*WORDS OF WISDOM* - Talks with Sri 'Ramana Maharshi'

Visitors to the Asramam often used to put questions to Sri Ramana about occult powers and psychic phenomena. Is it not good to acquire occult powers such as telepathy? Is not the power to make one's body invisible a mark of mature wisdom. Can one read others' minds? The Master's reply to all such questions was that the occult and the miraculous are not the spiritual. The super normal powers are more hindrances than helps in the path to the Supreme Spirit. Some questioners were interested in matters relating to the dead: What happens to the dead? Can one see them? Here again, Sri Ramana taught that these problems were irrelevant and that no seeker after the
truth should be concerned with them. An aristocratic and distinguished lady-visitor once inquired: 'Maharajji, can we see the dead?' The Master replied: 'Yes'. The lady asked: 'Can the yogis show them to us?' The Master: 'Yes, they may But do not ask me to show them to you; for I cannot'. The lady: 'Do you see them?' The Master: 'Yes, in dreams.'

Sri Ramana's central teaching is: Self-inquiry. Instead of wanting to know this and that, seek to know the Self. Ask 'Who am I?' instead of asking about a hundred other things. Self-inquiry ought to be the easiest of all tasks. But it seems to be the most difficult because we have become strangers to our Self. What one has to do is simple - to abide as the Self. This is the ultimate Truth. This is one's eternal, natural, inherent state. On account of ignorance we identify ourselves with the not-I. The most subtle of all these identifications is with the ego. Let us search for the root of the ego. Where from does this pseudo-I arise? At the end of this quest we shall find that the ego disappears letting the eternal Self shine. So the best discipline is the inquiry: 'Who am I?' This is the greatest japa. This is the true pranayama. The thought
'I' am not the body' (naham) is exhalation (rechaka); the inquiry
'Who am I?' (koham) is inhalation (puraka); the realization 'I' am He' (soham) is retention of breath (kumbhaka). The fruit of Self-inquiry is the realization that the Self is all, and that there is nothing else. For those who follow this method no other sadhana is necessary. But even those who adopt the discipline of devotion (bhakti) reach the same goal. If one surrenders one's ego to either the Guru or God, one realizes the Self.

*Glimpses of Self-Realization* - 'SWAMI RAMDAS' ON HIS RENUNCIATION FROM THE WORLD.

Now from the narrow pond of a worldly life Ram had lifted up his slave to throw him into the extensive ocean of a Universal Life. But to swim in the wide ocean, Ram knew, Ramdas wanted strength and courage, for gaining which Ram intended to make his ignorant and untrained slave to pass through a course of severe discipline, and this under His direct guidance and support. So, one night while engaged in drinking in the sweetness of His name, Ramdas was made to think in the following strain:

“O Ram, when Thy slave finds Thee at once so powerful and so loving, and that he who trusts Thee can be sure of true peace and happiness, why should he not throw himself entirely on Thy mercy, which can only be possible by giving up everything he called ‘mine’? Thou art all in all to Thy slave. Thou art the sole Protector in the world. Men are deluded when they declare, ‘I do this, I do that. This is mine, that is mine’. All, O Ram, is Thine, and all things are done by Thee alone. Thy slave’s one prayer to Thee is to take him under Thy complete guidance and remove his ‘I’-ness.”
This prayer was heard. Ramdas’ heart heaved a deep sigh; a hazy desire to renounce all and wander over the earth in the garb of a mendicant - in quest of Ram - wafted over his mind. Now Ram prompted him to open at random the book - “Light of Asia” - which was before him at the time. His eyes rested upon the pages wherein is described the great renunciation of Buddha, who says:-

“For now the hour is come when I should quit
This golden prison, where my heart lives caged,
To find the Truth; which henceforth I will seek,
For all men’s sake, until the truth be found.”

Then Ramdas similarly opened the “New Testament” and lighted upon the following definite words of Jesus Christ:-

“And everyone that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or
father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life.”

Then again he was actuated in the same way to refer to the Bhagavad Gita” - and he read the following Sloka:-

Sarvadharmaan Parityajya Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja
Aham Twaa Sarvapaapebhyo Mokshayishyaami Maa Suchah

“Abandoning all duties come to Me alone for shelter, sorrow not, I will liberate Thee from all sins.”

Ram had thus spoken out through the words of these three great Avatars - Buddha, Christ and Krishna - and all of them pointed to the same path - renunciation. At once Ramdas made up his mind to give up for the sake of Ram, all that he till then hugged to his bosom as his own, and leave the Samsaric world. During this period, he was very simple in his dress which consisted of a piece of cloth covering the upper part of the body and another wound round the lower part. Next day, he got two clothes of this kind dyed in Gerrua or red ochre, and the same night wrote two letters - one to his wife whom Ram had made him look upon for sometime past as his sister and another to a kind friend whom Ram had brought in touch with Ramdas for his deliverance from debts. The resolution was made. At five o’ clock in the morning he bade farewell to a world for which he had lost all attraction and in which he could find nothing to call his own. The body, the mind, the soul - all were laid at the feet of Ram - that Eternal Being, full of love and full of mercy.

- 'In the Quest of God', Swami Ramdas

*Glimpses of Self-Realization* - 'Sahaja-Samadhi' or 'Peace-Inherent' is already attained by every body-not being aware of. 'Self-Inquiry' is the means and end for 'Self-Realization' , 'Sahaja-Samadhi' and Liberation-in-Life' ~ Swaathmaaraaman.

CHADWICK REMEMBERED: DIFFERENT FORMS OF SAMADHIS

In the Indian spiritual vocabulary you find the terms 'Manolaya', 'Savikalpa Samadhi', 'Nirvikalpa Samadhi' and 'Sahaja Samadhi', and these are apt to cause some confusion to those not familiar with the terminology.

'Manolaya' is just a blank mind. Advaitins are often accused of trying to achieve this, which is quite absurd though I have at times met those who told me that this was their aim, and they would be most happy to achieve it. I would point out to them that this could be attained by them every night in sleep so what was the use of undergoing all sorts of austerities, spending hours in meditation to obtain a thing that could be got by just lying down on their bed?

With regard to this Bhagavan used to tell the story of the Yogi who was practicing Tapas on the bank of the Ganges. He told his disciple to go and fetch him some water and in the meantime went into a state of 'Manolaya'. After a thousand years he awoke, the first thing he did was to demand his water, but the disciple had become skeleton at his side, the Ganges had changed its course and the whole country was different. What good had the long trance done? It had just been a blank when time stood still.

'Savikalpa Samadhi' is the state of deep meditation when one is sunk in peace but still retains the consciousness of one’s identity. One knows that one is meditating and can still consciously continue one’s Sadhana.

In 'Nirvikalpa Samadhi' one has attained to a state where the identity has been lost and sunk entirely in the highest Self. However long it may last it is only temporary, one must return eventually to one’s normal state of consciousness. One is unable to function in this state and so long as it lasts one is in a state of trance. It is usually preliminary to the final state.

But Bhagavan attained 'Sahaja Samadhi' directly without any intermediate state. Many people consider that 'Nirvikalpa Samadhi' is final, and once having attained it seek to progress no further.

'Sahaja Samadhi' is the final and most blessed state, the goal of all Yogis. In this state the individual has become completely merged in the Supreme Self. His identity which became lost in 'Nirvikalpa Samadhi' has become enlarged and is now the Supreme Self and knows itself as such. Trances are no longer necessary, a person can still carry on with the ordinary day to day business but he no longer identifies himself with the activities, but watches them like a dreamer watching a dream. There is no more to do, and no more to be attained. This is the Supreme State of Absolute Bliss. But in the simple words of Bhagavan, it is the 'SELF' and it can be realized by one and all by 'Self-Inquiry'.

A Sadhu’s Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi

*POINTS TO PONDER* - Sri Ramana Maharshi - The happiness arising from other objects are external and thus liable to be lost. Therefore it cannot be permanent and so it is not worth seeking. Moreover craving for pleasures should not be encouraged. One cannot put out burning fire by pouring petrol over it.

ANGER

A Pilgrims' special train brought several visitors from Bengal. One of them
said that he had read Mr. Paul Brunton' s book and since then he was anxious
to see Sri Bhagavan. He also asked: How shall I overcome my passions?
M.: Find their root and then it will be easy. (Later) What are the
passions? Kama (lust), krodha (anger), etc. Why do they arise?
Because of likes and dislikes towards the objects seen. How do the objects
project themselves in your view? Because of your avidya, i.e., ignorance.
Ignorance of what? Of the Self. Thus, if you find the Self and abide
therein there will be no trouble owing to the passions.
(Later) Again, what is the cause of the passions? Desire to be happy or
enjoy pleasure. Why does the desire for happiness arise? Because your nature
is happiness itself and it is natural that you come into your own. This
happiness is not found anywhere besides the Self.
Do not look for it elsewhere. But seek the Self and abide therein.
Still again, that happiness which is natural is simply re-discovered, so it
cannot be lost. Whereas the happiness arising from other objects are
external and thus liable to be lost. Therefore it cannot be permanent and
so it is not worth seeking.
Moreover craving for pleasures should not be encouraged. One cannot put out
burning fire by pouring petrol over it. An attempt to satisfy your craving
for the time being, so that the passion may later be suppressed, is simply
foolish.
There are, no doubt, other methods for the suppression of passion. They are
(1) regulated food, (2) fasting, (3) yoga practice, (4) medicines. But
their effects are transitory. The passions reappear with greater force as
soon as the check is removed. The only way to overcome them is to eradicate
them. That is done by finding their source as stated above.

source: Talk 523
M refers to Sri Ramana Maharshi
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

*POINTS TO PONDER* - 'RAMANA MAHARSHI'

Know first where you are and what you are.

One should realize the Self by the Eye of Wisdom. Does Rama need a mirror to recognize himself as Rama? ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

And that 'Eye of Wisdom' is nothing but the 'Eye of Consciousness' or 'PRATHYABHINJNA' ~ Swaathmaaraaman.

*WORDS OF WISDOM* - 'RAMANA MAHARSHI'

The ego is like a very powerful elephant which cannot be brought under control by any less powerful than a lion, which, in this instance, is no other than the Guru, whose very look makes the elephant-like ego tremble and die.