Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi

[Guest guest]

Question: It is said that the Self is beyond the mind and yet the

realisation is with the mind. 'The mind cannot think it. It cannot be

thought of by the mind and the mind alone can realise it.' How are

these contradictions to be reconciled?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Atman (Self) is realised with Mruta Manas (dead

mind), that is, mind devoid of thoughts and turned inward. Then the

mind sees its own source and becomes that (the Self). It is not as

the subject perceiving an object.

 

When the room is dark a lamp is necessary to illumine the eyes to

cognize objects. But when the sun has risen there is no need of a

lamp to see objects. To see the sun no lamp is necessary, it is

enough that you turn your eyes towards the self-luminous sun.

 

Similarly with the mind. To see objects the reflected light of the

mind is necessary. To see the Heart it is enough that the mind is

turned towards it. Then mind loses itself and Heart shine forth. The

essence of mind is only awareness or consciousness. When the ego,

however, dominates it, it functions as the reasoning, thinking or

sensing faculty. The cosmic mind, being not limited by the ego, has

nothing separate from itself and is therefore only aware. This is

what the Bible means by 'I am that I am'.

 

When the mind perishes in the supreme consciousness of one's own

Self, know that all the various powers beginning with the power of

liking (and including the power of doing and the power of knowing)

will entirely disappear, being found to be an unreal imagination

appearing in one's own form of consciousness. The impure mind, which

functions as thinking and forgetting, alone is Samsara, which is the

cycle of birth and death. The real 'I' in which the activity of

thinking and forgetting has perished, alone is the pure liberation.

It is devoid of Pramada (forgetfulness of Self) which is the cause

of birth and death.