Maharshi's Gospel - Mind Control 1

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Disciple: How can I control the mind?

 

Maharshi: There is no mind to control if the Self is realized. The Self

shines forth when the mind vanishes. In the realized man the mind may be

active or inactive; the Self alone exists. For the mind, body, and world are

not separate from the Self; and they cannot remain apart from the Self. Can

they be other than the Self? When aware of the Self, why should one worry

about these shadows? How do they affect the Self?

 

D: If the mind is merely a shadow, how then is one to know the Self?

 

M: The Self is the Heart, self luminous. Illumination arises from the Heart

and reaches the brain, which is the seat of the mind. The world is seen with

the mind; so you see the world by the reflected light of the Self. The world

is perceived by an act of the mind. When the mind is illumined, it is aware

of the world; when it is not so illumined, it is not aware of the world.

If the mind is turned in, toward the Source of Illumination, objective

knowledge ceases and the Self alone shines as the Heart.

The moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun. When the sun has

set, the moon is useful for displaying objects. When the sun has risen, no

one needs the moon., though its disc is visible in the sky. So it is with

the mind and the Heart. The mind is made useful by its reflected light. It

is useful for seeing objects. When turned inward, it merges into the Source

of Illumination, which shines by Itself, and the mind is then like the moon

in daytime.

When it is dark, a lamp is necessary to give light. But when the sun

has risen, there is no need for the lamp; the objects are visible. And to

see the sun no lamp is necessary; it is enough if you turn your eyes toward

the self luminous sun. Similarly with the mind: to see the objects, the

light reflected from the mind is necessary. To see the Heart, it is enough

that the mind is turned toward it. Then the mind does not count and the

Heart is self-effulgent.

 

(From Maharshi's Gospel, published by Sri Ramanasramam and available for

download from http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/ )