tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post384018506790430148..comments2024-03-20T13:24:11.422+05:30Comments on Arunachala and Ramana Maharshi: Sri Guru Ramana PrasadamDavid Godmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10354181925332694222noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-37711190116402416412010-11-17T08:58:13.603+05:302010-11-17T08:58:13.603+05:30 Thank you for advising on my comment. Continue at... Thank you for advising on my comment.<br><br> Continue attending to I-thought and ralax at same time is very difficult for me.<br><br> I have been practicing self-enquiry for about twenty days till today.<br> <br> One of my probrems that I am encountering during practice is aches around temple.Before I began to practice it,I didn't have such aches.<br><br> And I also wonder if I should ask myself "to whom ~~~ arise" etc verbally.<br><br> Without asking myself them verbally, I-thouhgt seem to become vague to feel.<br><br> But asking myself them repeatedly in the form of language is a little annoying.shibanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-22141076549478229782010-11-17T08:58:13.222+05:302010-11-17T08:58:13.222+05:30Thank you for your comment. Certainly,my attention...Thank you for your comment.<br><br> Certainly,my attention is forced to focus on headache.I should continue focusing on I-thought.<br><br>In "BE AS YOU ARE" p119, "If concentration is made with the brain,sensation of heat and even headache ensue.Concentration has to be made in the Heart,which is cool and refreshing.Relax and your meditation will be easy.~~"<br><br>I can't understand what "in the Heart" mean.<br><br>But in p178 "The mind which was hitherto operating through the nerves to sense external objects, maintaining a link between itself and the organs of perception, is now required to withdraw from the link and this action of withdrawal naturally causes a strain, a sprain or a snap attendant with pain.~~" is written.<br><br>So,I will put up with pain and continue to practice self-enquiry.<br><br>In addition to regular periods of practice I'm trying to think "I,I" mentally in daily life. It is a little easy to practice for me.shibanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-1018803882384938982010-11-17T08:58:13.074+05:302010-11-17T08:58:13.074+05:30shiba said:"In "BE AS YOU ARE" p119...shiba said:<br><br><b>"In "BE AS YOU ARE" p119, "If concentration is made with the brain,sensation of heat and even headache ensue.Concentration has to be made in the Heart,which is cool and refreshing.Relax and your meditation will be easy.~~"<br><br>I can't understand what "in the Heart" mean.</b><br><br>I think the non-scholarly answer to your question is "in feeling". When people engage self-enquiry, they first tend to use their thinking mind, the conceptual mind, that is abstracted from experience, and not really able to experience anything directly. What Ramana suggested was that this approach to self-enquiry doesn't work. <br><br>Instead of merely thinking "I", and trying to trace its origins in the mind, it is best to merely feel the basic feeling of self, or "I-feeling", and trace its origins through the central faculty of feeling, rather than the secondary faculty of mind. This helps ground self-enquiry in a depth that the thinking mind simply cannot achieve. <br><br>When Ramana refers to "heart", I think in most cases you can take it that he merely means "core of experience", and the core of our experience is in feeling, not in the thinking mind. Unless, of course, one learns to feel with the mind as well, but even then, feeling is the deeper faculty. It's not an appeal to mere emotion, but the feeling quality of every moment of presuming oneself to be "I". <br><br>So I think what is meant is to simply feel this sense of "I", of self, that we have all the time, and examine this feeling in depth. Look for the source of this feeling, by feeling even deeper, past the "I", to the feeling of "being" itself. <br><br>Sometimes Ramana told people to repeat "I,I,I", like a mantra, but I think he meant that as an exercise of feeling, as in "feel the 'I', feel the 'I', feel the 'I'." It's not just some sort of mental mantra to repeat to gain intellectual knowledge or clarity. <br><br>Now, David can correct me if I'm wrong, but he was the one who helped point me to this understanding of self-enquiry in the first place, or at least confirmed this to be the case, so I think he would probably agree. In any case, just try it this way, and see if it makes a difference.Broken Yogihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257804418740860542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-73797069465144559782010-11-17T08:58:12.327+05:302010-11-17T08:58:12.327+05:30...Bookworm: Ramana quoted Shankara..therefore mus...<i>...Bookworm: Ramana quoted Shankara..therefore must have value...</i><br><br>Bookworm quoted Ramana. Therefore Bookworm must be right.<br><br>.Clemens Vargas Ramoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07193114321240935018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-21157172696682646892010-11-17T08:58:11.916+05:302010-11-17T08:58:11.916+05:30...who has expressed the nature of the Self in thi...<i>...who has expressed the nature of the Self in this hymn, abides in me. ...Who but he, does this day, abiding as the inmost Self in me, speak this in the Tamil language?...</i><br><br>Oh yes,I know this important statements very well. Some people tried to look for theoretical differences between Ramana und Sankara, but there are no differences. <br><br>I remember a discussion somewhwere, where it was said that Ramanas position to classical advaita is different in that that classical advaita declares deep sleep to be <i>avidya</i>, whereas Ramana denied it to be <i>avidya</i>. Because in reality there exist only <i>vidya</i> and nothing else. Deep sleep is <i>avidya</i> to the <i>ajnani</i>.Clemens Vargas Ramoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07193114321240935018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-20040684196549380482010-11-17T08:58:11.312+05:302010-11-17T08:58:11.312+05:30Friends,I wish to share this wonderful excerpt fro...Friends,<br>I wish to share this wonderful excerpt from Sadhu Arunachala (Chadwick)featured in the Golden jubilee souvenir.<br>"An Australian journalist came to the Ashram, quite why<br>he came is a mystery, I doubt if he would be able to tell<br>himself. Anyhow he did come and in the course of his visit<br>came to see me in my room. It was obvious from the first<br>moment that I was a tremendous problem to him. Why an<br>European should shut himself away in a place like this was<br>beyond his comprehension. He asked many questions but<br>none of my replies satisfied him, how could they? Especially<br>as he had not the first idea of what the Ashram was or what<br>people were doing here. I didn’t even write, then what on<br>earth did I do! At length he could contain himself no longer<br>and bluntly asked me what I was doing here. Now here was<br>a problem to answer. If I had tried to tell him the truth he<br>would never have understood, that I realized, so making the<br>best of it I just said that here I found peace of mind. I knew<br>314<br>it was an inadequate answer but hoped it would stave off<br>further enquiries.<br>He looked at me seriously for a few minutes and then said<br>pityingly: “Oh I see, I have never been troubled in that way<br>myself.”<br>All I had succeeded in doing was in confirming him in the<br>conviction that I was insane. And was there not, after all, some<br>ground for his belief? Here have I been spending (“wasting”, he<br>would say) half a life time searching for something I already<br>possess. I know that I possess it too, which makes matters appear<br>worse.<br>But let us return to the question and admit straight- away<br>that even now I am unable to reply satisfactorily. I can only say<br>why I came and that is because I wanted to. And why do I stay?<br>Because I want to. Doubtless there are many learned writers to<br>this volume who will be able to give philosophical and cast-iron<br>replies to this question, I leave the reader to them. I am not<br>particularly interested. To my metal Bhagavan was a magnet<br>and as yet his magnetism has lost none of its force. I am helpless."<br><br>I have also found myself in a similiar predicament,trying to answer such questions.<br><br>Salutations.Ravihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875076137584328729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-62584051936412411852010-11-17T08:58:10.940+05:302010-11-17T08:58:10.940+05:30RaviYou say:I have also found myself in a similiar...Ravi<br><br>You say:<br><br>I have also found myself in a similiar predicament,trying to answer such questions.<br><br> ........................<br>Haven't we all Ravi.<br>The Grace that draws one - and the Trust one has in Ramana is unexplainable..even in a sense to ourselves.Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-38875738056058761862010-11-17T08:58:10.660+05:302010-11-17T08:58:10.660+05:30ScottYou wrote:'Sometimes, when I feel the str...Scott<br>You wrote:<br><br>'Sometimes, when I feel the strongest connection to grace, is when I realize I'm not able to solve my problems, or become enlightened, and naturally give in. How to do that, when any action or inaction is just the mind doing something? Inquiry I guess is the best answer, using the mind to find the source of being'<br><br>..............................<br><br>The mind finds nothing Scott.<br><br>The MIND is only a jumped up tool in You, merely a part or level of You..just an ability.<br> <br>It is a state of thought in conciousness that became too strong in you... so that You falsly thought and think it is You.<br> <br>But it is not You and You are not it.<br>It is maya..an illusion...an entanglement and entrapment that although it appears and feels to be You... <br>Enquiry shows that it is false and not who you Truly Are.<br><br> Ego/mind is just a phantom that rises in You and appears to be You.<br><br>You are That from which and where it rises.<br>............................<br><br><br>You say: 'the best answer, using the mind to find the source of being'<br> ..... <br>It is more true to say: <br>The more Your mind dies or surrenders into That from <br>which it rises:<br><br>the more You find... You... Are the source of Being and are only Being.Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-23338553034994108852010-11-17T08:58:10.253+05:302010-11-17T08:58:10.253+05:30Bookworm,"Haven't we all Ravi.The Grace t...Bookworm,<br>"Haven't we all Ravi.<br>The Grace that draws one - and the Trust one has in Ramana is unexplainable..even in a sense to ourselves."<br>Quite true....'even in a sense to ourselves'!<br><br>Scott,<br>"Sometimes, when I feel the strongest connection to grace, is when I realize I'm not able to solve my problems, or become enlightened, and naturally give in."<br>This is quite valid.Contrary to this,Grace visits(?) us when we least expect it(words!)and is not at all related to our state of mind.(whether we are in difficulty or otherwise).It may come looking for us when we are at play !<br><br>Best Regards.Ravihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875076137584328729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-24446093473143738382010-11-17T08:58:09.922+05:302010-11-17T08:58:09.922+05:30The word chitta refers to thought process. It is b...The word chitta refers to thought process. It is better translated as consciousness. All movements involving the material process are termed as only consciousness by NISARGADATTA. On the other hand, to refer to the atman, the pure consciousness, the term Awareness is better used. NISARGADATTA uses only this term to refer to the pure atman, not the individualized atman, the food body. Maurice Freydman also uses only these terms in the work, " I AM THAT." Thus one can distinguish between the two.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-71757444068836751082010-11-17T08:58:09.636+05:302010-11-17T08:58:09.636+05:30AnonymousOne more thing AnonymousYou say:'The ...Anonymous<br><br>One more thing Anonymous<br>You say:<br>'The word chitta refers to thought process. It is better translated as consciousness'<br><br>.........................<br>Thinking and the thought process is<br>in Truth..unconciousness.Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-71802522733787291752010-11-17T08:58:09.482+05:302010-11-17T08:58:09.482+05:30Bookworm,"Who cares what NIS/ETC did or didn&...Bookworm,<br>"Who cares what NIS/ETC did or didn't do. I certainly don't.<br><br>In my opinion(my humble one Ravi)...I don't think His 'realisation'<br>was anywhere near as ripe or deep as Ramanas. He didn't know a thing about the Heart on the right for example."<br>We may start with this form of Devotion to Sri Bhagavan.sooner or later this needs to be outgrown.Love is where comparison is not-it does not admit IDEAS like 'less','more'etc.<br><br>Nisargadutta Maharaj is truly a Realised Master,and this Realisation does not admit any comparison-Truth is not even NOT ONE!It is not nondual or Dual.These are all ideas.It is beyond these and includes all these.<br><br>Just like Sri Bhagavan is dear to us,Sri Nisargadutta also is,as also all Masters.<br><br>Reading from the Books about a Master or his teaching is not the same thing as BEING WITH ONE.<br><br>coming to the two types of Atman that anonymous has referred to-terminology is different;that is all.EGO is the Atman associated with the Body mind complex-What Sri Bhagavan called as DEHATMA BUDDHI,the pure Atman is the 'I,I' as referred to by Sri Bhagavan.<br><br>Thought process is not unconsciousness-if that were so,we will not be conscious of our thoughts(like in deep sleep).we are very much conscious of our thoughts and the thought process-only that this consciousness is limited by the 'object'.This 'limited consciousness' is a reflection of the unlimited consciousness(awareness)of the self.<br><br>REFLECTION implies that SOURCE is there.<br><br>Best Regards.Ravihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875076137584328729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-30049657606575295232010-11-17T08:58:09.000+05:302010-11-17T08:58:09.000+05:30Scott Fraundorf:I initially was skeptical of Nisar...Scott Fraundorf:<br><br>I initially was skeptical of Nisargadatta when I first read some of the dialogues with him, mainly because I was new to it, and i made a quick judgement, but I did kind of start seeing it differently when I read a little more, a little deeper. Mainly reading the interview with D.G. and his experiences, sounded like the Power of Presence was there. And then when I would read excerpts of I am That, it made much clearer what Realization is/means. As far as I can tell, people are either Realized, not Realized, there are not alot of gradations in between. In my own experience, when my mind becomes active again, it's just as obnoxious, no matter how peaceful I got in between. So it doesn't seem like the ego becomes a better ego. I thought Anonymous made good points, also what Ravi said to me makes sense. Bookworm too, made sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-59102037980968143032010-11-17T08:58:08.723+05:302010-11-17T08:58:08.723+05:30RaviBy the way RaviYou say:'We may start with ...Ravi<br><br>By the way Ravi<br>You say:<br>'We may start with this form of Devotion to Sri Bhagavan.sooner or later this needs to be outgrown'<br><br>........<br>Nothing to do with Devotion Ravi....It is my True opinion that Nis/etcs realisation was not as ripe or as deep as Ramanas.<br><br>As for your statement above, there is only one word for it Ravi and that is...rubbish.Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-7508786742485714842010-11-17T08:58:08.491+05:302010-11-17T08:58:08.491+05:30Bookworm/Friends,Here is an excerpt from 'At t...Bookworm/Friends,<br>Here is an excerpt from 'At the Feet of Bhagavan' by sri T K sundaresa Iyer(A real gem of a book that David brought out from the archives!)<br>"IT was about 1927 when Sri Bhagavan’s Nool Thirattu1<br>in Tamil was under preparation to be published. There<br>was talk among the Ashram pundits that the book must<br>have a preface although the devotees of Maharshi<br>considered that nobody was qualified to write a preface<br>to His works. The pundits proposed the writing of a<br>preface, but none of them came forward to write it, each<br>excusing himself that he was not qualified for the task. It<br>was a drama of several hours as one proposed another for<br>the purpose, and each declined the honour. Bhagavan<br>was watching all this quietly.<br>At about 10-30 in the night, as I was passing beside<br>the Hall, Sri Bhagavan looked at me and said, “Why not<br>you write the preface yourself?”<br>I was taken aback at His proposal, but meekly said,<br>“I would venture to write it only if I had Bhagavan’s blessing<br>in the task.” Bhagavan said, “Do write it, and it will<br>come all right.”<br>So I began writing at the dead of night, and to my<br>great surprise within three quarters of an hour I made a<br>draft as if impelled, driven by some Supreme Force. Ialtered not even a comma of it, and at 2 O’clock in the<br>early morning I placed it at the feet of Bhagavan. He was<br>happy to see how the contents were arranged and to note<br>the simplicity of the expressions used. He passed it as all<br>right and asked me to take it away.<br>But as I had taken the written sheets of paper only a<br>few steps away, Sri Maharshi beckoned me to show them<br>to Him once again. I had concluded the Preface in the<br>following way: “It is hoped that this work in the form of<br>Bhagavan’s Grace will give to all who aspire to eternal<br>Truth, the Liberation in the form of gaining supreme<br>Bliss shaped as the taking away of all sorrow.” Maharshi<br>said, “Why have you said ‘It is hoped’? Why not say ‘It is<br>certain’?” So saying, He corrected with His own hands<br>my ‘nambukiren’ into ‘tinnam’.<br>Thus Sri Maharshi set His seal of approval to the<br>book, giving to His devotees that great charter of<br>Liberation, in the form of His Teaching (upadesa) which<br>leaves no trace of doubt about it in the mind."<br><br>Best Regards.Ravihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875076137584328729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-37849034591344345702010-11-17T08:58:03.802+05:302010-11-17T08:58:03.802+05:30Nandu Narasimhan You say:'My personal opinion ...Nandu Narasimhan <br><br>You say:<br><br>'My personal opinion is that Nisargadatta Maharaj was realised, and on that plane, there is no lesser or greater degree.<br><br>I have read only one book of Maharaj, and have seen a few videos on youtube. For me at least, His talks, even with the translator working overtime, had a stilling effect on the mind. Though nowhere as dramatic as Papaji's first video had on my head, the feeling was definitely there.<br><br>Want to try and meet Ramesh Balsekar, if I can, on my next trip to Mumbai. He is a direct devotee of the Maharaj'<br><br>......................<br><br>As you say...it is your personal opinion...for both of them.Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-32385118887328079412010-11-17T08:58:03.401+05:302010-11-17T08:58:03.401+05:30Ramos," Immaturity is the incapacity to use o...Ramos,<br>" Immaturity is the incapacity to use one's intelligence without the guidance of another. "<br><br>What is the term to be used for 'the incapacity to use one's intelligence even with the guidance of another'?!<br><br>Thanks very much and Best Regards.Ravihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875076137584328729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-88385704828622549302010-11-17T08:58:02.930+05:302010-11-17T08:58:02.930+05:30....Ravi: What he is speaking of is exactly the sa....<br><i>...Ravi: What he is speaking of is exactly the same as what is called 'Pravritti'(Externalised mind) versus 'Nivritti' path(Inwardly turned Mind)....</i><br><br>Besides: There is an interesting part in Nisargattas Talks, Ravi, concerning this pravritti and nivritti; maybe of interest for you too. The question raised there is important:<br><br><b>Questioner:</b> Some Mahatmas (enlightened beings) maintain that the world is neither an accident nor a play of God, but the result and expression of a mighty plan of work aiming at awakening and developing consciousness throughout the universe. From lifelessness to life, from unconsciousness to consciousness, from dullness to bright intelligence, from misapprehension to clarity -- that is the direction in which the world moves ceaselessly and relentlessly. Of course, there are moments of rest and apparent darkness, when the universe seems to be dormant, but the rest comes to an end and the work on consciousness is resumed. From our point of view the world is a dale of tears, a place to escape from, as soon as possible and by every possible means. To enlightened beings the world is good and it serves a good purpose. They do not deny that the world is a mental structure and that ultimately all is one, but they see and say that the structure has meaning and serves a supremely desirable purpose. What we call the will of God is not a capricious whim of a playful deity, but the expression of an absolute necessity to grow in love and wisdom and power, to actualise the infinite potentials of life and consciousness.<br><br>Just as a gardener grows flowers from a tiny seed to glorious perfection, so does God in His own garden grow, among other beings, men to supermen, who know and love and work along with Him.<br><br>When God takes rest (pralaya), those whose growth was not completed, become unconscious for a time, while the perfect ones, who have gone beyond all forms and contents of consciousness, remain aware of the universal silence. When the time comes for the emergence of a new universe, the sleepers wake up and their work starts. The more advanced wake up first and prepare the ground for the less advanced -- who thus find forms and patterns of behaviour suitable for their further growth.<br><br>Thus runs the story. The difference with your teaching is this: you insist that the world is no good and should be shunned. They say that distaste for the world is a passing stage, necessary, yet temporary, and is soon replaced by an all-pervading love, and a steady will to work with God.<br><br><br><b>Maharaj:</b> All you say is right for the outgoing (pravritti) path. For the path of return (nivritti) naughting oneself is necessary. My stand I take where nothing (paramakash) is; words do not reach there, nor thoughts. To the mind it is all darkness and silence. Then consciousness begins to stir and wakes up the mind (chidakash), which projects the world (mahadakash), built of memory and imagination. Once the world comes into being, all you say may be so. It is in the nature of the mind to imagine goals, to strive towards them, to seek out means and ways, to display vision, energy and courage. These are divine attributes and I do not deny them. But I take my stand where no difference exists, where things are not, nor the minds that create them. There I am at home. Whatever happens, does not affect me -- things act on things, that is all. Free from memory and expectation, I am fresh, innocent and wholehearted. Mind is the great worker (mahakarta) and it needs rest. Needing nothing, I am unafraid. Whom to be afraid of? There is no separation, we are not separate selves. There is only one Self, the Supreme Reality, in which the personal and the impersonal are one.<br><br>.Clemens Vargas Ramoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07193114321240935018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-17762871931641330852010-11-17T08:58:01.756+05:302010-11-17T08:58:01.756+05:30Scott Fraundorf:When I read or watch any of the af...Scott Fraundorf:<br><br>When I read or watch any of the aforementioned teachers, Nisargadatta, J.K, or U.G., or Papaji, I don't really feel like I'm dealing with anyone different then ramana, and that they are all the Self, and consequently all are Ramana.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-32890547175873619932010-02-28T07:35:12.455+05:302010-02-28T07:35:12.455+05:30This is a little off topic and maybe irrelevent, h...This is a little off topic and maybe irrelevent, however Ravi mentioned that Marcus Aurelius was a genuine Raja Rishi. (Emperor who is a sage) Ravi, do you think Barack Obama might be as well? I suspect he is.Losing M. Mindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08593870441560584967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-85948053929103097532009-03-26T18:59:00.000+05:302009-03-26T18:59:00.000+05:30I remember it having been mentioned somewhere that...I remember it having been mentioned somewhere that Ramana explained the teachings of J.Krishnamurthy to a Japanese devotee who couldn't make out anything from a book containing the teachings of J.K, and that Chadwick felt very bad that Bhaghavn should have shown so much patience with that man. Is this a fact as this seems to be very interesting?Sankarramanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01718256859263931847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-57604753784803092102009-02-28T08:31:00.000+05:302009-02-28T08:31:00.000+05:30I collected the first copies of the Indian edition...I collected the first copies of the Indian edition from the press yesterday. Publication was delayed here because of a long strike. Devotees in India who would like to read this book can now order it from the Ramanasramam Dook Depot.<BR/><BR/>Apologies again for my long absence here. I have had a long stream of guests this winter, and right now I am incapacitated with a heavy cold. <BR/><BR/>I like the suggestion for an open thread on Aksharamanamalai. I will start it next week with a post that will include my own comments on one of the verses.David Godmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10354181925332694222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-38571085542519612009-02-12T22:23:00.000+05:302009-02-12T22:23:00.000+05:30ScottYou say:'dissappear. Evidently since there is...Scott<BR/><BR/>You say:<BR/>'dissappear. Evidently since there is only the Self, there can't be anyone to become Enlightened, they can only cease to exist, and'<BR/>..............<BR/><BR/>Close Scott...it is only the FALSE sense of youself as thought and mind that ceases to exist or rather disolves into the Heart which is the Self or 'I am' ness which you are, have always been and will ever BeBookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00859175677786233955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-67220433672221199072009-02-12T06:04:00.000+05:302009-02-12T06:04:00.000+05:30Scott Fraundorf:When I read or watch any of the af...Scott Fraundorf:<BR/><BR/>When I read or watch any of the aforementioned teachers, Nisargadatta, J.K, or U.G., or Papaji, I don't really feel like I'm dealing with anyone different then ramana, and that they are all the Self, and consequently all are Ramana.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3961358105214008284.post-6434635517178372482009-02-12T05:52:00.000+05:302009-02-12T05:52:00.000+05:30Scott Fraundorf:In response to Sankarraman on negl...Scott Fraundorf:<BR/><BR/>In response to Sankarraman on neglect of duty:<BR/><BR/>My currently living spiritual teacher (who I communicate with because for me he fits Maharshi and Papaji's criteria for a sincere teacher) has been trying to drive home the point that I am not the performer of action, and that there is no conflict between Ramana's teachings and functioning (infact stopping action would be the wrong direction), and that grasping at inaction in fear, will not produce liberation, since action is not bondage. <BR/><BR/>I still have difficulty imgaining a state so liberated from the "I" that I'm egoless, and functioning. Although obviously the Self is the source of all action.<BR/><BR/>But I took that advise to mean that I should do action and try to see that action is not bondage, action is not suffering, so when I was cleaning my bathroom the other day, I attempted to inquire deeply, what is the motivation for thought, and where is that? that has been the approach I've been taking to Inquiry lately. <BR/><BR/>I get profoundly blissful, but then I lose it. I still have yet to feel blissful in the midst of homework, and do homework attentively, and with vigor. I have managed to ocassionally laxadasically do work I need to get done, and be fairly relaxed, but I don't think that is what Ramana means by not being the performer of action. <BR/><BR/>Anyway I get the feeling, that this idea that Inquiry makes functioning difficult, is probably a sign that what we are doing is not Inquiry, since even the attempt at Inquiry shouldn't make it hard to do our homework. The method I was given seems to be less cumbersome, because the mind is led voluntarily back to it's source. If anything, Inquiry should make us able to handle alot more work, since it's our egos that want to be slothful, being identified with wanting slothful circumstances, and getting to rest all day. I'm yet to do Inquiry proper, remotely correctly for any duration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com