Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Dear Devotees: I'd like to get feedback regarding what Ramana Maharshi said about OM. The Upanishads declare OM as the key to realizing the Self, or the Atman. Is introspection or contemplation enough, or do we need a proven technique, like chanting OM? Comments welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Concentration on, or repetition of, OM, is a technique of the bhakti (devotion) path. Ramana's teachings (Self-enquiry)emphasize the jnana(knowledge)path. He often said: "To know God is to love God, therefore the paths of jnana and bhakti come to the same". The self-enquirer comes to understand a God which at first he may not love. The devotee comes to love a God which at first he may not understand. Both have difficult tasks; if God does not love our understanding, how are we to understand God's love? Arthur Osborne ("The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi")says: 'Japa, that is the use of incantations and invocations of a Divine Name, is one of the most widely practised techniques of spiritual training. It has particular affinity with bhakti paths of love and devotion. The Maharshi approved of it, provided the person who practised any incantation had been duly authorized to do so by a qualified guru.He himself occasionally authorized the use of invocations, but very seldom. "The point is to keep out all other thoughts except the one thought of OM or Ram or God. All incantations and invocations help to do that" ("Day by Day with Bhagavan"). The more devotion there is behind the words the better this is accomplished, and therefore the more effective is the incantation (Osborne). Ramana also said "One should not use the name of God mechanically and superficialy without a feeling of devotion.When one uses the name of God one should call on Him with yearning and unreservedly surrender oneself to Him. Only after such surrender is the name of God constantly with you....There is no difference between God and His name....mental invocation is better than oral. --- Keith Johnson <omegananda wrote: Dear Devotees: I'd like to get feedback regarding what Ramana Maharshi said about OM. The Upanishads declare OM as the key to realizing the Self, or the Atman. Is introspection or contemplation enough, or do we need a proven technique, like chanting OM? Comments welcome. Post message: RamanaMaharshi Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi- Un: RamanaMaharshi List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner Shortcut URL to this page: http://www./community/RamanaMaharshi RamanaMaharshi/ RamanaMaharshi Terms of Service. http://personals..au - Personals New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Dear Keith, when I read your question a talk came to mind, which is found in "Day by Day with Bhagavan". It is not about the mantra OM, but about 'I', 'I'. kind regards Gabriele ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Khanna's wife asked Sri Ramana for a simple method, as she found no time for meditation. Sri Ramana replied to her about the first and greatest of all mantras: "If you can do nothing more, at least continue saying 'I,I' to yourself mentally all the time, as advised in 'Who am I?', whatever work you may be doing and whether you are sitting, standing or walking. 'I' is the name of God. It is the first and greatest of all mantras. Even OM is second to it." In "Who am I" he says: "Even if one thinks constantely 'I' 'I', one will be led to the place [i.e. the spiritual Heart]. Of all the thoughts that arise in the mind, the 'I'-thought is the first." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - Keith Johnson RamanaMaharshi Thursday, December 18, 2003 10:34 PM [RamanaMaharshi] OM and the Atman Dear Devotees: I'd like to get feedback regarding what Ramana Maharshi said about OM. The Upanishads declare OM as the key torealizing the Self, or the Atman. Is introspection or contemplationenough, or do we need a proven technique, like chanting OM?Comments welcome. Post message: RamanaMaharshi Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi- Un: RamanaMaharshi List owner: RamanaMaharshi-ownerShortcut URL to this page: http://www./community/RamanaMaharshi To visit your group on the web, go to:RamanaMaharshi/ To from this group, send an email to:RamanaMaharshi Your use of is subject to the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Thank you, Gabriele. Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Dear Keith, Here's another excerpt from Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi November 7th 1935 "The one Infinite Unbroken Whole(plenum) becomes aware of itself as 'I'. All other names. e.g., OM are later growths. Liberation is only to remain aware of the Self. The mahavakya "I am Brahman" is its authority. Though the 'I' is always experienced, yet one's attention has to be drawn to it. Then only knowledge dawns. Thus the need for the instruction of the Upanishads and of wise sages." best rgards Ramanendu > Dear Keith, > > when I read your question a talk came to mind, which is found in "Day by > Day with Bhagavan". > It is not about the mantra OM, but about 'I', 'I'. > > kind regards > Gabriele > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Khanna's wife asked Sri Ramana for a simple method, as she found no time > for meditation. > > Sri Ramana replied to her about the first and greatest of all mantras: > "If you can do nothing more, at least continue saying 'I,I' to yourself > mentally all the time, > as advised in 'Who am I?', whatever work you may be doing and whether you > are sitting, > standing or walking. 'I' is the name of God. It is the first and greatest > of all mantras. > Even OM is second to it." > > In "Who am I" he says: > "Even if one thinks constantely 'I' 'I', one will be led to the place > [i.e. the spiritual Heart]. > Of all the thoughts that arise in the mind, the 'I'-thought is the first." > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > - > Keith Johnson > RamanaMaharshi > Thursday, December 18, 2003 10:34 PM > [RamanaMaharshi] OM and the Atman > > > Dear Devotees: I'd like to get feedback regarding what Ramana > Maharshi said about OM. The Upanishads declare OM as the key to > realizing the Self, or the Atman. Is introspection or contemplation > enough, or do we need a proven technique, like chanting OM? > Comments welcome. > > > > > Post message: RamanaMaharshi > Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi- > Un: RamanaMaharshi > List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner > > Shortcut URL to this page: > http://www./community/RamanaMaharshi > > > > > Links > > > RamanaMaharshi/ > > b.. > RamanaMaharshi > > c.. Terms of > Service. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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