that God’s Power is realised.
The Self reveals itself.
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Know the Self and there is an end of it.
No long process is necessary to know the Self.
Is it to be pointed out by another?
Does not everyone know that he exists?
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641
Any kind of meditation is good.
But if the sense of separateness is lost and the object of meditation or the subject who meditates is alone left behind without anything else to know, it is jnana.
Jnana is said to be ekabhakti (single-minded devotion). The Jnani is the finality because he has become the Self and there is nothing more to do. He is also perfect and so fearless.
dwitiyat vai bhayam bhavati - only the existence of a second gives rise to fear.
This is mukti. It is also bhakti.
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From Atma Vidya Vilasa;
Only some exceptional
individuals who have acquired the necessary qualifications
such as total detachment etc. can attain to self knowledge.
great teacher. 7.
mind that this universe in its entirety is unsubstantial
and of the nature of Maya alone. 12.
no trace of Maya or any of it's effects in the pure Self. 13.
immersed in the ocean of pure happiness, (innocently)
delighted at the various actions of (worldly) men. 14.
about in the outskirts of the jungle as if he were an idiot,
like a blind or deaf person. 15.
...........end.......................................................................................................
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