Fwd: Selections from TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI-110

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ThePowerOfSilence , " saikali6362 "

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Selections from TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI-110

 

TALK 617:

 

There are five states for the individual. They are: (1) Jagrat, (2)

Swapna, (3) Sushupti, (4) Turiya, (5) Turyatita. Of these the jagrat

is the waking state. In it the jiva in the Visva aspect and the Lord

in the Virat aspect, abiding together in the eight petals of the

Heart lotus, function through the eyes and enjoy novel pleasures

from various objects by means of all the senses, organs, etc. The

five gross elements which are widespread, the ten senses, the five

vital airs, the four inner faculties, the twenty-four fundamentals -

all these together form the gross body. The jagrat state is

characterised by satva guna denoted by the letter A and presided

over by the deity Vishnu. The swapna is the dream state in which the

jiva in the Taijasa aspect and the Lord in the Hiranyagarbha aspect,

abiding together in the corolla of the Heart-Lotus, function in the

neck and experience through the mind the results of the impressions

collected in the waking state. All the principles, the five gross

elements, the will and the intellect, seventeen in all, together

form the subtle body of the dream which is characterised by the rajo

guna denoted by the letter U and presided over by the deity Brahma,

so say the wise.

 

The sushupti is the state of deep sleep in which the jiva in the

Prajna aspect and the Lord in the Isvara aspect, abiding together in

the stamen of the Heart-Lotus, experience the bliss of the Supreme

by means of the subtle avidya (nescience). Just as a hen after

roaming about in the day calls the chicks to her, enfolds them under

her wings and goes to rest for the night, so also the subtle

individual being, after finishing the experiences of the jagrat and

swapna for the time being, enters with the impressions gathered

during those states into the causal body which is made up of

nescience, characterised by tamo guna, denoted by the letter M and

presided over by the deity Rudra.

Deep sleep is nothing but the experience of pure being. The three

states go by different names, such as the three regions, the three

forts, the three deities, etc. The being always abides in the Heart,

as stated above. If in the jagrat state the Heart is not

relinquished, the mental activities are stilled and Brahman alone is

contemplated, the state is called the Turiya. Again when the

individual being merges in the Supreme it is called the turyatita.

The vegetable kingdom is always in sushupti; the animals have both

swapna and sushupti; the gods (celestials) are always in jagrat; man

has all the three states; but the clear-sighted yogi abides only in

turiya, and the highest yogi remains in turyatita alone. The three

states alternate involuntarily for the average man. The last two

(turiya and turyatita) are however the results of practice and form

clear aids to liberation. Of the other three states (Jagrat, swapna

and sushupti) each one is exclusive of the other two and limited by

the conditions of time and space. They are therefore unreal. Our

very experience of the jagrat and the swapna states proves that the

Consciousness as the Self underlies all the five states, remains

perfect all along and witnesses all of them. But with regard to

similar consciousness in the deep sleep, every person is known to

say " I was not aware of anything; I slept soundly and happily " . Two

facts emerge from the statement (unawareness of anything and the

happiness of sound sleep). Unless these existed and were experienced

in sleep they could not find expression by the same person in the

waking state. Inference also leads to the same conclusion. Just as

the eye sees the darkness which remains enveloping all objects, so

also the Self sees the darkness of nescience which remained covering

the phenomenal world.

This darkness was experienced when it (the Self) emerged in dots of

supreme bliss, shone a trice and fleeted away in such fine subtlety

as the rays of the moon which peer through the waving foliage. The

experience was however not through any media (such as the senses of

the mind), but bears out the fact that consciousness does exist in

deep sleep. The unawareness is owing to the absence of relative

knowledge, and the happiness to the absence of (seething) thoughts.

If the experience of bliss in deep sleep is a fact, how is it that

no one among all the human beings recollects it? A diver who has

found the desired thing under water cannot make his discovery known

to the expectant persons on the shore until he emerges from the

water. Similarly the sleeper cannot express his experience because

he cannot contact the organs of expression until he is awakened by

his vasanas in due course. Therefore it follows that the Self is the

light of Sat, Chit, Ananda.

Visva, Taijasa and Prajna are the denominations of the experiencer

in the waking, dream and deep sleep states respectively. The same

individual underlies all of them. They do not therefore represent

the True Self which is pure Sat, Chit, Ananda. The experience in

deep sleep was said to be the bliss of Brahman. It is only the

negative aspect of such bliss, as it is the result of the absence of

thoughts. Moreover it is transitory. Such a bliss is only the

abhasa, the counterfeit of Supreme Bliss. It is not different from

the blissful feeling of sensual pleasures. In deep sleep the Prajna

is said to be united with the Self. So the individuality is

potential in sleep. The Self is the basis of all the experiences.

It remains as the witness and the support of them all. The Reality

is thus different from the three states, the waking, the dream and

the deep sleep.

 

TALK 618:

 

Gentleman: When I go on analysing myself I go beyond the intellect,

and then there is no happiness.

M.: Intellect is only an instrument of the Self. It cannot help you

to know what is beyond itself.

D.: I understand it. But there is no happiness beyond it.

M.: The intellect is the instrument wherewith to know unknown

things. But you are already known, being the Self which is itself

knowledge; so you do not become the object of knowledge. The

intellect makes you see things outside, and not that which is its

own source.

D.: The question is repeated.

M.: The intellect is useful thus far, it helps you to analyse

yourself, and no further. It must then be merged into the ego, and

the source of the ego must be sought. If that be done the ego

disappears. Remain as that source and then the ego does not arise

D.: There is no happiness in that state.

M.: `There is no happiness' is only a thought. The Self is bliss,

pure and simple. You are the Self. So you cannot but be bliss; being

so, you cannot say here is no happiness. That which says so cannot

be the Self; it is the non-Self and must be got rid of in order to

realise the bliss of the Self.

D.: How is that to be done?

M.: See wherefrom the thought arises. It is the mind. See for whom

the mind or intellect functions. For the ego. Merge the intellect in

the ego and seek the source of the ego. The ego disappears. `I know'

and `I do not know' imply a subject and an object. They are due to

duality. The Self is pure and absolute, One and alone. There are no

two selves so that one may know the other. What is duality then? It

cannot be the Self which is One and alone. It must be non-Self.

Duality is the characteristic of the ego. When thoughts arise

duality is present; know it to be the ego, and seek its source. The

degree of the absence of thoughts is the measure of your progress

towards Self-Realisation. But Self-Realisation itself does not admit

of progress; it is ever the same. The Self remains always in

realisation. The obstacles are thoughts. Progress is measured by

the degree of removal of the obstacles to understanding that the

Self is always realised. So thoughts must be checked by seeking to

whom they arise. So you go to their Source, where they do not

arise.

D.: Doubts are always arising. Hence my question.

M.: A doubt arises and is cleared; another arises and that is

cleared, making way for another, and so it goes on. So there is no

possibility of clearing away all doubts. See to whom the doubts

arise. Go to their source and abide in it. Then they cease to arise.

That is how doubts are to be cleared. Atma samstham manah krtva na

kinchidapi chintayet.

D.: Grace alone can help me to it.

M.: Grace is not exterior. In fact your very desire for grace is due

to grace that is already in you.

 

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