There is consciousness along with quietness in the mind; this is exactly the state to be aimed at.

Devotee:  There are times when persons and things take on a vague, almost transparent form, as in a dream. One ceases to observe them as from outside, but is passively conscious of their existence, while not actively conscious of any kind of selfhood. There is a deep quietness in the mind. Is it, at such times, ready to dive into the Self? Or is this condition unhealthy, the result of self-hypnotism? Should it be encouraged as a means of getting temporary peace?

Ramana Maharishi:  There is consciousness along with quietness in the mind; this is exactly the state to be aimed at. The fact that the question has been framed on this point, without realising that it is the Self, shows that the state is not steady but casual. The word ‘diving’ is appropriate to the state of outgoing tendencies when the mind is to be diverted and turned within so as to dive below the surface of externalities. But when deep quietness prevails without obstructing the consciousness, where is the need to dive? If the state be not realised as the Self, the effort to do so may be called ‘diving’. The state may in that way be said to be suitable for realisation or ‘diving’. Thus the last two questions in the paragraph are unnecessary.

Before I realised my Self I was wandering looking out for You; having now realised my Self I see that you are my Self

The audience in the hall were very attentively listening. One of them, a sincere devotee of Sri Bhagavan, was so impressed by it that he soon lost himself. He later described his experience as follows: “I was long wondering where the ‘current’ starts, within the body or elsewhere.  Suddenly, my body grew tenuous until it disappeared. The enquiry ‘Who am I?’ went on very clearly and forcibly. The sound of ‘I-I-I’ alone persisted. There was one vast expanse and nothing more. There was a hazy perception of the occurrences in the hall. I knew that people stood up to salute at the end of the Vedic chant. I wanted to stand: the thought soon deserted me. I was again lost in the one expanse. The experience continued until I heard the voice of Sri Bhagavan. That made me collect myself. Then I stood up and saluted. A strange feeling continued for more than half an hour. I cannot forget it. It is still haunting me.”

Sri Bhagavan listened to his words and was silent for some minutes.  A few observations fell from his lips: One may seem to go out of the body. But the body itself is not more than our thought. There can be no body in the absence of thought; no outgoing or incoming in absence of body. However, owing to habit, the feeling of going out arises.  A particle of hail falling on the surface of the sea melts away and becomes water, wave, froth, etc., in the sea. Similarly, the subtle intellect, rising up as the tiny dot (ego) from the heart and bulging out, finally enters into and becomes one with the Heart. Though milk remains as wide as the sea, can you drink it with a mouth as wide as the sea? You can suck it only through the tiny capillaries of the paps. Nammalvar, the Vaishnavite saint, has said: “Only my Self is you”. What does it mean? “Before I realised my Self I was wandering looking out for You; having now realised my Self I see that you are my Self”. How will this fit in with qualified monism? It must be explained thus: “Pervading my Self you remain as the antaryamin (Immanent Being). Thus I am a part of your body and you are the owner of the body (sariri)” Having given up one’s own body as not being oneself why should one become another’s (God’s) body? If one’s body is not the Self other bodies also are non-self. The protagonists of qualified monism think that individuality is necessary to experience the Bliss. Individuality, i.e., ‘I-ness’ should not be lost. Aha! The Self is not the body but your Self becomes the body of God! Is it not absurd?  Or if you make prapatti (surrender yourself) to God, you have made yourself over to Him and you are His and no longer yours. If He is in need of a body let Him look out for  Himself. You need not say He is the owner of a body.

How is the mind to be steadied?

Devotee:  How is the mind to be steadied?

Ramana Maharishi:  By strengthening it.

Devotee:   How to strengthen it?

Ramana Maharishi:  It grows strong by satsanga (the company of the wise).

God is phala data (dispenser of fruit).

Ramana Maharishi:   “Karma has its fruit (phala). They are like cause and effect. The interrelation of a cause and its effect is due to a Sakti whom we call God. God is phala data (dispenser of fruit).

Non-dual idea is advised, but not advaita in action.

Ramana Maharishi:  Non-dual idea is advised, but not advaita in action. How will one learn advaita, if one does not find a master and receive instructions? Is there not duality then? That is the meaning.

Is not the body itself a picture on the screen, the Self?

Devotee:  It is said in Aparoksha-anubhuti that hatha yoga is a necessary aid for inquiry into the Self.

Ramana Maharishi:  The hatha yogis claim to keep the body fit so that the enquiry may be effected without obstacles. They also say that life must be prolonged so that the enquiry may be carried to a successful end. Furthermore there are those who use some medicines (kayakalpa) with that end in view. Their favourite example is: the screen must be perfect before the painting is begun. Yes, but which is the screen and which the painting? According to them the body is the screen and the inquiry into the Self is the painting. But is not the body itself a picture on the screen, the Self?

Devotee:  But hatha yoga is so much spoken of as an aid.

Ramana Maharishi:  Yes. Even great pandits well versed in the Vedanta continue the practice of it. Otherwise their minds will not subside. So you may say it is useful for those who cannot otherwise still the mind.

Is not hatha yoga necessary for the inquiry into the Self?

Devotee:  Is not hatha yoga necessary for the inquiry into the Self?

Ramana Maharishi:  Each one finds some one method suitable to himself, because of latent tendencies (purva samskara).

Devotee:  Can hatha yoga be accomplished at my age?

Ramana Maharishi:   Why do you think of all that? Because you think it exterior to yourself you desire it and try for it. But do you not exist all along? Why do you leave yourself and go after something external?

It is a good sign that you have such feelings. But what can you do now?

Ramana Maharishi:   Soon after the announcement in the newspapers that Gandhiji was going to fast for twenty-one days in Yerwada jail, two young men came to Sri Bhagavan; they were very excited. They said “Mahatma is now fasting for twenty-one days. We want permission from Sri Bhagavan to run up to Yerwada so that we may also fast as long as he does. Please permit us. We are in a haste to go.” Saying so they made ready to rush out. Sri Bhagavan smiled and said, “It is a good sign that you have such feelings. But what can you do now?  Get the strength which Gandhiji has already got by his tapasya. You will afterwards succeed.”

Atma is always Sat-Chit-Ananda. Of these, the first two are experienced in all the states, whereas the last one is said to be experienced in sleep only.

Ramana Maharishi:  Vairagya is possible only for the wise. However, it is often misapplied  by the common folk. For instance, a man often says “I have determined not to go to cinema shows.” He calls it vairagya. Such wrong interpretation of the words and old sayings are not uncommon. Again, we often hear, “Dog seen, stone is not seen; stone seen, dog is not seen.” It is ordinarily understood to mean that one cannot find a brickbat to throw at a stray dog. But this popular saying has a much deeper significance. It is based on a story: A certain wealthy man’s house was closely guarded. It had also a ferocious dog chained to a pillar at the gate. The dog and the chain were however very skilful pieces of art. They were sculptured in stone but appeared life-like. A pedestrian on the road once took fright at the sight of the ferocious animal and hurt himself in his attempt to dodge it. A kindly neighbour took pity on him and showed him that it was not a living dog. When the man passed by it the next time he admired the skill of the sculptor and forgot his old  experience. Thus when he found it to be a dog, he could not see the stone of which it was made; and again when he found it a piece of sculpture he did not see any dog to hurt him. Hence the proverb. Compare it with ‘The elephant hides the wood and the wood hides the elephant.’ Here it is a wooden elephant. Atma is always Sat-Chit-Ananda. Of these, the first two are experienced in all the states, whereas the last one is said to be experienced in sleep only. The question arises how the true nature of the Self can be lost in the waking and dream states. It is, really speaking, not lost. In sleep there is no mind and the Self shines as Itself, whereas in the other two states what shines forth is the reflected light of the Self. Ananda is felt after the cessation of thoughts in sleep. It is also manifest on other occasions as love, joy, etc., priya, moda and pramoda. But they
are all chitta vrittis (modes of mind). When a man is walking in the street his mind is full of fleeting thoughts. Suppose he passes a bazaar where some fine mangoes are for sale. He likes the mangoes and purchases them. He is next anxious to taste them. So he hastens home and eats them and feels happy. When the fleeting thoughts give way to the pleasure at the sight of mangoes, it is priya, when he gets them as his own, the pleasure is moda; lastly, when he eats them, the pleasure is pramoda.
All the three kinds of pleasure are owing to the disappearance of other thoughts.

(Overcome difficulties) By means of devotion and company of the sages.

Devotee:  Difficulties are met with. How is one to get the strength necessary to overcome the obstacles which beset one’s path?

Ramana Maharishi:  By means of devotion and company of the sages.

Devotee:   Loss of individuality was just before mentioned as a prerequisite to moksha. Now devotion and association with the wise are advised as the methods. Is there not individuality implied in them e.g., in “I am a bhakta”, “I am a satsangi”?

Ramana Maharishi:  The method is pointed out to the seeker. The seeker has certainly not lost his individuality so far. Otherwise the question would not have arisen. The way is shown to effect the loss of individuality of the seeker. It is thus appropriate.

It will become natural after long practice.

Devotee:  Does the practice make one ill?

Ramana Maharishi:  Maybe. But all will be rightly adjusted of its own accord.

Devotee:  I practised dhyana for four hours a day and fixation of sight for two hours. I became ill. Then others said that it was owing to my practice. So I gave up dhyana.

Ramana Maharishi:  Matters will adjust themselves.
…..
Ramana Maharishi:  What is practice if it is not an attempt to make something natural? It will become natural after long practice.

iva is in fact knowledge only; yet owing to ignorance the wrong identity with the gross body results.

Ramana Maharishi:  Sat = Being = the substratum (adhara). From this proceeds the particular, namely the jiva who veiled by ignorance identifies himself with the gross body. Here ignorance stands for not investigating the Self. Jiva is in fact knowledge only; yet owing to ignorance the wrong identity with the gross body results.

Aham sphurana (the light of ‘I-I’) is unbroken, continuous.

Ramana Maharishi:  Aham vritti (‘I-thought’) is broken, Aham sphurana (the light of ‘I-I’) is unbroken, continuous. After the thoughts subside, the light shines forth.

How is the ego to be got rid of?

Devotee:  How is the ego to be got rid of?

Ramana Maharishi:  The ego must be held in order to get rid of it. Hold it first and the rest will be easy.

Devotee:  How is that to be held?

Ramana Maharishi:  Do you mean to say that there is one ego to hold another ego or to eliminate the other? Are there two egos?

Is the Hindu view of reincarnation correct?

Devotee:  Is the Hindu view of reincarnation correct?

Ramana Maharishi:  No definite answer is possible for this question. There are pros and cons for the view. Even the present birth is denied natvevaham jatu nasam etc., (Bhagavad Gita). We were never born, etc

What is the state of the realised man? Is he not acting?

Devotee:  What is the state of the realised man? Is he not acting?

Ramana Maharishi:  The question implies that the realised man is not the questioner. Why should you concern yourself with another? Your duty is to look to yourself and not ask of others.

Devotee:  The scriptures hold him up as the ideal.

Ramana Maharishi: Certainly. He is the ideal. You should realise the Self. Even if his state be now described, your understanding of it will be only according to your capacity. You admit that your capacity is limited. The scriptures say that the realised state admits of no limits. So then, the only way to understand his state is to realise the Self and experience the state. If the question arises afterwards the answer will be found.

Differences between Deep Sleep and Wakefulness, where The Self remains in both states

Ramana Maharishi:

Grace is not exterior.

Ramana Maharishi:  Grace is not exterior. In fact your very desire for grace is due to grace that is already in you.

What makes you seek a goal? It is a counter-question to be answered by you.

Devotee:  What is your quest? What is the goal? How far have you progressed?

Ramana Maharishi:  The goal is the same for all. But tell me why you should be in search of a goal? Why are you not content with the present condition?

Devotee:  Is there then no goal?

Ramana Maharishi:  Not so. What makes you seek a goal? It is a counter-question to be answered by you.

What is the mind? Why should you concentrate?

Devotee:  On what should I concentrate the mind after all the thoughts are expelled? I  do not see where I stand then and on what I should concentrate.

Ramana Maharishi:  For whom is the concentration?

Devotee:  For the mind.

Ramana Maharishi:  Then concentrate the mind.

Devotee:  On what?

Ramana Maharishi:  Answer the question yourself. What is the mind? Why should you concentrate?

We are in our Self. We are not in the world.

Devotee:  You have gained this state by great effort. What shall we poor souls do?

Ramana Maharishi:  We are in our Self. We are not in the world.

Imagine a dreamer saying, “May all these wake up before I do”. The dreamer is no more absurd than the amiable philosopher

Ramana Maharishi:  People often say that a mukta purusha should go out and preach his message to the people. They argue, how can anyone be a mukta so long as there is misery by his side? True. But who is a mukta? Does he see misery beside him? They want to determine the state of a mukta without themselves realising the state. From the standpoint of the mukta their contention amounts to this: a man dreams a dream in which he finds several persons. On waking up, he asks, “Have the dream individuals also wakened?” It is ridiculous. Again, a good man says, “It does not matter even if I do not get mukti. Or let me be the last man to get it so that I shall help all others to be muktas before I am one.” It is all very good.  Imagine a dreamer saying, “May all these wake up before I do”. The dreamer is no more absurd than the amiable philosopher aforesaid.