Help on the Quest for Self-realization-Reminders-48

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Help on the Quest for Self-realization-Reminders-48

 

Enquiry is not a process of one thing enquiring about another

thing. The enquiry "Who am I?" should be taken to mean Self-

attention (that is, attention merely to the first person, the

feeling "I"). If other thoughts rise, one should, without

attempting to complete them, enquire "to whom did they rise?". What

does it matter however many thoughts rise? At the very moment that

each thought rises, if one vigilantly enquires "To whom did this

rise?", it will be known "to me". If one then enquires "Who am I?",

the mind (our power of attention) will turn back (from thought) to

its source (Self).

 

We should clearly understand that attending to (witnessing,

watching, observing or seeing) anything other than Self is itself

attachment.

 

Whether done in the form "Whence am I?" or "Who am I?", what is

absolutely essential is that Self-attention should be pursued to the

very end.

 

Always keeping the mind (the attention) fixed in Self (in the

feeling "I") alone is called Self-enquiry...Remaining firmly in Self-

abidance, without giving even the least room to the rising of any

thought other than the thought of Self (that is, without giving even

the least attention to any second or third person, but only to the

Self), is surrendering oneself to God (which alone is called the

supreme devotion).

 

Source: Various reliable publications of / on Sri Ramana Maharshi's

teachings.