Upasana (worship) and dhyana (meditation) are possible so long as there is the mind and they must cease with the cessation of the mind.

Ramana Maharishi:  Upasana and dhyana are possible so long as there is the mind and they must cease with the cessation of the mind. They are mere preliminaries to final eradication of thoughts and the stillness of mind.

What does it matter whether body-consciousness is lost or retained? When lost it is internal samadhi: when retained, it is external samadhi.

Devotee:  Is loss of body-consciousness a perquisite to the attainment of sahaja samadhi?


Ramana Maharishi:  What is body-consciousness? Analyse it. There must be a body and consciousness limited to it which together make up body consciousness. These must lie in another Consciousness which is absolute and unaffected. Hold it. That is samadhi. It exists when there is no body-consciousness because it transcends the latter, it also exists when there is the body-consciousness. So it is always there. What does it matter whether body-consciousness is lost or retained? When lost it is internal samadhi: when retained, it is external samadhi. That is all. A person must remain in any of the six samadhis so that sahaja samadhi may be easy for him.

Devotee:  The mind does not sink into that state even for a second.


Ramana Maharishi:  A strong conviction is necessary that I am the Self, transcending the mind and the phenomena.

Devotee:  Nevertheless, the mind proves to be a cord against attempts to sink it.


Ramana Maharishi:  What does it matter if the mind is active? It is so only on the substratum of the Self. Hold the Self even during mental activities.


Devotee:  I cannot go within sufficiently deep.


Ramana Maharishi:  It is wrong to say so. Where are you now if not in the Self? Where should you go? All that is necessary is the stern belief that you are the Self. Say rather that the other activities throw a veil on you.


Devotee:  Yes, it is so.


Ramana Maharishi:  That means that the conviction is weak.


Devotee:  I understand that the ‘I’ is only artificial (krtrima), my attempts at realising the real ‘I’ are unavailing because the artificial ‘I’ is brought into action for realising the other.


Ramana Maharishi:  Viveka Chudamani makes it clear that the artificial ‘I’ of the vijnana kosa is a projection and through it one must look to the significance (vachya) of ‘I’, the true principle.

Vairagya (dispassion) accompanied by ego is of no value, whereas all possessions in the absence of ego do not matter.

Devotee:  How long will it take for one to gain Chintamani (the celestial gem granting all the wishes of its owner)?

Ramana Maharishi:  The example of Chintamani is found in Yoga Vasishta. Chintamani signifies the Real nature of the Self. The story is as follows:- A man was making tapasya for gaining Chintamani. A gem mysteriously fell into his hands. He thought that it could not be Chintamani because his efforts had been too short and too little to gain the gem. He discarded it and continued the tapas. Later a sadhu placed before him a brilliant pebble with facets cut. The man was taken in by its appearance but found that it could not fulfill his desires as he originally supposed. Similarly, the Self, being inherent, should not be sought for elsewhere. Again, an elephant used to be often teased by its keeper. He once had an accident and fell down. The elephant could have killed him on the spot but did not do so. Later, however, the keeper dug a big pit in the forest and killed the elephant.
Chudala illustrated Sikhidhvaja’s error by this story. He had vairagya even while ruling his kingdom and could have realised the Self if only he had pushed his vairagya to the point of killing the ego. He did not do it, but came to the forest, had a timetable of tapas and yet did not improve even after 18 years of tapas. He had made himself a victim of his own creation. Chudala advised him to give up the ego and realise the Self which he did and was liberated. It is clear from Chudala’s story that vairagya accompanied by ego is of no value, whereas all possessions in the absence of ego do not matter.

How is one to know the Self?

Devotee:  How is one to know the Self?


Ramana Maharishi:  “Knowing the Self” means “Being the Self”. Can you say that you do not know the Self? Though you cannot see your own eyes and though not provided with a mirror to look in, do you deny the existence of your eyes? Similarly, you are aware of the Self even though the Self is not objectified. Or, do you deny your Self because it is not objectified? When you say “I cannot know the Self” it means absence in terms of relative knowledge, because you have been so accustomed to relative knowledge that you identify yourself with it. Such wrong identity has forged the difficulty of not knowing the obvious Self because it cannot be objectified; and you ask. “How is one to know the Self?” Your difficulty is centred in “How”? Who is to know the Self? Can the body know it? Let the body answer. Who says that the body is perceived now? In order to meet this kind of ignorance the sastras formulate the theory of God’s leela or krida (i.e., play). God is said to emanate as the mind, the senses and the body and to play. Who are you to say that this play is a trouble to you? Who are you to question the doings of God? Your duty is to be: and not to be this or that. “I AM that I AM” sums up the whole truth. The method is summed up in “BE STILL”. What does “stillness” mean? It means “destroy yourself”. Because any form or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion that “I am so and so”. Our sastras say: ahamiti sphurati (it shines as ‘I’).

See how each one admits that he is. Does he look into a mirror to know his being?

Devotee:  Sri Ramakrishna and others practised concentration.


Ramana Maharishi:  Concentration and all other practices are meant for recognising the absence, i.e., non-existence of ignorance. No one can deny his own being. Being is knowledge, i.e., awareness. That awareness implies absence of ignorance. Therefore everyone naturally admits nonexistence of ignorance. And yet why should he suffer? Because he thinks he is this or that. That is wrong. “I am” alone is; and not “I am so and so”, or “I am such and such”. When existence is absolute it is right; when it is particularised it is wrong. That is the whole truth. See how each one admits that he is. Does he look into a mirror to know his being? His awareness makes him admit his existence or
being. But he confuses it with the body, etc. Why should he do so? Is he aware of his body in his sleep? No; yet he himself does not cease to be in sleep. He exists there though without the body. How does he know that he exists in sleep? Does he require a mirror to reveal his own being now? Only be aware, and your being is clear in your awareness.

Thoughts can function only if there are objects.

Devotee:  What is to be our sadhana?


Ramana Maharishi:  Sadhana for the sadhaka is the sahaja of the siddha. Sahaja is the original state, so that sadhana amounts to the removal of the obstacles to the realisation of this abiding truth.


Devotee:  Is concentration of mind one of the sadhanas?


Ramana Maharishi:  Concentration is not thinking one thing. It is, on the other hand, putting off all other thoughts which obstruct the vision of our true nature. All our efforts are only directed to lifting the veil of ignorance. Now it appears difficult to quell the thoughts. In the regenerate state it will be found more difficult to call in thoughts. For are there things to think of? There is only the Self. Thoughts can function only if there are objects. But there are no objects. How can thoughts arise at all? The habit makes us believe that it is difficult to cease thinking. If the error is found out, one would not be fool enough to exert oneself unnecessarily by way of thinking.

All that is required to realise the Self is to “Be Still.”

Devotee:  How did the wrong identity arise?


Ramana Maharishi:  Due to thoughts. If these thoughts are put an end to, the real Self should shine forth of itself.


Devotee:   How are these thoughts to be ended?


Ramana Maharishi:  Find out their basis. All of them are strung on the single ‘I-thought’. Quell it; all others are quashed. Moreover there is no use knowing all except the Self. If the Self is known all others become known. Hence is Self-Realisation the primary and sole duty of man.


Devotee:   How to quell the ‘I-thought’?


Ramana Maharishi:  If its source is sought it does not arise, and thus it is quelled.


Devotee:   Where and how to find it?


Ramana Maharishi:  It is in fact the consciousness which enables the individuals to function in different ways. Pure Consciousness is the Self. All that is required to realise the Self is to “Be Still.”


Devotee:   What can be easier than that?


Ramana Maharishi:  So Atma Vidya is the easiest of attainment.

Destroy the power of mind by seeking it.

Ramana Maharishi:  Destroy the power of mind by seeking it. When the mind is examined its activities cease automatically. Looking for the source of mind is another method. The source may be said to be God or Self or consciousness. Concentrating on one thought, all other thoughts disappear; finally that thought also disappears. It is necessary to be aware while controlling thoughts, otherwise it will lead to sleep.


Devotee:  How to seek the mind?


Ramana Maharishi:  Breath-control may do as an aid but can never lead to the goal itself. While doing it mechanically, take care to be alert in mind and remember the ‘I-thought’ and seek its source. Then you will find that where breath sinks, there the ‘I-thought’ arises. They sink and rise together. The ‘I-thought’ also will sink along with breath. Simultaneously another luminous and infinite “I-I” will manifest and it will be continuous and unbroken. That is the goal. It goes by different names - God, Self, Kundalini-Sakti, consciousness etc., etc. When the attempt is made it will of itself take you to the goal.

The error lies in the identification of the Self with the body.

Devotee:  Is ‘surrender’ accepting all physical annoyances such as ants,mosquitoes, snakes, etc., and, in accepting, willing or ceasing to be really hurt by them?


Ramana Maharishi:  Whatever it is, is it apart from you, the seer or the thinker?


Devotee:  If they are not apart, do we not feel the sting of the ants?


Ramana Maharishi:  Whom does the ant sting? It is the body. You are not the body. So long as you identify yourself with the body, you see the ants, plants, etc. If you remain as the Self, there are not others apart from the Self.


Devotee:  The body feels the pain of the sting.


Ramana Maharishi:  If the body feels it, let it ask. Let the body take care of itself. How does it matter to you?


Devotee:  Does complete surrender mean that all noise and disturbance in our environment, even during meditation, must be accepted? Or should we seek a cave in a mountain for solitude? Did not Bhagavan do this?


Ramana Maharishi:  There is no going or returning. The Self is said to be unaffected by the elements, infinite, eternal. It cannot move. There is no place to move in for the Self.


Devotee:  But, in the process of finding the Self, is this seeking external help spiritually legitimate?


Ramana Maharishi:  The error lies in the identification of the Self with the body. If Bhagavan is the body you may ask that body. But understand him whom you address as Bhagavan. He is not the body. He is the Self.

They find that the Self is eternal and self-evident. Why should they not get that repose even this moment?

Sri Bhagavan said:  Divine sight means Self-luminosity. The world divya shows it. The full word means the Self. Who is to bestow a divine eye? And who is to see? Again, people read in the books, “hearing, reflection and one-pointedness are necessary”. They think that they must pass through savikalpa samadhi and nirvikalpa samadhi before attaining Realisation. Hence all these questions. Why should they wander in that maze? What do they gain at the end? It is only cessation of the trouble of seeking. They find that the Self is eternal and self-evident. Why should they not get that repose even this moment? A simple man, not learned, is satisfied with japa or worship. A Jnani is of course satisfied. The whole trouble is for the book-worms.  Well, well. They will also get on.