THE PRACTICE OF SELF-ENQUIRY- PARTVI

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THE PRACTICE OF SELF-ENQUIRY-THE RAMANA WAY

PART VI

 

Why, some may wonder, does the ego thus disappear when it is

scrutinized or attended to? As Sri Bhagavan explains, the ego comes

into existence only by grasping a form, also it endures by grasping

forms, and it feeds itself and waxes strongly by grasping forms.

Without a form to grasp, the ego cannot stand. All thoughts, all

objects, all knowledges of second and third persons are only forms.

Therefore, so long as the ego attends to objects, to second and

third persons, it waxes and grows strong. But, the ego itself has no

form; so, if it tries to attend to itself, the first person or

subject, it will lose its strength, subside and disappear. Since,

there, the ego falls back into its source, in the Heart. So long as

it attends to second and third persons, it appears to exist, but

when it tries to attend to itself, to enquire "Who am I?" it is

found to be non-existent. This truth is clearly stated by Sri

Bhagavan in verse 17 of "Upadesa Saram": "If one enquires without

inadvertence into the form of the mind (or ego), it will be found

that there is no such thing as mind at all! This is the direct path

for anyone and everyone!" When the ego thus disappears, being found

to be non-existent, what remains? Only Self, the Reality! This,

therefore, is the direct path which enables us to "abide in the

Heart as it IS" as Sri Bhagavan says in the first benedictory verse

of "Ulladu Narpadu".

 

Another unique contribution of Sri Bhagavan is His clear exposition

that there are no two "I"s, one the ego and one the Self – "duality

during practice "sadhana" and non-duality on attainment –"sadhyam" –

and that Self is the only real "I". Only on this ocean of "I AM",

arise all emotions, feelings and thoughts, the adjuncts of the

individual, the ego making us feel that the ego is the real "I".

Therefore, if we closely attend to this "I", we will find that it is

not the ego but only the real Self. That is why, while teaching the

practice of Self-enquiry, Sri Bhagavan does not distinguish

two "I's, the ego and the Self. He merely says: "Enquire "Who am

I?""; in other words, attend to what you feel as "I". If what we

feel as "I" is the Self, by our attending to it, we will know it as

it IS. If what we feel as "I" is the ego, by our attending to it, it

will disappear, and the Self alone will then be known. Thus, whether

the "I" which we try to attend to is the ego or the Self, the result

will be the same; only the Self, the Eternal "I", the substance and

ground of the false "I", will remain shining.

 

NOTE: TAKEN FROM "BE THE SELF", BY V. GANESAN, PAGES 5 TO 17