BHAGAVAN ABOUT HIS MADURAI EXPERIENCE

“In the vision of death, though all the senses were benumbed, the aham sphurana (shining

Self-awareness) was clearly evident, and so I realized that it was that awareness that we call ‘I’, and not the body. This Self-awareness never decays. It is unrelated to anything. It is Self-luminous. Even if this body is burnt, it will not be affected. Hence, I realised on that very day so clearly that that was ‘I’.”

LETTERS no 2

EFFORT AND TRUE EASE

A young man from Colombo asked Bhagavan, “J. Krishnamurti teaches the method of effortless and choiceless awareness as distinct from that of deliberate concentration. Would Sri Bhagavan be pleased to explain how best to practice meditation and what form the object of meditation should take?”
Bhagavan: Effortless and choiceless awareness is our real nature. If we can attain it or be in that state, it is all right. But one cannot reach it without effort, the effort of deliberate meditation. All the age-long vasanas carry the mind outward and turn it to external objects. All such thoughts have to be given up and the mind turned inward. For that, effort is necessary for most people. Of course everybody, every book says, “Summa iru” i.e., “Be quiet or still”. But it is not easy. That is why all this effort is necessary. Even if we find one who has at once achieved the mauna or Supreme state indicated by “Summa iru”, you may take it that the effort necessary has already been finished in a previous life. So that, effortless and choiceless awareness is reached only after deliberate meditation. That meditation can take any form which appeals to you best. See what helps you to keep away all other thoughts and adopt that method for your meditation.

DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN, 11-1-46

A constant issue. So many misunderstand the term effort. The effort for truth or God is triggered by Grace only. The force of will gets unified only through turning towards Truth. Desire will become yearning and yearning can become love for God. Stillness is matured through these steps, it is not possible to plan it or bring it about by any intellectual understanding of advaitic concepts. That is the path of ripening through sadhana and Grace.

BUT IN THE BREAKING- THROUGH

But in the breaking-through, when

I come to be free of

will of myself and of 

God's will

and of all his works and

of God himself,

then I am above all

created things, and 

I am neither God nor 

creature,

But I am what I was and 

what I shall remain, now and 

eternally.

I receive such riches that 

God, as he is "God" and

as he performs all his 

divine works,

cannot suffice me; for in

this breaking- through I

receive

that God and I are one.

Meister Eckhart

BHAGAVAN CONVINCES A YOUNG SCIENTIST

In Ulladu Narpadu he [the narrator of this story] found as 'the world is false' and ‘what exists is only one.’ These ideas puzzled the young man All that he had learned at the university rose up in his mind: the nature of the atom and the universe, the wonderful and great power that was stored in them; and the means employed by scientists to harness this power for everyday use. 

He began to think about the book he was reading and the academic knowledge he had acquired: I am like a tiny atom in this vast universe. Why should God create me here? Where was I before I was born? Where will I be after I die, and why should I be here now? Is not everything that I see real? Am I not aware of the existence of things through my five senses?
The Maharshi says that none of these things exists. Am I not seeing the Maharshi himself sitting in front of me?'

Thoughts such as these churned his mind until he could no longer continue reading the book. He became lost in
deep thought.
The Maharshi then looked at the young man and asked, 'What is your doubt?'
The young man immediately sat up and, looking at the
Maharshi, replied, 'A form exists on the sofa, and another
form exists on the floor. If I open my eyes and look, the two of them are clearly visible. But you are teaching that what exists is only one. How can this be true?'

The Maharshi laughed a little and then kept quiet for some time. A few minutes later he gave the following reply.

'Don't you perform experiments in the laboratory when
you are at the university? Let us suppose that you are researching into some topic. To whatever extent the equipment you use in the experiment is subtle and precise, to that same extent the real nature of the things being studied will be known. But even if the equipment is highly sophisticated, if your vision is not normal, then the true nature of the things being studied will not be known. Even
if the vision is normal, if the brain itself is not normal,
then also the true nature of the object being studied will not be known clearly. And even if the brain is normal, if the mind does not engage itself with full attention on the experiment, knowing the truth will not be possible. So, ultimately, ascertaining the truth of an object of study is
dependent on the mind.

What is this thing that we call "mind"? Only thoughts.
But all thoughts expand from one and the same thought.
That one thought is the primary cause and basis of all other thoughts. It is the "I am the body" thought. Unless thought occurs first, the appearance of the many external objects, and the accompanying thought that they are different from oneself, will not occur. In deep sleep, where the ‘I am the body’ idea is absent, the world does appear.
Nor do other thoughts appear there. When one wakes up, it is the thought ‘I am the body’ that rises first. In this thought there are two components: one is the body and the other is ‘I’.
The body is something that appears and disappears. It keeps changing all the time and its existence is dependent on outside materials such as food.
However, the characteristic of ‘I’ is directly opposed to this.
That which truly exists must exist all the time, but the
body does not exist all the time. Therefore, it cannot be real. The ‘I’, though, exists all the time in all the three states of waking, dream and sleep. It is therefore real, whereas the body is unreal. Furthermore, these two joined together cannot constitute a real entity. How can night and day, darkness and light, exist together? If light exists, there is no darkness; if there is darkness, there is no light.

In the same way, no entity comprising the body and ‘I’ exists. Therefore, the "I am the body" thought is itself false.
If you begin to research into the world with this false
thought as the instrument, how can the truth be
discovered?' asked Bhagavan.

At that very moment the obsession that the young man had had for modern, western, scientific methods completely vanished. He understood that truth cannot be known
its methods.

Mountain Path, 2004

BHAGAVAN ABOUT HIMSELF

In the law case where he was heard by a lawyer, Bhagavan made this statement about himself which was written down in shorthand and can therefore be taken as a literal document:

" I have not given sannyas (the status of renunciate) to any one, nor have I taken sannyas from any one. I was living in Skandashram. My mother, who was also living there, passed away in 1922. Her corpse was brought to the foot of the hill and buried here and a samadhi (shrine) was built over it. From that time puja
was started here. After a while I left Skandashram and came and stayed here. At no time have I taken any title. At no time have I initiated any disciples with diksha (formal initiation) or in any ritualistic way. I do not impose any restrictions or discipline on those who gather round me. I do not invite any one to come to this place, nor do I tell any one to leave this place. By birth I am a Brahmin.
I was a Brahmachari (celibate student) when I came here (i.e. to Tiruvannamalai). Within an hour of arriving I threw away my sacred thread, clothes, etc.; I shaved my head clean. I had about three rupees and threw it away, and since then I do not touch money. I accept in my hands things that can be eaten. I do not give upadesa (spiritual instruction) or call myself a guru. However, if questions are asked by seekers I answer them. Since 1907 people have called me ' Ramana Rishi'.
I am an ' athyashrami' (beyond the ashrams and castes) not falling within the category of any of the ashrams. This state is recognized in the sastras. It is explained in the Suta Samhita. The athyashrami can own property if necessary. He needs a guru, but the Self is my guru. The athyashrami is not bound to observe any rites. I have no desire to aquire properties, but things come and I accept them. I agree that to own property is worldly, but I do not hate the world.”