Behind My Hand

Noticing the to-ing and fro-ing of the mind, the vigilant one immediately practices vichara. But the quieted mind, having no distractions, has no need to practice. (cf. Ashtavakra Samhita, Chapter 18, stanza 17)

It is the universe in its diversity which is generally spoken of as reality. The pairs of opposites (dvandvas) vie for our attention. Good/bad, hot/cold, rich/poor, spiritual/material etc., we give our attention to all of these in order to make judgements on their relative merits. They are the all important opposites. All important because without them the universe as we 'know' it would collapse into Unity. This is how simple the task is. There is no mystery.  Ramana Maharshi appeals to us to sacrifice everything for Truth. It is not that the mind of the jnani (Sage) and the mind of the ajnani (one who 'believes' enlightenment has yet to come) are different. This is simply thought. The sum and substance of the enquiry "Who am I?" is "...to remain still." The wrong identification of Self with body and senses etc. is solved with this enquiry. This state of equilibrium is not unknown to us. To think it is, is again just thought.  samatvam yoga ucy...

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Hrdaya Kuhara Madhye om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya In the second chapter of Sri Ramana Gita, Sri Bhagavan gives, in four lines of Sanskrit, the essence of His teaching. --------- hrdayakuharamadhye kevalam brahmamAtram hyahamahamiti sAkshAdAtmarupeNa bhAti | hrdi viSa manasA svam cinvatA majjatA vA pavanacalanarodhAdAtmanishTho bhava tvam || (Ramana Gita 2. 2)  --------- In the inmost core, the Heart Shines as Brahman alone, As 'I-I', the Self aware. Enter deep into the Heart By searching for Self, or diving deep, Or with breath under check. Thus abide ever in Atman. (This English translation was given by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi) --------- The verse reveals the Self and three methods for the Realisation of the Self which encompass Jnana, Bhakti and Yoga. hrdayakuharamadhye kevalam brahmamAtram In the interior cave of the Heart, Brahman alone shines, no more-no less. This Heart is the seat of the Self. This Heart is none other than Brahman. You are al...

"Moments Remembered" by V. Ganesan (Sri Ramanasramam, 1994; 53) "In the course of tracing ourselves back to our source, when all thoughts have vanished, there arises a throb from the Hridaya on the right, manifesting as 'Aham' 'Aham' ' I-I '. This is the sign that Pure Consciousness is beginning to reveal itself. But that is not the end in itself. Watch wherefrom this sphurana (throbbing) arises and wait attentively and continually for the revelation of the Self. Then comes the awareness, oneness of existence." 

yato nirvishayasyAsya manaso muktirishyate / ato nirvishayam nityam manah kAryam mumukshuNA // 3 // 'Because liberation is assured for a mind which is not devoted to objects, for that very reason, the mind should constantly be made free of attachment to objects, by one who aspires for liberation.'  - Amrtabindu Upanishad

As a rule, all questions, except the impossible and the patently argumentative, Bhagavan graciously answers – fully, spontaneously, and calmly. Some answers are couched in a humorous vein, when humour is inherent in the questions. Some have a punning ring about them, when he turns worldly questions into spiritual hints, which sometimes baffle the questioner. But the best are the ones which concern sadhana and yogic practice. - SS Cohen's "Guru Ramana" p. 27 

A man was going through the forest when he was ambushed by an enemy and shot with a poisoned arrow. One of his kin stumbled upon him and raised the alarm and soon others arrived with antidotes to the poison.  As they attempted to pull the arrow prior to applying the  healing ointment the man prevented them and began to ask various questions such as, "You must find out for  me; Who was that enemy?; What was his family?; Was he tall?; What colour was his hair?; What kind of bow did  he use?; What was the arrow made of? etc...." When it was suggested that the questions were irrelevant in the present situation and that without application of the healing herbs he would die he just continued to prevent treatment intent on gathering maximum information.  Needless to say ... the cure was not effected. Having been told that Self Enquiry cuts directly to the source what is the point in asking "Who is the Creator?; Why d...

'It is the mind, alone, that is the cause of people's bondage and liberation. One whose mind is devoted to the world (of objects) is bound. One whose mind is not devoted to the world (of objects) is liberated. So it is declared (by the wise)!'  - Amrtabindu Upanishad 2 No invocations, rites or paraphernalia required. Just the elimination of mindstuff's concoctions. 

Talk 551:  A man asked Sri Bhagavan: "How is it that Atma vidya is said to be the easiest?" Bhagavan replied: Any other vidya requires a knower, knowledge and the object to be known, whereas this does not require any of them. It is the Self. Can anything be so obvious as that? Hence it is the easiest. All that you need is to enquire, "Who am I?" A man's true name is mukti (liberation). 

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba states that inner enemies must be controlled, but he also allows that "...you can (and must) use them, ... within limits. e.g., Kama (love, passion) for one's partner, krodha (anger) against unrighteousness, Lobha (greed) for Hari Nama, uttering God’s name, Moha (fondness) for Mukti (salvation), Matsar (hatred) for evil action; and have no mada (pride)." (Sai Baba's Charters and Sayings) [note: the number of ripus (enemies) mentioned can vary dependent on stress/interpretation of any given Sage. Here, Sai Baba mentions all six enemies (shadripu). Sri Ramakrishna often laid stressed on kAma and lobha [the others left unsaid but understood]. The core ripus (shadripu) - kAma (desire, longing, passion), krodha (anger), lobha (greed, covetousness, confusion), moha (attachment, delusion of mind), mada (pride), matsara (jealousy and/or hatred). Although kAma (passion) is sometimes presented as enemy number one, in truth, without moha (delusion of min...