Talks with Ramana -3

 Also, another important link to Ramana's works:

http://ramana-collected-works.blogspot.com/2007/06/self-enquiry.html


Self Enquiry


Master: Apart from the statement in the Vedas that wherever there is a 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.

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


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.

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, 

then all the 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 (manonasha) 

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).

 God remains of the nature of the Self, shining as `I' in the Heart.

 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.

........................

So enquiry is the means to removal of the false belief of self hood in all the three bodies.

.............................

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 become ripe in this manner, hears about this 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 hearing about the enquiry. 

Yet, if one practises the means for mind control for some time, peace of mind can be obtained eventually.

...

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.

..

28.
...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

....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, Vaikunta, and Paramapada,

 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.

...

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 be removed, and the plenary wisdom will be gained.⁷

..
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.

...

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 Sivayogins 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, Maheswara and Sadasiva', 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; 

then 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. 

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.

...

M: The eight limbs are those which have been already mentioned, viz., yama, niyama etc., but differently defined:



(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.
...

The great teachers say that forgetfulness is the root of all evil. 

It is death for those who seek release,

Therefore,  one should rest the mind in one's Self and 

should never forget the Self. 

This is the aim.

......................The End............................

Talks with ramana -2

 Talks with Ramana part 1 is Sep 2, 2019

http://athma-spiritualbliss.blogspot.com/2012/08/athma-vidya-vilasa-of-avadhootha.html

From Atma Vidya Vilasa;

Only some exceptional 
individuals who have acquired the necessary qualifications 
such as total detachment etc. can attain to self knowledge. 

The wise man, having cast off his natural propensities born of prakriti, having realized his real nature as Sat, 

Chith and Ananda, rejoices having attained to high 

state of bliss by a mere compassionate glance of the 
great teacher. 7.

He wanders about with his desires crushed and with his pride, self-esteem and envy discarded, realising in his 
mind that this universe in its entirety is unsubstantial 
and of the nature of Maya alone. 12.

The yogi, free of (all) burdens, rejoices in the bliss within,knowing for certain that, in reality, there is 
no trace of Maya or any of it's effects in the pure Self. 13.

He sports like a child without any idea of `I' or `you',
immersed in the ocean of pure happiness, (innocently)
delighted at the various actions of (worldly) men. 14.

Having discarded the (illusory) bondage of karma and delighting in the Atman,the prince of sanyasis wanders 

about in the outskirts of the jungle as if he were an idiot,
like a blind or deaf person. 15.

Having skillfully caught the fickle deer of his mind with the net of enquiry, he, the unique one, reposes in his own abode, tired of hunting in the forests of the Vedas. 23.

..............................

 M.: All these are the symptoms of exceedingly subtle modes of mind (vrittis). 

Without duality they cannot remain.

 Samadhi is Perfect Peace where these cannot find place. 

After emerging from samadhi the remembrance of the state gives rise to these symptoms. In bhakti marga (path of devotion) these are the precursors to samadhi.

.....

 Each one has some method of upasana or japa. If that is pursued in all sincerity with due perseverance, it will automatically lead to the investigation of the Self.

,...


Can the mind be got at by the mind on looking for it as an object?

 The source of the mental functions must be sought and gained. 

That is the Reality. 

One does not know the Self owing to the interference of thoughts.

 The Self is realised when thoughts subside.

....

M.: “Whenever the turbulent mind wavers, then and there pull it and bring it under control.” 

(Bh. Gita, VI, 26.) 

“Seeing the mind with the mind” (manasa mana alokya), so proclaim the Upanishads.

....

Talk 378. 

In a conversation with an Andhra visitor, Sri Bhagavan quoted:

 Asamsayam mahabaho mano durnigraham chalam Abhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena cha grhyate — Bh. Gita, Ch. VI, 35 

Without doubt, O mighty-armed Hero, the mind is restless, hard to curb. Yet by constant effort, Partha, matched with detachment - curbed it is. 

To explain vairagya Sri Bhagavan again quoted: 

Sankalpaprabhavan kamams tyaktva sarvan aseshatah Manasaivendriyagramam viniyamya samantatah — (Ch. VI, 24) 

Having cast out without remains all longing born of thought for self, Having drawn in by mind alone his team of senses from all sides 

- As for practice (abhyasa): 

Sanaissanairuparamet buddhya dhritigrhitaya Atmasamstham manah krtva na kinchidapi chintayet — (VI - 25) 

By slow approaches let him come to rest, with patient, rock-poised Will; His mind at home in Self hood pure, Let him create no thought at all

Again for jnana: 

Yato yato nischarati manas chanchalam asthiram Tatastato niyamyaitad atmanyeva vasam nayet — (VI - 26) 

Though over and over the fickle mind, all restlessness, a-wandering goes, Still over and over let his regain control, and poise it back in Self. 


158

D.: How did the wrong identity arise?

 M.: Due to thoughts. If these thoughts are put an end to, the real Self should shine forth of itself.


D.: How are these thoughts to be ended?

M.: Find out their basis. All of them are strung on the single ‘I-thought’. 

Quell it; all others are quashed. 

Moreover there is no use knowing all except the Self.

 If the Self is known all others become known. Hence is Self-Realisation the primary and sole duty of man


162

M.: It is also said in the same place that the mind is to be introverted and made to merge into the Self; 

that the practice must be long because it is slow; 

and must be continued until it is totally merged in the Self.

...

D.: I want prasad, i.e., Grace, for it. 

M.: It is always with you. 

All that is required of you is not to confound yourself with the extrovert mind but to abide as the Self.

 That is prasad. 

The gentleman saluted and retired
...
...

namdev visoba khechar story

The moral of the story is clear. Visions of God have their place below the plane of Self-Realisation.

...

D.: Is not dhyana one of the efficient processes for Realisation?

 M.: Dhyana is concentration on an object. It fulfills the purpose of keeping away diverse thoughts and fixing the mind on a single thought, which must also disappear before Realisation. 

But Realisation is nothing new to be acquired. It is already there, but obstructed by a screen of thoughts. All our attempts are directed for lifting this screen and then Realisation is revealed. 

If a true seeker is advised to meditate, many may go away satisfied with the advice. 

But someone among them may turn round and ask, “Who am I to meditate on an object?” 

Such a one must be told to find the Self. 

That is the finality. 

That is Vichara. 

D.: Will vichara alone do in the absence of meditation? 

M.: Vichara is the process and the goal also. 

‘I Am’ is the goal and the final Reality. 

To hold to it with effort is vichara. 

When spontaneous and natural it is Realisation. 

172

Talk 391. 

The same sannyasi visitor, Swami Lokesananda, asked about samadhi. 

M.: (1) Holding on to Reality is samadhi.

 (2) Holding on to Reality with effort is savikalpa samadhi. 

(3) Merging in Reality and remaining unaware of the world is nirvikalpa samadhi. 

 (4) Merging in Ignorance and remaining unaware of the world is sleep. 

(Head bends but not in samadhi). 

(5) Remaining in the primal, pure natural state without effort is sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi.

M.: Samadhi means passing beyond dehatma buddhi (I-am-the-body idea) and non-identification of the body with the Self is a foregone conclusion. There are said to be persons who have been immersed in nirvikalpa samadhi for a thousand years or more.

D.: They say that Kundalini must be roused before Realisation and that its awakening makes the body feel hot. Is that so? 

M.: The yogis call it Kundalini Sakti. It is the same as vritti  of the form of God (Bhagavatakara vritti) of the bhaktas and vritti of the form of Brahman (Brahmakara vritti) of the jnanis. 

It must be preliminary to Realisation. 

The sensation produced may be said to be hot

...

But in fact they create confusion where no confusion need exist. 

To understand anything there must be the Self. 

The Self is obvious. 

Why not remain as the Self?

 What need to explain the non-self?

...

Take the Vedanta for instance: They say there are fifteen kinds of prana. The student is made to commit the names to memory and also their functions. The air goes up and is called prana; goes down and is called apana; operates the indriyas and is called something. Why all this? Why do you classify, give names and enumerate the functions, and so on? Is it not enough to know that one prana does the whole work?

The antahkarana thinks, desires, wills, reasons, etc., and each function is attributed to one name such as mind, intellect, etc. Has anyone seen the pranas or the antahkaranas? Have they any real
existence? They are mere conceptions. When and where will such conceptions end?


Consider the following: A man sleeps. He says on waking that he slept. The question is asked: ‘Why does he not say in his sleep that he is sleeping?’ The answer is given that he is sunk in the Self and cannot speak, like a man who has dived in water to bring out something from the bottom. The diver cannot speak under water; when he has actually recovered the articles he comes out and speaks. Well, what is the explanation? Being in water, water will flow into his mouth if he were to open the mouth for speaking. Is it not simple? But the philosopher is not content with this simple fact. He explains, saying that fire is the deity presiding over speech; that it is inimical to water and therefore cannot function! 

This is called philosophy and the learners are struggling to learn all this! Is it not a sheer waste of time? Again the Gods are said to preside over the limbs and senses of the individual (vyashti). They are the limbs and senses of Virat (samashti). So they go on explaining Hiranyagarbha, etc. Why should confusion be created and then explained away? Ah! Fortunate is the man who does not involve himself in this maze! 

I was indeed fortunate that I never took to it.

 Had I taken to it, I would probably be nowhere - always in confusion. 

My purva vasanas (former tendencies) directly took me to the enquiry “Who am I?” It was indeed fortunate!


177

Talk 394. 

D.: How is the mind to be stilled? 

M.: Looking at the mind with the mind, or fixing the mind in the Self, brings the mind under control of the Self. 

D.: Is there any yoga, i.e., a process for it? 

M.: Vichara (investigation) alone will do.


179

The single reality is the Self. 

To identify oneself with the body and yet to seek happiness is like attempting to cross a river on the back of an alligator.

 The body identity is due to extroversion and the wandering of the mind. 

To continue in that state will only keep one in an endless tangle and there will be no peace. 

Seek your source, merge in the Self and remain all alone.


Rebirth means discontent with the present state, and desire to be born where there will be no discontent. 

Births, being of the body, cannot affect the Self. The Self remains over even after the body perishes. 

The discontent is due to the wrong identity of the Eternal Self with the perishable body. 

The body is a necessary adjunct of the ego. 

If the ego is killed the eternal Self is revealed in all its glory.

M.: The yoga marga speaks of the six centres each of which must be reached by practice and transcended until one reaches sahasrara where nectar is found and thus immortality. 

The yogis say that one enters into the para nadi which starts from the sacral plexus whereas the jnanis say that the same nadi starts from the heart. 

Reconciliation between the seeming]y contradictory statements is effected in the secret doctrine which distinctly states the yogic paranadi is from muladhara and the jnana paranadi is from the Heart.

 The truth is that the para nadi should be entered. 

By yogic practice one goes down, then rises up, wanders all through until the goal is reached; 

by jnana abhyas one settles down directly in the centre.

...

The Yogis attach the highest importance to going up to sahasrara i.e., the brain centre or the thousand-petalled-lotus. 

Some yogis say that there are other centres higher up with greater involutions e.g., 100,000 (100) petalled or 100,000,000 (108) petalled ones. Let us omit them for the present. They point out the scriptural statement that the life-current enters the body through the fontanelle and argue that, viyoga (separation) having come about that way, yoga (union) must also be effected in the reverse way. 

Therefore we must by yoga practice, gather up the pranas and enter the fontanelle for the consummation of yoga.

The jnanis point out that the yogi assumes the existence of the body, its separateness from the Self, and therefore advises effort for reunion by the practice of yoga

...

In fact, the body is in the mind which has the brain for its seat, which again functions by light borrowed from another source as admitted by the yogis themselves in their fontanelle theory.

 The jnani further argues: if the light is borrowed it must come from its native source.

 Go to the source direct and do not depend on borrowed resources. 

Just as an iron ball comes into being separate from the mass of iron, gets fiery, in fire, later cools down giving up the fire, but must again be made fiery to reunite with the original mass, so also the cause of separation must also form the factor of reunion


Again if there is an image reflected there must be a source and also accessories like the Sun and a pot of water for reflection. 

To do away with the reflection either the surface is covered up

 corresponding to reaching the fontanelle according to the yogis 

or the water is drained away which is called tapas.

 (Tapo Brahmeti - tapas is Brahman).


That is to say, the thoughts or the brain activities are made to cease. 

This is jnana-marga.

All these are however on the assumption that the jiva is separate from the Self or Brahman. But are we separate? “No”, says the jnani. 


 The ego is simply wrong identity of the Self with the non-self, as in the case of a colourless crystal and its coloured background.

 The crystal though colourless appears red because of its background.


If the background is removed the crystal shines in its original purity. So it is with the Self and the antahkaranas

Still again the illustration is not quite appropriate. For the ego has its source from the Self and is not separate like the background from the crystal. Having its source from the Self, the ego must only be retraced in order that it might merge in its source. The centre of the ego and its core is called the Heart, the same as the Self.


...

A gentleman asked if the yogis also reach the anahata and thus realise the Heart-centre as is done by the jnanis but in a different way.

 M.: Anahata is not the same as the Heart-centre.

 If so, why should they wander further on to Sahasrara? 

Moreover, the question arises because of the sense of separateness persisting in us. We are never away from the Heart-centre. Before reaching anahata or after passing it, one is only in the centre. Whether one understands it or not, one is not away from the centre. Practice of yoga or vichara is done, always remaining in the centre only.

...............................................end...............

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