Beauty ＆ Pure 232

A European lady, Mrs. Gasque (D.), gave a slip of paper on which was written: We are thankful to Nature and the Infinite Intelligence for your Presence among us. We appreciate that your Wisdom is founded upon pure Truth and the basic principle of Life and Eternity. We are happy that you remind us to “Be still and Know THAT”.

[D.]: What do you consider the future of this Earth?

Answer (M.): The answer to this question is contained in the other sheet. 'Be still and know that I AM GOD.'

“Stillness” here means “Being free from thoughts”.

D.: This does not answer the question. The planet has a future - what is it to be?

M.: Time and space are functions of thoughts. If thoughts do not arise there will be no future or the Earth.

D.: Time and space will remain even if we do not think of them.

M.: Do they come and tell you that they are? Do you feel them in your sleep?

D.: I was not conscious in my sleep.

M.: And yet you were existing in your sleep.

D.: I was not in my body. I had gone out somewhere and jumped in here just before waking up.

M.: Your having been away in sleep and jumping in now are mere ideas. Where were you in sleep? You were only what you are, but with this difference that you were free from thoughts in sleep.

Beauty ＆ Pure 231

All the sastras are meant only
to make the man retrace his steps
to the original source.

He need not gain anything new.

He must only give up
his false ideas
and useless accretions.

Instead of doing it
he tries to catch hold
of something strange
and mysterious

because he believes
that his happiness
lies elsewhere.

That is the mistake.

If one remains as the Self there is bliss.

Probably he thinks that being quiet
does not bring about the state of bliss.

That is due to his ignorance.

The only practice is to find out
“to whom these questions arise.”

Beauty ＆ Pure 230

Q.: What are the steps of practical training (sadhana) ?

M.: It depends on the qualifications and the nature of the seeker.

Q.: I am doing idol worship.

M.: Go on with it.
It leads to concentration of mind.
Get one-pointed.
All will come out right.

People think that freedom (moksha)
is somewhere yonder and should be sought out.
They are wrong.

Freedom (moksha) is only
knowing the Self within yourself.
Concentrate and you will get it.

Your mind is the cycle of births and deaths (samsara).

Q.: My mind is very unsteady.
What should I do?

M.: Fix your attention on any single thing
and try to hold on to it.
All will be right.

Q.: I find concentration difficult.

M.: Go on practising.
Your concentration will be as easy as breathing.
That will be the crown of your achievements.

~~~~~~

Beauty ＆ Pure 229

He who begot you as a child you made 
Into a beggar; as a child yourself 
You then lived everywhere just to support 
Your own huge belly; I too am a child. 
Oh Child God in that niche! Encountering one 
Born after you, is your heart made of stone?
I pray you look at me!

Beauty ＆ Pure 228

From ~~~ Sri Ramana Maharshi official website :

Sri Ribhu Gitai:I

n the early days of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s
residence on the holy Arunachala Mountain,
his disciples would gather and recite before him,
often late into the night, the Ribhu Gitai.

Its Tamil translation appears to have been the most-recited scripture
in the awe-inspiring presence of the Maharshi while he resided on the hill.

The audio delineates in definite terms
the characteristics of a Jivanmukta,
and its recitation invariably serves to subdue the mind,
lifting the aspirant to exalted states of consciousness.

The Maharshi has even said that the reading of the Ribhu Gitai
is as good as samadhi itself..

Beauty ＆ Pure 227

Yesterday a Bengali Swami in ochre robes by name Hrishikesanand came here. This morning from 8-30 to 11-00 Bhagavan continuously discussed spiritual matters with him. That voice flowed full of nectar and uninterruptedly like the waters of the Ganges. How can my pen keep pace with that great flow? That amrit (nectar) can only be drunk deep with the hand of devotion: how can it be gathered and conveyed on paper? When Sri Bhagavan was relating his experiences in Madurai of the vision of death, these eyes were incapable of taking in the radiance of his personality, these ears of grasping the full wisdom of his words. It is natural for the enthusiasm of one who relates an incident to reflect the level of intelligence of him who listens.

I should have given you a more detailed account of the questions asked by the Swami and the replies given by Bhagavan; only at present the place reserved for ladies in the hall is rather far from Bhagavan, and, as I happened to be sitting at the back, I could not hear properly all that was being discussed. I did however hear one thing clearly. Bhagavan said, “In the vision of death, though all the senses were benumbed, the aham sphurana (Self-awareness) was clearly evident, and so I realised 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’.”

Many more such things were said but I could not follow or remember them; and so I am not able to write any more about them. There have been several discussions as this before, I am only sorry I have let slip such innumerable gems. Please excuse my laziness and indifference in not writing you even though you have been asking me all these days to write.

('Letters From Ramanasramam', Letter 2 (AHAM SPHURANA). The photo is of the room referred to above.)

Beauty ＆ Pure 226

As Bhagavan was descending the Hill,
one of the workers,
just outside the Asramam stopped work
and was about to prostrate before the Master.

Then the Master said:

“To engage in your duty is the true prostration.”

The Master’s attendant asked:

“How?”

Bhagavan.:

“To perform one’s duty carefully is the greatest service to God

Beauty ＆ Pure 225

The true State is that which shines all over, as space includes and extends beyond the flame

Beauty ＆ Pure 224

What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul and God are appearances in it. Like silver in mother-of-pearl, these three appear at the same time and disappear at the same time.

Beauty ＆ Pure 223

“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.”