No One Bathes In The Same River Twice-Part II

Ramana Maharshi

oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, March 9, 2009, 14:35

In a way it could be said that the crux of Ramana's teachings is to arm one against clinging to the passing show, to this life of thoughts and action based on pleasure pain, experiences. Quite obviously the ability to let go of an experience is not there as long as one is attached to it through memory of that experience which is over. The solution lies only in a spiritual practice which enables the understanding of the true nature of the mind.

Ordinarily one takes the mind to be a permanent and separate entity like one's body. Ramana begins by pointing out that because there are thoughts we assume that there is a mind from which they emanate. Ramana asks, "Take away thoughts, then where is the mind?" This statement is only to point out the truth that when every thought is changing and is different and is in fast motion there must be a common or linking centre which alone can be called the mind.

Ramana's solution is alert watchfulness of thought at its moment of birth. For, such attention would put an immediate stop not only to that thought but also to the proliferation of that thought into hundreds of related thoughts. This practice of paying attention to the Self, called self-enquiry begins by focussing attention on the subject 'I' and by not allowing any distraction which would happen whenever there is slackening of attention to the rising thought.

Attention to rising thoughts would allow the movement of thoughts from one moment to another without being clogged. As a result the mind would be spacious. This freedom would be a growing freedom. It arises from steadfast practice that is a result of detachment from nagging and obsessive thoughts.

Thought will arise and subside naturally depending exclusively on the need of that moment. This dropping of the thought load by diligent and persistent practice of Self-attention would open up a whole new world hitherto unknown to us. It is like the relief enjoyed by a labourer carrying a heavy load when he drops that load at the destination. The mind which is now fragmented and enervated, would be alert, attentive, powerful and unitary. For the mind is consciousness and is of the same nature as the Self.

In this context one can appreciate the repeated assertion of Ramana that the nature of the mind is pure like ether and its power is the power of the Self. The individual and separate subject, separate 'I' will cease to exist naturally when its associations with experiential thoughts are cut and it exposes itself to the magnetic force of the Self.

In understanding the true nature of one's own mind, one would have discovered one's own immortality by freeing oneself from the shackling thoughts. For the sake of communication and understanding one might say that the mind which we now know would cease to be and be replaced by the pure, unitary mind enabling one to be in the state of natural happiness.

Chat With The Devotees Of Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi