earnest Self-enquiry hastens maturity

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONETHE

NATURE OF MANThe further discussion illustrates the freedom of argument thatBhagavan allowed to those who were not convinced by a reply.Devotee: What certainty is there that something awaits there toreceive me?Bhagavan: When a person is sufficiently mature he becomesconvinced naturally.D.: How is

this maturity to be attained?B.: Various ways are prescribed. But whatever previousdevelopment there may be, earnest Self-enquiry hastens it.D.: That is arguing in a circle. I am strong enough for thequest if I am mature and it is the quest that makes me mature.This is an objection that was often raised

in one form oranother and the reply to it again emphasises that it is nottheory that is needed, but practice.B.: The mind does have this sort of difficulty. It wants a fixedtheory to satisfy itself with. Really, however, no theory is necessaryfor the man who seriously strives to approach God or his true Self. 1Everyone is the Self and indeed, is infinite. Yet each personmistakes his body for his Self. In order to

know anything,illumination is necessary. This can only be of the nature of Light;however, it lights up both physical light and physical darkness.That is to say, that it lies beyond apparent light

and darkness. Itis itself neither, but it is said to be light because it illuminesboth. It is infinite and is Consciousness. Consciousness is theSelf of which everyone is aware. No one is ever away from theSelf and therefore everyone is in fact Self-realised; only – andthis is the great mystery – people do not know this and want torealise the Self. Realisation consists only in getting rid of

thefalse idea that one is not realised. It is not anything new to beacquired. It must already exist or it would not be eternal andonly

what is eternal is worth striving for.Once the false notion `I am the body' or `I am not realised'has been removed, Supreme Consciousness or the Self aloneremains and in people's present state

of knowledge they call this`Realisation.' But the truth is that Realisation is eternal andalready exists, here and now. 21 Sat Darshana Bhashya, viii, ix.2 Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, 482.