Fw: [MillionPaths] DAVID GODMAN..RAMANA AND RAMANASRAMAM

[Guest guest]

- I'M

MillionPaths

Sunday, May 05, 2002 6:37 PM

[MillionPaths] DAVID GODMAN..RAMANA AND RAMANASRAMAM

Have you used any practices in addition to those associated with Sri Ramana?

No. From the moment I first encountered Bhagavan and his teachings in

the 1970s I have never found myself attracted to any other teachings

or practices.

I often wonder whether Westerners misunderstand Ramana Maharshi. What

are the most common misconceptions about his teachings?

I am not sure how much understanding there is of Ramana Maharshi and

his teachings in the West. He is an iconic figure to a vast number of

people who are following some sort of spiritual path. I think that for

many people he epitomizes all that is best in the Hindu Guru

tradition, but having said that, I think that very few people know

much about him, and even fewer have a good grasp of his teachings.

Not many people read books about him nowadays — I know that from

trying to sell my own —and even fewer would profess themselves to be

his devotee. I find there is very little interest in his teachings

even among the people who come to visit Ramanasramam. Nowadays, many

of the people who come are spiritual tourists, pilgrims who just

travel round India, checking out all the various ashrams and

teachers.

About twenty years ago I met a foreigner here who had come to the

ashram for advice on how to do self-inquiry properly. For several

days he couldn't find anyone who was practicing it, even in

Ramanasramam. The people he asked in the ashram office just told him

to buy the ashram's publications and find out from them how to do it.

Eventually, he had what he thought was a bright idea. He stood outside

the door of the meditation hall at Ramanasramam, the place where Sri

Ramana lived for over twenty years, and asked everyone who came out

how to do self-inquiry. It transpired that none of the people inside

were doing self-inquiry. They came out one by one and said, "I was

doing japa," or "I was doing vispassana," or "I was doing Tibetan

visualizations."

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