Sri Ramana Maharshi - Who am I ? (cont ....4)

[Guest guest]

I would like to recapitulate the contents covered so far.

 

* Bhagavan begins the essay with a statement about the nature of happiness and

the means by which it can be attained or discovered.

 

* 'Jnana' is "I" and the nature of Jnana is 'Sat -Chit -Ananda' [being -consciousness -bliss]

 

* " .... the perception of one's real nature ....... will not be obtained unless

the perception of the world ...... ceases"

 

* " ...... the mind projects the world from within itself and later reabsorbs it into itself "

 

* The place from which the "I" thought arises is known as 'hridayam', the birth place of the mind.

 

* The mind will only subside by means of the enquiry 'Who am I ?'.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi - Who am I ?

 

--------------(continued from yesterday's post )

 

Question: What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am I

?' And what is 'jnana drishti' ?

 

If other thoughts arise, one should, without attempting to complete

them, enquire, 'To whom did they occur?' What does it matter if ever so many

thoughts arise? At the very moment that each thought rises, if one vigilantly

enquires 'To whom did this appear?' it will be known ' To me '. If one then

enquires 'Who am I?' the mind will turn back to its source and the thought that

had arisen will also subside. By repeatedly practicing in this way, the mind

will increasingly acquire the power to abide at its source. When the mind,

which is subtle, is externalised via the brain and the sense organs, names and

forms, which are material, appear. When it abides in the Heart, names and forms

disappear. Keeping the mind in the Heart, not allowing it to go out, is called

'facing the Self' or 'facing inwards'. Allowing it to go out from the Heart is

termed 'facing outwards'. When the mind abides in the Heart in this

way, the 'I', the root of all thoughts, [vanishes]. Having vanished, the

ever-existing Self alone will shine. The state where not even the slightest

trace of the thought 'I' remains is alone ' swarupa ' [ one's real nature ].

This alone is called 'mauna' [silence]. Being still in this way can alone be

called 'jnana drishti' [seeing through true knowledge]. Making the mind subside

into the Self is 'being still'. On the otherhand, knowing the thoughts of

others, knowing the three times [past present and future] and knowing events in

distant places - these can never be 'jnana drishti'.

 

( .....

to be continued )

( Notes of Sri. David Godman :

The word 'swarupa' is another key word in the text. It means 'one's real

nature' or one's real form'. Each time the phrase 'one's real nature' appears

in this text, it is a translation of 'swarupa'. Bhagavan's repeated use of the

word as a synonym for the Self indicates that the Self is not something that is

reached or attained. Rather, it is what one really is, and what one always has

been.

'Mauna is another of the synonyms Bhagavan used to describe the Self:

 

Q: What is 'mauna' [silence]?

Bhagavan: That state which transcends speech and thought is mauna........

That which is, is 'mauna'. Sages say that the state in which the thought 'I'

does not rise even in the least, alone is 'swarupa', which means 'mauna'. That

silent Self is alone God ....

 

In 'jnana', the state of Self-knowledge or Self-realisation, there is no

one who sees, nor are there objects that are seen. There is only seeing. The

seeing that takes place in this state, called 'jnana drishti', is both true

seeing and true knowing. It is therefore called 'seeing through true

knowledge'.

In 'Day by Day with Bhagavan(17.10.46)' Bhagavan points out that this

seeing is really being and should not be confused with or limited to the

sensory activity that goes under the same name: 'You are the Self. You exist

always. Nothing more can be predicated of the Self than it exists. Seeing God

or the Self is only being God or your Self. Seeing is being.' ).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India Matrimony: Find your life partner

online.