Fwd: From The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

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advaitin , " vlalitharavi " <lalitaravi@h...>

wrote:

 

From The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Edited by David Godman

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: All metaphysical

discussion is profitless unless it causes

us to seek within the Self for the true reality.

 

All controversies about creation, the nature of the universe,

evolution, the purpose of God, etc., are useless. They are not

conducive to our true happiness. People try to find out about

things which are outside of them before they try to find out

`Who am I?' Only by the latter means can happiness be gained.

 

[Note: Comments by David Godman: Sri Ramana Maharshi

had little or no interest in the theoretical side of spirituality.

His

principal concern was to bring people to an awareness of the Self

and,

to achieve this end, he always insisted that practice was more

important than speculation. Sri Ramana was known to have views which

were totally at variance with the common- sense view of the world. As

with most other topics he tailored his statements to conform to the

different levels of understanding he encountered in his questioners,

but even so, almost all his ideas were radical refutations of the

concepts of physical reality that most people cherish.

 

Sri Ramana adopted three different standpoints when he

spoke about the nature of the physical world. He advocated all of

them

at different times but it is clear from his general

comments on the subject that he only considered the first two

theories

given below to be either true or useful.

 

1.

 

Ajata vada or the theory of non-causality. This is an

ancient Hindu doctrine which states that the creation of

the world never happened at all. It is a complete denial

of all causality in the physical world. Sri Ramana

endorsed this view by saying that it is the jnani's (Man

who is Self-realised) experience that nothing ever

comes into existence or ceases to be because the

Self alone exists as the sole unchanging reality. It is a

corollary of this theory that time, space, cause and effect,

essential components of all creation theories, exist only in the

minds

of ajnanis (ignorant) and that the experience of the Self reveals

their non-existence.

 

This theory is not a denial of the reality of the world, only

of the creative process which brought it into existence.

Speaking from his own experience Sri Ramana said

that the jnani is aware that the world is real, not as an

assemblage of interacting matter and energy, but as an uncaused

appearance in the Self. He enlarged on this by saying that because

the

real nature or substratum of this appearance is identical with the

beingness of the Self, it necessarily partakes of its reality. That

is

to say, the world is not real to the jnani simply because it appears,

but only because the real nature of the appearance is inseparable

from

the Self.

 

The ajnani on the other hand, is totally unaware of the

unitary nature and source of the world and, as a

consequence, his mind constructs an illusory world of

separate interacting objects by persistently

misinterpreting the sense-impressions it receives. Sri

Ramana pointed out that this view of the world has no

more reality than a dream since it superimposes a

creation of the mind on the reality of the Self. He

summarised the difference between the jnani's and the ajnani's

standpoint by saying that the world is unreal if it

is perceived by the mind as a collection of discrete

objects and real when it is directly experienced as an

appearance in the Self.

2.

 

Drishti-srishti vada. If his questioners found the idea

of ajata or non-causality impossible to assimilate, he

would teach them that the world comes into existence

simultaneously with the appearance of the `I' –thought

and that it ceases to exist when the `I' –thought is absent.

This theory is known as drishti-srishti, or simultaneous

creation, and it says, in effect, that the world which

appears to an ajnani is a product of the mind that

perceives it, and that in the absence of that mind it

ceases to exist. The theory is true in so far as the mind

does create an imaginary world for itself, but from the

standpoint of the Self, an imaginary `I' creating an

imaginary world is no creation at all, and so the doctrine of

ajata is not subverted. Although Sri Ramana

sometimes said that drishti-srishti was not the ultimate

truth about creation he encouraged his followers to

accept it as a working hypothesis. He justified this

approach by saying that if one can consistently regard

the world as an unreal creation of the mind then it loses

its attraction and it becomes easier to maintain an

undistracted

awareness of the `I'-thought.

3.

 

Srishti-drishti vada (gradual creation). This is the

common-sense view which holds that the world is an

objective reality governed by laws of cause and effect

which can be traced back to a single act of creation. It

includes virtually all western ideas on the subject from

`big bang' theory to the biblical account in Genesis. Sri

Ramana

invoked theories of this nature when he was

talking to questioners who were unwilling to accept the

implications of the ajata and drishti-srishti theories.

Even then, he would usually point out that such theories

should not be taken too seriously as they were only promulgated

to satisfy intellectual curiosity.

 

Literally, drishti-srishti means that the world only exists when

it is perceived whereas srishti-drishti means that the world

existed prior to anyone's perception of it. Although the former

theory sounds perverse, Sri Ramana insisted that serious

seekers should be satisfied with it, partly because it is a close

approximation to the truth and partly because it is the most

beneficial attitude to adopt if one is seriously interested in

realising the Self.]

 

Question: How has srishti (creation) come about? Some

say it is predestined. Others say it the Lord's leela or sport.

What is the truth?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Various accounts are given in books. But is

there

creation? Only if there is creation do we have to explain how it came

about. We may not know about all these theories but we certainly know

that we exist. Why not know the '`I'' and then see if there is a

creation?

 

Question: In the Vedanta of Sri Sankaracharya the principle

of the creation of the world has been accepted for the sake of

beginners, but for the advanced the principle of non-creation is put

forward. What is your view on this matter?

 

Maharshi: " There is no dissolution or creation, no one in

bondage, nor anyone pursuing spiritual practices. There is no

one desiring liberation nor anyone liberated. This is the

absolute truth. " This sloka (verse) appears in the second

chapter of Gaudapada's Karika. One who is established in the Self

sees

this by his knowledge of reality.

 

Question: Is not the Self the cause of this world we see

around us?

 

Maharshi: Self itself appears as the world of diverse names

and forms. However, Self does not act as the efficient cause

(nimitta karana), creating, sustaining and destroying it. Do

not ask `Why does the confusion of Self, not knowing the truth

that it itself appears as the world arise?' If instead you enquire

`To

whom does this confusion occur?', it will be discovered that no such

confusion ever existed for Self.

 

Questioner: You seem to be an exponent of ajata doctrine of advaita

Vedanta.

 

Maharshi: I do not teach only the ajata doctrine. I approve of

all schools. The same truth has to be expressed in different

ways to suit the capacity of the hearer.

 

The Ajata doctrine says, `Nothing exists except the one reality.

There

is no birth or death, no projection or drawing in, no seeker, no

bondage, no liberation. The one unity alone exists.'

 

To such as find it difficult to grasp this truth and who ask, `How

can

we ignore this solid world we see all around us?', the dream

experience is pointed out and they are told, `All that you see

depends

on the seer. Apart from the seer, there is no seen.' This is called

the drishti-srishti vada or the argument that one first creates out

of

one's mind and then sees what one's mind itself has created. Some

people cannot grasp even this and they continue to argue in the

following terms:

 

`The dream experience is so short, while the world always

exists. The dream experience was limited to me. But the world is felt

and seen not only by me, but by so many others. We cannot call such a

world non-existent.'

 

When people argue in this way they can be given a

srishti-drishti theory, for example, `God first created such and

such a thing, out of such and such an element, and then

something else was created, and so on.' That alone will satisfy this

class. Their minds are otherwise not satisfied and they ask

themselves, `How can all geography, all maps, all sciences, stars,

planets and the rules governing or relating to them and all knowledge

be totally untrue?' To such it is best to say, `Yes, God created all

this and so you see it.'

 

Question: But all these cannot be true. Only one doctrine can be

true.

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: All these theories are only to suit the capacity

of the learner. The absolute can only be one.

 

The Vedanta says that the cosmos springs into view

simultaneously with the seer and that there is no detailed

process of creation. This is said to be yugapat-srishti

(instantaneous

creation). It is quite similar to the creations in

dream where the experiencer springs up simultaneously with

the objects of experience. When this is told, some people are

not satisfied for they are deeply rooted in objective knowledge.

They seek to find out how there can be sudden creation. They

argue that an effect must be preceded by a cause. In short,

they desire an explanation for the existence of the world which they

see around them. Then the srutis (scriptures) try to satisfy their

curiosity by theories of creation.

 

This method of dealing with the subject of creation is called

krama-srishti (gradual creation). But the true seeker can

content with yugapat-srishti, instantaneous creation.

 

There may be any number of theories of creation. All of them

extend outwardly. There will be no limit to them because time

and space are unlimited. They are however only in the mind.

If you see the mind, time and space are transcended and the

Self is realised.

 

Creation is explained scientifically or logically to one's own

satisfaction. But is there any finality about it? Such

explanations are called krama-srishti (gradual creation). On

the other hand, drishti-srishti (simultaneous creation) is

yugapat-srishti. Without the seer there are no objects seen.

Find the seer and the creation is comprised in him. Why look outward

and go on explaining the phenomena which are

endless?

 

Where are you now? Are you in the world or is the world within you?

You must admit that the world is not perceived in your sleep although

you cannot deny your existence then. The world appears when you wake

up. So where is it? Clearly the world is your thought. Thoughts are

your projections. The " I " is first created and then the world. The

world is created by the " I " which in its turn rises up from the Self.

The riddle of the

creation of the world is thus solved if you solve the creation of

the " I " . So I say, find your Self.

 

Again, does the world come and ask you `Why do " I " exist?

How was " I " created?' It is you who ask the question. The

questioner must establish the relationship between the world

and himself. He must admit that the world is his own

imagination. Who imagines it? Let him again find the " I " and

then the Self. Moreover, all the scientific and theological

explanations do not harmonise. The diversities in such

theories clearly show the uselessness of seeking such

explanations. Such explanations are purely mental and

intellectual and nothing more. Still, all of them are true

according to the standpoint of the individual. There is no

creation in the state of realisation. When one sees the world,

one does not see oneself. When one sees the Self, the world

is not seen. So see the Self and realise that there has been no

creation.

 

Question: " Brahman is real. The world is illusion " is the stock

phrase

of Sri Sankaracharya. Yet others say, " The world is reality. " Which

is

true?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Both statements are true. They refer

to different stags of development and are spoken from different

points

of view. The aspirant starts with the definition, that which is real

exists always. Then he eliminates the world as unreal because it is

changing. The seeker ultimately reaches the Self and there finds

unity

as the prevailing note. Then, that which was originally rejected as

being unreal is found to be a part of the unity. Being absorbed in

the

reality, the world also is real. There is only being in

Self-realisation, and nothing but being.

 

Question: Sri Bhagavan (Ramana Maharshi) often says

that Maya (illusion) and reality are the same. How can that be?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Sankara was criticised for his

views on Maya without being understood. He said that

 

1.

 

Brahman is real,

2.

 

The universe is unreal, and

3.

 

The universe is Brahman.

 

He did not stop at the second, because the third explains the

other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as

the Self, and unreal if perceived apart from the Self. Hence

May and reality are one and the same.

 

Question: So the world is not really illusory?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: At the level of the spiritual seeker

you have got to say that the world is an illusion. There is no

other way. When a man forgets that he is a Brahman, who is

real, permanent and omnipresent, and deludes himself into

thinking that he is a body in the universe which is filled with

bodies that are transitory, and labours under that delusion, you have

got to remind him that the world is unreal and a delusion.

Why? Because his vision which has forgotten its own Self is

dwelling in the external, material universe. It will not turn

inwards into introspection unless you impress on him that

all this external material universe is unreal. When once he

realises his own Self he will know that there is nothing other

than his own Self and he will come to look upon the whole

universe as Brahman.

 

There is no universe without the Self. So ling as a man does

not see the Self which is the origin of all, but looks only at the

external world as real and permanent, you have to tell him that all

this external universe is an illusion. You cannot help it. Take a

paper. We see only the script, and nobody notices the paper on which

the script is written. The paper is there whether the script on it is

there or not. To those who look upon the script as real, you have to

say that it is unreal, an illusion, since it rests upon the paper.

The

wise man looks upon both the paper and script as one. So also with

Brahman and the universe.

 

Question: So the world is real when it is experienced as the

Self and unreal when it is seen as separate names and forms?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Just as fire is obscured by smoke,

the shining light of consciousness is obscured by the

assemblage of names and forms, the world. When by compassionate

divine

grace the mind becomes clear, the

nature of the world will be known to be not the illusory forms

but only the reality.

 

Only those people whose minds are devoid of the evil power

of Maya, having given up the knowledge of the world and being

unattached to it, and having thereby attained the knowledge of the

self-shining Supreme Reality, can correctly know the meaning of the

statement " The world is real. " If one's outlook has been transformed

to the nature of real knowledge, the world of the five elements

beginning with space (akasha) will be real, being the Supreme

Reality,

which is the nature of knowledge.

 

The original state of this empty world, which is bewildering

and crowded with many names and forms, is bliss, which is

one, just as the egg-yolk of a multi-coloured peacock is only

one. Know this truth by abiding in the state of Self.

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