Behind My Hand

From Talk 548 The creation is said to have an origin. How? Like a tree and the seed from which it has grown. How was the seed produced? From a similar tree. Where is the end to the series of questions? Therefore one must know one’s Self before the world is known. - Ramana Maharshi This quote is a wonderful koan.  Which came first the chicken or the egg.

All insights, however extraordinary they may be, are worthless because it is thought that has created what we call insight and through that it is maintaining its continuity and status quo. - U G Krishnamurti in “The Natural State”

There have been so many saints, sages, and jnanis, and each one has been enamored of a particular concept that he wanted the world to know about. Ultimately, the different religions were only individual concepts which appealed to the consciousness in a particular individual at a particular time. - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, 12 March 1981,  “Consciousness and the Absolute”.

The doubts arise in the mind. The mind is born of the ego. The ego rises from the Self. Search the source of the ego and the Self is revealed. That alone remains. The universe is only expanded Self. It is not different from the Self.  Ramana Maharshi - from Talk 106

In Talk 29 - The Heart is used in the Vedas and the scriptures to denote the place whence the notion ‘I’ springs. Does it spring only from the fleshy ball? It springs within us somewhere right in the middle of our being. The ‘I’ has no location. Everything is the Self. There is nothing but that. So the Heart must be said to be the entire body of ourselves and of the entire universe, conceived as ‘I’. But to help the practiser (abhyasi) we have to indicate a definite part of the Universe, or of the Body. So this Heart is pointed out as the seat of the Self. But in truth we are everywhere, we are all that is, and there is nothing else.

hṛtsthalemanaḥ svasthatākriyā | bhaktiyogabodhāścaniścitam || 10| | The act (kriyā) of abiding in one’s natural state, the mind set in the Heart, is without doubt, Devotion, Yoga and Knowledge.   Notes: Here, kriyā (action) refers to the one truly continuous, uncaused, meritorious ‘act’ (kriyāyoga). This is eternal Being, the Self. Where the mind finds this place (dhyāna), i.e. its place of birth, there is the culmination of karma, bhakti, yoga, and jnana. For the purified mind, this takes the form of constant remembrance, also called nididhyāsana. This is realisation of one’s natural state. Referring to this verse Sri Bhagavan proclaims, “That is the whole truth in a nut-shell.” (Talk 222) —- —- —- Excerpt From Essence of Instruction (Upadesa Saram) Ramana Maharshi, Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://books.apple.com/gb/book/essence-of-instruction-upadesa-saram/id908258526 This material may be protected by copyright.

D.: Does the Karma theory mean that the world is the result of action and reaction? If so, action and reaction of what? M.: Until realisation there will be Karma, i.e., action and reaction; after realisation there will be no Karma, no world. —- Talk 484; Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi

31-1-1935 Talk 21. Mr. Ellappa Chettiar, a member of the Legislative Council of Madras Presidency and an influential Hindu, asked: “Why is it said that the knowledge born of hearing is not firm, whereas that born of contemplation is firm?” M.: On the other hand it is said that hearsay knowledge (paroksha) is not firm, whereas that born of one’s own realisation (aparoksha) is firm. It is also said that hearing helps the intellectual understanding of the Truth, that meditation makes the understanding clear, and finally that contemplation brings about realisation of the Truth. Furthermore, they say also that all such knowledge is not firm and that it is firm only when it is as clear and intimate as a gooseberry in the hollow of one’s palm. There are those who affirm that hearing alone will suffice, because a competent person who had already, perhaps in previous incarnations, qualified himself, realises and abides in peace as soon as he hears the Truth told him only once, where

Bhakti, vichara, japa are only different forms of our efforts to keep out the unreality. The unreality is an obsession at present. Reality is our true nature. We are wrongly persisting in unreality, that is, thoughts and worldly activities. Cessation of these will reveal the Truth. Our attempts are directed towards keeping them out. It is done by thinking of the Reality only. Although it is our true nature it looks as if we are thinking of the Reality. What we do really amounts to the removal of obstacles for the revelation of our true Being. Meditation or vichara is thus a reversion to our true nature. D.: Are our attempts sure to succeed? M.: Realisation is our nature. It is nothing new to be gained. What is new cannot be eternal. Therefore there is no need for doubting if one would lose or gain the Self. --- --- --- - Ramana Maharshi in Talk 401

Bhartrhari (The Grammarian) asserts that powers such as kālaśakti (time), karanaśakti (causality), dikśakti (direction), sādhanaśakti (means) and kriyaśakti (action) are non-different from Brahman. Although they might be considered in some philosophies, such as by the Vaißesikas, to be separately existing entities, in the Vakyapadiya, they are considered powers of Sabdabrahman. They always appear united in the same object, function together, and have no independent reality at any level of discussion. A multiplicity of powers belonging to the Ultimate reality is admitted in preference to postulating multiple entities. The latter moves too far from the fundamental assertion that Brahman is one.

Once on a journey Tzu-ch'i saw a huge tree with strange knots, big enough to shelter a thousand chariots in its shade.  Tzu-ch'i said, "What kind of tree is this?  It must have unusual potential." Looking up at its branches, he saw they were too crooked to be used as beams. Looking down at its roots, he saw it was not solid enough to be used for coffins. When he tasted the leaves, his mouth became inflamed; and they had a smell that would madden a person for days. Tzu-ch'i said, "This is in fact a useless tree.  That's how it got to be this big." Yes, this is why sages cannot be exploited. --- --- --- The Essential Tao, Thomas Cleary (1993; 93)

Brahman is other than the universe. Brahman is not other than the universe. Note: bhedābheda - a seeming contradiction which serves as an interesting koan. “Different and the same.”

This death process is yoga, not the hundreds of postures and breathing exercises. When the thought process stops splitting itself in two, the body goes through a clinical death. First the death must take place, then yoga begins. Yoga is actually the body's skill in bringing itself back from the state of clinical death. This is supposed to have happened to a few people, like Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Ramana Maharshi. I wasn't there and have no interest or resources to find out if this is so. This yoga of renewal is an extraordinary thing. (UG Krishnamurti in Mind is Myth)

From UG Krishnamurti: Q: Where do all these thoughts come from? A: They are all over. There is a thought sphere in which we are all functioning. But one question (I don't ask myself that question because there is no point in posing that question to myself, nor am I interested in finding an answer for it) for which the answer is not very clear is: do these thoughts come from outside passed on from generation to generation, or are they also transmitted through the genes? I have every reason to believe that the totality of knowledge is not only transmitted through our education in all forms, shapes, sizes, and degrees, but also, to a greater extent, through the genes. Now they are saying that the capacity to learn not only languages but a language is genetically controlled. (Thought Is Your Enemy)

I have had trouble posting to the blog and replying to comments recently. Posts seem to be resolved but not comments. In answer to a recent comment on the "Arunachala" post, there are no longer any meetings organised here. However, in the past, Ramana meetings were often advertised on the University noticeboards. That would be worth checking out. Good luck.

Bhartrhari writes in Vākyapadīya, ś abde ś vev āś rit ā ś aktir vi ś vasy ā sya nibandhani / yannetrah pratibh ā tm ā yam bhedarupah pratiyate // ( VP , 1. 118) “The power which resides in words is the sole cause of this universe. Led by the  intuitive (unerring) self, this appearance of division is recognised.” (trans. MWright)

Sabdapurvayoga is the return to that state prior to the arising of the ego. This method of attaining the Self traces the mind back to its source. At that point, the unreality of the ego is discovered. This is the true purification of the word. 

“As the sun shines at all times even when we cannot see it, so Arunachala, as Self alone, shines in the hearts of all living beings, irrespective of any limited perspective. As the life-giving sun seems to ‘appear’ at dawn, allowing the bud of the Lotus, at last, to burst open, the plant having matured and the murky waters having been left behind, similarly, although the grace of Arunachala is forever radiating, the knot of the heart ‘appears’ to remain tightly bound until the maturing effect of atma-vichara [i.e. Self-enquiry] purifies the mind effecting the irresistible pull towards the Heart-centre, its source. Then ... the boundless light of the Self shines, as universe complete, as always, as ever, as ‘I am I’. This is the dawn longed for and requested by the devotee. Grace is never conferred. It always is. When the devotee strives hard for realisation, thereby dispersing the cloud of mindstuff, boundless grace remains.” Excerpt From Arunachala Pancharatna Ramana Maharshi ht

The mind welcomes complexity before simplicity. Complexity allows division. Division allows analysis of components. This is empirical and therefore palpable. This is the survival mechanism for ahamkāra .

Realise the Self; after realisation there will be time to think of what form of death is preferable to you. It is the false identity of the Self with the body that causes the idea of preference, etc. Are you the body? Were you aware of it when you were fast asleep last night? No! What is it that exists now and troubles you? It is ‘I’. Get rid of it and be happy. Ramana Maharshi Talk 32

“You say I. ‘I want to know.’ Tell me, who is that I?” What does he mean? He has now cut across the services of the interpreter and speaks direct to me in English. Bewilderment creeps across my brain. “I am afraid I do not understand your question,” I reply blankly. “Is it not clear? Think again!” I puzzle over his words once more. An idea suddenly flashes into my head. I point a finger towards myself and mention my name. “And do you know him?” “All my life!” I smile back at him. “But that is only your body! Again I ask, ‘Who are you’?” I cannot find a ready answer to this extraordinary query. The Maharshi continues: “Know first that I and then you shall know the truth.” (Paul Brunton, A Search in Secret India, 1972; 144/5)

Ancient pool,  A frog jumps in, [the sound of splashing water] - Basho —- —- —- Ego sinks,  into the Self. Who hears the sound? - MWright

svabhāva (self nature) is revealed, having resolved all opposites by means of vicāra (self enquiry), a sudden understanding, with reliance on neither name nor form, unattached to a single thing. - MWright

Buddhists of the present day look outward, instead of inwardly into their own minds. They get themselves attached to forms and to the world--which is the violation of the truth. From Huang Po’s Sermon ( 9th Century ) , found in  MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM,  DAISETZ TEITARO SUZUKI ( 1935) —- —- —-

To make Buddha seek after himself, or to make Mind take hold of itself-- this is an impossibility to the end of eternity. We do not realize that as soon as our thoughts cease and all attempts at forming ideas are forgotten the Buddha reveals himself before us. - MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM,  DAISETZ TEITARO SUZUKI ( 1935), from Huang Po’s Sermon —- —- —- Engage in Self-investigation, then the non-self will disappear. The Self will be left over. This is self-investigation of the Self. The one word Self is equivalent to the mind, body, man, individual. the Supreme and all else. - Ramana Maharshi in Talk 238

So take it or leave it! You will be better off if you leave it. Anything you listen to is turned into a method, a system. You want to get something through this. For example, somebody says there is a mind and you must uncondition your mind. How are you going to uncondition your mind? You are conditioning your mind through this lingo. That is all that it is necessary for you to see. ... All paths must go. As long as you follow somebody else's path, the path is the product of thought. So it is actually not a new path, it's the same old path, and you are playing the same old game in a new way. It is not a new game. It is the same old game that you are playing all the time, but you think you are playing a new game. You have to come to a point where you can't do anything at all. - The Natural State, U. G. Krishnamurti

A saying of Laotze from Tao Teh Ch’ing was read out in the hall: “By his non-action the sage governs all.” Sri Bhagavan remarked: Non-action is unceasing activity. The sage is characterised by eternal and intense activity. His stillness is like the apparent stillness of a fast rotating top (gyroscope). Its very speed cannot be followed by the eye and so it appears to be still. Yet it is rotating. So is the apparent inaction of the sage. This must be explained because the people generally mistake stillness to be inertness. It is not so. - Ramana Maharshi in Talk 599

Mrs S.: How to Pacify the mind? Gurudas Maharaj.: To find out what is real in life, that which does not change; when one knows that truth, happiness or misery, love or hatred, praise or blame –– nothing can affect the mind. This is the only way to get above events, to know what is real. - Swami Atulananda in "Atman Alone Abides" (Chapter VIII, 224)

“The universe and the body are both simultaneously revealed to me. I have no right to say that the body is mine and the universe is not mine because both are revealed to me.” -Swami Virajananda

“What are you doing?" asked the master—a question that never got a straight answer from an enlightened Ch'an monk. "I am herding an ox," the man replied, a metaphorical way of saying he was trying to discipline himself. "And how," shot back Ma-tsu, "do you go about tending it?" The monk replied, "Whenever it starts to go to grass [i.e., self-indulgence], I yank it back by the nostrils [the tender part of the great animal]." To which Ma-tsu admiringly replied, "If you really can do that by yourself, then I may as well retire.” (From The Zen Experience; Thomas Hoover,  https://amzn.to/2JRbO4H ) --- --- ---  D.: Is it enough if I spend some time in the mornings and some time in the evenings for this atma-vichara? Or should I do it always - say, even when I am writing or walking? M.: Now what is your real nature? Is it writing, walking, or being? The one unalterable reality is Being. Until you realise that state of p

"Whatever you try to become, that is not you. Before the words come out, before you say "I Am", that is you. You must be concerned only with yourself. Don't worry about anybody else. What are you?" (Nisargadatta Maharaj, Consciousness and the Absolute, January 12, 1981)

...if you say, I’ve got the Knowledge,” or “I’m a Master,” that is ego. People often make a show of their Knowledge. Some renounce and put on special clothes. Showing anything is not correct. Understanding is what is required, nothing else. If a man puts on women’s clothes, that does not make him a woman, and vice-versa. Thinking is the first obstacle that has come upon you, but you are thoughtless. Thoughts are of the mind only. (Sri Ranjit Maharaj; Illusion vs. Reality, January 6, 1998.)

यतः वाचः अप्राप्य मनसा सह निवर्तन्ते।  ब्रह्मणः आनन्दं विद्वान् कुतश्चन न बिभेति। yataḥ vācaḥ aprāpya manasā saha nivartante |  brahmaṇaḥ ānandaṁ vidvān kutaścana na bibheti | (Taittiriya upanishad 11.9.1) (quoted in Talk 317) From whence, unreachable, words are turned away along with the mind. One who knows that bliss of Brahman is never afraid of anything.  --- --- --- Ramana Maharshi, in Talk 146: "Reality is simply the loss of the ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity. Because the ego is no entity it will automatically vanish and Reality will shine forth by itself. This is the direct method."

दृष्टिं ज्ञानमयीं कृत्वा पश्येद्ब्रह्ममयं जगत् । Dṛṣṭim jñānamayīm kṛtvā paśyet brahmamayam jagat | (Aparokshanubhutih 116)  (Quoted by Ramana Maharshi in Talk 311) Having filled one’s sight with knowledge, one should see the world as consisting of Brahman. (trans: MWright)

Nāmarūpa An old Zen monk wrote the word “mind” on the gate, on the window, and on the wall of his retreat. A visiting monk commented, "Surely the gate should have the word “gate” written on it, the window should have the word “window” on it, and the wall should have the word “wall” on it.” A third monk, however, said, "Ha! Surely, all three, gate, window and wall, appear without recourse to labelling.” —- —- —- "A visitor said: “The Supreme Spirit (Brahman) is Real. The world (jagat) is illusion,” is the stock phrase of Sri Sankaracharya. Yet others say, “The world is reality”. Which is true? Ramana Maharshi: Both statements are true. They refer to different stages of development and are spoken from different points of view. The aspirant (abhyasi) starts with the definition, that which is real exists always; then he eliminates the world as unreal because it is changing. It cannot be real; ‘not this, not this!’ The seeker ultimately reaches the Self and there find

Master Bashō said to his disciples, "If you have the staff, I will give it to you. If you have no staff, I will take it away from you!" Ramana Maharshi said, “There is no gaining of anything new. All that is required is to rid the Self of ignorance. This ignorance is the identification of the Self with the non-Self.” (Talk 125)

When asked, “What is Buddha?” Bashō replied, “This mind is not Buddha.” When asked again, “What is Buddha?” This time, Bashō replied, “This mind is Buddha.” What mind? “The sea is not aware of its wave. Similarly the Self is not aware of its ego.” (Ramana Maharshi in Talk 47) “If the enquiry is made whether mind exists, it will be found that mind does not exist. That is control of mind. Otherwise, if the mind is taken to exist and one seeks to control it, it amounts to mind controlling the mind, just like a thief turning out to be a policeman to catch the thief, i.e., himself. Mind persists in that way alone, but eludes itself.””(Talk 43)

One night an opportunist thief wandered into Ryōkan's secluded but unlocked hut. Ryokan, while appearing to be sound asleep, watched the thief from his bed. Having searched and found nothing of value, the thief removed the single blanket which Ryokan used to fend off the autumn cold. Ryokan lay motionless. The thief took flight with the old blanket. Ryokan shivered and rose from his bed. At this very moment the light of the full moon broke through the clouds. Ryokan said, “Oh! He left it behind. What a shame! If only he could have seen this enchanting moon. Ramana Maharshi tells a story about King Janaka, in Talk 328: “”I have now found the robber (namely the mind) who has been robbing me of my ‘I’-ness. I will instantly kill this thief.” The perturbation owing to thoughts appears to rob the Self of its peace. The perturbation is the mind. When that ceases the mind is said to take flight. The Self remains as the undisturbed substratum .”

Huineng, the sixth patriarch, overheard two monks arguing about a flag in the courtyard. The first declared, “The flag is moving.” The other disagreed and said, “No, it is the wind that is moving.” Huineng immediately countered, “Neither wind nor flag is moving. It is mind that is moving.” “Elimination of drisya [the seen] means elimination of separate identities of the subject and object. The object is unreal. All drisya (including ego) is the object. Eliminating the unreal, the Reality survives.” (Ramana Maharshi in Talk 25)

A monk approached Zen Master Yakusan with a problem. Master Yakusan told him to wait until the evening session. At the end of the evening session, Master Yakusan said, "will the monk who approached me, earlier today, regarding a problem with practice, come forward.” As soon as the monk came forward Yakusan barged past him, without a word, and retired to his room. Zen like Vichara deals in immediacy. Eagerness to practice... “must be equal to that of a man kept under water trying to rise up to the surface for his life.” (Ramana Maharshi in Talk 28) Waiting is not a valid option.

Q. What is the use of yoga-practice? Is it for personal use or universal benefit? M.: Yoga means union of two entities. What are they? Enquire. Use or benefit is in relation to some centre. What is it? Enquire. Ramana Maharshi - Talk 507 

Ramana Maharshi in Talk 40: Meditation on forms is according to one’s own mind. It is meant for ridding oneself of other forms and confining oneself to one form. It leads to the goal. It is impossible to fix the mind in the Heart to start with. So these aids are necessary.

"Self- Realisation is only a euphemism for elimination of ignorance." - Talk 500

There is no posture like Siddha asana "Of the different postures, eighty-four are the main ones. Of these, again, four, viz., simha, bhadra, padma, and siddha are said to be excellent. Of these too, it is only siddha, that is the most excellent. Thus the yoga texts declare." (from Ramana's "Self Enquiry") When a Muslim visitor asked Bhagavan about asana, he replied that "abidance in God is the only true posture." (Talk 234) On another occasion, he said "nididhyasana (one-pointedness of the mind) is the best." (Talk 557) The one-pointed mind focussed by vichara (Self-enquiry) is indeed pure abidance in the Self. When the ego rises up, confusion ensues and the world of differentiated objects is taken to be real, ego goes off searching for the best asana. In truth, only one is the centre (heart) of all and forms the basis for all - the seat upon which all else abides, including the multitude of asanas. This is siddhāsana.

Talk 38. When one of the present attendants came the first time to Bhagavan, he asked: “What is the way for liberation?” Maharshi replied: “The way already taken leads to liberation.”

Vichara is a way of life. It has absolutely nothing to do with sitting still with a quiet mind.

अथ योगानुशासनम् ॥१॥ atha yogānuśāsanam ||1|| “Here is the instruction in Yoga.” योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥ yogaś cittavṛtti nirodhaḥ ||2|| “Yoga is the control of the activity of the mind.” तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥ tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe’vasthānam ||3|| “Then seer abides in itself.” (Yoga Sutras 1-3)

All action happens as a reaction.  Mind acknowledges this after the fact.

For Vichara, no sadhana (spiritual discipline) is required other than the discipline of remembrance. Since this discipline is innate, in truth, there is no discipline, as such. (Talks on Self Enquiry, by MWright, p. 79)

From Talk  no. 434: M. : The Sadguru is within. D. : I want a visible Guru. M. : That visible Guru says that He is within. D. : Can I throw myself at the mercy of the Sadguru? M. : Yes. Instructions are necessary only so long as one has not surrendered oneself. This is the Truth. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi; Sri Ramanasramam: 1978

“If a man considers he is born he cannot avoid the fear of death. Let him find out if he has been born or if the Self has any birth. He will discover that the Self always exists, that the body which is born resolves itself into thought and that the emergence of thought is the root of all mischief. Find wherefrom thoughts emerge. Then you will abide in the ever-present inmost Self and be free from the idea of birth or the fear of death.”  -from Talk 80 (Ramana Maharshi)