Part3 -- Talks of Ramana Maharshi

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“Is the world perceived after Self-realisation?” Bhagavan: “What does it

matter if the world is perceived or not? The ajnani sees the Jnani active

and is confounded. The world is perceived by both; but their outlooks

differ. Take the cinema, for instance. Pictures move on the screen. Let the

pictures disappear. What remains? The screen alone. So also here. Even when

the world appears find out to whom it appears. Hold the substratum of the

‘I’. When the substratum is held what does it matter if the world appears or

disappears?” -- Talks 65

 

“How to turn the mind away from the world, you say? Is there a world apart

from the Self? Does the world say that it exists. It is you who say that

there is a world.Find out the Self who says it.” -- Talks 81

 

“You say that the world is materialistic. Whether it is materialistic or

spiritual, it is according to your outlook. Make your outlook right. The

Creator knows how to take care of His creation.” -- Talks 240

 

“Does Bhagavan believe in evolution?” Bhagavan: “Evolution must be from one

state to another When differences are not admitted, how can evolution arise?

You say that when Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that after several births the

seeker gains knowledge and thus knows “Me”, denotes evolution. But you must

not forget that the Gita begins with “Neither I was, nor you, nor these

chiefs, etc.”; “neither it is born, nor does it die, etc.” So there is no

birth, no death, no present as you look at it. Reality was, is, and will

always be. It is changeless.” -- Talks 264

 

“What should we do to ameliorate the condition of the world?” Bhagavan: “If

you are free from pain, there will be no pain anywhere. The trouble is due

to your seeing the world externally and also thinking that it has pain. But

both the pain and the world are within you. If you look within there will be

no pain.” -- Talks 272

 

“A phenomenon cannot be a reality simply because it serves a purpose. Dreams

also serve dream purposes; for example, the dream water quenches dream

thirst. The dream creation is however contradicted in the waking state. What

is not continuous cannot be real. The real is ever real, and not real once

and unreal at other times. The same is with magic, which appears real yet it

is illusory. Similarly the world is not real apart from the reality which

underlies it.” -- Talks 315

 

“There is fire on the screen in a cinema show: does it burn the screen?

There is a cascade of water: does it wet the screen? There are tools: do

they damage the screen? Fire and water are only phenomena on the screen of

Brahman and do not affect it.” -- Talks 316

 

A Spanish lady writes in a letter: “If the individual self merges in the

universal Self, how can we pray to God for the uplift of humanity?” Bhagavan

comments: “They pray to God and finish with, ‘Thy will be done.’ If His will

be done why do they pray at all? It is true that the Divine will prevails at

all times and under all circumstances. The individuals cannot act of their

own accord. Recognise the force of the Divine will and keep quiet. Each one

is looked after by God. He has created all. You are among 2,000 millions.

When He looks after so many will He omit you? “Again there is no need to let

Him know your needs. He knows them Himself and will look after them.” --

Talks 594

 

“Still more, why do you pray? Does not your Creator and Protector know that

you are weak? You say God helps those who help themselves. Certainly, help

yourself and that is itself according to God’s will. Every action is

prompted by Him only. As for prayers for others it looks so unselfish on the

surface of it. But analyse the feeling and you will detect selfishness there

also. You desire others’ happiness so that you may be happy. Or you want the

credit for having interceded on others’ behalf.God does not require

intermediaries. Mind your business and all will be well.” -- Talks 594

 

“Does not God work His will through some chosen person?” Bhagavan: “God is

in all and works through all. But His presence is better recognised in

purified minds. The pure one reflects God’s actions more clearly than the

impure mind. Therefore people say that they are the chosen ones. But the

chosen man does not himself say so. If he thinks that he is the

intermediary, then it is clear that he retains his individuality and that

there is no complete surrender.” -- Talks 594

 

“Are not the Brahmins considered to be the priests or intermediaries between

God and others?” Bhagavan: “Yes, but who is a Brahmin? A Brahmin is one who

has realised Brahman. Such an one has no sense of individuality in him. He

cannot think that he acts as an intermediary.” -- Talks 594

 

“The mind is like akasa (ether of space). Just as there are objects in

space, so there are thoughts in the mind.... One cannot hope to measure the

universe and study the phenomena. It is impossible. For the objects are

mental creation; it is like trying to stamp with one’s foot on the head of

one’s shadow; the farther one moves the farther goes the shadow’s head.” --

Talks 485

 

.... To Be Contined

 

--

Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram