Sri Ramana Darshanam - [10]

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60 Final liberation and transcendence

 

Like the space inside the wallsI became, by nature, swarupa.

 

In the above quotation the space that the wall occupies, which is the support for the existence of the wall, has never been different from the all-pervading space. If the wall is destroyed, it will remain as it always has been, without any change in its state of perfection. This is the state that is natural to it. In the same way, Self consciousness, the support for the body adjunct, has naturally been one with Brahman. Therefore, the destruction of adjunct [the body] does not have any particular effect on the undivided non-dual state that is the true nature of Self consciousness.

 

The causal body of ignorance is reduced to ashes in the fire of rare jnana; the visible gross body becomes a corpse in due course. Then, like a drop of water on red-hot iron, the subtle body is dissolved in the Self that underlies these three bodies and remains perpetually whole.

As soon as the entity of a pot is broken up, the ether in the pot becomes indistinguishable from the all-pervading ether. Likewise, when the limitation of the body is gone, the jivanmukta reverts to the natural, eternal disembodied state of liberation, free from beginning, middle or end and in or out. (Kaivalya Navaneeta)

 

When one who has known the Self - having removed obstacles with the help of a supreme Guru who has manifested on earth - leaves the body, he merges in the same way that the space in a pot merges when the pot is destroyed. (Prabhulinga Leelai)

 

 

Nidaga, let me describe the characteristics of a videhamukta, who is a very rare being. He who is free from all residual thoughts, who has become the blemishless supreme, who has become tranquil, pure, intense bliss, who has no association with trivial forms, who has attained the maha mauna state, who remains only as Brahman, having the form of consciousness that never decays - he is a videhamukta. (Ribhu Gita)

 

In accordance with this conclusion, the videhamukta remains as pure Brahman.

It is only so long as the thought 'I am bound' continues that the thoughts of bondage and liberation continue. When one has, through the enquiry 'Who is bound?', seen one's own Self, the ever-attained and eternally free Self alone remains. If the thought of bondage does not remain, how can the thought of liberation? (Ulladu Narpadu)

 

 

Bhagavan states here that the attainment of liberation itself is imaginary. Hence, to divide this state into jivanmukti and videhamukti may appear to be imagination on top of imagination. The indweller who attains jivanmukti through the removal of the causal body, shines as Brahman when the gross and subtle bodies are removed. This is Maha Nirvana.

 

When the pot is broken, the space within the pot merges with the great space. Similarly, when the inert body is removed, the indwelling Self will merge in the Supreme Self.

(Atma Sakshatkara Prakaranam)

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Sri Ramana DarsanamBy Sadhu NatananandaTranslated by Dr. VenkatasubramanianEdited by David Godman