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The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: on overcoming Passions
« on: April 12, 2012, 05:14:01 PM »
Dear Subramanian Sir, Udai,
Fundamentally, i discern from here, that the root of these issues is because,
We either
One one hand, there is faith, and, on the other hand, we have direct experience of external objects. Let us keep aside the revelations of the Sages, like, Atma is ever here, ever shining, ever blissful , etc... but, it is certain that we are experiencing the atmic bliss as well, but unconsciously, where as we experience the external objects consciously. I am able to say that we are experiencing the atmic bliss also just because of the fact that, we do remain still, without any external objects, in happiness. Those moments when we just are, without doing anything, simply sitting, simply being, is surely the experience of Atmic bliss as it is thoroughly independent, without the support of any external aid, such as objects, people, relationship, past happy memory, etc... it is thoroughly free of just anything.
Now, as i write here, i am thoroughly happy at this recognition of the atmic bliss, and it simply gives me immense happiness is expressing myself here, perhaps, not even to share with anybody. But, I am free at the moment, free from my duties, I am momentarily free from my duties. Now, in a while, the duties would present themselves to me, and, the intensity of this recognition would usually, slowly begin to fade away, as the responsibilities are quite demanding. I realise, that no matter, what duties, we have to slowly and slowly, reduce our responsibilities to the barest minimum. Because these responsibilities should not supersede the responsibility of remaining in constant recognition with atma. The more we recognise in recognition with the atma, the lesser one would want to experience the momentary happiness that which comes with cost, which is effort. Where as the Atmic bliss is free
readily available, and requires no effort on our part, yet, we seem to opt for the latter, external objects.
I am urged to ask myself, how do i know that i am experiencing myself, ie. i am enjoying the recognition of atmic bliss? Now, perhaps, these questions are being asked by each one of us, without words or thoughts perhaps. It could be so that we are wanting something higher or greater than ourselves to affirm our real nature to us. To put it briefly, we are wanting to hear from something external to ourselves to affirm ourselves, our recognition. Do we want to be told, yes what you are experiencing is Atmic bliss. This perhaps arises, only due to the doubt that we could perhaps be deluding ourselves, by imagining it to be atmic bliss, where as it could even be just, yet another external momentary happiness.
Here, Now, Sages have quoted some clues in helping us to affirm if our experience is truly atmic bliss or not. They have expressed as follows - Swayam Prakasaham - Self Effulgent, meaning, it is absolutely independent, as observed before, this experience of bliss is totally free of objects, memory, people, thoughts. Then, we have the Mahavakyas -
Tat Tvam Asi - That Thou Art, here, this helps me to see, that, that recognition of Atmic bliss is itself I am, I am that recognition, I am that atma.
Aham Brahmasmi - if we carefully, see this, the real translation goes thus - Aham - I, Brahma - Atma, Asmi - am --> I am Brahman - So, here that recognition, itself should know, that it is that, it is not going to declare in words or thoughts, but intuitively, the recognition knows, it knows as itself, Swayam Prakasha iti. It reveals itself through its own light. We are able to see the sun through its own light.
Ayam Atma Brahma - Ayam - this, Atma - itself, Brahma - That - This myself is that. That recognition, that we are talking about itself, reveals itself as That. It knows.
Prajnanam Brahma - Prajna - Self Knowing, the ideal word for Prajna is Ulladu, what Bhagavan has used in tamil. Self knows. The recognition itself knows.
These are some of the clues, the Sages have revealed. There are many such clues, as revealed by the Sages, we could discuss even more.
Knowing itself is Brahman, knowing fully thorougly well, without any doshas, would destroy all our predispositions towards external objects.
If we experience the atmic bliss thoroughly, then through the recognition itself, one will begin to drop the dependence on external objects for happiness. It is only because, we are not recognition the bliss of atma, that we look towards the external objects for happiness. Atmic bliss is ever present, only we fail to put our attention on it. Again, putting attention is verily recognition. Recognition is constant, like,
ajya-dhärayä srotasä samam
sarala cintanaà viralataù param
Like an unbroken flow of oil or a stream of water, continuous meditation is better than that which is interrupted.
The recognition has to be un interrupted. This recognition is not something like DVD player, that we can pause for some time and then resume it from that very point. Untill our recognition of the atmic bliss is stronger ie. NISHTA till then, we ought to be very very careful. The daily responsibilities and duties are the villains, which try to dissuade you from atmic bliss and if we get lost in the dynamics of performing our duties, then we will forget that recognition and once again go back to where we started from. We would have forgotten and began to think that the experience of happiness through external aids is contending, and we would continue to strive and put immense efforts in order to experience the happiness again and again, because, here its like a battery, once the power is over the batter is of no use, you either need to re charge it or you need to buy another battery.
Recognition is important and constantly remaining in recognition is even more important.
Salutations to Bhagavan
Sri Bhagavan says in Talks No. 523:
1. Why do passions arise? Because of likes and dislikes towards the objects seen.
2. Again, what is the cause of the passions? Desire to be happy or enjoy pleasure. Why does the desire for happiness arise?
3. 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.
a) If anyone tries remaining aware of the Self while watching a movie, one would immediately recognize that the amount of interest in the movie is indirectly proportional to the time we actually remain aware of the Self.
c) I practise regularly remaining established in "Aham Asmi", "I AM" --- we can do it during the day, during the work, or during any activity... just a small pause and remain established as self as "I AM"! that is like smearing the mind with oil again and again.
d) Then there is an indirect way. Drop asha, Hope. Say "No where to go, nothing to do". be like an empty room, the doors of the room are the sense organs and this body. The space within is awareness. and there should be no one else inbetween. Thus, while interacting, doign things etc... you remain as an empty room... whenever there appears a fellow inbetween and says "i like this, i dont like this or i want this"... resolve him into the awareness which is the space of the room and remain as awareness. this can be practised, as it means having no agenda. "no where to go, nothing to do". just remain. and while interacting , no agenda. relaxed... just a holliday.
Fundamentally, i discern from here, that the root of these issues is because,
We either
- Are not yet able to realise the Atmic bliss
- Are able to directly realise the bliss in external objects
One one hand, there is faith, and, on the other hand, we have direct experience of external objects. Let us keep aside the revelations of the Sages, like, Atma is ever here, ever shining, ever blissful , etc... but, it is certain that we are experiencing the atmic bliss as well, but unconsciously, where as we experience the external objects consciously. I am able to say that we are experiencing the atmic bliss also just because of the fact that, we do remain still, without any external objects, in happiness. Those moments when we just are, without doing anything, simply sitting, simply being, is surely the experience of Atmic bliss as it is thoroughly independent, without the support of any external aid, such as objects, people, relationship, past happy memory, etc... it is thoroughly free of just anything.
Now, as i write here, i am thoroughly happy at this recognition of the atmic bliss, and it simply gives me immense happiness is expressing myself here, perhaps, not even to share with anybody. But, I am free at the moment, free from my duties, I am momentarily free from my duties. Now, in a while, the duties would present themselves to me, and, the intensity of this recognition would usually, slowly begin to fade away, as the responsibilities are quite demanding. I realise, that no matter, what duties, we have to slowly and slowly, reduce our responsibilities to the barest minimum. Because these responsibilities should not supersede the responsibility of remaining in constant recognition with atma. The more we recognise in recognition with the atma, the lesser one would want to experience the momentary happiness that which comes with cost, which is effort. Where as the Atmic bliss is free
readily available, and requires no effort on our part, yet, we seem to opt for the latter, external objects.I am urged to ask myself, how do i know that i am experiencing myself, ie. i am enjoying the recognition of atmic bliss? Now, perhaps, these questions are being asked by each one of us, without words or thoughts perhaps. It could be so that we are wanting something higher or greater than ourselves to affirm our real nature to us. To put it briefly, we are wanting to hear from something external to ourselves to affirm ourselves, our recognition. Do we want to be told, yes what you are experiencing is Atmic bliss. This perhaps arises, only due to the doubt that we could perhaps be deluding ourselves, by imagining it to be atmic bliss, where as it could even be just, yet another external momentary happiness.
Here, Now, Sages have quoted some clues in helping us to affirm if our experience is truly atmic bliss or not. They have expressed as follows - Swayam Prakasaham - Self Effulgent, meaning, it is absolutely independent, as observed before, this experience of bliss is totally free of objects, memory, people, thoughts. Then, we have the Mahavakyas -
Tat Tvam Asi - That Thou Art, here, this helps me to see, that, that recognition of Atmic bliss is itself I am, I am that recognition, I am that atma.
Aham Brahmasmi - if we carefully, see this, the real translation goes thus - Aham - I, Brahma - Atma, Asmi - am --> I am Brahman - So, here that recognition, itself should know, that it is that, it is not going to declare in words or thoughts, but intuitively, the recognition knows, it knows as itself, Swayam Prakasha iti. It reveals itself through its own light. We are able to see the sun through its own light.
Ayam Atma Brahma - Ayam - this, Atma - itself, Brahma - That - This myself is that. That recognition, that we are talking about itself, reveals itself as That. It knows.
Prajnanam Brahma - Prajna - Self Knowing, the ideal word for Prajna is Ulladu, what Bhagavan has used in tamil. Self knows. The recognition itself knows.
These are some of the clues, the Sages have revealed. There are many such clues, as revealed by the Sages, we could discuss even more.
Knowing itself is Brahman, knowing fully thorougly well, without any doshas, would destroy all our predispositions towards external objects.
If we experience the atmic bliss thoroughly, then through the recognition itself, one will begin to drop the dependence on external objects for happiness. It is only because, we are not recognition the bliss of atma, that we look towards the external objects for happiness. Atmic bliss is ever present, only we fail to put our attention on it. Again, putting attention is verily recognition. Recognition is constant, like,
ajya-dhärayä srotasä samam
sarala cintanaà viralataù param
Like an unbroken flow of oil or a stream of water, continuous meditation is better than that which is interrupted.
The recognition has to be un interrupted. This recognition is not something like DVD player, that we can pause for some time and then resume it from that very point. Untill our recognition of the atmic bliss is stronger ie. NISHTA till then, we ought to be very very careful. The daily responsibilities and duties are the villains, which try to dissuade you from atmic bliss and if we get lost in the dynamics of performing our duties, then we will forget that recognition and once again go back to where we started from. We would have forgotten and began to think that the experience of happiness through external aids is contending, and we would continue to strive and put immense efforts in order to experience the happiness again and again, because, here its like a battery, once the power is over the batter is of no use, you either need to re charge it or you need to buy another battery.
Recognition is important and constantly remaining in recognition is even more important.
Salutations to Bhagavan
