From Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

On the 9th of this January, C. Richard Wright passed on at the SRF

Encinitis Ashrams tended by the monks there. He was the one who went

to pay homage to Sri Ramana Maharshi. Here is the plain experiences

with him.

 

 

 

 

106 onwards D: = Mr C.R. Wright

M: = Maharshi

 

107 onwards D: = Paramahansa Yogananda

M: = Maharshi

 

 

Page 101 29th November 1935

 

106. Swami Yogananda with four others arrived at 8.45 a.m. He looks

big,

but gentle and well-groomed. He has dark flowing hair, hanging

over his

shoulders. The group had lunch in the Asramam.

 

Mr C.R.Wright, his secretary, asked : How shall I realise God ?

 

Maharshi : God is an unknown entity. Moreover He is external.

Whereas,

the Self is always with you and it is you. Why do you leave out what

is

intimate and go in for what is external ?

 

D. : What is this Self again ?

 

M.: The Self is known to every one but not clearly. You always

exist. The

Be-ing is the Self. ' I am ' is the name of God. Of all the

definitions

of God, none is indeed so well put as the Biblical statement " I AM

THAT I

AM " in EXODUS Chap.3). There are other statements, such as

Brahamaivaham, Aham Brahamasmi and Soham. But none is so direct

as the name JEHOVAH=I AM. The Absolute Being is what is-- It is the

Self.

It is God. Knowing the Self, God is known. In fact God is none

other than the Self.

 

D. : Why are there good and evil ?

 

M. : They are relative terms. There must be a subject to know the

good and evil.

That subject is the ego. Trace the source of the ego. It ends in

the Self.

The source of the ego is God. This definition of God is probably

more concrete and better understood by you.

 

D. : So it is. How to get Bliss ?

 

M. : Bliss is not something to be got. On the other hand you are

always Bliss. This desire is born of the sense of incompleteness.

To whom is this sense of incompleteness ? Enquire. In deep sleep

you were blissful. Now you are not so. What has interposed between

that Bliss and this non-bliss ?? It is the ego. Seek its source and

find you are Bliss.

 

There is nothing new to get. You have, on the other hand, to get

rid of your ignorance which makes you think that you are other than

Bliss. For whom is this ignorance ? It is to the ego. Trace the

source of the ego. Then the ego is lost and Bliss remains over. It

is eternal. You are That, here and now...... That is the master key

for solving all doubts. The doubts arise in the mind. The mind is

born of the ego. The ego rises from the Self. Search the source of

the ego and the Self is revealed. That alone remains. The universe

is only expanded Self. It is not different from the Self.

 

D. : What is the best way of living ?

 

M. : It differs according as one is a jnani or Ajnani. A jnani does

not find anything different or seperate from the Self. All are in

the Self. It is wrong to imagine that there is the world, that

there is a body in it and that you dwell in the body. If the Truth

is known, the universe and what is beyond it will be found to be only

in the Self. The outlook differs according to the sight of the

person. The sight is from the eye. The eye must be located

somewhere. If you are seeing with the gross eyes you find others

gross. If with subtle eyes (i.e., the mind) others appear subtle.

If the eye becomes the Self, the Self being infinite, the eye is

infinite. There is nothing else to see different from the Self.

 

He thanked Maharshi. He was told that the best way of thanking is to

remain always as the Self.

 

 

 

107. Later the Yogi asked : How is the spiritual uplift of the

people of the people to be effected ? What are the instructions to

be given to them ?

 

M. : They differ according to the temperaments of the individuals and

according to the spiritual ripeness of their minds. There cannot be

any instruction en masse.

 

D. : Why does God permit suffering in this world ? Should He not

with His omnipotence do away with it at one stroke and ordain the

universal realisation of God ?

 

M. : Suffering is the way for Realisation of God.

 

D. : Should He not ordain differently ?

 

M. : It is the way.

 

D, : Are Yoga, religion, etc., antidotes to suffering ?

 

M. : They help you to overcome suffering.

 

D, : Why should there be suffering ?

 

M. : Who suffers ? What is suffering ?

 

No answer ! Finally the Yogi rose up, prayed for Sri Bhagavan's

blessings for his own work and expressed great regret for his hasty

return. He looked very sincere and devoted and even emotional go

please.

 

Let us and let it be most pleasant. Let it be.

 

Love all it is.

Mazie