Bhagavan Ramana Teachings

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

It is like this.  When other thoughts arise we should bring back our attention to the 'I'-thought. All the time one's
attention should unwaveringly be directed to the feeling of 'I' or 'I' thought.  If attention wavers to other thoughts
one should draw it back to the 'I' by remembering that these are only 'my thoughts'. But who am I? Without knowing
what the 'I' is, is it not absurd to think of anything related to the  'I'? Hence, attention would return to the inquiry
Who am I? and remain fixedly on the 'I' in order to discover its nature.  This process must be repeated as often as attention
moves away from the 'I'.

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Subramanian.R]

The goings on of the empirical world, beguiling in the mind's borrowed light, are nothing but illusions in the bright light
of Pure Awareness. But this world which seems a sea of sorrow is transformed into an ocean of bliss, if one defective
vision is corrected and one sees it fresh with the clear eye of true Awareness. Then one shall live like a sun unsetting in the
blissful peace of Siva Eternal.

Saiva Siddhanta and Vedanta have the common aim of the same Truth.  Otherwise how could Sri Sankaracharya, the
greatest exponent of Advaita, sing praises of gods?  The fact is, there is neither dvaita nor advaita. Simple Being is the
Self. Attain it first, then there will be time to judge whose view is right.

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:


When one is probing into oneself, inquiring into the 'I' persistently by fixing  attention only on the 'I' thought, it sinks into
its Source.  One gets direct touch with the inner Reality, the Self, the 'I'-'I' .  The measure of seriousness and one-pointedness
with which one delves within to be 'I AM', is also t he measure of how rewarding it will be.

To be oneself is not only the straight path but also the easiest since you do not at all need any outer aid.  As enjoined by
Sri Maharshi, we can, therefore, conclude that any act that directs or drives the outgoing mind inward to its Source, the
Self, 'I' is spiritual and anything that drags the mind outward, engaging it in identity, is unspiritual.

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.           

[Subramanian.R]

I shall truthfully declare the essence of the final doctrine of Vedanta:

When the ego dies and becomes That -- the Self of Pure Awareness - That alone abides.

Of what avail is it knowing things other than the Self? 

And the Self being known, what other thing is there to know?

Learnt first what you are.

This requires no Sastra, no scholarship.

One light shines as many selves.  See this Self within. as awareness' lightning flash.  The play of grace; the ego's death.
the Blossoming of Bliss.

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

Bhagavan Ramana has opened a path to wake us all up to this Truth of Inner Felicity which is going  to reverberate through
the entire world. This path will stand the test of time, logical analysis and clinical practical application. Seekers of Truth
will hold on to it and thus keep the torch of Truth burning all the time to come.  Anyone can follow this silent, inward path
of Sri Ramana, wherever they may be and in whatever walk of life they may be placed, not carried away by the challenges of
complex environment nor depending on them.  Thus, this path of introspective Self Inquiry is an ever open path and anyone
can tread it.  It is simple, direct and rationally supported by intuition and utterly free from any outward influence, be it religion
or dogma. This path, therefore, is meant for practical businessmen, office goers, and factory workers or professional men, no
less than those who are monastic and ready to renounce the world.  What makes the Maharshi's method unique is that it is
based on intuition checked by reason, also, this pure reasoning is employed in the inquiry into the Self only by illumined
intuition.

contd..,

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.         

[Subramanian.R]

There is no reaching the Self.

If the Self were to be reached, it would mean that the Self is not here and now but that it should be gotten anew.

What is not afresh, will also  be lost.

What is not permanent is not worth striving for.

You are the Self.

You are ALREADY That.

But the fact is that you are ignorant of your blissful state.

Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over pure bliss.

This ignorance consists in wrong knowledge. Wrong knowledge consists in the false identification of the Self with the
body, the mind.

This false identity must go.  Then the Self remains.

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

So, to summarize, we shall quote Sri Ramana's own words:  'The state of non emergence of 'I' is the state of Pure Being,
Pure Awareness. (Heart is the word used by Him for this Pure Reality within us). This can be achieved only through inquiring
'Who am I?'. Just as man would dive in order to get something fallen in water, so one would dive into oneself with a keen
one pointedness and find the place whence the 'I' originates.  The only inquiry leading to Self Knowledge is seeking the source
of the feeling 'I'. If one inquires Who am I? within, the individual 'I', the limited 'I', falls down abashed as soon one reaches the
Heart.  Although it reveals itself as 'I', it is not the limited 'I' known to us, but the Perfect Being, the Eternal 'I', the Divine
Essence in us.  The Self, the Truth that you seek to know is thus verily yourself.'

contd.,

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.             

[Subramanian.R]

Those who only see with the physical eyes see God in beautiful objects.  Yogis see Him in the heart-lotus while priests see Him in
the sacred fire.  But the wise have a thousand eyes and see Him everywhere.

Neither afar nor near, the Supreme dwells in no single place.  Forever direct your attention to the limitless expanse in
the Heart where the formless Supreme shines.

The body which alone admits of in and out is but a concept of the thinking mind.

Within us is the body.

He who thinks he is in the body makes the same mistake as he takes the piece of cloth shown in the picture  for the screen
on which the e picture is projected.

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

The uniqueness of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings is that though it is rooted in logic, couched in rational terms, it is
extraordinarily simple in its spiritual content.  All technical jargon, giving room for ambiguity and perplexity are totally
avoided.  The directness of its applicability in one's daily life, irrespective of one's occupation in life,. makes His teachings
easily adaptable, unfettered by the conditions  of  class, clime, and religion.  Thus no one is excluded from its finale of
spiritual perfection.  Swami Vivekananda once said that spiritual seeker needs only encouragement in his pursuance of Sadhana.
Seekers taking to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi are abundantly vouchsafed such encouragement as His guidance is
readily available at every step one takes towards the goal of Self Realization.

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.       

[Subramanian.R]

But the screen in the cinema is not sentient and so requires a seer, where the screen of the Self includes the seer and the seen --
it is full of light.

The mind always seeks external knowledge, leaving aside its own inner knowledge. If once it finds its inner happiness it will
no longer wander outside.

In order to find it, one leaves oneself out and sees the world objectively.

What is the world?  What is Immanent in it?  It is That.

All that appears outside is in reality inside.  Hence all forms are mental and have no enduring substance. 

But if all that appears outside is in reality inside,, then where and what is this thing we call "inside"?

If all that appears outside is actually inside, then 'outsidedness' itself must be inside.

If this is be so, then how can one talk of an "inside"? 

Fundamentally, there is only This?

But what is This?

And where and indeed to whom, does it appear?

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva. 
     

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

The term Self Inquiry or Atma Vichara is found in many of the ancient scriptures in India.  In his great work Vivekachoodamani,
Adi Sankara says that Liberation cannot be attained by anount of karma but only by Self Inquiry.

In Jnana Vasishta sage Vasishta proclaims: 'Shining in everybody as 'I'-'I' is nothing but the Self on which one has to
meditate...With the stick of inquiry strike  the fierce looking mind and snake like senses and make them abide in the Heart.

Kaivalya Navaneetam declares: 'Inquiry alone can lead to the Knowledge revealed in the Vedas. Knowledge of the Self
cannot be gained by study.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita portends:  'Fix the mind firmly in the Self.'

V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

The underlying Reality shines forth as the pure and perfect Void, conceptless and ever blissful.

The Void which is without parallel. the effulgence of pure wisdom completely devoid of visible phenomena and which consists
of the aspect of 'I', is considered the seed of liberation.
The experience of that impels one  to start on the path of union with the Supreme.

An absolute Emptiness the Self shines by Its own light, forever effulgent in all places, irrespective of spatial boundaries.
Those who meditate on the Supreme Void and become established in it through constant practice, will reach the supreme
abode beyond birth and death.

Hear it from me:

In order to avoid all suffering and sorrow, meditate ever on the great Void!

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva. 

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

So when it is asked 'When the Self Inquiry is already mentioned in scriptures, what new revelation has been made by
Bhagavan?'  The answer is easy and ready for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Though Self Inquiry is mentioned in the scriptures, the actual method of practicing it is not clearly given.  The scriptures
give clues, it is true, such as, 'You are not the body, prana, mind, etc., you are Brahman', bur these clues do not emphasize
how to put it into practice. Such meditation brings in again another activity of mind - any act by the mind fetters oneself.
We start with meditation but soon find ourselves where we started! Perhaps, noticing this constant riddle continuing in spite
of existing scriptural statements, the Supreme Reality which gave those scriptures, out of profound compassion for the human
race, has come again in the comely form of Bhagavan Ramana, in order to give easier clues to find the Truth that can be readily
understood, practiced and realized by the common man. 

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.                 

[Subramanian.R]

It is only when we realize that it is we who clothe the formless Arunachala with form - because we view it with eyes of the body,
-- that we shall begin to search within our hearts for the formless Reality which that form veils. Until then, we shall not penetrate
and comprehend this miracle.

As soon as the body is dissolved into a shining mist, so also does the guru's Hill form dissolve, and we are no longer deluded
by other concepts such as our own form or the Hill -- for these twain are no more.

Aruna of the Golden Fire.

Arunachala Siva.     

[Subramanian.R]

Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:

The uniqueness of Bhagavan's teaching is that it is not within the framework of the mind.  In fact, Bhagavan is a great Master
who has exclusively dealt with the realm, scope and ultimate futility of trying to be rid of the shackles of the mind through
mental methods. When  the mind is itself questioned, it will merge in its source and a new dimension of functioning will come
about.

In the first benedictory verse of Ulladu Narapdu, by Bhagavan Ramana, Sri Bhagavan points out the futility of meditation (in the
sense in which the term is generally undersood) by asking: 'Since the Reality exists in the Heart beyond thought, who can and how
to meditate upon the Reality, which is called the Heart?'  That is to say, if meditation is understood in its usual sense, namely
a process of thinking, no amount of meditation can enable one to know to realize the Reality, which is beyond thought. For how
can any amount of thought enable one to realize that which is beyond the range of thought? How then is the Reality to be realized?
The answer given by Bhagavan Himself in the remaining portion of the same verse:  'To abide in the Heart as It IS, is truly
meditating upon it.'   In other words, since the Reality is beyond thought, to abide without thought as that Reality ever IS, is
the only way to meditate upon it and to realize it as it IS. But how to abide thus without thought?


V. Ganesan.

Arunachala Siva.