Self-enquiry as taught by Sri Bhagwan is enough

[Jewell]

Dear Sri Anil,

. Yes, this damn ‘me’ will never know Him

This is so,so sweet. And so very true!

Will it go already! Its damn time!

With love and prayers,

[eranilkumarsinha]

Devotee: That means, you must give up worldly pleasures and catch hold of Atma Ananda (Bliss of the Self) Is that so?

 Sri Bhagwan : Ananda (Supreme Bliss) always exists. It is only the worldly things that have to be given up. If they are given up, what remains is only Bliss. That which IS, is the Self. Where is the question of catching that which IS? That is one’s own nature (Swabhava). 

Devotee: Is that nature also called Swarupa?

Sri Bhagwan : Yes. There is no difference between the two.

Devotee: If it is said that Ananda is the Self itself, then who is it that experiences?

Sri Bhagwan: That is the point. So long as there is one who experiences, it shall have to be stated that Ananda is the Self itself. When there is no one to experience, where is the question of a form for Ananda? It is only that which ‘IS’ remains. That IS, is ‘Ananda. That is the Self. So long as the feeling that the Self is different from oneself THERE WILL BE ONE WHO ENQUIRES AND EXPERIENCES, BUT WHEN ONE REALISES THE SELF THERE WILL BE NO ONE TO EXPEREINCE. Who is there to ask? What is there to say? IN COMMON PARLANCE, HOWEVER, WE SHALL HAVE TO SAY THAT BLISS IS THE SELF OR IS OUR REAL NATURE (SWARUPA).

Devotee: That is alright, Swami. But, however much we try, this mind does not get under control and envelops the Swarupa so that it is not perceptible to us. What is to be done?
Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam

Dear Devotees,

Benevolent Guru, Bhagwan Sri Ramana, with a smile placed His little finger over His eye and said, “Look. This little finger covers the eye and prevents the whole world from being seen. In the same way this small mind covers the whole universe and prevents the Brahman from being seen. See how powerful it is.” The mind rising from the Self prevents It from being known. Like a small piece of cloud which is formed due to the sun prevents it from being seen. Therefore, the mind alone should be held by hearing and meditating on Guru’s Words and Utterances or Sayings of the Vedanta and its Source sought. WHEN THE SOURCE OF THE MIND IS SOUGHT, TRACED AND FOUND, IT WILL VANISH.  However, there is no one to experience and report, for then the Self or the SWARUPA Itself is the BLISS.

Dear devotees, it follows also that if bundle of thoughts, that is, the mind or the oneself, rises, but one remains unaffected and shining forth of the Self is not obstructed, nothing needs to be done. But if the Supreme Knowledge is obstructed from shining forth, and oneself rises and with it rises all else, preventing it from shining forth, and that also means one has not transcended the ignorance and the TIME, and therefore it is time to enquire and surrender and merge in That which IS, and remain as the Swarupa or the Self  without the experiencer and the experience, Bliss Itself. 

Thanks very much.
Pranam,
  Anil 

[eranilkumarsinha]

Question:  What is the truth that I have to attain? Please explain it and show it tome.
Sri Bhagwan : What we have to attain and what is desired by everyone is endless happiness. Although we seek to attain it in various ways, it is not something to be sought or attained as a new experience. Our real nature is the ‘I’ feeling which is always experienced by everyone. It is within us and nowhere else. Although we are always experiencing it, our minds are wandering, always seeking it, thinking in ignorance that it is something apart from us.  THIS IS LIKE A PERSON SAYING WITH HIS OWN TONGUE THAT HE HAS NO TONGUE.

Question: If that is so, why did so many sadhanas (spiritual practices) come to be created?
Sri Bhagwan : The sadhanas came to be formed only to get rid of the thought that it (the Self) is something to be newly attained. The root of the illusion is the thought which ignores the Self and which thinks instead, ‘I am this body’. AFTER THIS THOUGHT RISES IT EXPANDS IN A MOMENT INTO SEVERAL THOUSAND THOUGHTS AND CONCEALS THE SELF.  The reality of the Self will only shine if all these thoughts are removed. Afterwards, what remains is only Brahmananda (the bliss of Brahman).

Question: I am now sitting peacefully without the thought ‘I am this body’. Is this the state of reality?
Sri Bhagwan : THIS STATE MUST REMAIN AS IT IS WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. If it changes after a while you will know that other thoughts have not gone.

Question: What is the way to get rid of other thoughts?
Sri Bhagwan : THEY CAN ONLY BE REMOVED THROUGH THE POWERFUL EFFECT OF THE ENQUIRY, ‘TO WHOM HAVE THESE THOUGHTS HAVE COME?’
(Source: Living By The Words Of Bhagwan)
 

Dear Devotees,

Sri Annamalai Swami says that the above answers are the succinct summary of Sri Bhagwan’s practical Teachings. If the noise of thoughts or sankalpas which are rising incessantly does not subside, the ineffable State of Silence cannot be revealed. ONCE THIS INEFFABLE STATE OF SILENCE HAVE BEEN REACHED WITH THE SUBSIDENCE OF THOUGHTS OR VRITTIS WITHIN, THAT STRONG AND PERFECT STATE OF SILENCE WILL NOT LEAVE US EVEN IN THE THUNDEROUS NOISE OF THE BATTLE FIELD. The sweet and the silent Teaching of the Sadguru is ever going deep within the heart, but It cannot be heard because of the NOISE OF THE MILLION THOUGHTS which are rising incessantly in the minds. But one who has annihilated the mind by destroying all thoughts through the POWERFUL EFFECT OF ENQUIRY, can alone attend to ever-shining Silence within. If in the state of ignorance, one attends only to hubbub of thoughts only, how can he notice the ever speaking, most eloquent and sublime Language of Silence which is the Source of all eloquence, all languages and all words, all that is in manifestation?   

It is the greatness of the Direct path, the Enquiry, in which only one thought is taught to be held, just like a stick which stirs the funeral pyre and burns it completely before it itself is finally burnt. So also the all-powerful question ‘Who am I?’ destroys the mind  by destroying all other thoughts and in the end the question itself is destroyed and thus comes to an end the deep ignorance, that is, 'I am the body'.

Thanks very much.
Pranam,
  Anil

[Jewell]

 Sonnet 53: What is your substance, whereof are you made



What is your substance, whereof are you made,
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
Since everyone hath, every one, one shade,
And you, but one, can every shadow lend.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Is poorly imitated after you;
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
And you in Grecian tires are painted new.
Speak of the spring, and foison of the year;
The one doth shadow of your beauty show,
The other as your bounty doth appear,
And you in every blessèd shape we know.
In all external grace you have some part,
But you like none, none you, for constant heart. 

William Shakespeare

[eranilkumarsinha]

Dear Sri Jewell,

Sonnet 53 is a real jewel among all Shakespearean compositions and I was moved deeply when I saw this sonnet posted by you in this thread.

What is your essence, your fundamental nature, of what you are made of? What are you made of that whoever partakes of your essence becomes beautiful and attractive? Everyone has only one shade but the Poet’s beloved is One who is capable of lending his likeness or quality to everyone else, for he is the essence of beauty and love and all others can only be contrasted or compared with him only. Everyone is aspiring to be him only.
Dear Sri Jewell, Adonis is regarded as the god or archetype of beauty and love in Greek mythology with whom Aphrodite, the archetype or goddess of beauty, was in love with.  Even Adonis is judged as a poorly imitated shadow or image or artwork of the Poet’s beloved. Helen of Troy was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world, highly immortalised, and who was perhaps the cause of the Trojan War. Here the Poet exults that even if all the beauty is set on her cheek, she is a mere shadow of of the beloved’s beauty. For, even if her image is captured or in all her beauty, it is only you, newly painted in Grecian attires.
The Poet is not satisfied with all these comparisons and goes on to compare his beloved with Spring and says that even the Spring is a mere shadow or weak reflection of his beloved’s beauty. And rich harvest season (foison) is only faint imitation of his richness, a mere pale shadow of his richness. And thus the beloved is recognised in every beautiful objects and there is something of him in every appearance of beauty anywhere. HE IS IN EVRY BLESSED SHAPE.

Therefore,the poet’s beloved’s essence is the part of every manifestation of grace, beauty and love. But you are not like any of them – and none of them are like you – in the constancy of your heart .But there is one way in which you are unlike anything else—in your constancy and fidelity.
BUT LIKE NONE, NONE YOU, FOR CONSTANT HEART.

My dear friend, Sri Jewell, the Poet’s beloved in this Sonnet is either Plato’s Archetype Idea of beauty in God, or the Supreme Beloved who abides in the innermost recess of hearts of all abiding as the Self or Sri Ramana or Sri Arunachala. ANYONE WHO PARTAKES OF THIS IDEA OF BEAUTY ATONCE BECOMES A BEAUTIFUL (SRI PLATO’S IDEA). ANYONE WHO LOVES HIM WHO ABIDES IN THE DEEP RECESS OF THE HEART AT ONCE IS GRACED AND MANIFESTS THE BEAUTY, LOVE, CONSTANCY AND FIDELITY.

Thanks very, very, much, my dear Sri Jewell.

Pranam,
  Anil   

[eranilkumarsinha]

Devotee: Is sorrow a thought?
Sri Bhagwan : ALL THOUGHTS ARE SORROWFUL.
Devotee: Even pleasurable thoughts must be sorrowful.
Sri Bhagwan : Yes, because thoughts take one’s attention away from the Self, which is undiluted happiness.

Dear devotees, if an aspirant is established in Atma-nishtha and whose attention is not taken away from the Self by the rise of thoughts, that is a different matter altogether.  However, if oneself rises and is externalised and identifies with the rising thoughts, then one must enquire, reach the Source, merge into It and get established in Atma-nishtha irrevocably. Then what does it matter whether thoughts rises or not? Whether such a One performs actions or sits idle? All these are mere conjecture. Before that, talk of irrelevance of thoughts is, in my view, a delusion.

Thanks very much.
Pranam,
  Anil 

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Yes. Sri Bhagavan has mentioned about thinking and thoughts in several places in Talks. He says all desires and thoughts are
sorrowful excepting desiring the Self.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Jewell]

Dear Sri Anil,

How beautiful and charming analisis of this poem! True,His beauty cannot be compared with anything,all,no matter how beautiful,is only a fragment of His Majesty. And in every beautiful thing Its Beauty is reflected.
Indeed,with our Belived in our hearts,we start reflecting these same qualities,that loveliness and sweetness. With constant abindance we become That,or,more corectly,we realise that we always are That. Boundless,Pefect and Beautiful.
How many beautiful works and things are came from It...
Indeed,It reflects mostly in constancy and fidelity. These are the very qualities which determine our 'progress' and undoubdly help us realise our Ever Free and Perfect nature sooner. Constancy in abidance and following Guru words,and Fidelity to Him. Complete Trust and steadiness. And,it is not hard either,we are following our heart,and there lies all the beauty.

And what we gain with it is worth like milion Suns,like whole universe of most shining,bright and valuably treasures. Eternety itself.

Thank You Very much,dear Sri Anil!!!

With love and prayers,

[eranilkumarsinha]

Quote from Sri Subramanian Sir:
“Sri Bhagavan has mentioned about thinking and thoughts in several places in Talks. He says all desires and thoughts are
sorrowful excepting desiring the Self.”



Dear Sri Subramanian Sir,

Ji. Yes. Sri Bhagwan has spoken about the ‘thought of the Self’ in “Who am I?”  as well. He says in the first Verse of the ‘Invocation’ of the Ulladu Narpadu :

“Unless Reality exists, can thought of it arise? Since, devoid of thought, Reality exists as Heart, how to know the Reality we term the Heart? That is merely to be That in the Heart.”

Dear sir, Sri Bhagwan says in “Who am I?” that remaining firmly in Atma-nishtha (Self-abidance), without giving even the least room to the rising of any thought other than the thought of the Self (Atma-chintanai), is surrendering oneself to God.

Therefore, Sri Bhagwan’s Sacred Utterances, as above, it is obvious that by the thought of the Self or ‘Atma-chintanai’, Sri  Bhagwan means only the Self-abidance, or the Self-attention. Though Sri Bhagwan uses the word ‘chintanai’ or thought to denote the state of Abidance or the Self-attention, we understand that attending to the Self, per se, is not a mental activity. As Sri Sadhu Om has pointed out at several places, ATTENDING TO THE SELF IS NOTHING BUT ABIDING AS SELF, AND HENCE IT IS NOT ‘DOING’ BUT ‘BEING’. In the invocatory Verse of the Ulladu Narpadu, Sri Bhagwan says the same: Reality exists as the Self and to know that is to be merely That in the Heart. Therefore, Sri Bhagwan has revealed that THE CORRECT WAY TO ‘THINK OF THE SELF’ (TO MEDITATE UPON THE SELF) IS TO ABIDE IN SELF AS THE SELF.

Forgetting and thinking are pair of opposites and therefore is valid only in the plane or the realm of duality.

Sri Sadhu Om: Since the ever-unforgettable consciousness of Reality [I am] shines perfectly in the state of Self-attention or self-abidance—that state is sometimes referred to as a state of ‘thought’ or ‘meditation’ (dyana). THAT IS, SINCE THE REALITY IS NOT FORGOTTEN IN THAT THOUGHT-FREE STATE, IT IS LOOSELY DESCRIBED AS A STATE OF ‘THINKING OF’ OR MEDITATING UPON’ THE REALITY.

 It is only in the above sense therefore that Sri Bhagwan described the State of Self-attention as ‘thought of Self’ or Atma-chintanai in ‘Who am I?’ and elsewhere. THEREFORE,  IT FOLLOWS, CRYSTAL CLEAR, THAT CAN BE NO KNOWLEDGE OF REALITY OTHER THAN EXISTING AS REALITY.

Thanks very much, sir.
Pranam,
  Anil

[eranilkumarsinha]

If it be asked, “What is the true divine language, which is the source of all languages, which is real and which possesses the greatest clarity?” That language is only Silence [Mauna] , which the Lord Sri Dakshinamurti who is the embodiment of knowledge seated at the foot of the banyan tree, taught.
V. 1173, GVK, Tr. and comm. By Sri Sadhu Om
 

THAT LANGUAGE OF SILENCE WHICH SURGES FORTH FROM THE HEART WHEN THE EGO OR THE MIND , WHICH IS MERELY A FALSE IMAGINATION, HAS BEEN DESTROYED, AND  WHICH LORD SRI ARUNACHALA EMBODIED  AS BHAGWAN SRI RAMANA, AS EMBODOMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, AS JNANA SWARUPA,  SITTING IN THE OLD HALL, FACING SOUTH, IN SRI RAMANSRAMAM, IN TIRUVANNAMALAI,  IS TEACHING:

 “SILENCE IS THE STATE OF GRACE, THE ONE LANGUAGE— SINGLE, NONDUAL, UNEQUALLED AND INCOMPARABLE—IS ALWAYS SURGING WITHIN.”

Dear devotees, should we not, subduing our ego-mind, listen to this Sublime Sermon of Silence, which is unceasing eloquence, perennial flow of language, the only true Language of Grace, nay, State of Grace Itself, and transcend our mundane human existence forever?

Pranam,
  Anil

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil,

Similarly in Sri Ramana Sannidhi Murai, Muruganar sings:

1165.

One sole Awareness, Lord Supreme,
Silent sky, the Vedas import,
That you are, Venkata!
Yet, to your eager devotees,
You utter word without speech the blissful
Secret of their being That.

Again in Verse 1426:

Praise of his and never blame,]
The quarters' light and nothing else
His shoulders, nothing but the summit
Of golden Meru is his throne,
This Venkata whose twin Feet dance
In stillness of the shining  Heart-Space.

*****

Arunachala Siva.

[Jewell]

Dear devotees, should we not, subduing our ego-mind, listen to this Sublime Sermon of Silence, which is unceasing eloquence, perennial flow of language, the only true Language of Grace, nay, State of Grace Itself, and transcend our mundane human existence forever? 

Such beautiful expression,dear Sri Anil! Indeed,only silence we need. In sillence all is seen the way it is,because,only silence Is. Only stillness.

*** "He bore himself with naturalness and at the same time with dignity. His mien (i.e., bearing, appearance) was cheerful, smiling, polite. His eyes with a gentle benignity rested on my face. His body was absolutely still. He smiled and said, 'Silence is also conversation.' "

*W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM*
 recalling meeting the Maharshi for the first time. 

Thank You Very much,dear Sri Anil!

With love and prayers,

[eranilkumarsinha]

Sri Bhagwan : The Bible says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” If you consider yourself to be the body there is difficulty in understanding the statement. On the other hand if you know who you really are, the Kingdom of heaven and all are included in your true Self. They are concepts arising after the ego has arisen. Drishtim  jnanamayeem  krtva  pasyet  Brahmamayam  jagat (Direct your look within and make it absolute). With that absolute awareness realised, look without and you will realise the universe to be not apart from the realised Absolute.

Dear  Sri Subramanian Sir and dear Sri Jewell,

We are aware that are advised to look within because our outlook is externally directed and therefore we speak of a without. This within is relative to the without we are seeking. But in fact, the Self is neither without nor within. Since we are accustomed to relative knowledge only, we think of within or without, above or below, up or down, inner or outer, here and there, etc.   All these pertain to the body and derive their reality with respect to the body only. They are therefore as real as the body. So long as we seek only the objective knowledge, these ideas will but persist. In Reality, therefore, there is neither in nor out, neither up nor down. If they were real they must be present in deep sleep also, for what is real must be continuous and permanent.

The Self is undifferentiated in deep sleep who is differentiated in the present waking state and therefore sees myriad diversity. The Real Existence is only One devoid of objective knowledge and objective consciousness. That is the Absolute.  That is the State of Silence. That is the State of Grace. That is the State of Divine Love, Happiness and Bliss. That State must be brought about by the sadhana of Enquiry or Vichara with the spirit of love, devotion and surrender even in this waking state. This is what is called the Waking Sleep. This is the state where all barriers to divine love are removed and what remains is only the non-dual perennial and eternal Love. This is what Sri Bhagwan, in my view, meant when He taught, ‘When the mind free of thoughts turns inward, Annamalai appears as my own Self. True, Grace is needed; Love is added. Bliss wells up.’ 

Thanks very much, dear sir.
Thanks very much, dear friend Sri Jewell.
 Pranam,
  Anil
 

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Anil.,

Yes. The mind which appears to be dead in deep sleep and make us have a deep sleep, should also be dead in waking state to
realize the Self.

Arunachala Siva.

[Jewell]

"* 5.   "What is the authority for saying that the entire moving
and unmoving worlds depend upon oneself"?

The Self means the embodied being. It is only after the
energy, which was latent in the state of deep sleep, emerges
with the idea of `I' that all objects are experienced. The Self
is present in all perceptions as the perceiver. There are no
objects to be seen when the `I' is absent. For all these reasons
it may undoubtedly be said that everything comes out of the
Self and goes back to the Self.

6.   "As the bodies and the selves animating them are
everywhere actually observed to be innumerable how can
it be said that the Self is only one"?

If the idea `I am the body' is accepted2, the selves are
multiple. The state in which this idea vanishes is the Self,
since in that state there are no other objects. It is for this reason
that the Self is regarded as one only.*"

Dear Sri Anil, 

I found these wonderful words from Bhagavan which describe ecsactly the same what You have so beautifuly conveyed. Indeed,the Self cannot be known or experienced objectievly,which our mind is all along trying to do. It is not at all the object of perception. It is what makes perception possible. And so true,we are looking on everything from body-mind point,and thats why all differences betwean inside,out,in,outside,far or near,exist in the first place. Everything there is is in Self only,and there is nothing but the Self. If I am observer only,the witness,there is no independent entity to own the body,or any shape at all,then where is the place for multiplicity. And if there is no many,only some apparent functioning of energy,which again brings the thouch of I Am,then where is the place for witnessing too. I guess that is ment with beyond consciousness. Only the Self,and there is nothing to witness too. It is the state free of objects,free of any state at all. Coz in the truth,consciousness cannot go beyond consciousness. Well,i mean on this consciousness,thouch of Beingness itself. For moment,i feel these are only empty words.

Thats why we indeed need to Abide in the Self,coz we verily are the Self,Grace and Love.

I feel that You expressed all wonderfuly,and that it is really very true. To aknowledge that we in Reality are not the body,or the mind,that there is no individuality at all,only that knowledge I am which is appearing and going spontaneously,and that we are only observing everything. Reading Bhagavan's words now occured to me that,that coming and going of that I Am thouch is bottom of the problem. It makes us believe to be born,to exist,and the main problem is because it is linked with body,with food product like Maharaj said. I can even feel the taste of it during practice. It is dependend on body,and with body disapears. Then,it is obvious how it makes this simingly existent person to believe it exist. And with it whole world also. And if there is no me,where can be world then...
 I have read Maharaj said about it many times,i i understood it conceptualy,but it seems that until now i didnt quite understood it. Even now how much is understood is indeed very questionable. So truly,body and mind are something which must be disregarded.

Thank You Very much,my dear friend!

With love and prayers,