Part 1 -- Talks Of Ramana Maharshi

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“How to avoid misery?” The Master answers: “Has misery a shape? Misery is only

an unwanted thought. The mind is not strong enough to resist it. It can be

strengthened by worship of God.” -- Talks 241

 

“I have no peace of mind. Something prevents it — probably my destiny.” Bhagavan

answers: “What is destiny? There is no destiny. Surrender and all will be well.

Throw all the responsibility on God. Do not bear the burden yourself. What can

destiny do to you then?” -- Talks 244

 

“Siva made over all His possessions to Vishnu and went roaming about in forests,

wildernesses and graveyards, living on begged food. He found non-possession to

be higher in the scale of happiness than possessions. The higher happiness is

freedom from anxiety — anxiety over how to protect the possessions and how to

utilise them, etc.” -- Talks 225

 

“If happiness is due to one’s possessions, then it should increase and

decrease proportionately to their increase and decrease, and becomes nil if one

has nothing to possess. But is this true? Does experience bear this out? “In

deep sleep one is devoid of possessions, including one’s own body; yet one then

is supremely happy. Everyone desires sound sleep. The conclusion is that

happiness is inherent in one’s own self and is not due to external causes. One

must realise his Self in order to open for oneself the store of unalloyed

happiness.” -- Talks 3

 

“What is happiness? Is it inherent in the Self or in the object, or in the

contact between the subject and the object?” Bhagavan: “When there is contact

with a desirable object or memory thereof, and when there is freedom from

undesirable contacts, or memory thereof, we say there is happiness. Such

happiness is relative and is better called pleasure. But we want absolute and

permanent happiness. This does not reside in objects but in the Absolute. It is

peace free from pain and pleasure — it is a neutral state.”

-- Talks 28

 

“There is a state beyond our efforts and effortlessness. Until it is

realised, effort is necessary. (This is the state of samadhi, which is

blissful). After tasting such bliss even once, one will repeatedly try to regain

it. Having once experienced the bliss of peace, no one would like to be out of

it, or engage himself otherwise. It is as difficult for the Jnani to engage in

thought as it is for an ajnani to be free from thought. Any kind of activity

does not affect a jnani; his mind remains ever in eternal peace.” -- Talks 141

 

“The universe exists on account of the ‘I’-thought. If that ends there is an end

of misery also. The person who is in sleep is also now awake. There is happiness

in sleep but misery in wakefulness. In sleep there was no ‘I’-thought, but it is

now while awake. The state of happiness in sleep is effortless. We should

therefore aim to bring about that state even now. That requires effort.” --

Talks 222

 

“Your nature is happiness. You say that this is not apparent. See what

obstructs you from your true being. It is pointed out to you that the

obstruction is the wrong identity. Eliminate the error. The patient himself must

take the medicine to cure his illness. If, as you say, the patient is too weak

to help himself, then he must remain quiet, giving a free hand to the doctor.

That is effortlessness.” -- Talks 295

 

“The desire for happiness is a proof of the ever-existent happiness of the Self.

Otherwise how can desire for it arise? If headache were natural to human beings,

no one would try to get rid of it. One desires only that which is natural to

him.Happiness, being natural, it is not acquired. Primal bliss is obscured by

the not-Self, which is non-bliss, or misery. Loss of unhappiness amounts to

gaining of happiness. When misery is eliminated the bliss which is ever-present

is said to be gained. Happiness mixed with misery is only misery.” -- Talks 619

 

“Why should there be suffering now?” Bhagavan: “If there were no suffering, how

could the desire to be happy arise? If that desire did not arise,how would the

quest of the Self be successful? What is happiness? Is it a healthy and handsome

body, or timely meals and the like? Even an Emperor has endless troubles, though

he may be healthy. All suffering is due to the false notion ‘I-am-the-body’.

Getting rid of it is jnanam.” -- Talks 633

 

.... To Be Continued

 

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Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram