The Spiritual Teachings of Ramana Maharshi

A short and difficult book. Very much worth the study required to reach the many insights and ideas here, but you'll have to work at it. I found myself putting quite a bit of extra effort into patiently reading and re-reading sections of this book. 

However, even if you can't get past the book's introduction (written by Carl Jung), it--in a mere four pages--articulates precisely the problem of western life. That alone was a valuable resource. 

Finally, from this book's short biographical sketch of Maharshi there sits one of the most valuable quotes I've ever read:  

"What is not meant to happen will not happen, however much you wish it. What is meant to happen will happen, no matter what you do to prevent it. This is certain. Therefore the best path is to remain silent."

Notes/thoughts: 

p xi: Intro by Jung: "It is undoubtedly more comfortable to dwell in a well-ordered and hygienically furnished house, but that does not answer the question as to *who* is the dweller in this house, and whether his soul enjoys a similar state of order and purity, that is, like that of the house serving for external life. Once man is set to the pursuit of external things, he is never satisfied, as experience shows, with the mere necessities of life, but always strives after more and more, which, true to his prejudices, he always seeks in external things."

p xii: "...a warning message to humanity which threatens to lose itself in the chaos of its unconsciousness and lack of self-control."

p 5: "Who am I?" By this inquiry the mind becomes quiescent. This thought destroys all other thoughts. 

p 5: "When other thoughts arise when should not pursue them, but should inquire: "To whom did they arise? To whom has this thought arisen?" The answer that would emerge would be "To me." Thereupon, if one inquires "Who am I?" the mind will go back to its source, and the thought that arose will become quiescent. With repeated practice in this manner, the mind will develop the skill to stay in its source."

p 6: Letting the mind go out of the heart is known as "externalization". Thus, when the mind stays in the Heart, the "I" which is the source of all thoughts will go and the Self which ever exists will shine. Whatever one does, one should do without the egoity "I."

p 7: "The mind will always be wandering. Just as when the chain is given to an elephant to hold and its trunk it will go along grasping the chain and nothing else, so also when the mind is occupied with a name or form it will grasp that alone. When the mind expands in the form of countless thoughts, each thought becomes weak; but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes one-pointed and strong; for such a mind Self-inquiry will become easy."

p 7: "Of all the restrictive rules, that relating to the taking of sattvic food in moderate quantities is best; by observing this rule, the sattvic quality of mind will increase, will be helpful to Self-inquiry."

p 9: "What is nonattachment?

As thoughts arise, destroying them utterly without any residue in the very place of their origin is nonattachment. Just as the pearl-diver ties a stone to his waist, sinks to the bottom of the sea and there takes the pearls, so each one of us should be endowed with nonattachment, dive within himself and obtain the Self-pearl."

p 10: "Is it any use reading books for those who long for release?

All the texts say that in order to gain release one should render the mind quiescent; therefore their conclusive teaching is that the mind should be rendered quiescent; once this has been understood there is no need for endless reading. In order to quiet the mind one has only to inquire within oneself what one's Self is; how could this search be done in books?"

p 17: Whatever the means, the destruction of the sense of "I" and "mine" is the goal, and as these are interdependent, the destruction of either of them causes the destruction of the other; therefore, order to achieve that state of Silence which is beyond thought and word, either the path of knowledge which removes the sense of "I" or the path of devotion which removes the sense of "mine" will suffice."

p 18: "What is the mark of the ego?
The individual soul of the form of "I" is the ego the self which is of the nature of intelligence (chit--intelligence, consciousness) has no sense of "I." nor does the incentive and body possess a sense of "I." The mysterious appearance of a delusive ego between the intelligent and the insentient being the root cause of all these troubles, upon its destruction by whatever means, that which really exists will be seen as it is. This is called Liberation (moksha)."

p 19: Methods of inquiry:

1) Stuti: Singing the Praises of the Lord with a great feeling of devotion.
2) Japa: Altering the names of the gods or sacred mantras like ohm either mentally or verbally
3) Dhyana: Denotes the repetition of the names Etc mentally java with feelings of devotion when one is in Gianna it does not contact the objects of the senses there for those who are in this state can observe the vagaries of the mind then and there
4) Yoga: the source of the breath is the same as that of the mind; therefore the subsidence either leads effortlessly to that of the other.
5) Jnana: the annihilation of the mind in which it is made to assume the form of the Self through the constant practice of dhyana or inquiry (vichara).

"NOTE: All practices are followed only with the object of concentrating the mind. As all the mental activities like remembering, forgetting, desiring, hating, attracting, discarding, etc., are modifications of the mind, they cannot be one's true state."

p 20: "Fixing their minds on psychic centers such as the sahasrara (literally the thousand-petaled lotus) yogis remain any length of time without awareness of their bodies. As long as the state continues they appear to be immersed in some kind of joy. But when the mind which has become tranquil emerges (becomes active again), it resumes its worldly thoughts. It is therefore necessary to train it with the help of practices like dhyana whenever it becomes externalized. It will then attain a state in which there is neither subsidence nor emergence."

Maya: illusion

p 21: "Maya is that which makes us regard as nonexistent the Self, the reality, which is always in everywhere present and all-pervasive and self-luminous."

p 22: "As the self shines fully of its own accord, why is it not generally recognized like the other objects of the world by all persons?

Wherever particular objects are known, it is the Self which has known itself in the form of those objects. The Self is the only sentient object. There is nothing apart from the Self. If there are such objects, they are all insentient and therefore cannot either know themselves or mutually know one another. It is because the Self does not know its true nature in this manner that it seems to be immersed and struggling in the ocean of birth (or death) in the form of the individual soul."

p 23: "Whenever particular things are perceived (thoughts arise in the mind), the inquiry "Who is it that sees them?" should be made; they will then disappear at once."

(See photo for the connection between the Self and the triple factors of known, knower and knowledge)

p 27: "What are the rules of conduct which an aspirant should follow? Moderation and food, moderation and sleep, and moderation in speech."

p 27: "How long should one practice? until the mind attains effortlessly it's natural state of freedom from concepts, that is, till the sense of "I" and "mine" exist no longer."

p 27: "wisdom is...remaining free from delusion after realizing the truth once. So long as there is the idea that the body is the Self, one cannot be a realizer of truth, whoever he might be."

Karma concerns only the out-turned mind, not the in-turned mind. One who seeks his real self will not be afraid of any obstacle.

* Getting rid of attachment to one's body

* Remove the attachments which have crept in through thoughtlessness

* The discipline of asceticism is the means for attaining dispassion

* On entering the order of aesthetics before one is fit for it

* Renouncing the family in the mind which is the real asceticism

* The householder performing his duties with not attachment. "Action and knowledge are not obstacles to each other."

p 29: "As the activities of the wise man exist only in the eyes of others and not in his own, although he may be accomplishing immense tasks, he really does nothing. Hence he will remain as the silent witness of all the activities taking place."

p 31: What is the light of consciousness? It is the self-luminous existence-consciousness which reveals to the seer (the true Self) the world of names and forms both inside and outside. The existence of this existence-consciousness can be inferred by the objects illuminated by it. It does not become the object of consciousness.

Knowledge (like the waveless ocean)

Bliss (peace, remaining without concepts)

The state beyond bliss ("sleep with awareness")

p 32: "The Self is present in all perceptions as the perceiver. There are no objects to be seen when the "I" is absent. For all of these reasons it may undoubtedly be said that everything comes out of the Self and goes back to the Self."

p 32: If the idea "I am the body" is accepted [this idea is the "knot of the heart" which is what causes bondage], the selves are multiple. The state in which this idea vanishes is the Self since in that state there are no other objects. It is for this reason that the Self is regarded as one only."

p 33: "When there is no "I" there is no karma."

p 34n: the seven stages of knowledge, see attached picture: 

1) the desire for enlightenment

2) inquiry

3) tenuous mind 

4) self-realization 

5) nonattachment 

6) non-perception of objects 

7) transcendence

p 44: "A traveler in a cart has fallen asleep. The bulls move, stand still, or are unyoked during their journey. He does not know these events but finds himself in a different place after he wakes up. he has been blissfully ignorant of the occurrences on the way, but the journey has been finished. Similarly with the Self of a person. The ever wakeful Self is compared to the traveler asleep in the cart. The waking state is the moving of the bulls; samadhi [deep absorption in the Self] is their standing still (because samadhi means the person is aware but not concerned in the action; the bulls are yolked but do not move); sleep is the unyoking of the bulls, for there is complete stopping of activity corresponding to the relief of the bulls from the yoke."

p 48: "Is solitude necessary for an ascetic? 

Solitude is in the mind of a man one might be in the thick of the world and yet maintain perfect serenity of mind; such a person is always in solitude. another may stay in the forest but still be unable to control his mind. He cannot be said to be in solitude. Solitude is an attitude of the mind semicolon a man attached to the things of Life cannot get solitude, wherever he may be. A detached man is always in solitude."

p 48-49: "On silence: lectures may entertain individuals for hours without improving them. Silence, on the other hand, is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity. By silence, eloquence is meant. Oral lectures are not so eloquent as silence. Silence is unceasing eloquence. It is the best language. There is a state when words cease and silence prevails.

D: How then can we communicate our thoughts to one another? 

M: That becomes necessary if the sense of duality exists.

p 49: "Does preaching consist in mounting a platform and haranguing the people around? Preaching is simple communication of knowledge; it can really be done in silence only. what do you think of a man who listens to a sermon for an hour and goes away without having been impressed by it so is to change his life? compare him with another who sits in a holy presence and goes away after some time with his outlook on life totally changed."

Again, how does speech arise? there is abstract knowledge, once arises the ego which in turn gives rise to thought, and thought to the spoken word. So the word is the great grandson of the original source. if the word can produce effect, judge for yourself, how much more powerful must be the preaching through silence! But people do not understand the simple bare truth... that of the Self. Is there anyone unaware of the self? But they do not like even to hear of this truth, whereas they are eager to know what lies beyond, about heaven, hell, and reincarnation. 

Because they love mystery and not the truth, religions cater to them so as eventually to bring them round to the Self."

p 50: "How can I control the mind? 

There is no mind to control if the Self is realized. The Self shines forth when the mind vanishes. In the realized man the mind may be active or inactive; the Self alone exists. When aware of the Self, why should one worry about these shadows? How do they affect the Self?"

p 51: "Meditation is your true nature. You call it meditation now, because there are other thoughts distracting you. When these thoughts are dispelled, you remain alone - that is, in the state of meditation, free from thoughts; and that is your real nature, which you are now trying to gain by keeping away other thoughts."

p 53: This third visit (to the ashram) seems to have intensified the sense of egoism in me and made meditation less easy. Is this an unimportant passing phase or a sign that I should avoid such places hereafter? 

It is imaginary. This place or another is within you. Such imaginations must end; for places as such have nothing to do with the activities of the mind. Also your surroundings are not merely a matter of your individual choice; they are there as a matter of course; and you should rise above them and not get yourself entangled in them."

p 54: "How can the rebellious mind be made calm and tranquil? 

Either see its source so that it may disappear, or surrender yourself so that it may be struck down. Self-surrender is the same as Self-knowledge, and either of them necessarily implies self-control. The ego submits only when it recognizes the Higher Power.

p 59: "What is the significance of the crucifixion? 

"The body is the cross. Jesus, the son of man, is the ego or I-am-the-body idea. When the son of man is crucified on the cross, the ego perishes, and what survives is the Absolute Being. It is the resurrection of the glorious self, of the Christ--the Son of God."

p 61: "How shall I reach the Self? There is no reaching the Self. If the Self were to be reached, it would mean that the self is not here and now but is yet to be obtained. You are the Self; you are already That. The fact is, you are ignorant of your blissful state. The wrong knowledge is the false identification of the self with the body, mind, etc. This false identification must go, and then the self alone remains.

p 64: "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 summarized in "be still." And what does Stillness mean? It means "Destroy yourself"; because every name and form is the cause of trouble. "I - I" is the Self. "I am this" is the ego. When the "I" is kept up as the "I" only, it is the Self. When it flies off at a tangent and says "I am this or that, I am such and such," - it is the ego."

p 76: "The ego may take different and subtler forms at the different stages of one's practice, but it is itself never destroyed."

p 77: "That Bliss of the Self is always with you, and you will find it for yourself, if you seek it earnestly. The cause of your misery is not in the life without; it is in you as the ego. You impose limitations on yourself and then make a vain struggle to transcend them. All unhappiness is due to the ego; with it comes all your trouble. What does it avail you to attribute to the happenings in life the cause of misery which is really within you? What happiness can you get from things extraneous to yourself? When you get it, how long will it last?"

p 77-79: the parable of the 10th Man: "By knowing that he had been there all the while, did they learn anything new? The cause of their grief was not the real loss of any one of the ten; it was their own ignorance, rather than mere supposition that one of them was lost (though they could not find who he was) because they counted only nine. 

Such is also the case with you. Surely there is no cause for you to be miserable and unhappy. You yourself impose limitations on your true nature of infinite Being and then weep that you are but a finite creature. Then you take up this or that practice (sadhana) to transcend the non-existent limitations. But if your practice itself assumes the existence of the limitations, how can it help you to transcend them?

Therefore, you can never be really ignorant of the Self; your ignorance is merely a formal ignorance, like the ignorance of the ten fools about the "lost" tenth man. It is this ignorance that caused them grief."

Know then that true Knowledge does not create a new Being for you; it only removes your "ignorant ignorance." Bliss is not added to your nature; it is merely revealed as your true and natural state, eternal and imperishable. The only way to be rid of your grief is to *know* and *be* the Self. How can this be unattainable?"

p 87: "Unless you give up the idea that the world is real your mind will always be after it. If you take the appearance to be real you will never know the Real itself, although it is the Real alone that exists."

p 88: "How can the mind which has itself created the world except it is unreal? that is the significance of the comparison made between the world of wakeful experience and the dream world. Both are but creations of the mind, and so long as the mind is engrossed and either, it finds itself unable to deny the reality of the dream world while dreaming and of the waking world while awake. If, on the contrary, you withdraw your mind completely from the world and turn it within and abide us, that is, if you keep awake always to the Self, which is the substratum of all experience, you will find the world, of which alone you are now aware, just as unreal as the world in which you lived in your dream."