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The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

 

 

RENUNCIATION

 

 

Asked 'How does a grihastha (householder) fare in the scheme of Moksha

(liberation)?' Bhagavan said, 'Why do you think you are a grihastha? If you

go out as sanyasi (ascetic), a similar thought that you are a sanyasi will

haunt you. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to

the forest, your mind goes with you. The ego is the source of all thought.

It creates the body and the world and makes you think you are a grihastha .

If you renounce the world it will only substitute the thought sanyasi for

grihastha and the environments in the forest for those of the household. But

the mental obstacles will still be there. They even increase in the new

surroundings. There is no help in change of environment. The obstacle is the

mind. It must be got over whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it

in the forest, why not at home? Therefore, why change your environment? Your

efforts can be made even now - in whatever environment you are now. The

environment will never change according to your desire'.

 

 

 

FATE AND FREEWILL

 

 

Freewill and destiny are ever existent. Destiny is the result of past

action; it concerns the body. Let the body act as may suit it. Why are you

concerned about it? Why do you pay attention to it. Freewill and destiny

last as long as the body lasts. But jnana transcends both. The Self is

beyond knowledge and ignorance. Whatever happens, happens as the result of

one's past actions, of divine will and of other factors.

There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of it. One is

to enquire for whom is this destiny and discover that only the ego is bound

by destiny and not the Self and that the ego is non-existent.

The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by

realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, 'Not I, but Thou oh

Lord' and giving up all sense of 'I' and mine, and leaving it to the Lord to

do what he likes with you. Complete effacement of the ego is necessary to

conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through self-enquiry or

bhakti marga (Path).

 

 

 

 

JNANI

 

 

A jnani has attained Liberation even while alive, here and now. It is

immaterial to him as to how, where and when he leaves the body. Some jnanis

may appear to suffer, others may be in samadhi; still others may disappear

from sight before death. But that makes no difference to their jnana. Such

suffering is apparent, seems real to the onlooker, but not felt by the

jnani, for he has already transcended the mistaken identity of the Self with

the body.

The jnani does not think he is the body. He does not even see the body. He

sees only the Self in the body. If the body is not there, but only the Self,

the question of its disappearing in any form does not arise.

 

 

 

 

PRACTICE, DEDICATION AND DEVOTION

 

 

In the light of the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, the devotees

of Arunachala Ashrama believe that spiritual practice (sadhana) is

essential. Peace, joy and immortality are available to those aspirants who

dedicate themselves to the practice of meditation and Self-enquiry, devotion

and dedication. The Grace of the Guru is always present, but this Grace is

only fully experienced by those few sincere sadhakas (spiritual aspirants)

who devote their lives to the practice of the teachings.

We believe that Sri Ramana Maharshi did not live for his time alone. His

presence and guidance can be experienced now just as when he was physically

present. Those who turn to him with sincere aspiration and longing, those

who try their best to apply his teachings, will feel his Grace and guidance.

There is no doubt about this.

In Arunachala Ashrama, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi remains the teacher and

Guru. Lectures and discussions may have a place in an aspirant's life, but

Arunachala Ashrama is maintained in a manner that allows visitors and

residents to obsorb the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi through silence.

His teachings are always being disseminated in Silence, and to hear them we

must silence our mind. Lectures and discussions can obscurate his silent

teachings to the Heart.

"Silence is the ocean in which all the rivers of all the religions discharge

themselves." -Thayumanavar

 

 

 

 

 

Gratitude due to

Arunachala Ashrama

 

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