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File - WHO AM I.htm

Who am I?

By Sri Ramana Maharshi

Copyright information: The Publisher, Sri Ramanasramam,

has kindly made this book available for download at:

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/fullbook.htm

The following is the book Who am I? in the original question and answer format:

Who am I?

As all living beings desire to be happy always,

without misery,

as in the case of everyone there is observed

supreme love for one's self,

and as happiness alone is the cause for love,

in order to gain that happiness which is one's nature

and which is experienced in the state of deep sleep

where there is no mind,

one should know one's self.

For that,

the path of knowledge,

the inquiry of the form "Who am I?",

is the principal means.

1 . Who am I ? The gross body which is composed of the seven humours (dhatus),

I am not;

the five cognitive sense organs,

viz. the senses of hearing,

touch,sight,

taste,and smell,which apprehend their respective objects,viz.

sound,touch,colour,taste,and odour,I am not;the five cognitive

sense-organs,viz. the organs of

speech,locomotion,grasping,excretion,and procreation,which have as

their respective functions speaking,moving,grasping,excreting,and

enjoying,I am not;the five vital airs,prana, etc.,which perform

respectively the five functions of in-breathing, etc.,I am not;even

the mind which thinks,I am not;the nescience too,which is endowed

only with the residual impressions of objects,and in which there are

no objects and no functioning's,I am not.

2. If I am none of these, then who am I? After negating all of the

above-mentioned as'not this', 'not this',that Awareness which alone

remains - that I am.

3. What is the nature of Awareness?The nature of Awareness is existence-consciousness-bliss

4. When will the realization of the Self be gained? When the world

which is what-is-seen has been removed,there will be realization of

the Self which is the seer.

5. Will there not be realization of the Selfeven while the world is there? There will not be.

6. Why? The seer and the object seen are like the rope and the

snake.Just as the knowledge of the rope which is the substratewill

not arise unless the false knowledge of the illusory serpent goes,so

the realization of the Self which is the substrate will not be

gainedunless the belief that the world is real is removed.

7. When will the world which is the object seen be removed? When the

mind,which is the cause of all cognition's and of all actions,becomes

quiescent,the world will disappear.

8. What is the nature of the mind? What is called 'mind' is a wondrous

power residing in the Self.It causes all thoughts to arise.Apart from

thoughts,there is no such thing as mind.Therefore, thought is the

nature of mind.Apart from thoughts,there is no independent entity

called the world.In deep sleep there are no thoughts,and there is no

world.In the states of waking and dream,there are thoughts,and there

is a world also.Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) out

of itselfand again withdraws it into itself,likewise the mind

projects the world out of itselfand again resolves it into

itself.When the mind comes out of the Self,the world appears.

Therefore,when the world appears,the Self does not appear;and when

the Self appears (shines) the world does not appear.When one

persistently inquires into the nature of the mind,the mind will end

leaving the Self.What is referred to as the Self is the Atman.The

mind always exists only in dependence on something gross;it cannot

stay alone.It is the mind that is called the subtle body or the soul

(jiva).

9. What is the path of inquiry for understanding the nature of the

mind? That which rises as 'I' in this body is the mind.If one

inquires as to where in the body the thought 'I' rises first,one

would discover that it rises in the heart.That is the place of the

mind's origin.Even if one thinks constantly 'I' 'I',one will be led

to that place.Of all the thoughts that arise in the mind,the 'I'

thought is the first.It is only after the rise of this that the other

thoughts arise.It is after the appearance of the first personal

pronounthat the second and third personal pronouns appear;without the

first personal pronoun there will not be the second and third.

10. How will the mind become quiescent?By the inquiry 'Who am I?'.The

thought 'who am I?' will destroy all other thoughts,and like the

stick used for stirring the burning pyre,it will itself in the end

get destroyed.Then, there will arise Self-realization.

11. What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am

I?' When other thoughts arise,one should not pursue them,but should

inquire: 'To whom do they arise?'It does not matter how many thoughts

arise.As each thought arises,one should inquire with diligence,"To

whom has this thought arisen?".The answer that would emerge would be

"To me".Thereupon if one inquires "Who am I?",the mind will go back

to its source;and the thought that arose will become quiescent.With

repeated practice in this manner,the mind will develop the skill to

stay in its source.When the mind that is subtle goes out through the

brainand the sense-organs,the gross names and forms appear;when it

stays in the heart,the names and forms disappear.Not letting the mind

go out,but retaining it in the Heart is what is called "inwardness"

(antar-mukha).Letting the mind go out of the Heart is known as

"externalisation"(bahir-mukha).Thus, when the mind stays in the

Heart,the 'I' which is the source of all thoughts will go,and the

Self which ever exists will shine.Whatever one does, one should do

without the egoity "I".If one acts in that way, all will appear as of

the nature of Siva (God).

12. Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent? Other than

inquiry,there are no adequate means.If through other means it is

sought to control the mind,the mind will appear to be controlled,but

will again go forth.Through the control of breath also,the mind will

become quiescent;but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath

remains controlled,and when the breath resumes the mind also will

again start movingand will wander as impelled by residual

impressions.The source is the same for both mind and breath.Thought,

indeed, is the nature of the mind.The thought "I" is the first

thought of the mind;and that is egoity.It is from that whence egoity

originates that breath also originates.Therefore, when the mind

becomes quiescent,the breath is controlled,and when the breath is

controlled the mind becomes quiescent.But in deep sleep,although the

mind becomes quiescent,the breath does not stop.This is because of

the will of God,so that the body may be preservedand other people may

not be under the impression that it is dead.In the state of waking and

in samadhi,when the mind becomes quiescent the breath is

controlled.Breath is the gross form of mind.Till the time of

death,the mind keeps breath in the body;and when the body dies the

mind takes the breath along with it.Therefore, the exercise of

breath-control is only an aidfor rendering the mind quiescent

(manonigraha);it will not destroy the mind (manonasa).Like the

practice of breath-control,meditation on the forms of God,repetition

of mantras,restriction on food, etc.,are but aids for rendering the

mind quiescent.

Through meditation on the forms of Godand through repetition of

mantras,the mind becomes one-pointed.The mind will always be

wandering.Just as when a chain is given to an elephant to hold in its

trunkit will go along grasping the chain and nothing else,so also when

the mind is occupied with a name or formit will grasp that alone.When

the mind expands in the form of countless thoughts,each thought

becomes weak;but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes

one-pointed and strong;for such a mind Self-inquiry will become

easy.Of all the restrictive rules,that relating to the taking of

sattvic food in moderate quantities is the best;by observing this

rule,the sattvic quality of mind will increase,and that will be

helpful to Self-inquiry.

13. The residual impressions (thoughts) of objects appear unending

like the waves of an ocean. When will all of them get destroyed?As

the meditation on the Self rises higher and higher,the thoughts will

get destroyed.14. Is it possible for the residual impressions of

objectsthat come from beginningless time, as it were, to be

resolved,and for one to remain as the pure Self? Without yielding to

the doubt "Is it possible, or not?",one should persistently hold on

to the meditation on the Self.Even if one be a great sinner,one

should not worry and weep "O! I am a sinner,how can I be saved?";one

should completely renounce the thought "I am a sinner";and

concentrate keenly on meditation on the Self;then, one would surely

succeed.There are not two minds - one good and the other evil;the

mind is only one.It is the residual impressions that are of two kinds

-auspicious and inauspicious.When the mind is under the influence of

auspicious impressionsit is called good;and when it is under the

influence of inauspicious impressionsit is regarded as evil. The mind

should not be allowed to wander towards worldly objectsand what

concerns other people.However bad other people may be,one should bear

no hatred for them.Both desire and hatred should be eschewed.All that

one gives to others one gives to one's self.If this truth is

understood who will not give to others?When one's self arises all

arises;when one's self becomes quiescent all becomes quiescent.To the

extent we behave with humility,to that extent there will result

good.If the mind is rendered quiescent,one may live anywhere.

15. How long should inquiry be practised? As long as there are

impressions of objects in the mind,so long the inquiry "Who am I?" is

required.As thoughts arise they should be destroyed then and therein

the very place of their origin,through inquiry.If one resorts to

contemplation of the Self unintermittently,until the Self is

gained,that alone would do.As long as there are enemies within the

fortress,they will continue to sally forth;if they are destroyed as

they emerge,the fortress will fall into our hands.

16. What is the nature of the Self? What exists in truth is the Self

alone.The world,the individual soul,and God are appearances in

it,like silver in mother-of-pearl,these three appear at the same

time,and disappear at the same time.The Self is that where there is

absolutely no "I" thought.That is called "Silence".The Self itself is

the world;the Self itself is "I";the Self itself is God;all is Siva,

the Self.

17. Is not everything the work of God? Without desire,resolve,or

effort,the sun rises;and in its mere presence,the sun-stone emits

fire,the lotus blooms,water evaporates;people perform their various

functions and then rest.Just as in the presence of the magnet the

needle moves,it is by virtue of the mere presence of Godthat the

souls governed by the three (cosmic) functionsor the fivefold divine

activityperform their actions and then rest,in accordance with their

respective karmas.God has no resolve;no karma attaches itself to

Him.That is like worldly actions not affecting the sun,or like the

merits and demerits of the other four elementsnot affecting all

pervading space.

18. Of the devotees, who is the greatest? He who gives himself up to

the Self that is Godis the most excellent devotee.Giving one's self

up to God means remaining constantly in the Selfwithout giving room

for the rise of any thoughtsother than that of the Self.Whatever

burdens are thrown on God,He bears them.Since the supreme power of

God makes all things move,why should we,without submitting ourselves

to it,constantly worry ourselves with thoughts as towhat should be

done and how,and what should not be done and how not?We know that the

train carries all loads,so after getting on it why should we carry our

small luggageon our head to our discomfort,instead of putting it down

in the train and feeling at ease?

19. What is non-attachment?As thoughts arise,destroying them utterly

without any residuein the very place of their origin is

non-attachment.Just as the pearl-diver ties a stone to his

waist,sinks to the bottom of the sea and there takes the pearls,so

each one of us should be endowed with non-attachment,dive within

oneself and obtain the Self-Pearl.

20. Is it not possible for God and the Guru to effect the release of a

soul?God and the Guru will only show the way to release;they will not

by themselves take the soul to the state of release.In truth, God and

the Guru are not different.Just as the prey which has fallen into the

jaws of a tiger has no escape,so those who have come within the ambit

of the Guru's gracious lookwill be saved by the Guru and will not get

lost;yet, each one should by his own effortpursue the path shown by

God or Guru and gain release.One can know oneself only with one's own

eye of knowledge,and not with somebody else's.Does he who is Rama

require the help of a mirrorto know that he is Rama?

21. Is it necessary for one who longs for releaseto inquire into the

nature of categories (tattvas)? Just as one who wants to throw away

garbagehas no need to analyse it and see what it is,so one who wants

to know the Selfhas no need to count the number of categoriesor

inquire into their characteristics;what he has to do is to reject

altogetherthe categories that hide the Self.The world should be

considered like a dream.

22. Is there no difference between waking and dream? Waking is long

and a dream short;other than this there is no difference.Just as

waking happenings seem real while awake,so do those in a dream while

dreaming.In dream the mind takes on another body.In both waking and

dream statesthoughts, names and forms occur simultaneously.

23. Is it any use reading books for those who long for release? All

the texts say that in order to gain releaseone should render the mind

quiescent;therefore their conclusive teaching is thatthe mind should

be rendered quiescent;once this has been understoodthere is no need

for endless reading.In order to quieten the mindone has only to

inquire within oneself what one's Self is;how could this search be

done in books?One should know one's Self with one's own eye of

wisdom.The Self is within the five sheaths;but books are outside

them.Since the Self has to be inquired intoby discarding the five

sheaths,it is futile to search for it in books.There will come a

timewhen one will have to forget all that one has learned.

24. What is happiness? Happiness is the very nature of the

Self;happiness and the Self are not different.There is no happiness

in any object of the world.We imagine through our ignorancethat we

derive happiness from objects.When the mind goes out,it experiences

misery.In truth, when its desires are fulfilled,it returns to its own

placeand enjoys the happiness that is the Self.Similarly, in the

states of sleep,samadhi and fainting,and when the object desired is

obtainedor the object disliked is removed,the mind becomes

inward-turned,and enjoys pure Self-Happiness.Thus the mind moves

without restalternately going out of the Self and returning to

it.Under the tree the shade is pleasant;out in the open the heat is

scorching.A person who has been going about in the sunfeels cool when

he reaches the shade.Someone who keeps on goingfrom the shade into the

sunand then back into the shade is a fool.A wise man stays permanently

in the shade.Similarly, the mind of the one who knows the truthdoes

not leave Brahman.The mind of the ignorant,on the contrary,revolves

in the world,feeling miserable,and for a little time returns to

Brahmanto experience happiness.In fact, what is called the world is

only thought.When the world disappears,i.e. when there is no

thought,the mind experiences happiness;and when the world appears,the

mind goes through misery.25. What is wisdom-insight (jnana-drsti)?

Remaining quiet is what is called wisdom-insight.To remain quiet is

to resolve the mind in the Self.Telepathy, knowing past, present and

future happeningsand clairvoyance do not constitute wisdom-insight.

26. What is the relation between desirelessness and

wisdom?Desirelessness is wisdom.The two are not different;they are

the same.Desirelessness is refraining from turning the mind towards

any object.Wisdom means the appearance of no object.In other

words,not seeking what is other than the Self is detachment or

desirelessness;not leaving the Self is wisdom.

27. What is the difference between inquiry and meditation?Inquiry

consists in retaining the mind in the Self.Meditation consists in

thinking that one's self is Brahman,existence-consciousness-bliss.

28. What is release? Inquiring into the nature of one's self that is

in bondage,and realizing one's true nature is release.

SRI RAMANARPANAM ASTU