Messages

391

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 08, 2014, 05:10:48 PM »

Dear Sri Anil ji and friends,

There is no doubt, self enquiry is by in itself the means and the end, but so are other paths as well! There is nothing unique about it! All paths are unique by itself and are means and the end as well. What matters is not the mechanism but the aspirant! No matter how great means may be, it all rests on the sincerity and the thirst of an aspirant.

The sword is not great by in itself, but it is the skill of the user of a sword, that makes that weapon great or ordinary.

--


Strange are the ways in which sages and saints keep the stream of spirituality constantly flowing. Some lead a life of incessant activity, while others withdraw into the quietness and the silence of some hallowed place. There, like a dynamo, they generate the power that transforms people from lead to gold. To the superficial eye, pomp and pageantry might appeal, but behind them all there is a vast storehouse ? akshayapatra ? of inexhaustible power, luminous and strong, serene and silent.

S Ramakrishna

392

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 08, 2014, 04:58:46 PM »

Once I asked Bhagavan what I should do to be on the spiritual path. He said, ?Do what you want to do but keep doing it; don?t remain doing nothing. Repeat the name, or think deeply or seek the source of your ?I? consciousness, do Atma Vichara but keep working on yourself. This is very important?.

Gouriammaal

393

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 08, 2014, 04:23:29 PM »

?Bhagavan, my mind does not obey me. It wanders as it likes and lands me into trouble. Be merciful to me and tell me clearly how to bring it under control?. Even before I completed the question Bhagavan turned to me and looked at me affectionately. He spoke to me most kindly and his words sparkled with meaning:

All religious and spiritual practices have no other purpose than getting the mind under control. The three paths of knowledge, devotion and duty aim at this and this alone. By immersing yourself in your work you forget your mind as separate from your work and the problem of controlling the mind ceases. In devotion your mind is merged in the God you love and ceases to exist as separate from Him. He guides your mind step by step and no control is needed. In knowledge you find that there is no such thing as mind, no control, controller, or controlled. The path of devotion is the easiest of all. Meditate on God or on some mental or material image of Him. This will slow down your mind and it will get controlled of its own accord.

Somehow I felt satisfied and there was deep peace in me when I looked at him for the last time.

PLN Sharma, Ramana Smriti

394

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 08, 2014, 03:58:03 PM »

I asked him to explain what the writer of Maha Yoga quotes as his considered opinion that no authentic sage ever contradicted another, all illuminates being essentially one.

He answered me this time at some length, contending that the paths may seem diverse, but when the pilgrims reach the goal, the perspective changes and one sees clearly, that only those who have lagged behind quarrel about the relative merits of different roads, and that only the goal matters. ?So it is utter folly,? he added, ?to go on wrangling among ourselves, because we were one in the beginning and shall be one again in the end. Also, this oneness is so thrillingly real that one may say, if X wants anything from Y then Y can hardly decline because in giving to X, Y only gives to himself in the last analysis?.

?But Maharshi,? I asked after a hesitant pause, ?why is it that the bhakta so often turns away from the jnani, even after they have both attained the goal?? He smiled, ?But your premise is wrong, to start with?, he said. ?For, as soon as the bhakta arrives he finds he is at one with the jnani. For then the bhakta becomes bhakti swarupa (the essence of bhakti) even as the jnani becomes jnana swarupa (the essence of jnana) and the two are one, identical, although pseudo-bhaktas and pseudojnanis may dub the idea ?crazy? and start pitching into one another?. Then he added after a pause, ?But such strifes break out only among the followers of the illuminates. The Masters always stay above the battle. I was reminded of Sri Ramakrishna?s joke about Rama and Shiva: ?Even when they fight?, he said, ?the duel ends in perfect harmony, peace and love. But Rama?s soldiers, the monkeys, and Shiva?s henchmen, the ghouls, go ever on clashing and snarling and calling names?.

Dilip Kumar Roy, Ramana Smriti

395

General Discussion / Re: Wise Quotes

« on: September 08, 2014, 11:10:15 AM »

Men are always mixed and there are qualities and defects min- gled together almost inextricably in their nature. What a man wants to be or wants others to see in him or what he is some- times on one side of his nature or in some relations can be very different from what he is in the actual fact or in other rela- tions or on another side of his nature. To be absolutely sincere, straightforward, open, is not an easy achievement for human nature. It is only by spiritual endeavour that one can realise it ? and to do it needs a severity of introspective self-vision, an unsparing scrutiny of self-observation of which many sadhaks or Yogins even are not capable and it is only by an illumining Grace that reveals the sadhak to himself and transforms what is deficient in him that it can be done. And even then only if he himself consents and lends himself wholly to the divine working.

Sri Aurobindo

396

General Discussion / Re: my musings

« on: September 07, 2014, 09:56:03 PM »

Very well, Krishnan, you have just expressed your views, very much fair in your own journey. Ok, now, the world is like that, the posts in forum may be headed to some secular jargons and stuffs that may be artificial. Some expressions may be fake, some dry, some not at all resonating, few may expressions may be genuine, few expressions may be resonating.

Now,

What are you planning to do about it? The forum is not going to change nor the persons nor the various opinions. Buddha once said

 "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."

Nobody in the forum is going to help you, really, but yourself, and the grace of god-guru of-course

Do whatever is best for yourself, do it fervently, reverentially, cry to your god, your guru, get that feeling you aspire. Be the aspiration you want to be. Somehow attain what has to be attained!

--

397

General Discussion / Re: my musings

« on: September 07, 2014, 08:12:09 PM »

Stray thoughts...

This law seems so very true:

So long an object is pursued diligently, it eludes!
After such sincere diligence, the moment, it is given up,
for no more want of it, it is found to be chasing back,
Until it is delivered on hand!

Truth is like that too!

--

398

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 07, 2014, 08:05:44 PM »

There was a king who created, through his magical art, barriers and walls, one within the other, with which to surround himself. All these were, however, really illusory. He commanded that money be spread around at the gates of each of these walls to see how great the determination and desire of his subjects, how much effort each one of them would make, to come to the king.

There were those of his subjects who immediately returned home after they had collected a little money at the gates of these illusory walls. There were others who got as far as the second or third walls. But there were very few who did not desire to collect merely physical treasures, only to reach the king himself.

After considerable effort they came to the king and saw that there were really no barriers and walls, everything was a magical illusion.

So it is with God. Those who truly understand know that all the barriers and walls of iron, all the garments and coverings are really on God himself in hiding, as it were, because there is no place where he is not.


Another classic story:

The ten foolish men? forded a stream and on reaching the other shore wanted to make sure that all of them had in fact safely crossed the stream. One of the ten began to count, but while counting the others left himself out.

?I see only nine; sure enough, we have lost one. Who can it be?? he said.

?Did you count correctly?? asked another, and did the counting himself. But he too counted only nine.

One after the other each of the ten counted only nine, missing himself.

?We are only nine,? they all agreed, ?but who is the missing one?? they asked themselves. Every effort they made to discover the ?missing? individual failed.

?Whoever he is that is drowned,? said the most sentimental of the ten fools, ?we have lost him.? So saying he burst into tears, and the others followed suit.

Seeing them weeping on the river bank, a sympathetic wayfarer enquired about the cause. They related what had happened and said that even after counting themselves several times they could find no more than nine.

On hearing the story, but seeing all the ten before him, the wayfarer guessed what had happened. In order to make them know for themselves they were really ten, that all of them had survived the crossing, he told them, ?Let each of you count for himself but one after the other serially, one two, three, and so on, while I shall give you each a blow so that all of you may be sure of having been included in the count, and included only once. The tenth missing man will then be found.?

Hearing this they rejoiced at the prospect of finding their ?lost? comrade and accepted the method suggested by the wayfarer.

While the kind wayfarer gave a blow to each of the ten in turn, he that got the blow counted himself aloud. ?Ten,? said the last man as he got the last blow in his turn.

Bewildered they looked at one another, ?We are ten,? they said with one voice and thanked the wayfarer for having removed their grief.

?Such is the case with you. Truly there is no cause for you to be miserable and unhappy. You yourself impose limitations on your true nature of infinite being, and then weep that you are but a finite creature. Then you take up this or that spiritual practice to transcend the non-existent limitations.

?Hence I say, know that you are really the infinite pure being, the Self. You are always that Self and nothing but that Self. Therefore, you can never be really ignorant of the Self. Your ignorance is merely an imaginary ignorance, like the ignorance of the ten fools about the lost tenth man.? (Be as you are)

--

399

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 07, 2014, 07:36:23 PM »

A huge lion went hunting one day, and took with him a wolf and a fox.

They were all excellent hunters and by the end of the day the team had caught an ox, an ibex, and a hare.

The wolf was already hungrily eying their prey, so the lion magnanimously told him, 'Wolf, divide up this abundance between us in any way you like.'

The wolf, though hungry enough to eat the ox himself, decided it was safest to give the largest prize to the lion. He claimed the ibex for himself, and handed the small hare to the fox. The wolf was already licking his chops and about to begin his meal, when the lion roared:

'Wolf! How dare you talk of 'mine' and 'yours' With a single swipe from his mighty paw, the lion slew the wolf.

The lion calmed himself, and then turned to the fox. With a toothy smile, he said, ?Fox, divide up this abundance between us in any way you like.?

The fox, being no fool, immediately said that the entire bounty belonged to the lion.

The lion rumbled in satisfaction, and said, 'Fox, you are no longer a fox; your are myself. The entire bounty is yours!'

--

400

General Discussion / Re: my musings

« on: September 07, 2014, 06:55:12 PM »

?When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly?

401

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 07, 2014, 12:41:06 PM »

Where are 'Other Devotees'?
Where is  'Other practices'?
Where is a beginning, where is a middle, where is an end?
Where is capability, where is incapability?
Who is there? What is there?

Everything is just a play of ones own mind!

There is truly nothing out there, nobody out there but just the projections of ones own mind, ones own ideas and conclusions.
There are no meaning to methods and practices, other than the meaning we ourselves attribute to them!

There is nothing wrong out there at all! There are no imperfections. There is just what IS! nothing else!

Because of God, Devotee appears, because of Guru, disciple appears, because of knowledge, ignorance appears!

"My" implies the "I", which owns the senses.  You take your existence for granted, at the same time, ask others to prove it to you.  Similarly you admit the certainty of your senses, which see others, whilst denying all certainty.  You see how you contradict yourself!  The fact is that there are no others.  There is no such a person as "You".  Each man, although addressed as "You", styles himself as "I".  Even the confirmation you demand from others comes only from the "I".  "You" and "they" occur to the "I", without which they are meaningless. - Bhagavan

--

402

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 07, 2014, 10:09:27 AM »

Dear Sri Anil ji, my friend, I also just practice only Self Enquiry from within, no matter what actions the body gets involved, be it the mouth prays, sings, limbs engage in some rituals or works. For me, everything is a self enquiry. But my expressions and actions seem contrary! There are no limitations. I too have close people who say surprised, haven't you been initiated yet in anything? how can there be progress without any initiations or dheeksha, i do have to face multi faceted people from various backgrounds who speak from their playground. But, over a period of time, i am able to see the same Bhagavan, the same Self Enquiry in all of them! If we just look round about the siuncere expressions of all devotees of various paths, they are all talking about the same thing, and even the very same method in different manner.

Sat is same, the Essence is same, some call it Enquiry, some call it devotion, some call it boudha, some call it Gita, what ever they call.

i have ceased to identify myself as a person who does Self Enquiry, what do i do? how can i say, what do i do? I have no name for the path i follow! With buddhist I am buddhist. With jain I am jain with chrustian I am christian. With ramana I am ramana with baba I am baba followe with shankara I am shankara follower

"A disciple of a reputed Swami of South India, Vilakshananda, came to Bhagavan to have his darshan. With some hesitation he started telling Bhagavan about his guru's strict injunction that each one of his devotees should do so many thousands of japa daily and surrender the phala to the guru as their offering and that they were following it without fail.

Bhagavan smiled and observed: "Is it so? It is to be appreciated. So much gain for the guru with no strain on his part!" While Bhagavan was saying this, Muruganar entered the Old Hall. Turning to him Bhagavan said: "Do you know? His guru commands each one of his disciples to perform so many thousands of nama-japa and surrender the phala(merit) to him, as guru kanikkai (offering). After that will there be any balance for the disciples? It looks like one keeping the principal and surrendering the interest to the guru as offering. How do you appreciate this?"

Muruganar with tears in his eyes replied: "Bhagavan! Their guru is far better. He at least leaves the principal and demands only the interest. But this guru here (pointing to Bhagavan) is worse. He takes away the principal itself; then where is room for interest? He demands the devotees' mulam(principal) and vaddi(interest) all at once!" Bhagavan gave a benign smile enjoying the poet's joke with deep meaning!

What Muruganar meant was that Bhagavan wipes out the mind and the ego of his devotees."

What more self enquiry, what more Bhagavan? where is the 'I'? where is the so called Self Enquiry? what are other paths and what is this paths?

what is this, what is that? what is all?

as Chadwick reflected, there is nothing, just be!

Have good day, friend!

403

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

« on: September 06, 2014, 11:12:56 PM »

Dear Sri Anil ji,

Where knowledge divides, love unites!
Where love divides, knowledge unites!

Extending a hand of love. I know we have had some some sweet as well as sour exchanges before, but the Self is beyond both. In the self, we have no differences, off the self, always there are differences!

Wish you happiness and peace dear friend. Hope Ganges will be clean soon :-)

--

404

General Discussion / Re: my musings

« on: September 06, 2014, 10:59:45 PM »

Stray thoughts...

Where knowledge divides, love unites!
Where love divides, knowledge unites!

--

405

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Bhagavan Ramana Teachings

« on: September 06, 2014, 09:47:46 PM »

511.

Devilish qualities [asura sampat] will bring only ruin on you. Knowing this well, develop only divine qualities [deyva sampat]. Upasana, which will cultivate divine qualities in the heart, alone will save the soul.

Muruganar

Guru Vaachaka Kovai

Sadhu Om: Here, upasana should be understood to mean clinging to Self, that is, attending to Self, which is Selfenquiry. For, Self-enquiry alone bestows all the divine qualities [deyva sambat]. The word ?sambat? means ?that which is earned?. Since all things earned externally will bring only misery to the jiva, ?deyva sambat? alone is worthy to be earned, and is developed solely by Self-enquiry.

ஆசுர சம்பத்தால் அனர்த்தம் விளைவது அறிந்து
நீ சுர சம்பத்தே நிகழ்த்து - மீசுரமாத்
தெய்வ சம்பத்து ஒளிரச் செய்யும் உபாசனையே
உய்தி தர வல்லது யுயிர்க்கு.