Fwd: Selections from TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI-44

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ThePowerOfSilence , " saikali6362 "

<saikali6362 wrote:

 

Selections from TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI-44

 

TALK 248:

 

Sri Bhagavan said: The Jnani says, " I am the body " ; The ajnani

says, " I am the body " ; what is the difference? `I am' is the truth.

The body is the limitation. The ajnani limits the `I' to the

body. `I' remains independent of the body in sleep. The same `I' is

now in the wakeful state. Though imagined to be within the body, `I'

is without the body. The wrong notion is not `I am the body.' `I'

says so. The body is insentient and cannot say so. The mistake lies

in thinking that `I' is what `I' is not. `I' is not insentient. `I'

cannot be the inert body. The body's movements are confounded

with `I' and misery is the result. Whether the body works or

not, `I' remains free and happy. The ajnani's `I' is the body only.

That is the whole error. The jnani's `I' includes the body and

everything else. Clearly some intermediate entity arises and gives

rise to the confusion.

 

Mr. Vaidyanatha Iyer, a lawyer, asked: If the Jnani says " I am the

body, " what happens to him in death?

 

M.: He does not identify himself with the body even now.

 

D.: But you said just before that the Jnani says " I am the body. "

 

M.: Yes. His `I' includes the body. For there cannot be anything

apart from `I' for him. If the body falls away there is no loss for

the `I'. `I' remains the same. If the body feels dead let it raise

the question. Being inert it cannot. `I' never dies and does not ask

the question. Who then dies? Who asks questions?

 

D.: For whom are all the sastras then? They cannot be for the

real `I'. They must be for the unreal `I'. The real one does not

require them. It is strange that the unreal should have so many

sastras for him.

 

M.: Yes. Quite so. Death is only a thought and nothing more. He who

thinks raises troubles. Let the thinker tell us what happens to him

in death. The real `I' is silent. One should not think `I am this -

I am not that'. To say `this or that' is wrong. They are also

limitations. Only `I am' is the truth. Silence is `I'. If one

thinks `I am this', another thinks `I am this' and so on, there is a

clash of thoughts and so many religions are the result. The truth

remains as it is, not affected by any statements, conflicting or

otherwise.

 

D.: What is death? Is it not the falling away of the body?

 

M.: Do you not desire it in sleep? What goes wrong then?

 

D.: But I know I shall wake up.

 

M.: Yes - thought again. There is the preceding thought `I shall

wake up'. Thoughts rule the life. Freedom from thoughts is one's

true nature - Bliss.

 

TALK 249:

 

M.: Ignorance - ajnana - is of two kinds:

 

(1) Forgetfulness of the Self.

(2) Obstruction to the knowledge of the Self.

 

Aids are meant for eradicating thoughts; these thoughts are the re-

manifestations of predispositions remaining in seed-form; they give

rise to diversity from which all troubles arise. These aids are:

hearing the truth from the master (sravana), etc. The effects of

sravana may be immediate and the disciple realizes the truth all at

once. This can happen only for the well-advanced disciple.

Otherwise, the disciple feels that he is unable to realise the

truth, even after repeatedly hearing it. What is it due to?

Impurities in his mind: ignorance, doubt and wrong identity are the

obstacles to be removed.

 

(a) To remove ignorance completely, he has to hear the truth

repeatedly, until his knowledge of the subject-matter becomes

perfect;

(b) To remove doubts, he must reflect on what he has heard;

ultimately his knowledge will be free from doubts of any kind;

© To remove the wrong identity of the Self with the non-self (such

as the body, the senses, the mind or the intellect) his mind must

become one-pointed.

 

All these things accomplished, the obstacles are at an end and

samadhi results, that is, Peace reigns. Some say that one should

never cease to engage in hearing, reflection and one-pointedness.

These are not fulfilled by reading books, but only by continued

practice to keep the mind withdrawn. The aspirant may be kritopasaka

or akritopasaka. The former is fit to realise the Self, even with

the slightest stimulus: only some little doubt stands in his way, it

is easily removed if he hears the truth once from the Master.

Immediately he gains the samadhi state. It is presumed that he had

already completed sravana, reflection, etc. in previous births, they

are no more necessary for him. For the other all these aids are

necessary; for him doubts crop up even after repeated hearing;

therefore he must not give up aids until he gains the samadhi state.

Sravana removes the illusion of the Self being one with the body,

etc. Reflection makes it clear that Knowledge is Self.

Onepointedness reveals the Self as being Infinite and Blissful.

 

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