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 mrita 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, and eyes are

necessary to recognise 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 shines forth.

 

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

however, dominates 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.

 

Again people often ask how the mind is controlled. I say to them,

'Show me the mind and then you will know what to do'. The fact is that

the mind is only a bundle of thoughts. How can you extinguish it by

the thought of doing so or by a desire? Your thoughts and desires are

part and parcel of the mind. The mind is simply fattened by new

thoughts rising up. Therefore it is foolish to attempt to kill the

mind by means of the mind.

 

The only way of doing it to find its source and hold on to it. The

mind will then fade away of its own accord. To ask the mind to kill

the mind is like making the thief the policeman. He will go with you

and pretend to catch the thief, but nothing will be gained. So you

must turn inward and see from where the mind rises and then it will

cease to exist.

 

- from Be As You Are, by David Godman