The Bliss of Self is always yours

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONESUFFERINGOne of the problems about which Bhagavan was often askedwas suffering. The questions were usually personal rather thanacademic, since it was often the experience of grief whichdrove people to seek solace from him. The real solace came asa silent influence, but he did also answer theoretical questions.The usual answer was to bid the questioner find out who it isthat suffers, just as he would bid the doubter find who it isthat doubts; for the Self is beyond suffering as it is beyonddoubt. Sometimes, however, on a more contingent level, hewould point out that whatever makes a person dissatisfiedwith his state of ignorance and turns him to the quest of theSelf is beneficial and that it is often suffering which is themeans of doing this.Bhagavan: The Bliss of Self is always yours and you will find it ifyou seek it earnestly. The cause of your misery is not in yourouter life; it is in you, as your ego. You impose limitations onyourself and then make a vain struggle to transcend them. Allunhappiness is due to the ego. With it comes all your trouble.What does it avail you to attribute the cause of misery to thehappenings of life when that cause is really within you? Whathappiness can you get from things extraneous to yourself? Whenyou get it, how long will it last?If you would deny the ego and scorch it by ignoring it,you would be free. If you accept it, it will impose limitations onyou and throw you into a vain struggle to transcend them.That was how the `thief ' sought to ruin King Janaka.To be the Self that you really are is the only means torealise the Bliss that is ever yours.11 Maharshi's Gospel (12th Edition, 2000), pp. 38-9.