Behind My Hand

There is a telling paragraph at the beginning of Chapter One of S. S. Cohen's " Advaitic Sadhana -  The Yoga of Direct Liberation " - "This is the age of shortcuts. Time has shrunk and space more so, and the dual inconvenience has affected men's moods and temper. Even the supreme knowledge has nowadays to be given in massive doses and has to produce quick results too, or they will have none of it." Telling because it reveals that there was a deep seated impatience even back in the days when westerners used to flock to the Ashram on short visits to "bask" in the presence of Sri Ramana Maharshi. This essay was drafted during Ramana Maharshi's lifetime, although first published in 1975. If there was an impatience then what must one say of today! In his introduction to the book Cohen says that, "he used to watch their comings and goings and the haste with which most of them expected to pluck the plum of Self-realisation,

It has taken next to no time at all for young Venkataraman's gift of dis- cover -y to become largely disregarded. Pure simplicity having been replaced with the dullard's contrived attempt to explain that which he has never experienced [and never will] in a form which most appeals to his ego. Of course, this very act can, at best, only ever be counterproductive. Ego appealing to ego begets ego. How to perform Vichara (self enquiry)

A new page describing how to do Vichara  (Self enquiry) has been published. Although this is the simplest of practices there have been some torturous explanations over the years. The above link removes the nonsense. 

The moon shines by the reflected light of the sun. When the sun has set, the moon is useful for revealing objects. When the sun has risen, no one needs the moon, although the pale disc of the moon is visible in the sky. So it is with the mind and the Heart. The mind is useful because of its reflected light. It is used for seeing objects. When it is turned inwards, the source of illumination shines forth by itself, and the mind remains dim and useless like the moon in day-time. Ramana Maharshi in Talk 98 (Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi)

M.: The ultimate Truth is so simple. It is nothing more than being in the pristine state. This is all that need be said. Still, it is a wonder that to teach this simple Truth there should come into being so many religions, creeds, methods and disputes among them and so on! Oh the pity! Oh the pity! Maj. Chadwick: But people will not be content with simplicity; they want complexity. M.: Quite so. Because they want something elaborate and attractive and puzzling, so many religions have come into existence and each of them is so complex and each creed in each religion has its own adherents and antagonists. Ramana Maharshi, Talk 96, 13th November 1935

“From ‘Moments Remembered’ (p. 77), Sri M.G. Shanmugam relates: “He (Bhagavan) once said categorically: ‘For practising Atma Vichara every day is auspicious and every moment is good, ­­no discipline is prescribed at all. Any time, anywhere it can be done, even without others noticing that you are doing it. All other sadhanas require external objects and congenial environment, but for Atma Vichara nothing external to oneself is required. Turning the mind within is all that is necessary. While one is engaged in Atma Vichara one can with ease attend to other activities also. ... With attention focussed on the first person and on the Heart within, one should relentlessly practise Who am I? When this is done one-pointedly, one's breathing will subside of itself. During such controlled practice, the mind might suddenly spring up; so you have to vigilantly pursue the Vichara, Who am I?’” Recorded in Talks on Self Enquiry Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://amzn.to/34TWleg Mo

“In proper Enquiry there is no sequence of thought other than the reiteration of the enquiry, for as soon as any thought/feeling etc. arises ‘I’ ask ‘myself’ the question “To whom does this thought (feeling etc.) arise?” and scythe it down. What the thoughts, feelings etc. are is unimportant... What is important is the continuous remembrance of the enquiry into ‘my’ thoughts.” ———— Talks on Self Enquiry: A collection of writings on Self Enquiry (Atma Vichara) according to the teaching of Ramana Maharshi https://amzn.to/34TWleg

“Lokavichara is paying attention to the world of externals rather than holding the substratum of the ‘I’. Whereas Atma Vichara opens the ‘secret’ of the Self and reveals that the world is unreal apart from the underlying Reality.” Excerpt From Talks on Self Enquiry Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://books.apple.com/gb/book/talks-on-self-enquiry/id1078197373 This material may be protected by copyright.

“It is said that the sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor lightning nor fire. All the lights in the universe cannot be compared even to a ray of this inner light of the Self. Conceptual twaddle falls away in obeisance to this Light of all. Take to Vichara and merge yourself in this constant, eternal light of lights, the light of the Self.” Excerpt From Talks on Self Enquiry Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://books.apple.com/gb/book/talks-on-self-enquiry/id1078197373 This material may be protected by copyright.

“Sphurana’ can be translated in a variety of ways – flashing, glistening, quivering, vibrating, throbbing, coming into view, manifestation, etc. In essence it is the primary manifestation of the Self in the body (the real source of creation). It is experienced when the flow of consciousness is reversed and thoughts/ego are traced back to the Heart centre (Hridaya). Some have experienced this as a physical manifestation on the right side of the chest. One may continue to sense a constant sphurana after revelation of the Self. In Absolute terms however there is no location. This is simply the centre without bounds.” Excerpt From Talks on Self Enquiry Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://books.apple.com/gb/book/talks-on-self-enquiry/id1078197373 This material may be protected by copyright. ————- Note: Sphurana can also be compared to a knock at the door; or a recall. Vichara is answering the call.

Buddha’s Parable of the Poison Arrow A man was going through the forest when he was ambushed by an enemy and shot with a poisoned arrow. One of his kin having stumbled upon him, immediately 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, "Who was that enemy?; and what was his family?;Was he tall?; What colour was his hair?; What kind of bow did he use?; and how was it strung? What was the arrow made of? etc..." When it was suggested that these questions were irrelevant in the present pressing situation and that without application of healing herbs he would surely die, he merely continued his procrastination, in the same vein, intent on gathering maximum information, thus delaying appropriate healing action. Needless to say the cure was never effected. The required action never having been taken, the man d

Ramana Maharshi makes it very clear that there is no advanced method only maturation of vichara. Vichara is the direct method."There is nothing more to be known than what you find in books. No secret technique. It is all an open secret, in this system." (Day by Day, 8-10-46)

““In the union of the individual with the Supreme, the Supreme is hearsay and the individual directly experienced. You can make use only of direct experience; therefore look who you are.” (from Talk 332)” Recorded In Talks on Self Enquiry Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert https://books.apple.com/gb/book/talks-on-self-enquiry/id1078197373 This material may be protected by copyright.

mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśaya | nivasiṣyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ || Fix the mind on me alone, place the thought process in me. Hereafter, without doubt, you will abide in me alone.  (Bhagavad Gita 12.8, - Trans. MWright) The above Verse from Bhagavad Gita is a concise description of vicāra (Self-enquiry).  Note: “Who am l?” - the thought process arises from “me”. Trace the source. Remain there.  ————- “Atma Vichara leads to the source of the ego. There the ego disappears. Remaining as that source the ego no longer arises.” (Excerpt From Talks on Self Enquiry, Miles Wright & Gabriele Ebert;  https://books.apple.com/gb/book/talks-on-self-enquiry/id1078197373)

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā | mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ || All of this Universe is pervaded by me, with my unmanifested form.* All beings abide in me, but I am not contained in them.  Bhagavad Gita 9.4 ————- *brahman - Trans. MWright

407 . This apparent universe has its root in the mind, and never persists after the mind is annihilated. Therefore dissolve the mind by concentrating it in the Supreme Self, which is thy inmost Essence.* —- Vivekacudamani, of SRI SANKARACHARYA Text with English Translation, Notes and an Index, BY SWAMI MADHAVANANDA. (1921) —- * An interesting historic translation of Vivekachudamani which is available for download online.

27. jnAnavarjitAjnAnahInacit / jnAnamastikim jnAtumantaram // True knowledge is that understanding which is without (objective) knowledge or non-knowledge. What else is there to know?    ——— Notes The Self is sometimes said to be unknowable. By this is meant that objective knowledge is absent because other than the Self there is nothing else to be known. A pure mind has immediate access to this knowledge because it is devoid of thought. Atma vicAra keeps the mind free of thoughts. “Sri Bhagavan said that it [the world] is unreal if viewed apart from the Self and real if viewed as the Self.” (Talk 516) “True knowledge’ is the daily experience. When one interacts with the world the Self simply appears to take on myriad forms. Whether or not such forms are withdrawn the Self rests happily in itself. Nothing is gained, nothing is lost, whether the world is perceived, or not. “The ajnani takes the world to be real; whereas the jnani sees it only as the manifestation of the Sel