Devotee: Bliss is the outcome of practice. What is that practice?
Ramana Maharishi: Sadhana is the enquiry to find out to whom all these doubts arise.
Devotee: It is for the ego (ahamkara).
Ramana Maharishi: Wherefrom does ahamkara arise?
Devotee: Guidance is necessary to show me the way.
Ramana Maharishi: Go within and find the route. You cannot find it from without; nor should you seek it externally.
Devotee: I am unable to find the ego by search. I stop there.
Ramana Maharishi: How can you get it? It is not apart from you. Leave alone not finding it. Where are you now? Do you mean to say “I am not”?
Devotee: What or how am I?
Ramana Maharishi: Do not trouble yourself about it. Let it be as it is. Why do you care? Did you care for the whole or part (samashti, vyashti) in your sleep? The same person is present now too. You are the same in sleep and in waking.
Devotee: Sleep and waking are different states having different effects ....
Ramana Maharishi: How does it matter to you? The Self is the same, all through.
Devotee: The mind is not steady in meditation.
Ramana Maharishi: Whenever it wanders, turn it inward again and again.
Devotee: When duhka (misery) overpowers me, enquiry is impossible.
Ramana Maharishi: Because the mind is too weak. Make it strong.
Devotee: By what means?
Ramana Maharishi: Sat-sanga, Isvara Aradhana, Pranayama - (association with the wise, worship of God, breath control).
Devotee: What happens?
Ramana Maharishi: Misery is removed; our aim is removal of misery. You do not acquire happiness. Your very nature is happiness. Bliss is not newly earned. All that is done is to remove unhappiness. These methods do it.
Devotee: Association with the wise may strengthen the mind. There must also be practice. What practice should be made?
Ramana Maharishi: Yes. Practice is necessary too. Practice means removal of predispositions. Practice is not for any fresh gain; it is to kill the predispositions.
Devotee: Abhyasa (practice) should give me that power.
Ramana Maharishi: Practice is power. If thoughts are reduced to a single thought the mind is said to have grown strong. When practice remains unshaken it becomes sahaja (natural).
Devotee: What is such practice?
Ramana Maharishi: Enquiring into the Self. That is all. Atmanyeva vasam nayet ..... Fix the mind on the SELF.
Devotee: What is the aim to be kept in view? Practice requires an aim.
Ramana Maharishi: Atman is the aim. What else can there be? All other aims are for those who are incapable of atmalakshya (having the Self for the aim). They lead you ultimately to atma-vichara (enquiry into the Self). Onepointedness is the fruit of all kinds of practice. One may get it quickly; another after a long time. Everything depends on the practice.
Ramana Maharishi: Sadhana is the enquiry to find out to whom all these doubts arise.
Devotee: It is for the ego (ahamkara).
Ramana Maharishi: Wherefrom does ahamkara arise?
Devotee: Guidance is necessary to show me the way.
Ramana Maharishi: Go within and find the route. You cannot find it from without; nor should you seek it externally.
Devotee: I am unable to find the ego by search. I stop there.
Ramana Maharishi: How can you get it? It is not apart from you. Leave alone not finding it. Where are you now? Do you mean to say “I am not”?
Devotee: What or how am I?
Ramana Maharishi: Do not trouble yourself about it. Let it be as it is. Why do you care? Did you care for the whole or part (samashti, vyashti) in your sleep? The same person is present now too. You are the same in sleep and in waking.
Devotee: Sleep and waking are different states having different effects ....
Ramana Maharishi: How does it matter to you? The Self is the same, all through.
Devotee: The mind is not steady in meditation.
Ramana Maharishi: Whenever it wanders, turn it inward again and again.
Devotee: When duhka (misery) overpowers me, enquiry is impossible.
Ramana Maharishi: Because the mind is too weak. Make it strong.
Devotee: By what means?
Ramana Maharishi: Sat-sanga, Isvara Aradhana, Pranayama - (association with the wise, worship of God, breath control).
Devotee: What happens?
Ramana Maharishi: Misery is removed; our aim is removal of misery. You do not acquire happiness. Your very nature is happiness. Bliss is not newly earned. All that is done is to remove unhappiness. These methods do it.
Devotee: Association with the wise may strengthen the mind. There must also be practice. What practice should be made?
Ramana Maharishi: Yes. Practice is necessary too. Practice means removal of predispositions. Practice is not for any fresh gain; it is to kill the predispositions.
Devotee: Abhyasa (practice) should give me that power.
Ramana Maharishi: Practice is power. If thoughts are reduced to a single thought the mind is said to have grown strong. When practice remains unshaken it becomes sahaja (natural).
Devotee: What is such practice?
Ramana Maharishi: Enquiring into the Self. That is all. Atmanyeva vasam nayet ..... Fix the mind on the SELF.
Devotee: What is the aim to be kept in view? Practice requires an aim.
Ramana Maharishi: Atman is the aim. What else can there be? All other aims are for those who are incapable of atmalakshya (having the Self for the aim). They lead you ultimately to atma-vichara (enquiry into the Self). Onepointedness is the fruit of all kinds of practice. One may get it quickly; another after a long time. Everything depends on the practice.
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