Talks with Ramana Maharshi, February 4, 1935 - #2

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On a former occasion B.V. Narasimha swami , author of Self-Realization asked : Who Am I ? How is it to be found ?

Maharshi :

Ask yourself this question. The body (annamaya kosa ) and its functions are not "I". Going deeper , the mind (manomaya kosa ) and its functions are not "I".

The next step takes one to the question : "Wherefrom do these thoughts arise ? " The thoughts may be spontaneous , superficial or analytical. they operate in the intellect. Then , who is aware of them ? The existence of thoughts , their clear conceptions , and their operations become evident to the individual. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the individuality of the person is operative as the perceiver of the existence of thoughts and their sequence. This individuality is the ego, or , as people say , "I". Vijnanamaya kosa ( intellect ) is only the sheath of "I" and not the "I" itself.

Inquiring further , the question arise :' Who is this "I" ? Wherefrom does it come ?' "I" was not aware in sleep. Simultaneously , with its rise , sleep changes to dream or wakefulness. But I am not concerned with the dream just now . Who am I now, in the wakeful state ? If "I" originated from sleep , then the "I" was covered up with ignorance. Such an ignorant "I" cannot be what the scriptures say or the wise ones affirm. "I" am beyond even "sleep"; "I" must be now and here and what I was all along in sleep and dream also, without the qualities of such states. "I" must therefore be the unqualified substratum underlying these three states (anandamaya kosa transcended ).

"I" is , in brief , beyond the five sheath. Next , the residuum after discarding all that which is not-self is the Self , Sat-Chit-Ananada.

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Talks with Ramana Maharshi InnerDirections Publishing, 2000 page 17

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