Bhagavan Ramana Teachings:
Another unique aspect of Bhagavan's teaching is that He revealed the importance of paying 'attention'. We can thus
boldly say that the correct technique of Self Inquiry as taught by Bhagavan is paying full attention to the mere feeling
'I'. As soon as we try to attend to the feeling of 'I', all sorts of thoughts arise and distract our attention. However,
it is interesting to observe that thoughts do not rise of their own accord, they rise only because 'we think' them.
Moreover, thoughts do not have any power of their own, they gain power only by our attending to them. If we do not
pay attention to the thoughts that rise, they will subside of their own accord. Bhagavan says: 'If you deny the ego
and scorch it by ignoring it, you would become free. If you accept the ego, it will impose limitations on you and throw
you in a vain struggle to transcend them.' We have, thus, to set aside thought-attention and regain Self attention.
This method of attention is clearly taught by Bhagavan in the small book WHO AM I? where He says: 'If thoughts arise
one should, without attempting to complete them, inquire 'To whom did they rise? What does it matter however many
thoughts rise? At the very moment, that each thought rises, if one valiantly inquires Who am I? the mind (our power
of attention) will turn back (from the thought) to its Source, the Self (then, since no one is there to attend to it) the
thought which had risen will also subside. By repeatedly practicing thus, the power of the mind, to abide in its
Source increases.' This is a great clue for seekers, for practitioners of the way. So long as our attention clings to this
feeling of 'I', we cannot know or attend to anything else. The sole purpose of the quest is to draw out attention back
towards this 'i'. Therefore, Self can be known only by means of Self Inquiry and Self inquiry is not an activity of the
mind but cessation of all forms of mind activity, viz., the state of the stillness of mind. As Bhagavan says om Verse
26 of Upadesa Saram, 'Being the Self is itself is knowing the Self, because Self is not two. This is Self abidance.'
V. Ganesan.
Arunachala Siva.