Devotee: What is the necessity for reincarnation?
Ramana Maharishi: Let us first see if there is incarnation before we speak of reincarnation.
Devotee: How?
Ramana Maharishi: Are you now incarnated that you speak of reincarnation?
Devotee: Yes. Certainly. An amoeba developed into higher organisms until the human being has been evolved. This is now the perfection in development. Why should there be further reincarnation?
Ramana Maharishi: Who is to set limits to this theory of evolution?
Devotee: Physically it is perfect. But for the soul, further development may be required which will happen after the death of the man.
Ramana Maharishi: Who is the man? Is he the body or the soul?
Devotee: Both put together.
Ramana Maharishi: Do you not exist in the absence of the body?
Devotee: How do you mean? It is impossible.
Ramana Maharishi: What was your state in deep sleep?
Devotee: Sleep is temporary death. I was unconscious and therefore I cannot say what the state was.
Ramana Maharishi: But you existed in sleep. Did you not?
Devotee: In sleep the soul leaves the body and goes out somewhere. Then it returns to the body before waking. It is therefore temporary death.
Ramana Maharishi: A man who is dead never returns to say that he died, whereas the man who had slept says that he slept.
Devotee: Because this is temporary death.
Ramana Maharishi: If death is temporary and life is temporary, what is it that is real?
Devotee: What is meant by the question?
Ramana Maharishi: If life and death be temporary, there must be something which is not temporary. Reality is that which is not temporary.
Devotee: There is nothing real. Everything is temporary. Everything is maya.
Ramana Maharishi: On what does maya appear?
Devotee: Now I see you; it is all maya.
Ramana Maharishi: If everything is maya, how does any question arise?
Ramana Maharishi: Let us first see if there is incarnation before we speak of reincarnation.
Devotee: How?
Ramana Maharishi: Are you now incarnated that you speak of reincarnation?
Devotee: Yes. Certainly. An amoeba developed into higher organisms until the human being has been evolved. This is now the perfection in development. Why should there be further reincarnation?
Ramana Maharishi: Who is to set limits to this theory of evolution?
Devotee: Physically it is perfect. But for the soul, further development may be required which will happen after the death of the man.
Ramana Maharishi: Who is the man? Is he the body or the soul?
Devotee: Both put together.
Ramana Maharishi: Do you not exist in the absence of the body?
Devotee: How do you mean? It is impossible.
Ramana Maharishi: What was your state in deep sleep?
Devotee: Sleep is temporary death. I was unconscious and therefore I cannot say what the state was.
Ramana Maharishi: But you existed in sleep. Did you not?
Devotee: In sleep the soul leaves the body and goes out somewhere. Then it returns to the body before waking. It is therefore temporary death.
Ramana Maharishi: A man who is dead never returns to say that he died, whereas the man who had slept says that he slept.
Devotee: Because this is temporary death.
Ramana Maharishi: If death is temporary and life is temporary, what is it that is real?
Devotee: What is meant by the question?
Ramana Maharishi: If life and death be temporary, there must be something which is not temporary. Reality is that which is not temporary.
Devotee: There is nothing real. Everything is temporary. Everything is maya.
Ramana Maharishi: On what does maya appear?
Devotee: Now I see you; it is all maya.
Ramana Maharishi: If everything is maya, how does any question arise?
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