the world has no reality apart from Brahman

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONETHE

WORLD – REAL OR ILLUSION?Nevertheless, some theoretical teaching is necessary as the basisfor the practical work

of spiritual training. With the Maharshithis took the form of non-duality, in complete accordancewith the teachings of the great Sage, Shankara. The agreementdoes not, however, mean that Bhagavan was, as a philosopherwould put it, `influenced by' Shankara, merely that herecognised Shankara's teaching as a true exposition of what hehad realised and knew by direct knowledge.Devotee: Is Bhagavan's teaching the same as Shankara's?Bhagavan: Bhagavan's teaching is an expression of his ownexperience and realisation. Others find that it tallies withSri Shankara's. 1D.:

When the Upanishads say that all is Brahman, howcan we agree with Shankara that this world is illusory?B.: Shankara also said that

this world is Brahman or theSelf. What he objected to is one's imagining that the Self islimited by the names and forms that constitute the world. Heonly said that the world has no reality apart from Brahman.Brahman or the Self is like a cinema screen and the world likethe pictures on it. You can see the picture only so long as thereis a screen. But when the observer himself becomes the screenonly the Self remains. 21 Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi, 1892 Day by Day With Bhagavan by Devaraja Mudaliar (5th Edition 2002) p. 238