You are neither That nor This. The truth is ‘I am’. “I AM that I AM”

Devotee:  Why do we not then know it?


Another Devotee:  I should always try to think I am That.


Ramana Maharishi:  Why should one think “I am That”? He is That only. Does a man go on thinking that he is a man?


Devotee:  The belief ‘I am a man’ is so deep that we cannot help thinking so.


Ramana Maharishi:  Why should you think “I am a man”? If you are challenged you may say ‘I am a man’. Therefore the thought - ‘I am a man’ - is called up when another thought, say ‘I am an animal’, protrudes itself. Similarly, the thought I am That is necessary only so long as the other thought I am a man persists.


Devotee:  The thought ‘I am a man’ is so firm that it cannot he got rid of.


Ramana Maharishi:  Be your true Self. Why should you think ‘I am a man’?


Devotee:  The thought ‘I am a man’ is so natural.


Ramana Maharishi:  Not so. On the other hand ‘I am’ is natural. Why do you qualify it with ‘a man’?


Devotee:  ‘I am a man’ is so obvious whereas ‘I am That’ is not understood by us.


Ramana Maharishi:  You are neither That nor This. The truth is ‘I am’. “I AM that I AM” according to the Bible also. Mere Being is alone natural. To limit it to ‘being a man’ is uncalled for.


Devotee:  (Humorously) If votes be taken the majority will be on my side. (Laughter)


Ramana Maharishi:  I cast my vote also on your side (Laughter). I say also ‘I am a man’: but I am not limited to the body. It is IN ME. That is the difference.


Devotee:  The limitation (upadhi) of being a man cannot be got rid of.


Ramana Maharishi:  How were you in deep sleep? There was no thought of being a man.