THUS SPAKE RAMANA All that is necessary is to get rid of the
thought 'I have not realized'.
1. Grace is within you. If it is
external, it is useless. Grace is the
Self. It is not something to be
acquired from others. All that is
necessary is to know its existence in
you. You are never out of its
operation. Grace is ever there. It is
not manifest because of ignorance
prevailing. With sraddha
[earnestness; faith; faith in the
scriptures and the Guru; confidence
or assurance that arises from personal
experience], it will become manifest.
Sraddha, Grace, Light, Spirit are all
synonymous with the Self.
2. Spiritual men are not
bodies; they are not aware of their
bodies apart from the Self. They are
only the Self limitless and formless.
There is always unity among them and
all others. Nay, they comprise all.
vichara[na][vicarana]. enquiry into the
nature of Self, Reality or Truth [when
Ramana Maharshi used this term he
refers specifically to the practice of
Self-enquiry]; the inner quest;
discrimination between the Real and
the unreal; ever-present reflection on
the why and wherefore of things;
process of transcending illusion of
persona as separate from Self; the
second stage in the path of Self-
knowledge
3. Meditation requires an
object to meditate upon, whereas in
vichara or introspection, there is only
the subject without the object.
Meditation differs from vichara in this
way. Vichara is the process and the
goal also. 'I AM' is the goal and the
final reality. To hold on to this Pure
Being with effort is vichara. When it is
spontaneous and natural, it is
realization.
4. The very doubt 'Can I
realize?’, or the feeling 'I have not
realized', are obstacles to Realization.
Realization is nothing to be gained
afresh. The Self is already realized.
5. The seen regarded as an
independent entity, independent of
the Self, is unreal. The seen is not
different from the seer. What exists is
the one Self, not a Seer and a seen.
The seen regarded as the Self is real.
6. There is no such thing as
the unreal, from another standpoint.
The Self alone exists. When you try to
trace the Ego, based on which alone
the world and all exist, you find the
Ego does not exist at all and so also all
this creation.
7. Renunciation and
Realization are the same. They are
different aspects of the same state.
Giving up the non-self is
Renunciation. Inhering [Exist
essentially or permanently in] in the
Self is jnana or Self realization. One is
the negative and the other the positive
aspect of the same, single truth.
8. Just as you seek
corroboration about the waking state
experiences from those whom you see
in the waking state, you have to ask for
corroboration about the dream
experiences from those whom you saw
in the dream state, i. e. when you were
in the dream. Then in the dream,
friends or relations whom you saw in
the dream would corroborate you. The
main point is, are you prepared when
awake to affirm the reality of any of
your dream experiences? Similarly,
one who has awakened into jnana
cannot affirm the reality of the
waking experience. From his
viewpoint, the waking state is dream.
9. Silence is of four kinds:
Silence of speech, Silence of the eye,
Silence of the ear, and Silence of the
mind. Only the last is pure Silence and
is the most important. The
Commentary of Silence is the best
commentary as illustrated in Lord
Dakshinamurti. Only Silence is the
Eternal Speech, the One Word, the
Heart-to-Heart Talk.
10. Silence is like the even
flow of electric current. Speech is like
obstructing the current 'for lighting
and other purposes. However much a
Jnani might talk, he is still the Silent
One. However much he might work, he
is still the Quiet One. His voice is the
incorporeal voice. His walk is not on the
earth. It is like measuring the sky with
the sky.
11. Your real nature is always
there, your meditation etc., come only
temporarily. Reality being your Self,
there is nothing for you to realize. All
that is required is that you should give
up regarding the unreal as real, which
is what all are doing. The object of all
meditation or dhyana or japa is only
that, to give up all thoughts regarding
the not-self.
12. Guru's Grace is always
there. You imagine it is something,
somewhere high up in the sky, far away
and has to descend. It is really inside
you, in your heart, and the moment you
effect subsidence or merger of the
mind into its source, the Grace rushes
forth, spouting as from a spring, from
within you.
13. When a devotee reaches a
certain stage and becomes fit for
enlightenment, the same God whom
he was worshipping comes as Guru
and leads him on. The Guru comes only
to tell him, 'The God is within yourself.
Dive within and realize'. God, Guru and
the Self are the same.
14. To ask the mind to kill
the mind is like making the thief the
policeman. He will go with you and
pretend to catch the thief, but nothing
will be gamed. So, you must turn
inward and see where the mind rises
from and then it will cease to exist. Of
course we are employing the mind.
Only with the help of the mind the
mind has to be killed. But instead of
setting about saying there is a mind
and I want to kill it, you begin to seek
the source of the mind and you find
the mind does not exist at all. The
mind, turned outwards, results in
thoughts and objects. Turned inwards,
it becomes itself the Self. Such a mind
is sometimes called arupa manas or
subha manas.
15. By giving up activities is
meant giving up attachment to
activities or the fruits thereof, giving
up the notion "1 am the doer."
16. Time and place really do
not exist. Even in the Radio we have a
hint of this truth. We have Hyderabad
here. What is sung there, we hear here
at the same time as it is sung there.
Where is time and place?
17. When we enquire within
'who am I?' what is that I? It is the ego.
It is only that which makes the vichara
also. The Self has no vichara. That
which makes the enquiry is the ego.
The ' I' about which the enquiry is
made is also the ego. As the result of
the enquiry the ego ceases to exist and
only the Self is found to exist.
18. The Bhagavad Gita says,
'The wise man will think the senses
move among the sense objects and be
unattached to the activities of the
sense organs.' I would go farther and say
the inani does not think even that. He is
the Self and sees nothing apart from
himself. What the Gita says in the
above passage is for the abhyasi or the
practiser.
19. To see an object that is
in the dark, both the eye and the light
of a lamp are required. To see the light
only, the eye is enough. But to see the
Sun, there is no need of any other
light. Even if you take the lamp with
you, its light will be drowned in the
light of the Sun. Our intellect or buddhi
is of no use to realize the Self. To see
the world of external objects, the mind
and the reflected light (or chidabhasa)
which always rises with it are
necessary. To see the Self, the mind
has simply to be turned inside and
there is no need of the reflected light.
20. The spark of jnana will
easily consume all creation as if it were
a mountain-heap of cotton. All the
crores of worlds being built upon the
weak (or no) foundation of the ego,
they all topple down when the atomic
bomb of jnana comes down upon them.
Jnana[m]: true knowledge; direct
knowledge of the non-dual Reality
that is the Self; awakened wisdom;
Truth consciousness; a pure
knowledge inseparable from the total
experience of Reality; the Eternal,
unbroken, natural state of abiding in
the Self; permanent and continuous
Self-awareness that remains when
the mind and all its activities of
objective thought have been
eradicated [this term should not be
taken to mean that there is a person
who has knowledge of the Self,
because in the state of Self-
awareness there is no localised
knower and there is nothing that is
separate from the Self that can be
known. True knowledge is not an
object of experience, nor is it an
understanding of a state which is
different and apart from the subject
knower. It is a direct and knowing
awareness of the one Reality in
which subjects and objects have
ceased to exist]; the annihilation of
the mind in which it is made to
assume the form of the Self through
the constant practice of Self-
enquiry.
21. All talk of surrender is like
pinching jaggery from the jaggery image
of Ganesa and offering it as naivedya to
the same Ganesa. You say you offer your
body, soul and all possessions to God.
Were they yours that you could offer
them? At best, you can only say, 'I falsely
imagined till now that all these which
are yours (God's) were mine. Now I
realize they are yours. I shall no more
act as if they are mine. And this
knowledge that there is nothing but
God or Self, that I and mine don't exist
and that only the Self exists, is jnana.
22. Self-surrender is the same
as mind-control. The ego submits when it
recognises the higher authority of the
atman, the Self. This is the beginning of
surrender. Although the ego cannot
exist without the Self, yet, due to its
ignorance of this fact, it remains
rebellious, and acts on its own
initiatives and by its own will. True
surrender is the melting of the ego in
its Source, the Heart, the Self.
23. Ego is non-existent,
otherwise you would be two instead of
one—you the ego and you the Self. You
are a single, individual unit. Enquire
into yourself, and the apparent
darkness of ignorance, of pleasure and
pain will disappear.
24. The 'I' casts off the
illusion of 'I' and yet remains as 'I'. This
appears to be a paradox to you, though
is not so to the jnani. Take the case of
the bhakta. His 'I' prays to the Lord to
unite it with Him, which is its
surrender. What remains as residuum
after this surrender, is the eternal ‘I',
which is the Absolute, God or
Paramatman Himself. What has
happened to the ' I ', which had
originally prayed? Being unreal, it
simply vanished.
25. Objects remain in space.
Objects or space are together reflected
in the mirror. Just as the things are
found in space, so they are in the
reflection also. The mirror is itself
thin. How can these objects be
contained in its compass? There is no
reflection in the akasa of the pot. The
reflection is only in the water in it.
Keeping several pots filled with water
in a tank, the akasa is reflected
equally in the water in each of the pots
and in the water of the tank. Similarly,
the whole universe is reflected in each
individual. Pure ether cannot take
reflections; only the ether of water can
do so. Glass cannot reflect objects;
only a plate of glass with an opaque
lining on its back can reflect the
objects in front of it. Similarly, Pure
Knowledge does not contain objects in
it nor reflect objects. Only with the
limiting adjunct, the mind, it reflects
the world. Mind is a mixture of chit
(intelligence and sankalpas (thoughts).
Therefore, it forms all these—the
mirror, light, darkness and the
reflections.
26. Every plane has its own
illusion, which can be destroyed only
by another illusion on the same plane.
For example, a man takes a full meal
and goes to sleep. He dreams of being
hungry in spite of the jagrat food in his
stomach. To satisfy the dream hunger,
he has to take dream food. Similarly,
the illusion of ajnana (ignorance) can
be destroyed only by the illusion of
guru-upadesa (the Master's teaching).
Mukti (liberation) is ever present, and
bondage is ever absent, yet the
universal experience is the reverse.
27. Knowing the Self is being
the Self, and being means existence—
one's own existence, which no one
denies, any more than one denies one's
eyes, although one cannot see them.
The trouble lies with your desire to
objectify the Self, in the same way as
you objectify your eyes, when you
place a mirror before them. You have
been so accustomed to objectify that
you lost the knowledge of yourself,
simply because the Self cannot be
objectified. Who is to know the Self?
Can the insentient body or mind know
it? All the time you speak and think of
your ‘I', ‘I', ‘I’, yet when questioned
you deny knowledge of it. You are the
Self, yet you ask how to know the Self?
28. Men speak of divine
visions, yet paint them differently with
the seer himself in the scene. Even
hypnotists can make one see strange
scenes and phenomena, which you
condemn as tricks and jugglery, whereas
the former you extol as Divine. Why is
this difference? The fact is that all
sights are unreal, whether they come
from the senses or the mind as pure
concepts. This is the truth.
29. Masters do exist
externally as long as the pupil feels
himself to be the body. As such they
are useful to teach him the truth about
himself. Once the pupil experiences
the Truth and breaks the body illusion,
he realizes the Masters to be the same
as himself, namely, the Supreme
Consciousness, or Self. If there are
Masters outside the Self, then they are
not real, being outside additions, for
he who comes will also go, that is,
impermanent.
30. Subjective knowledge—
knowledge knowing itself is jnana. It is
then the subject as the knower, the
object as the known and the
knowledge which connects them.
Knowledge is the light which links the
seer to the seen. Suppose you go to
search for a book in a library in pitch
darkness. Can you find it without light,
although you, the subject, and the
book, the object, are both present?
Light has to be present to unite you.
This link between the subject and the
object in every experience is chit,
consciousness. It is both the
substratum [foundation/basis] as well
as the witness of all experiences.
31. What is meditation but
mental repetitions of a concept? It is a
mental japam, which begins with words
and ends in the Silence of the Self.
32. Meditation and control of
mind are interdependent; In fact
meditation includes mind control, the
subtle watchfulness against intruding
thoughts. In the beginning efforts for
control are greater than for actual
meditation, but in due course meditation
wins and becomes effortless.
33. In deep sleep you are
entirely free from thoughts, because
the 'I'-thought is absent. The moment
the ‘I’-thought rises on waking, all
other thoughts rush out spontaneously.
The wisest thing for one to do is Self is realized in its nakedness and the
therefore to catch hold of this leading essence of bliss is experienced. When
thought, the 'I'-thought and dissect it— the waveless ocean of the external and
who and what it is—giving thereby no the steady flame of the internal
chance to other thoughts to distract nirvikatpa are realized as identical, the
one. There lies the true value of the ultimate goal, the sahaja nirvikalpa
vichara and its efficacy. samadhi is said to have been reached.
Nirvikalpa is effortless, whereas
34. Some have fantastic savikalpa is attended with effort.
notions about nirvikalpa samadhi. Savikalpa: possessing variety or
Some yogis by breathing exercises admitting of distinctions.
allow themselves to fall into a
cataleptic state, far deeper than Savikalpa Samadhi: a state of
dreamless sleep, wherein they consciousness in which the
are aware of nothing, absolutely distinction between knower,
nothing, and glorify it as knowledge and known is not lost; a
nirvikalpa. Some others think that state of samadhi in which one's
once you dip into nirvikalpa you consciousness temporarily dissolves
become altogether a different into Reality; absorption in Reality
being. Still others take nirvikalpa where the consciousness of duality
to be attainable only through and multiplicity still remains.
trance, wherein the world
consciousness is totally Sahaja: natural; used by Ramana
obliterated as in a faint and Self Maharshi to designate the
awareness alone remains. All this permanent and highest level of
is due to their viewing it experiencing the Self.
intellectually.
Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi: the
Nirvikalpa: indeterminate; non- permanent and natural state of
conceptual; without the absorption in one's Self without
modifications of the mind; the concepts; remaining alertly aware
undifferentiating man. and thought-free, with a still mind
devoid of differentiation of Self and
Nirvikalpa Samadhi: the state of Self- non-Self even while being engaged
absorption; transcendental in the activities of worldly life.
awareness; a state in which all
differences between the individual Sahaja Samadhi: functioning
self and Reality cease to exist, naturally from the Self; natural and
because the distinction between permanent abidance in Self.
knower, knowledge and known is
lost; beyond all duality; the state Turiya [turyaga]: the "fourth"; the
free from ideation in which nothing fourth state which underlies the
is perceived. three alternating states of relative
consciousness – waking, dream and
35. There are two kinds of
deep sleep [dreamless];
nirvikalpa; the internal and the
superconsciousness; perpetual
external. In the former the mind
samadhi; witness consciousness,
completely merges in the inmost Being
ever-present, undivided and
and is aware of nothing else. This state
unchanging; transcendental
is compared to a lamp protected from
awareness; oneness; when the
wind. But in the latter, although the
mystic experience of being one with
mind is absorbed in the Self, the sense
the Reality is realised in
of world still prevails without a reaction
consciousness; the one who attains
from within, and has the calm vastness
this state is called a jivanmukta and
of a waveless ocean. In both cases the
 does not perform activities, either
by his will or the promptings of
others.
Turiyatita: "transcending the
fourth"; beyond Turiya [Sri Ramana
occasionally used the word
Turiyatita to indicate that there are
not really four states but only one
real transcendental state].
36. Samadhi, turiya,
nirvikalpa, all have the same
implication, namely awareness of the
Self. In turiya there is the awareness
that the mind has merged in its source,
the heart, and is quiescent there,
although some thoughts still impinge on
it and the senses are somewhat active.
In nirvikalpa the senses are inactive and
thoughts are totally absent; hence the
experience of Pure Consciousness is
intense in it; so is the bliss. Turiya is
obtainable in savikalpa samadhi, nay it
is savikalpa itself. Permanent turiya is
turiya-titha, which is sahaja samadhi or
Self-realization.
37. Samadhi is one's true
nature. Abiding in any of these
samadhis, either savikalpa or nirvikalpa
is sahaja. What is body consciousness?
It is the insentient body plus
consciousness. Both these must lie in
another consciousness which is
absolute and unaffected, and ever-
abiding, with or without body-
consciousness. What does it then
matter whether the body-
consciousness is lost or retained,
provided one is holding on to the Pure
Consciousness? It makes no difference
in the knowledge of the Supreme.
38. First take care of
yourself. Let the world take care of
itself. See yourself, who you are. So
long as you feel you are the body,
there will be the gross world also for
you. If you are the Self, all is Self
alone for you.
39. Why should you bear your
load on the head when you are
travelling in a train? It carries you and
your load whether the load is on your
head, or on the floor of the train. You
are not lessening the burden of the
train by keeping it on your head, but
only straining yourself unnecessarily.
Similar is the result of your sense of
doership in the world.
40. God is said to reside in
the Heart in the same way as you are
said to reside in your body. Yet Heart
is not a place. Some place must be
named as the dwelling of God for
those who take their bodies for
themselves and who comprehend only
relative knowledge. The fact is
neither God nor we occupy any place.
We are bodiless and spaceless in deep
sleep, yet in the waking state we
appear to be the opposite. Atman or
Paramatman is that from which the
body is born, in which it lives and into
which it finally resolves.
41. Regarding the significance
of the name Rama, the ‘Ra' stands for
the Self and 'ma' for the ego. As one
goes on repeating 'Rama', 'Rama', the
'ma' disappears, getting merged in the
'Ra' and then 'Ra' alone remains. In that
state there is no conscious effort at
dhyana, but it is there, for dhyana is
our real nature.
Dhyana: deep meditation; a state of
pure thought and absorption in the
object of meditation [when Ramana
Maharshi uses this term he is
generally referring to meditation
that consists on concentration on a
form or a particular thought; the
highest dhyana is transcendent and
discriminative in character and can
come about only when the ego-
consciousness is dissolved].
42. "What is the easiest way to
attain one-pointedness of mind?" The
best way is to see the source of the
mind. See if there is such a thing as
the mind. It is only if there is a mind
that the question of making it one-
pointed will arise. When you
investigate by turning inwards, you
find there is no such thing as the
mind.
 43. To enquire 'Who am I'
really means trying to find out the
source of the Ego or the 'I' thought.
You are not to think of other
thoughts, such as 'I am not this body,
etc.' Seeking the source of 'I' serves as
a means of getting rid of all other
thoughts. We should not give scope to
other thoughts, but must keep
attention fixed on finding out the
source of the 'I' thought, by asking (as
each thought arises) to whom the
thought arises and if the answer is 'I
get the thought' by askihg further who
is this 'I' and whence its source.
44. You want to know the
past, what you were, and also what
you will be in the future. You do not
know the present and you exist now.
Both yesterday and tomorrow are only
with reference to to-day. Yesterday
was called 'today' in its time, and
tomorrow will be called today by you
tomorrow. Today is ever present.
What is ever present is pure
existence. It has no past or future.
Why not try and find out the real
nature of the present and ever-
present existence?
45. What is your idea of a
Guru? You think of him in human
shape as a body of certain dimensions,
colours, etc. A disciple after
enlightenment told his guru, “I now
realize you lived in my innermost heart
as the one Reality in all my countless
births and have now come before me in
human shape and lifted this veil of
ignorance. What can I do for you in
return for such great kindness?' And the
Guru replied: "You need not do
anything. It is enough if you remain as
you are in your real state". This is the
truth about the Guru.
46. A man goes to sleep in
this hall. He dreams he has gone on a
world tour, is roaming over hill and
dale, forest and country, desert and
sea, across various continents and
after many years of weary and
strenuous travel, returns to this
country, reaches Tiruvannamalai,
enters the Asramam, and walks into
the hall. Just at that moment he
wakes up and finds he has not moved
an inch but was sleeping where he lay
down. He has not returned after great
effort to this hall, but is and always
has been in the hall. It is exactly like
that. If it is asked, why being free we
imagine we are bound, I answer, “Why
being in the hall did you imagine you
were on a world adventure, crossing
hill and dale, desert and sea? It is all
mind or maya."
47. There is no difference
between jivanmukti and videhamukti.
For those who ask, it is said, 'A jnani
with a body is a jivanmukta and he
attains videhamukti when he drops off
this body.' But this difference is only for
the onlooker, not for the jnani, His
state is the same before and after the
body is dropped. We think of the jnani
as a human form or as being in that
form. But the jnani knows he is the
Self, the only Reality which is both
inside and outside, and which is not
bound by any form or shape.
48. There are no stages in
realization or mukti. There are no
degrees of jnana. So that there cannot
be one stage of jnana with the body and
another stage when the body is
dropped. The jnani knows that nothing
exists but the Self. To such a one what
difference could the presence or
absence of body make?
49. It is false to speak of
Realisation. What is there to realise?
The real is as it is, ever. How to real-ise
it? All that is required is this. We have
real-ised the unreal, i. e. regarded as
real what is unreal. We have to give
up this attitude. That is all that is
required for us to attain jnana. We
are not creating anything new or
achieving something which we did not
have before. We dig a well and create
a pit. The akasa in the pit or well has
not been created by us. We have just
removed the earth which was filling
the akasa there. The akasa was there
then and is also there now. Similarly,
we have simply to throw out all the
age-long samskaras which are inside
us; and when all of them have been
given up, the Self will shine, alone.
50. Existence or
consciousness is the only reality.
Consciousness plus waking, we call
waking. Consciousness plus dream, we
call dream. Consciousness plus sleep,
we call sleep. Consciousness is the
screen on which all the pictures come
and go. The screen is real, the pictures
are mere shadows on it. Because by
long habit we have been regarding
these three states as real, we call the
state of mere awareness or
consciousness as the fourth. There is
however no fourth state, but only one
state.
51. Who would care to take trouble
of Kaya Kalpa [a medicinal preparation
for prolonging life] over this body? The
greatest malady we have is the body (the
disease of birth.), and if one takes
medicines to strengthen it and prolong
its life, it is like a man taking medicine
to strengthen and perpetuate his disease.
As the body is a burden we bear, we
should on the other hand feel like the
cooly engaged to carry a load,
anxiously looking forward to arrival at
the destination when he can throw off
his burden.
52. It is said the whole
Vedanta can be compressed into the
four words, deham, naham, koham,
soham. deham is naham-the body is not
'I’. If one enquires koham i. e. Who am
I, i. e. if one enquires whence this 'I’
springs and realises it, then in the
heart of such a one the Omnipresent
God will shine as 'I', as sa aham or
soham; i. e. he will know 'That I am,' i.
e. 'That is 'I’’.
53. The bliss which is
enjoyed unconsciously in sleep is
enjoyed consciously in turiya. That is
the difference. The Ananda [bliss]
enjoyed during jagrat [waking state] is
upadhi Ananda [bliss rising from
something external and limited]. But
there are not different anandas. There is
only one ananda, including the ananda
enjoyed during the waking state, the
ananda of all kinds of beings from the
lowest animal to the highest
Brahma, the ananda of the Self.
54. Mantra japa, after a time,
leads to a stage when you become
mantramaya i. e. you become that
whose name you have been repeating or
chanting. First you repeat the mantra by
mouth; later you do it mentally. First,
you do this dhyana with breaks. Later,
you do it without any break. At that
stage you realise you do dhyana without
any effort on your part, that dhyana is
your real nature. Till then, effort is
necessary.
55. Is there death for you? For
whom is death? The body which dies,
were you aware of it, did you have it,
during sleep? The body was not, when
you slept. But you existed even then.
When you awoke, you got the body and
even in the waking state you exist. You
existed both in sleep and waking. But
that which does not exist always, but
exists at one time and not at another,
cannot be real. You exist always and
you alone are real. Liberation is
another name for you. It is always here
and now with you. It has not to be won
or reached hereafter or somewhere.
56. "Know Thyself" is what is
usually said. Even that is not correct.
For, if we talk of knowing the Self, there
must be two Selves, one a knowing Self,
another the Self which is known, and the
process of knowing. The state we call
realization is simply being oneself, not
knowing anything or becoming
anything. If one has realized, he is that
which alone is and which alone has
always been.
57. ‘I exist' is the only
permanent, self-evident experience of
every one. Nothing else is so self-
evident (pratyalcsha) as ‘I am’. What
people call 'self-evident’ viz., the
experience they get through the
senses, is far from self-evident. The
Self alone is that. Pratyaksha is
another name for the Self. So, to do
Self-analysis and be 'I am' is the only
thing to do. 'I am' is reality. I am this
or that is unreal.
58. Upanishadic saying ‘I am
Brahman’ simply means, ' 'Brahman
exists as ‘I' and not 'I am Brahman'. It is
not to be supposed that a man is
advised to contemplate 'I am Brahman',
'I am Brahman’. Does a man keep on
thinking 'I am a man', I am a man'? He
is that, and except when a doubt arises
as to whether he is an animal or a
tree, there is no need for him to assert
'I am a man’. Similarly, the Self is Self.
Brahman exists as ‘I am’, in every
thing and every being.
59. If a desire can be got rid
of by satisfying it, there will be no
harm in satisfying such a desire. But
desires generally are not eradicated by
satisfaction. Trying to root them out
that way is like pouring spirits to
quench fire. At the same time, the
proper remedy is not forcible
suppression, since such repression is
bound to react sooner or later into
forceful surging up with undesirable
consequences. The proper way to get
rid of a desire is to find out '"Who gets
the desire? What is its source?" When
this is found, the desire is rooted out
and it will never again emerge or grow.
60. The mind is a bundle of
thoughts. But the source of all
thoughts is the I-thought. So, if you try
to find out who this 'I' is, the mind will
disappear. The mind exists only so long
as you think of external things. But
when you draw it from external things
and make it think of the mind or 'I’- in
other words introvert it,—it ceases to
exist.
Vritti: an idea; a thought; activity of
the mind; thought-wave; a way of
behaviour; a tendency which gives
scope for the mind to express a
variety of feelings and emotions; a
result of past actions and
experiences that has left an imprint
on the mind.
61. You say, all schools advise
you to give up all vtittis [modification
of the mind] so that you could reach
your final goal, whether it is becoming
Purushottama [the best of men; an
epithet of Reality] or something else.
You must cease to be the three kinds of
ordinary Purusha, i. e. the adhama
[inferior], madhyama [a stage in
uttering sounds], uttama [superior;
highest; best] and become that
Purushottama. This is accepted.
Whether, when you transcend these
three kinds and cease to be ordinary
Purusha, there is any vritti still left is a
matter with which you need not concern
yourself now. Attain that state and see
for yourself what that state is and
whether there is any vritti in it. To
speak even of Brahmakara vritti
[concept in the form of Brahman], as
we sometimes do, is not accurate. If we
talk of the river that has merged in the
ocean as still a river and call it
'samudrakara river', we can talk of the
final stage in spiritual growth as having
Brahmakara vritti.
62. It is not at all correct to
say that advaitins or the Sankara
school deny the existence of the world
or that they call it unreal. On the other
hand, it is more real to them than to
others. Their world will always exist,
whereas the world of the other schools
will have origin, growth and decay and
as such cannot be real. Only, they say
the world as world is not real, but that
the world as Brahman is real. All is
Brahman, nothing exists but Brahman,
and the world as Brahman is real.
Sankara says maya does not exist. He
who denies the existence of maya and
calls it mithya [appearance; the false;
unreal; illusory; untrue; incorrect] or
non-existent cannot be called a
mayavadi.
 63. There is a school which
believes in transforming men into
supermen by descent of Divine Power.
But all people, after writing long
treatises on the indestructibility of their
body, after giving medical recipes and
yogic practices to perfect the body and
keep alive for ever, pass away one day.
Chiranjivis [one who lives forever],
spoken of in our books, do not appear in
physical bodies. They only appear to you
in your dream or dhyana. As long as you
have individuality, you can see
individuality in them, not afterwards.
64. There is no difference
between the mind and the Self. The
mind turned inwards is the Self; turned
outwards, it becomes the Ego and all
the world. The cotton made into
various clothes, we call by various
names. The gold made into various
ornaments, we call by various names.
But all the clothes are cotton and all
the ornaments gold. The one is real,
the many are mere names and forms.
But the mind does not exist apart from
the Self, i. e. it has no independent
existence. The Self exists without the
mind, never the mind without the Self.
65. What is to be done? Reality is
One only. How can It be realised?
Realization is thus an illusion. Practice
seems to be necessary. Who is to
practise? Looking for the doer, the act
and the accessories disappear.
Moreover, if Realization is not present
here and now, how can It, newly got, be
of any use? What is permanent must be
eternally present. Can it be newly got
and be permanent also? Realise what is
present here and now. The sages did
so before and still do that only. Once
veiled by ignorance and later
revealed, Reality looks as if newly
realised. But It is not new.
66. A figure on the screen in
the cinema show appears to watch the
whole world. What is the reality behind
the subject and the object in the same
show? An illusory being watches an
illusory world. You and the world are as
real as the cinema figure and the
cinema world.
67. Mouna is the highest form
of upadesa. It signifies "silence" as
master, disciple and practiser.
Mauna [mouna]: silence; still silence;
abidance in stillness; intense activity
which is performed with the entire
mind and without break; the only
intense activity which completely
destroys maya; one of Ramana
Maharshi's favourite synonyms for
the silent thought-free experience of
the Self of undisturbed peace and
total stillness.
Upadesa: "of this instruction"; the
spiritual guidance or teaching given
by a Guru; spiritual instruction;
teaching; initiation.
68. Realised man is the ideal.
You should realise the Self. Even if his
state be now described, your
understanding of it will be only according
to your capacity. You admit that your
capacity is limited. The realised state
admits of no limitation. So, the only way
to understand his state is to realise the
Self and experience the state.
69. Illusion is itself illusory.
Illusion must be seen by one beyond it.
Can such a seer be subject to illusion?
Can he then speak of degrees of illusion?
There are scenes floating on the screen
in a cinema show. Fire appears to burn
buildings to ashes. Water seems to
wreck vessels. But the screen on which
the pictures were projected remains
unscorched and dry. Why? Because the
pictures were unreal and the screen is
real. Again, reflections pass through a
mirror; but the mirror is not in any way
affected by the quality or quantity of
the reflections on it. So, the world is a
phenomenon [The object of a person's
perception/ appearance] on the single
Reality which is not affected in any
manner. Reality is only one.
70. You speak of a vision of
Siva. Vision is always of an object. That
implies the existence of a subject. The
value of the vision is the same as that of
the seer. That is to say, the nature of the
vision is on the same plane as that of the
seer. Appearance implies
disappearance also. Whatever appears
must also disappear. A vision can never
be eternal. But Siva is eternal. The
pratyaksha (vision) of Siva to the eye
signifies the existence of the eyes to see;
the buddhi (intellect) lying behind the
sight; the seer behind the buddhi and the
sight; and finally the Consciousness
underlying the seer. This pratyaksha
(vision) is not as real as one imagines it
to be, because it is not intimate and
inherent; it is not firsthand. It is the
result of several successive phases of
Consciousness. Of these, Consciousness
alone does not vary. It is eternal. It is
Siva. It is the Self.
71. The vision implies the
seer. The seer cannot deny the existence
of the Self. There is no moment when
the Self as Consciousness does not
exist; nor can the seer remain apart
from Consciousness. This Consciousness
is the eternal Being and the only Being.
The seer cannot see himself. Does he
deny his existence because he cannot see
himself with the eyes as pratyaksha (in
vision)? No! So, pratyaksha does not
mean seeing but BE-ing.
72. What is mind? Let us
consider. The world is seen when the
man wakes up from sleep. It comes
after the 'I'-thought. The head rises up.
So, the mind has become active. What
is the world? It is objects spread out in
space. Who comprehends it? The mind.
Is not the mind, which comprehends
space, itself space (akasa)? The space
is physical ether (bhootakasa). The
mind is mental ether (manakasa) which
is contained in transcendental ether
(chidakasa). The mind is thus the ether
principle, akasa tattva. Being the
principle of knowledge (jnana tattva),
it is identified with ether (akasa) by
metaphysics. Pure mind (suddha
manas) is ether (akasa). The dynamic
and dull (raja and tama) aspects
operate as gross objects, etc. Thus, the
whole universe is only mental.
73. What is meditation? It
consists in expulsion of thoughts. All
the present troubles are due to
thoughts and are themselves thoughts.
Give up thoughts. That is happiness and
also meditation. The thoughts are for
the thinker. Remain as the Self of the
thinker and there is an end of thoughts.
74. What is world? What is
peace, and who is the worker? The
world is not in your sleep and forms a
projection of your mind in your jagrat
[the waking state of consciousness]. It
is therefore an idea and nothing else.
Peace is absence of disturbance. The
disturbance is that due to the arising of
thoughts in the individual, who is only
the ego rising up from Pure
Consciousness. To bring about peace
means to be free from thoughts and to
abide as Pure Consciousness. If one
remains at peace oneself, there is only
peace all about.
75. What is right and wrong?
There is no standard by which to judge
something to be right and another to be
wrong. Opinions differ according to the
nature of the in dividual and according
to the surroundings. They are again
ideas and nothing more. Do not worry
about them. But get rid of thoughts. If
you always remain in the right, then
right will prevail in the world.
76. To see wrong in another
is one's own wrong. The discrimination
between right and wrong is the origin
of the sin. One's own sin is reflected
outside and the individual in ignorance
superimposes it on another. The best
course for one is to reach the state in
which such discrimination does not
arise. Do you see wrong or right in your
sleep? Did you not exist in sleep? Be
asleep even in the wakeful state, abide
as the Self and remain uncontaminated
by what goes on around. Your silence
will have more effect than your words
and deeds. That is the development of
will-power. Then the world becomes
the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within
you.
77. Atman acts through the
ego. All actions are due to efforts only. A
sleeping child is fed by its mother. The
child eats food without being wide awake
and then denies having taken food in
sleep. However, the mother knows what
happened. Similarly, the jnani acts
unawares. Others see him act, but he
does not know it himself.
78. What is realization? Is it
to see God with four hands, bearing
conch, wheel, club, etc.? Even if God
should appear in that form, how is the
disciple's ignorance wiped out? Such
appearance is phenomenal and illusory.
All perceptions are indirect or
secondary knowledge. The truth must
be eternal realization. The direct
perception is ever-present Experience.
There must be a Seer. The present
superimposition of the body as ‘I' is so
deep-rooted, that the vision before the
eyes is considered Pratyaksha but not the
Seer himself. The Seer alone is real and
eternal. Abiding in the Self and Be-ing
the Self and not seeing the Self is
realization.
79. You can never find the
mind through mind. Pass beyond it in
order to find it non-existent. Mind, ego,
intellect are all different names for one
single inner organ (antahkarana). The
mind is only the aggregate of thoughts.
Thoughts cannot exist but for the ego.
So, all thoughts are pervaded by ego
(aham). Seek wherefrom the ‘I' rises
and the other thoughts will disappear.
Mind is consciousness which has put on
limitations. You are originally unlimited
and perfect. Later you take on
limitations and become the mind.
80. Samadhi is present even in
vyavaharadasa (practical life). Our
activities (vyavahara) has no existence
apart from samadhi. The screen is there
when the pictures move past on it and
also when they are not projected.
Similarly, the Self is always there in
vyavahara (activity) or in santi (peace).
81. The jnani sees no one as
an ajnani. All are only jnanis in his
sight. In the ignorant state one
superimposes his ignorance on a jnani
and mistakes him for a doer. In the
state of jnana, the jnani sees nothing
separate from the Self. The Self is all
shining and only pure jnana. Two
friends went to sleep side by side. One
of them dreamt that both of them had
gone on a long journey and had strange
experiences. On waking up he
recapitulated them and asked his friend
if it was not so. The other one simply
ridiculed him saying that it was only his
dream and could not affect the other.
So it is with the ajnani who
superimposes his illusive ideas on
others.
82. Jnana chakshus [eye of
wisdom] does not mean that it is an
organ of perception like the other sense-
organs, Jnanameva chakshus. Television,
etc., are not functions of jnana
chakshus. So long as there is a subject
and also an object it is only relative
knowledge. Jnana lies beyond relative
knowledge. It is absolute.
83. Tattvamasi atinijam (‘you
are that' is the great truth). The first
three words have their lakshya artha
(significance) all of which signify only the
one Truth. So many efforts and so much
discipline are said to be necessary for
eradicating the non-existing avidya!
84. Mauna is the utmost
eloquence. Peace is utmost activity.
How? Because the person remains in his
essential nature and so he permeates all
the recesses of the Self. Thus, he can
call up any power into play and whenever
or whether it is necessary. That is the
highest siddhi.
Diksha [deeksha]: formal initiation
into spiritual life, effected through
the Grace of the Guru who
represents the divine Reality; [Sri
Ramana stated that silence is the
 best and most potent initiation].
85. Dakshinamurti observed
silence when the disciples approached
Him. That is the highest form of
initiation. It includes the other forms.
There must be subject - object
relationship established in the other
dikshas. First the subject must emanate
and then the object. Unless these two
are there how is the one to look at the
other or touch him? Mauna diksha is the
most perfect; it comprises looking,
touching, and teaching. It will purify
the individual in every way and
establish him in the Reality.
86. There is no difference
between worldly activity and dhyana. It
is like naming one and the same thing by
two different words in two different
languages. The crow has two eyes but
only one iris which is rolled into either
eye as it pleases. The trunk of an
elephant is used for breathing and for
drinking water. The snake sees and
hears with the same organ.
87. Silence is the true
upadesa [the spiritual guidance or
teaching given by a Guru; spiritual
instruction; teaching; initiation]. It is
the perfect upadesa. It is suited only
for the most advanced seeker. The
others are unable to draw full inspiration
from it. Therefore, they require words to
explain the Truth. But Truth is beyond
words. It does not admit of
explanation. All that is possible to do is
only to indicate It.
88. What is the sarupa (form)
and arupa (formlessness) of the mind?
When you wake up from sleep a light
appears, that is the light of the Self
passing through Mahat tattva [first
transformation of primordial nature
which contains all the other elements
in their subtle, unmanifest forms; the
physical universe]. It is called cosmic
consciousness. That is arupa. The light
falls on the ego and is reflected
therefrom. Then the body and the world
are seen. This mind is sarupa. The
objects appear in the light of this
reflected consciousness. This light is
called jyoti [light; flame; illumination;
luminosity; effulgence].
Atma sakshatkaram: perceiving or
realising the Self directly.
89. What is
Atmasakshatkara (Self - Realization)?
You are the Atma (Self) and that
sakshat (here and now [At the
present time]) also. Where is the place
for kara (accomplishment) in it? This
question shows that you think you are
the non - Self. Or you think that there
are two selves, the one to realise the
other. It is absurd.
90. Multiplicity of individuals
is a moot point [Subject to debate,
dispute, or uncertainty/ Having little or
no practical relevance, typically
because the subject is too uncertain
to allow a decision] with most persons.
A jiva is only the light reflected on the
ego. The person identifies himself with
the ego and argues that there must be
more like him. He is not easily
convinced of the absurdity of his
position. Does a man who sees many
individuals in his dream persist in
believing them to be real and enquire
after them when he wakes up. Again,
there is the moon. Let any one look at
her from any place at any time; she is
the same moon. Every one knows it.
Now suppose that there are several
receptacles of water reflecting the
moon. The images are all different
from one another and from the moon
herself. If one of the receptacles falls
to pieces, that reflection disappears. Its
disappearance does not affect the real
moon or the other reflections. It is
similar with an individual attaining
liberation. He alone is liberated.
91. Jiva is called so because
he sees the world. A dreamer sees
many jivas in a dream but all of them
are not real. The dreamer alone exists
and he sees all. So, it is with the
individual and the world. There is
creed of only one Self which is also
called the creed of one jiva. It says
that the jiva is only one who sees the
whole world and the jivas therein.
Then jiva means the Self here. But the
Self is not a seer. But here he is said to
see the world. So, he is differentiated
as the jiva.
92. Whatever state one is in,
the perceptions partake of that state.
The explanation is that in the waking
state (jagrat) the gross body perceives
gross names and forms; in swapna (the
dream state) the mental body perceives
the mental creations in their manifold
forms and names; in the sushupti (deep
dreamless sleep), the identification
with the body being lost, there are no
perceptions; similarly in the
Transcendental state identity with
Brahman (the Self) places the man in
harmony with everything, and there is
nothing apart from his Self.
93. A salt doll diving into the
sea will not be protected by a water-
proof coat. The body is the waterproof
coat. You see the objects on forgetting
your own Self. If you keep hold of your
Self, you will not see the objective
world.
94. A child and a Sage (jnani)
are similar in a way. Incidents interest
a child only so long as they last. It
ceases to think of them after they have
passed away. So then, it is apparent
that they do no leave any impressions
on the child and it is not affected by
them mentally. So, it is with a Sage.
95. Realization is beyond
expression. Expression always fails to
describe the realization. Although the
expression of realization is
impossible, still the existence is
indicated.
96. Many asanas are mentioned
with their effects in the Yoga Sastras.
The seats are the tiger-skin, grass, etc.;
the postures are "the lotus posture”, the
"easy posture" and so on. Why all
these. . . only to know oneself? " I am
the body; the body requires a seat; it is
the earth," thinking thus, he seeks
seats. But in sleep did he think of the
support or the bed; the bed on the cot
and the cot on the earth? Did he not
exist in sleep too? How was he then?
97. Some have found the
properties and effects of the tiger's skin,
wool, or deer-skin, etc. and related
them in Yoga Books. They correspond to
conductors and non-conductors of
magnetism, etc. But it is all immaterial
for the Path of Knowledge (Jnana Yoga).
Posture really means location and
steadfastness in the Self. It is internal.
The others refer to external positions.
98. Brahmacharya is ‘living
in Brahman’. A real Brahmachari, that
is one who lives in Brahman, finds bliss
in the Brahman which is the same as
the Self. Why then should you look for
other sources of happiness? Celibacy is
certainly an aid to realization among so
many other aids.
99. Solitude is in the mind of
man. One might be in the thick of the
world and maintain serenity of mind;
such an one is in solitude. Another
may stay in a forest, but still be unable
to control the mind. He cannot be said
to be in solitude. Solitude is a function
of the mind. A man attached to desire
cannot get solitude wherever he may
be; a detached man is always in
solitude.
100. Realization of the Self is
the greatest help that can be rendered
to humanity. Therefore, the saints are
said to be helpful, though they remain
in forests. The help is imperceptible
but is still there. A saint helps the
whole humanity, unknown to the
latter.
THUS SPAKE SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI
Why should you bear your load
on the head when you are travelling in
a train! It carries you and your load
whether the load is on your head, or on
the floor of the train. You are not
lessening the burden of the train by
keeping it on your head, but only
straining yourself unnecessarily.
Similar is the result of your sense of
doership in the world.
Jagrat sushupti: the state of wakeful
sleep in which there are no thoughts,
but in which there is full awareness
of the existence-consciousness, "I
am".
A traveller in a cart has fallen
asleep. The bulls move, stand still or
are unyoked during the journey. He
does not know these events but finds
himself in a different place after he
wakes up. He has been blissfully
ignorant of the occurrences on the
way, but the journey has been
finished. Similarly with the Self of a
person. The ever-wakeful self is
compared to the traveller asleep in the
cart. The waking state is the moving of
the bulls; samadhi is their standing still
(because samadhi means jagrat-
sushupti, that is to say, the person is
aware but not concerned in the action:
the bulls are yoked but do not move);
sleep is the unyoking of the bulls, for
there is complete stopping of activity
corresponding to the relief of the bulls
from the yoke.
has an eye or eyes, or refer to the trunk
of the elephant ag 'hand' or 'nose' or call
the eye of the serpent its ears, it means
all the same. Similarly, in the case of
jnani, sleep-waking or waking-sleep or
dream-sleep or dreaming-wakefulness,
are all much the same thing.
All religions postulate the three
fundamentals, the world, the soul and
God. The one Reality alone manifests
Itself as the three. To say, 'The three
are indeed three" is only while the
ego lasts. Therefore, to inhere in
one's own Being, where the 'I' the
ego, is dead, is the perfect state.
Karma (Action) bears fruit; for,
so the Creator ordains. Is Korma God?
It is not sentient. The results of Karma
pass away, and yet leave seeds that
cast the agent into an ocean of Karma.
Karma yields no salvation. But acts
performed without any attachment
and in the spirit of service to God,
cleanse the mind and point the way to
salvation.

Scenes are projected on the screen in

the cinema-show but the moving
pictures do not affect or alter the
screen. The spectator pays attention to
them, not to the screen. They cannot
exist apart from the screen, yet the
screen is ignored. So, also the self is
the screen where the pictures,
activities, etc. are seen going on. The
man is aware of the latter but not
aware of the essential former. All the
same the world of pictures is not apart
from the Self. Whether he is aware of
the screen or unaware, the actions
continue.

Actions and states are according

to one's point of view. A crow, an
elephant, a snake, each makes use of
one limb for two alternate purposes.
With one eye the crow looks on either
side; for the elephant the trunk serves
the purpose of both a hand and a nose;
and the serpent sees as well as hears
with its eyes. Whether you say the crow