WHO AM I ?

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EXTRACT FROM 'WHO AM I?' BY RAMANA MAHARSHI

 

 

 

Q.What is the path of inquiry for understanding the nature of the mind?

 

Bhagavan:

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

pronoun that the

second and third personal pronouns appear; without the first personal pronoun

there will not be

the second and third.

 

 

 

Q. How will the mind become quiescent?

 

Bhagavan:

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.

 

 

 

Q. What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am I?'

 

Bhagavan;

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

brain and 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).

 

 

 

Q. Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent?

 

Bhagavan:

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

moving and 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 preserved

and 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 aid for

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.

 

AN EXTRACT From 'WHO AM I?' in the Collected Works of: SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

 

 

 

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