SRI RAMANA MAHARISHI ANSWERS - JNANI (Part-2)

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Jnani - Self-realised (2)

The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Edited by David Godman

 

Question: Is a jnani capable of or likely to commit sins?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: An ajnani sees someone as a jnani and identifies

him with the body. Because he does not know the Self and mistakes his

body for the Self, he extends the same mistake to the state of the

jnani. The jnani is therefore considered to be the physical frame.

 

Again, since the ajnani, though he is not the doer, imagines himself

to be the doer and considers the actions of the body his own, he

thinks the ajnani to be similarly acting when the body is active. But

the jnani himself knows the truth and is not confounded. The state of

a jnani cannot be determined by the ajnani and therefore the question

troubles only the ajnani and never arises for the jnani. If he is a

doer he must determine the nature of the actions. The Self cannot be

the doer. Find out who is the doer and the Self is revealed.

 

Question: So it amounts to this. To see a jnani is not to understand

him. You see the jnani's body and not his jnana. One must therefore

be a jnani to know a jnani.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: The jnani sees no one as an ajnani. All are only

jnanis in his sight. In the ignorant state one superimposes one's

ignorance on a jnani and mistakes him for a doer. In the state of

jnana, the jnani sees nothing separate from the Self. The Self is all

shining and only pure jnana. So there is no ajnana in his sight.

There is an illustration for this kind of illusion or

superimposition.

 

Two friends went to sleep side by side. One of them dreamt that both

of them had gone on a long journey and that they had had strange

experiences. On waking up he recapitulated them and asked his friend

if it was not so. The other one simply ridiculed him saying that it

was only his dream and could not affect the other.

So it is with the ajnani who superimposes his illusory ideas on

others.

 

Question: You have said that the jnani can be and is active, and

deals with men and things. I have no doubt about it now. But you say

at the same time that he sees no differences; to him all is one, he

is always in the consciousness. If so, how does he deal with

differences, with men, with things, which are surely different?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: He sees these differences as but appearances, he

sees them as not separate from the true, the real, with which he is

one.

 

Question: The jnani seems to be more accurate in his expressions, he

appreciates the differences better than the ordinary man. If sugar is

sweet and wormwood is bitter to me, he too seems to realise it so. In

fact, all forms, all sounds, all tastes, etc., are the same to him as

they are to others. If so, how can it be said that these are mere

appearances? Do they not form part of his life experience?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: I have said that equality is the true sign of

jnana. The very term equality implies the existence of differences.

It is a unity that the jnani perceives in all differences, which I

call equality. Equality does not mean ignorance of distinctions. When

you have the realisation you can see that these differences are very

superficial, that they are not at all substantial or permanent, and

what is essential in all these appearances is the one truth, the

real. That I call unity. You referred to sound, taste, form, smell,

etc. True, the jnani appreciates the distinctions, but he always

perceives and experiences the one reality in all of them. That is why

he has no preferences. Whether he moves about, or talks, or acts, it

is all the one reality in which he acts or moves or talks. He has

nothing apart from the one supreme truth.

 

Question: They say that the jnani conducts himself with absolute

equality towards all?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes.

"Friendship, kindness, happiness and such other bhavas (attitudes)

become natural to them. Affection towards the good, kindness towards

the helpless, happiness in doing good deeds, forgiveness towards the

wicked, all such things are natural characteristics of the jnani."

(Patanjali, Yoga Sutras, 1:37).

 

You ask about jnanis: they are the same in any state or condition, as

they know the reality, the truth. In their daily routine of taking

food, moving about and all the rest, they, the jnanis, act only for

others. Not a single action is done for themselves. I have already

told you many times just as there are people whose profession is to

mourn for a fee, so also the jnanis do things for the sake of others

with detachment, without themselves being affected by them.

 

The jnani weeps with the weeping, laughs with the laughing, plays

with the playful, sings with those who sing, keeping time to the

song. What does he lose? His presence is like a pure, transparent

mirror. It reflects the image exactly as it is. But the jnani, who is

only a mirror, is unaffected by actions. How can a mirror, or the

stand on which it is mounted, be affected by the reflection? Nothing

affects them, as they are mere supports. On the other hand, the

actors in the world – the doers of all acts, the ajnanis- must decide

for themselves what song and what action is for the welfare of the

world, what is in accordance with the sastras (scriptures), and what

is practicable.

 

Question: There are said to be Sadeha Mukta (liberated while still in

the body) and Videha Mukta (liberated at the time of death).

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: There is no liberation, and where are Muktas?

 

Question: Do not Hindu sastras speak of mukti (liberation)?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Mukti is synonymous with the Self. Jivan Mukti

(liberated while still in the body) and Videha Mukti are all for the

ignorant. The jnani is not conscious of Mukti or Bandha (bondage).

Bondage, liberation and orders of Mukti are all said for an ajnani in

order that ignorance might be shaken off. There is only Mukti and

nothing else.

 

Question: It is all right from the standpoint of Bhagavan. But what

about us?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: The difference `he' and `I' are the obstacles to

jnana.

 

Question: You once said: `The liberated man is free indeed to act as

he pleases, and when he leaves the mortal coil, he attains

absolution, but returns not to this birth which is actually death.'

 

This statement gives the impression that although the jnani takes no

birth again on this plane, he may continue to work on subtler planes,

if he so chooses. Is there any desire left in him to choose?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: No that was not my intention.

 

Questioner: Further, an Indian philosopher, in one of his books,

interpreting Sankara, says that there is no such thing as Videha

Mukti, for after his death, the Mukta takes a body of light in which

he remains till the whole of humanity becomes liberated.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: That cannot be Sankara's view. In verse 566 of

Vivekachudamani he says that after the dissolution of the physical

sheath the liberated man becomes like `water poured into water and

oil into oil'. It is a state in which there is neither bondage nor

liberation. Taking another body means throwing a veil, however

subtle, upon reality, which is bondage. Liberation is absolute and

irrevocable.

 

Question: How can we say that the jnani is not in two planes? He

moves about with us in the world and sees the various objects we see.

It is not as if he does not see them. For instance he walks along. He

sees the path he is treading. Suppose there is a chair or table

placed across that path; he sees it, avoids it and goes round. So,

have we not to admit he sees the world and the objects there, while

of course he sees the Self?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: You say the jnani sees the path, treads it,

comes across obstacles, avoids them, etc. In whose eyesight is all

this, in the jnani's or in yours? He sees only the Self and all in

the Self.

 

Question: Are there no illustrations given in our books to explain

this sahaj (natural) state clearly to us?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: There are. For instance you see a reflection in

the mirror and the mirror. You know the mirror to be the reality and

the picture in it a mere reflection. Is it necessary that to see the

mirror we should cease to see the reflection in it?

 

Question: What are the fundamental tests for discovering men of great

spirituality, since some are reported to behave like insane people?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: The jnani's mind is known only to the jnani. One

must be a jnani oneself in order to understand another jnani.

However, the peace of mind which permeates the saint's atmosphere is

the only means by which the seeker understands the greatness of the

saint.

 

His words or actions or appearance are no indication of his

greatness, for they are ordinarily beyond the comprehension of common

people.

 

Question: Why is it said in the scriptures that the sage is like a

child?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: A child and a jnani are similar in a way.

Incidents interest a child only so long as they last. It ceases to

think of them after they have passed away. So then, it is apparent

that they do not leave any impression on the child and it is not

affected by them mentally. So it is with a jnani.

 

Question: You are Bhagavan. So you should know when I shall get

jnana. Tell me when I shall be a jnani?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: If I am Bhagavan there is no one besides the

Self- therefore no jnani or ajnani. If otherwise, I am as good as you

are and know as much as yourself. Either way I cannot answer your

question.

 

Coming here some people do not ask about themselves. They ask: `Does

the jivan muktas see the world? Is he affected by Karma? What is

liberation after being disembodied or while alive in the body? Should

the body of the sage resolve itself in light or disappear from view

in any other manner? Can he be liberated though the body is left

behind as a corpse?

 

Their questions are endless. Why worry oneself in so many ways? Does

liberation consist in knowing these things?

 

Therefore I say to them, leave liberation alone. Is there bondage?

Know this. See yourself first and foremost.