Direct Path-Part II

Ramana Maharshi

-Staff

By Staff

Monday, November 17, 2008, 14:14

One can free oneself from the bondage of self-imposed limitations only through self-enquiry. Ignorance, a false notion about oneself alone obstructs one's awareness of the truth according to Ramana. Ramana says this ignorance will remain as long as one does not enquire about one's own true nature. This enquiry is termed self-enquiry. One begins by sowing an attitude of doubt about one's assumptions by enquiring 'Am I really what I have assumed myself to be?' What has hitherto been taken for granted is questioned 'Who am 'I'?'.

The focus of enquiry, as the name itself suggests, is the 'I', the individual, the subject. One needs to be gripped by the question 'What is the 'I' consciousness in me?' Ramana points out its importance when he says, 'Can knowledge of everything without Self-knowledge, be true knowledge?'.

To emphasise the need for such an enquiry Ramana used to narrate a story which is worth recalling. Once a bridegroom's party were to detrain in a small station. The train reached ahead of time. A stranger who happened to be at the station at that time saw in this an opportunity to enjoy the marriage feasting. He was the first to greet the bridegroom's party when it alighted. So they thought he was an important member of the bride's household.

When the bride's party arrived a little later they saw this imposter intermingling with the marriage party. They assumed that he was an important member of that group. The imposter had a jolly good time throwing his weight about. At last vexed by his behaviour the bride's father started enquiring who he was. Once the imposter knew that an enquiry was afoot he took to his heels. Similarly the superimposed limitations can last only so long as one does not enquire, intensely, and single-mindedly on the question 'Who am 'I'?' In the searchlight of enquiry the falsity of these encrustations would be revealed.

One's success or failure in this enquiry would depend on whether it is done in the true scientific spirit, which implies total involvement, an open mind, eagerness to discover and a spirit of adventure. Regarding the attitude towards self-enquiry it is exactly the same as to scientific enquiry.

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