Everyone is the Self...Ramana

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Everyone is the Self and, indeed, is infinite. Yet each person mistakes his

body for his Self. In order to know anything, illumination is necessary. This

can only be of the nature of Light; however, it lights up both physical light

and physical darkness. That is to say, that it lies beyond apparent light and

darkness. It is itself neither, but it is said to be light because it

illuminates both. It is infinite and is Consciousness. Consciousness is the

Self of which everyone is aware. No one is ever away from his Self and

therefore everyone is in fact Self-realized; only - and this is the great

mystery - people do not know this and want to realize the Self. Realization

consists only in getting rid of the false idea that one is not realized. It is

not anything new to be acquired. It must already exist or it would not be

eternal and only what is eternal is worth striving for.

 

Once the false notion "I am the body" or "I am not realized" has been

removed, Supreme Consciousness or the Self alone remains and in people's present

state of knowledge they call this "Realization". But the truth is that

Realization is eternal and already exists, here and now.

 

Consciousness is pure knowledge. The mind arises out of it and is made up

of thoughts. The essence of the mind is only awareness or consciousness.

However, when the ego overclouds it, it functions as reasoning, thinking or

perceiving. The universal mind, not being limited by the ego, has nothing

outside itself and is therefore only aware. This is what the Bible means by "I

am that I am".

 

The ego-ridden mind has its strength sapped and is too weak to resist

distressing thoughts. The egoless mind is happy as we see in deep, dreamless

sleep Clearly, therefore, happiness and distress are only mode of the mind.

 

>From The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi...by Arthur Osborne