Guest guest Posted May 1, 2001 Report Share Posted May 1, 2001 I have read Ramana's material to some extent including the procedure for self-inquiry... what I am missing is the "how of it".. when you do inquiry, should it be... I really want to know? to really wonder? stirring the pot deeply? like your hair is on fire? it seems when I do inquiry this way, it is not always a quieting experience but more of a tilling or upheaval of the mind... and emotions etc.... a churning.... sometimes I am left with a sick feeling for a while... whereas to just flippantly ask "who am I?" assuming I am the self, shiva, the one and only and then not hearing any response... to not really wonder deeply.... but to rather just use "who am I" as a sort of mantra... I rest in the quiet... these to ways of doing inquiry differ dramatically... which one works? for serious ego eradication? I have opened up a lot and have some experience but am not obliterated.... Thanks, Paul-half baked in KC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2001 Report Share Posted May 1, 2001 interestingly when you ask a question, answers come! you dig as long as you don't have water! when the water is there, you just drink.... anyone do self inquiry around here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2001 Report Share Posted May 1, 2001 advaitin, "Paul J. Cote" <pjcote@l...> wrote: > interestingly when you ask a question, answers come! > > you dig as long as you don't have water! > > when the water is there, you just drink.... > > anyone do self inquiry around here? I know a friend who has been doing Vichara for over 20 odd years now but he is back home in India and not a web aware person. He also teaches Vedanta and has written books - will see if I can get him on- board here. Talking about Vichara marga - I have often wondered what motivates people who are on vichara marga (path of enquiry). What keeps them going? In both Bhakti and Meditation paths, there is a sense of joy or pleasantness that you derive from your sadhana (practice) right from the early stages. Here is a quote from Talks with Ramana Mahisrishi http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/talks.htm which explains the joy in the path of meditation - once you start tasting the inner joy, you will keep going back. ============ Quote ================================================== 20th June, 1936 213. Mr. B. C. Das asked why the mind cannot be turned inward in spite of repeated attempts. M.: It is done by practice and dispassion and that succeeds only gradually. The mind, having been so long a cow accustomed to graze stealthily on others' estates, is not easily confined to her stall. However much her keeper tempts her with luscious grass and fine fodder, she refuses the first time; then she takes a bit; but her innate tendency to stray away asserts itself; and she slips away; on being repeatedly tempted by the owner, she accustoms herself to the stall; finally even if let loose she would not stray away. Similarly with the mind. If once it finds its inner happiness it will not wander outward. ================== Quote ends ===================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2001 Report Share Posted May 1, 2001 well, I believe many people do it all... I participate in Siddha Yoga and was fortunate to get Shaktipat right off the bat... about 15 years ago... and since then have done many things, but now, sadhana is picking back up... there is bliss and there are dry times... chanting is done, meditation is done, service is done, scriptural study... contemplation... witnessing... and self inquiry... I guess it is based on what the individual needs... just last night, I was doing that "who am I" and it like to made me sick.... , was definitely feeling chunks of ego go away...this morning... the bliss (joy) came back... so it must have cut through something... I like chanting... but, and I think it is mostly due to reading re: Ramana Maharshi and the Zen folks, I hear that questioning using the Koan... who am I is supposed to be quite direct... I really don't know... I do like chanting... chanting generates bliss.... self inquiry aligns the ego.... readjusts it.... it does seem that if I do anything to a point of bliss, I stop... well, chanting can be done beyond bliss, but enquiry... why bother? so, doing inquiry, and then feeling bliss satisfies and the longing stops.... but I don't believe I have ever gotten to the point such as Nisargadatta talks about in his book... beyond the beyond.... the ego is still there... who knows? The ones who are full blown (Nisargadatta, maybe Ramesh Balsekar, who knows what realization someone else has?, and even my Guru) make it sound like some monumental thing happens and they are totally absorbed and can then never fall... they never feel like the doer ever again.... I have had powerful experiences, but have never died completely to my ego... I would like for that to happen... do you all believe it ever goes away completely? irreversible? Paul advaitin, avsundarrajan wrote: > advaitin, "Paul J. Cote" <pjcote@l...> wrote: > > interestingly when you ask a question, answers come! > > > > you dig as long as you don't have water! > > > > when the water is there, you just drink.... > > > > anyone do self inquiry around here? > > I know a friend who has been doing Vichara for over 20 odd years now > but he is back home in India and not a web aware person. He also > teaches Vedanta and has written books - will see if I can get him on- > board here. > > Talking about Vichara marga - I have often wondered what motivates > people who are on vichara marga (path of enquiry). What keeps them > going? > > In both Bhakti and Meditation paths, there is a sense of joy or > pleasantness that you derive from your sadhana (practice) right from > the early stages. > > Here is a quote from Talks with Ramana Mahisrishi > http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/talks.htm > which explains the joy in the path of meditation - once you start > tasting the inner joy, you will keep going back. > > ============ Quote ================================================== > > 20th June, 1936 > 213. Mr. B. C. Das asked why the mind cannot be turned inward in > spite of repeated attempts. > > M.: It is done by practice and dispassion and that succeeds only > gradually. The mind, having been so long a cow accustomed to graze > stealthily on others' estates, is not easily confined to her stall. > However much her keeper tempts her with luscious grass and fine > fodder, she refuses the first time; then she takes a bit; but her > innate tendency to stray away asserts itself; and she slips away; on > being repeatedly tempted by the owner, she accustoms herself to the > stall; finally even if let loose she would not stray away. Similarly > with the mind. If once it finds its inner happiness it will not > wander outward. > > ================== Quote ends ===================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2001 Report Share Posted May 2, 2001 namaste. The following is my understanding on this very good question raised by shri paul Cote. The enquiry "Who am I?" is not for everyone. Or to put it more correctly, the enquiry "Who am I?" is for everyone at some stage in their spiritual development, but that stage is not decided by the ego. That has to evolve by itself. If a sAdhaka, by his/her own ego's dictation decides to pursue the enquiry "Who am I?", there is every danger the enquiry will end up in circles, headache and completely fruitless. A certain preparation, prerequisites are required for this enquiry. Just like the famous formula E = mc**2 looks so simple, the enquiry "who am I?" also looks simple. We all know that the formula E = mc**2 with proper understanding by atomic scientists can lead to atomic bombs and release of tremendous amounts of energy. To a high school graduate, the formula E = mc**2 and the terms in that formula *appear* simple and handleable but we all know that the formula is more profound than what a high school graduate can understand. It is the same case with the enquiry "who am I?". Although shri RamaNa maharShi might not have amplified this, the necessary prerequisites for this enquiry are a pure heart, and the sAdhana catuShTayam which shri shankara emphasized in *every* one of His prakaraNa granthA-s. If the sAdhaka is ripe with this initial preparation, the enquiry "who am I?" dawns on the sAdhaka at the proper time. Again, this is my understanding, which may be faulty. Regards Gummuluru Murthy - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2001 Report Share Posted May 2, 2001 Sri Murthyji, >>The enquiry "Who am I?" is not for everyone. Or to put it more correctly, the enquiry "Who am I?" is for everyone at some stage in their spiritual development, but that stage is not decided by the ego. That has to evolve by itself. >> Excellent point. That is why I had posed this question: Talking about Vichara marga - I have often wondered what motivates people who are on vichara marga (path of enquiry). What keeps them going? And you very rightly pointed out the pre-requisite 'sAdhana catuShTayam' for the vichara marga. Similarly, Abhyasa and Vairagya are deemed requirements for the Yoga (Meditation) path. Bhakti marga probably has the least entry requirements but you must have the innate love. Sundar Rajan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2001 Report Share Posted May 4, 2001 Sri Ramana Maharshi once quipped if "Atma Vicahara (Self enquiry) is stopped, Loka Vichara ( World enquiry) will start". I dont think there is any difference between Mantra Japa (silent chanting) and self enquiry. In answer to Sri Vashishta Ganapati Muni as to What is Tapas (penance)? Sri Ramana Mahasrhi replied, "When a Mantra is repeated if you look to the source of the Mantra sound, from where it arises, the mind will be absorbed in That. That is Tapas." Regards, Anand > The enquiry "Who am I?" is not for everyone. Or to > put it > more correctly, the enquiry "Who am I?" is for > everyone at > some stage in their spiritual development, but that > stage > is not decided by the ego. That has to evolve by > itself. Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2001 Report Share Posted May 4, 2001 this morning, began with who is the doer? just keep asking.... very interesting contemplation..... interesting to see how everything just happens..... very interesting self inquiry.... I assumed I was doing so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2001 Report Share Posted May 4, 2001 Namaste! It is probably equally appropriate to look at oneself and wonder "Who is this?' instead of who am I,as- I -tends to bind one in the shadow of ego.It does not require much imagination to see the Wonder of God in every organ of one's own human body so wonderfully designed and operating,such as an eye or an ear or a heart or even the digestive system,the reproductive system or nervous system or mind which we ignorazntly assume as ours and miss the wonder!One need not be a doctor to see this God's marvellous wonder.The first rays of knowledge dawn in Ascharyam (Supreme Wonder).One can see God's Hand in every cell of oneself. That is why devotees experience and say in Divine ecstasy-- "rag rag me Bhagawan"(God is in every cell of the body) or "Roma roma me Bhagawan"(God is in every hair of the body) Lord Sri Krishna says in Geetha--Ascharya pasyati kaschidena.Some-- (realized soul) sees with Wonder! The Lord also tells Udhava --The outside and inside of all embodied beings is Only ME. The Lord also says All bodily movements,speaking ability,excretion ability, swallowing ability,pleasure,sense of touch (That is one significance and meaning of joining our palms in Namaskar to feel God in sparsa with all humulity),seeing,tasting,hearing,and smelling are all due to ME.I am the function of all indriyas! Ananda Sagar --- sundar_rajan wrote: > Sri Murthyji, > > >>The enquiry "Who am I?" is not for everyone. Or to > put it > more correctly, the enquiry "Who am I?" is for > everyone at > some stage in their spiritual development, but that > stage > is not decided by the ego. That has to evolve by > itself. > >> > Excellent point. That is why I had posed this > question: > Talking about Vichara marga - I have often wondered > what motivates > people who are on vichara marga (path of enquiry). > What keeps them > going? > > And you very rightly pointed out the pre-requisite > 'sAdhana > catuShTayam' for the vichara marga. Similarly, > Abhyasa and Vairagya > are deemed requirements for the Yoga (Meditation) > path. Bhakti marga > probably has the least entry requirements but you > must have the > innate love. > > > Sundar Rajan > > > Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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