Sri Ramana Paravidyopanishad - by 'Who', K. Lakshmana Sarma.

[Subramanian.R]

(The Supreme Science as Taught by Sri Ramana.)

The original is in Sanskrit.  I am giving only the English translation.

**

Benedictory Verse:

We bow our heads to the Holy Ramana, the Ocean of Grace, the Infinite, Incommesurable,
Unborn Primal Divinity, Guru of all Gurus, shining in the Hearts of all creatures as 'I'.

1.  'Homage to Sri Dakshinamurti, manifest in three forms as God, the Guru, and the Real Self,
whose form is infinite as the sky'.  Dakshinamurti was the name of the God when He appeared as
the Primal Guru and taught the sacred mystery of the Supreme State, by Silence, to the four sages,
Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara.  Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi has said that these
three are the three stages of Divine Grace; first God, then the Guru, and lastly the Real Self.

2.  Herein is expounded the Teaching about the Natural State of the Real Self, known as Right Awareness,
which was taught in the Mandukya and other Upanishads, and has now been taught by the same Divine Guru,
along with the means thereto, as experienced by Himself.

contd.,


Arunachala Siva.         

[Subramanian.R]

3.  Becoming keenly aware that the world life is full of misery, because it is infested with desire and fear,
one should approach a Guru who is a Sage, being free from those bad forces, and after doing reverence to
His Holy Feet, should question him about how to become free.

4. The Sage will give out in reply the Supreme secret, confirmed by the experience of all the sages:
'If thou knowest Thyself, there is no suffering there.  If thou sufferest, (it means only that) thou knowest
not Thyself.'

5.'Since you have no suffering in deep sleep, this suffering is only falsely ascribed to thy Self. Realize
the Truth of Thyself by the resolve to know it and thereafter remain in thy own true Nature, which is
Bliss.

6.  This teaching of the Guru is the very essence of all the Upanishads.  All the texts of the latter are
just commentaries on  this teaching.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.         

[Subramanian.R]

7. In the Heart there dwells the Reality which is Pure Consciousness, the Real Self.  To be  in the Heart,
with the mind quiescent, is the Knowledge (Awareness) of Him, and also the State of Deliverance.

8.  That pure Consciousness, which is the Real Self shining in the heart, ever the same (without change),
and the basic substratum -- namely Brahman, -- of the whole universe, are both one and the same.

9.  But the world appearance, superimposed by the mind, because of Ignorance, upon that substratum,
-- which is the Truth of the Self -- conceals that Reality and itself shines as real (in its own light) as there
is Ignorance.

10.  As in dim light the illusory snake, concealing the real rope, is taken as real in its own sight,
so the world,  concealing the Self, appears as real in its own sight, in the state of ignorance.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.           

[Subramanian.R]

11.  Because of ignorance, the Self is believed to be limited to the body, enjoying and suffering, bound
by bonds of desire to the world, ignorant and distinct from the Supreme Being.  Really the Self is identical
with Him, not the other.

12. Hence the world-wandering of the self is just a myth. But this can be verified only in the mind-free
State.  'Apart from the mind there is no bondage to life in the world.' (Viveka Chudamani).

13. As one seeing the false snake fails to see the real rope, so, seeing the world -- wherein are included
Personal God and the individual soul  -- does not see the Real Self as He really is, i.e. as the Supreme
Reality (Brahman).

14.  The Self will remain concealed so long as the world taken as real.  It will cease to be so taken,
when the mind is once for all extinguished; hence one must strive for extinguishing the mind.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.   
 

[Subramanian.R]

15 and 16:  He who, seeking the Self -- concealed, as shown above, by the mind by projecting on him
the illusory world appearance -- becomes firmly established in the True State as that Self, thus uncovering
that Self and dissolving the mind, the Ignorance and the whole world to Him, will enjoy his own true Self,
which is without Samsara, not covered by the vehicles, identical with Brahman, alone and without a second.

17:  Or if one, from fear of the flood of births and deaths, takes refuge in God, then ignorance will cease
by His Grace alone, and then he will become established in the true state of the Self.


18. The wise call by the name 'self surrender' the offering of oneself to God through the devotion.
Hence the seeker of deliverance must practice Devotion to God, which is described as nine fold, consisting
of listening and the rest.

19. That State, wherein one remains immovable in one's true nature (as the Real Self) is (itself called)
Right Awareness, Deliverance and the Natural State.  He that dwells immovably in that Supreme State,
free from delusion, is the Awakened One (Prarabdha).

20.  The Sage who has attained that Supreme State is Free, even though his body survives, (because)
he does not look upon it as himself nor as belonging to himself.  Therefore that Sage is really bodiless.               

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.
 

[Subramanian.R]

21. The Mind-free state stated above is itself complete and endless happiness, since it is the mind itself
that covers up (overpowers) the natural happiness of the Real Self and unfolds suffering for every creature.

22.  The lover of deliverance who is straightforward, pure, truthful, unassuming, valiant, profoundly
devoted to the Guru and endowed with six perfections, viz., serenity of mind, and the rest, will attain
that supreme state without delay.

23.  The 'valor' enjoined here is just the concentration of the mind which the aspirant (sadhaka) achieves
by restraining its vagaries for pursuing the quest of the Self, since no other valor is needed here.

24.  The aspirant to deliverance  must resort to a Sage as his Guru, that is, one who has awakened from
the sleep of ignorance of the Self and is therefore free from delusion.  How can one, who has not awakened
from sleep, awaken others who are of the same case?         

25.  Only that devotion to the Guru is good, which is rendered to a Sage-Guru, regarding him as identical
with God.  Only by such devotion does one attain freedom from delusion.  Truly the Sage is not other than
God.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

26.  Mental calm, sense control, withdrawal from worldly pursuits, fortitude, faith in the words of
Guru, steadiness in Sadhana -- these six are prescribed for the aspirant, whereby his mind will remain
firm in the quest.

27.  That State is knowable only by actual experience of the Truth of the Real Self. It is indicated
(in the sacred lore) only by negations.  'Not so, not so'.  It is not described by speech nor thought
of by the mind.  Even The Primal Guru - Dakshinamurti - taught It only by Silence.

28.  Since that State is changeless, wordless and calm, beyond the states of waking and the rest,
it is called the Fourth State.  Such is the teaching of the Mandukya Upanishad.

29.  For every creature there are three states, waking, dream and deep sleep; and sustaining these
three states there is another sleep, the sleep of ignorance.   

30. The whole of this world is contained within this trinity of states.  The Reality of the Fourth State,
which is wordless, transcends these three states.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

31. Deep sleep is just dreamless sleep;  the other two are sleep with dream.  The Fourth State, being
without sleep and without dream, is the Abode of Deliverance.

32. If that mind free consciousness, which is at the meeting point of deep sleep and waking, somehow
becomes continuous, then the State that then dawns is declared by the Sages to be the State of
Deliverance.

33.   Those that are overwhelmed by this Sleep of Ignorance are the seers of this bad dream, the world.
And as long as this ignorance ceases not by the Right Awareness of the Real Self, the souls have to wander
in this maze of the three states.

34.  Thus every creature is asleep; none in this world of souls is awake.  Only the Sage, who being firmly
established in the Fourth State, has transcended the three states and is free from Ignorance, is awake.

35.  The Sage is wide awake, having become established in the True State of the Self which is free from
the darkness of ignorance;  in respect of the dream world that is being seen by those drowsy with ignorance
of the Self, he is asleep.       

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

36.  Hence it is said that this world is at night to the Sage, whereas to the ignorant the Real Self is as
night.  For this reason that natural State, the Fourth State is described by the sage as a state of waking sleep.

37. For those to whom the three States,waking and the rest, are real, that Supreme State is mentioned as
the Fourth State.  But since that so called Fourth State alone is real, and these three states are unreal, the
term Fourth State alone is real, and these three states are unreal, the term 'Fourth State' is not rightly
applicable to it.

38.   In dream and waking the mind being active, itself creates the world.  In deep sleep it goes into
seed form and on awaking again creates the world.

39.  Unless and until the mind becomes utterly extinct, these three states will continue to prevail.
When the mind becomes extinguished the Supreme State is won, wherein the world once for all
ceases to disappear.

40.  Though the state of being the Real Self is called the State of Knowledge, it is one in which there
is none of the three, the knower, the object, and act of knowing.  That being the case, what does one
know there, by what means, and who is here to know?  It must be understood that knowledge is just a
name for the State of the Self.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.       
     

[Subramanian.R]

41.  The Upanishadic text which says:  'Where the Self is all there is, then how and what does one know
there,'  makes it clear that in the Supreme State, the Real Self is alone, as the One without a second.

42. Since in that State there is not, in reality, even the difference of place and occupant thereof,  the Self
being the One without a second, the All inclusive Reality, therefore He, the Supreme Being, is His own Place.

43.  Since the Sage has put an end to all duality by attaining the Supreme, the Real State, he has
attained the Advaitic State.  Hence He alone should be regarded as an Advaiti.

44.  Duality comes to be taken as real because of taking something not the Self to be the Self.  The sages
tell us that the state of being free from this Ignorance is itself the Advaitic State.

45. Thus Advaita is not a dogma like those of other religions. Also because the mind does not function
in It.  True Advaita is declared to be just the state of Being in one's own real nature as the Real Self,
free from thoughts and free from the world.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva. 
       

[Subramanian.R]

46.  On the other hand the Advaitic state has NOT been attained by one who, knowing the substance
of the sacred lore, as a doctrine by his intellect alone, is satisfied with it without striving to win actual
experience of the Self.

47.  Such a one has not dissolved the world appearance by remaining in the true state of the Self as
the Supreme Reality.  He that knows the Self by understanding the substance of the books has not got
rid of his false notion that the body is the Self!

48. It has been stated by Guru Sankara that such a one is really not different from the brutes.  Brute-
hood is defined by Sages as that by which one regards the Self as limited to the body.

49.  Hence for him that just knows the sacred lore, the belief that the world is real as such (in its own
sight), does not cease.  Deluded by this false belief he ever wanders helplessly in samsara like all the rest.

50.  It is said (by Sri  Bhagavan) that the knower of the sacred lore whose mind has not subsided
in Peace, (of the Supreme State) is just like a gramophone.  It is also said (by Sri Bhagavan) that he is
even worse off than the man without learning, because unlike the latter, he is overwhelmed by moods
of pride and so on.

51.  This theoretical knowledge is styled inferential knowledge (as of a thing absent).  But the Self
is never absent.  How can inferential knowledge of one that is ever present be true Knowledge?

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.               

[Subramanian.R]

52.  The Ignorance causing bondage is just the experience (through mistaken) of the form "I am the body".
How can such ignorance come to an end, except by the Awareness, 'I am the Pure Consciousness'?

53. This theoretical knowledge is only intellectual.  But the intellect has no access to the Real Self.
Just as evil spirits are ironically styled as  'good people', so this Ignorance is styled 'Knowledge'.

54. When a man  scorched by the Sun becomes cooled by bathing in a mirage, or when one succeeds
in cooking food on a painting of fire, then one may attain deliverance by theoretical knowledge.

55.  Therefore one that talks Advaita without actual experience of that Truth is just the same as a Dvaiti.
Neither speech nor mind has any access of the Supreme State. He that abides in that State has no doctrine
whatever.

56. Those that think of themselves as Advaitis  say (from intellectual conviction alone) that the world is
unreal, miserable and inert (unconscious). Others (professing Dvaitism) say otherwise.   But in the
result all are alike.       

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

57. It is only the One Supreme Reality that appears as the three, namely the world, God and the
Soul.  But asserting thus as a doctrine is not Right Awareness. Right Awareness is just the death of the ego.

58.  Indifferent to the actual experience of the Real Self, the sectarians affirm their dogmas with fanatical
vehemence, saying 'There is a Reality', 'There is none', 'It has form', 'It is formless', 'It is One', 'It is two fold',
'It is neither'. 

59.  There is no end to logical discussions, for logic does not come to rest anywhere.  The Supreme transcends
the world. How can it be known by the logical mind?

60. Since the Sage has no creed of His own, He never engages in useless discussions.  All creeds are approved of by Him. He does not seek to unsettle the faith of anyone.

61.  Therefore, the aspirant should, with a mind at peace, cease from hatred of other faiths and from all
disputation and engage in sadhana as taught by his own faith, intent on winning Deliverance.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.           

[Subramanian.R]

62.  There are two creeds held respectively by those who say the world is real and those who say it
is unreal.  The earnest aspirant for Deliverance can win experience of the Truth of the Self without
taking up a definite stand on the question.

63.  All creatures alike want perfect happiness, which is unmixed with suffering and will last forever.
This is not wrong, because happiness is the real nature of all creatures.  So one should inquire where
such happiness can be had.

64. To the seeker of Deliverance who has perfect non attachment, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
tells us in what state that Happiness dwells and what means it can be won.

65. The state of deep sleep is dear to all creatures, and it is dear because it is happy.  But in that
state there are no objects of enjoyment!  What can be the source of this sleep-happiness?

66. Deep sleep and the Supreme State are similar;  in both the mind and the world are absent.
But in both, there is the eternal Reality, the Real Self, and therefore it follows that He is the cause
of the Happiness of both the states.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.           

[Subramanian.R]

67.  The happiness of sleep is fitful and meager, because the mind survives there in seed form.
In the Supreme State there is infinite bliss, known as 'Ananda' in the Vedantic lore.

68.  Only by receiving a minute fraction of that Supreme Happiness do all the creatures enjoy life
in this abode of the souls.  If this source of Happiness were not present, who will care to live in
this world for even half a moment?

69.  Hence it follows that to all alike is the dearest of all things, the Real Self that shines in the
Supreme State as Pure Bliss.  Therefore, to all creatures alike, the most beloved of all is the
Supreme State, and nothing else.

70.  For the aspirant who has thus learned from the Sage-Guru that the Supreme that the
Supreme State is the Home of eternal Happiness and who is therefore indifferent to this world
and intent on winning that State, what is the use of an inquiry concerning the world?

71. Let the world be real or otherwise. What is there in it for the aspirant to strive for?  And let
the Reality in the Supreme State be non dual or otherwise.  It is That alone that he wants to win,
naught else. 

72.  Only by becoming firmly established in the Real Self of that Supreme State can one know
definitely whether that Reality is non dual or not.  How can anyone become aware of that Truth
while still wandering confusedly in the three States?

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.