grace

Guru’s Grace means inward-vision or introverted mind | Sri Ramana Maharshi | Aham Sphurana

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

Questioner: I want Bhagavan to bestow his compassionate glance of Grace on me, so that I should undergo Emancipation in this very lifetime.

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: Listen to the following joke:

Once upon a time man was fully aware of his Realised nature, and all humans enjoyed Transcendental consciousness while yet in a body; but on one fine morning, Brahma found he had become jealous of them, since all humans were then equal to him in rank, all being Realised gods. So, Brahma decided to take Self-knowledge away from man and hide it where it could never be found by him. Where to hide It was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods of Heaven, headed by Indra, to help him resolve the matter.

“Let us bury it deep in the earth,” said the gods. But Brahma answered, “No, that will not do, because men will dig into the earth and find it.”

Then the gods said, “Let us sink it in the deepest ocean.” But Brahma said, “No, not there, for they will eventually learn to dive into the ocean, and so will surely find it one day.”

Then the gods said, “Let us take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.” But again Brahma replied, “No, that will not do either, because they will sooner or later climb every mountain and once again find their Immortal Self.

We must hide It so thoroughly from man that he will never succeed in finding It again.” Then the gods gave up and said, “We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place on earth or under the sea that man will not eventually reach.”

Brahma thought for a long, long, long time. Finally he said, “Here is what we shall do. We will hide It deep in the center of their own being, for men will never think to look for It there.” All the gods agreed that this, in fact, was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done. Ever since that day, men have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and excavating- searching for something which is already within themselves.

Q.: How cruel of Brahma to do such a thing…!

B.: That was only a joke. The point is, turn inwards and SEE. That is Guru’s Grace. Guru’s Grace means inward-vision or introverted mind. Guru’s Grace and Jnana-dhrishti [Tom: literally knowledge-vision, ie. vision of self-knowledge or experience of self-knowledge] are thus one and the same.

The above excerpt is taken from Aham Sphurana, 30th August 1936, see here for more information on this text.

Aham Spurana book excerpt – for complete beginners, is meditation on an object easier than Self-Enquiry? Sri Ramana Maharshi

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

The following is a teaching excerpt from a large unedited manuscript, well over 1000 pages long, called ‘Aham Sphurana’. You can download the entire text here.

Aham Sphurana [‘I Shining’ or ‘I vibration’ or ‘I Am shining’ or ‘Shining of the I AM’] claims to contain a collection of previously unpublished talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi as apparently recorded by a visitor to Sri Ramana Ashrama, Sri Gajapathi Aiyyer, in 1936.

The authenticity of the teachings as being genuinely from Sri Ramana Maharshi cannot be confirmed, a fact acknowledged in the manuscript preamble itself, but I share these teachings here in case they are of interest to you.

5th July 1936

Questioner: Is it true that for complete beginners, meditation on an object is easier than attempting to practise vichara [Tom: self-enquiry]?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes. As the aspirant gains one-pointedness (ekagrata) of mind, then he can commence with vichara.

Questioner: Should sadhakas [Tom: seekers] then be discouraged from taking up vichara whilst yet being neophytes?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Leave each one to take up that method or path which appeals the most to him. All other methods, if persevered with long enough, eventually lead up to vichara only. Vichara begins to have significant effect after the aspirant is able to plainly distinguish between the inward-turned and outward-turned mind, and hastens to avoid the latter and inhere in the former as soon as he observes that his mind is wandering.

Questioner: How shall I get vairagya [Tom: dispassion, ie. turining away from objects or loss of interest in objects or objective phenomena]?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: A correct understanding of the actual nature of happiness will lead you to it. Now you seek happiness but think that happiness flows into you from the outside world, or that your mind absorbs happiness from the external, objective world. But what is the truth? Far from causing happiness, the appearance of manifestation is the cause for all our wretchedness. The pleasure that is got by interaction of the mind with objects of sensory perception also has the obverse side of pain. The desire for happiness is right but you have been deluded (by avidya maya) into imagining pain-associated and transient pleasures to be real happiness. Sensory perceptions yield short-lived pleasure which moreover causes pain in its wake. Pain and pleasure alternate with one another in the world. To ascertain the difference between fleeting, momentary, and pain-associated happinesses with the Supreme Happiness of the Self and confine oneself wisely to exclusively the latter is known as vairagya. Knowing that pursuit of sensory fascinations leads only to pain, why do you go in that direction? It is owing to the pull of the old habits of the mind. After these habits (vasanas) wear off, you will have abiding peace. The habits cannot suddenly be shaken off one day. They will go only by prolonged abhyasa [Tom: practice] and steady vairagya.

Questioner: What is the role of the Guru in making the mind steady?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Guru will only suggest that you surrender yourself unconditionally. He will not give you anything new which you have not got already.

Questioner: The mind is peaceful for a while, but after some time, again the old mischievous tendencies assume control over the mind and lead it astray. I don’t know what to do.

Sri Ramana Maharshi: By continuous practise you will succeed in retaining the mind in its source. The state of submergence of mind in its source is its natural state. If you want to regain the natural state, a tremendous fight is inevitable.

Questioner: What is the one thing which I should know properly so as to gain the upper hand in this fight?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: That you should never trust anything revealed into the field of your consciousness that may pull you away from the path leading into further and further introversion of mind.

Questioner: So visions are not necessarily a sign of spiritual progress?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Do not be deceived by visions. Even if I appear before you, do not believe it. Only unintermittently attend to the task of keeping the mind incessantly submerged in the Heart. This is the only thing you need to do: Remain permanently submerged in the Heart.

Questioner: Guru’s Grace or God’s Grace is required for it. Please bless me with your Grace.

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Introversion of mind and Grace are the same thing. Why go searching outside for Grace? Is it not fruitless to do so? Is there anything outside you?

Questioner: So Grace is something I can win by my own efforts?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Certainly. Grace is the same as the Self.

Questioner: I am not able to come here as often as I would like to. My work commitments prevent it.

Sri Ramana Maharshi: You regard the physical body as real and hence all your troubles. Whereas there are no limitations in the Self. Time and space are operative on the physical plane. Since we think that we are physical, we are enslaved by time and space. Realisation means not imagining that you are this and that, not thinking that you are conditioned by so-and-so circumstances. Are you in the world or is the world in you? In deep sleep did the world come and announce itself to you? Nevertheless, did you not exist in deep sleep? Are you different from the one that existed in deep sleep? Why then bother about time and space, which are merely concepts conjured up by the effervescent mind? Know that what you are in sleep is your true nature. That sleep continues even now; hold on to the state of sleepless sleep and see if these questions arise.

Questioner: How to sleep without sleeping?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: By always retaining the mind in its source and never allowing it to stray outwards. By practise, the state will gradually become spontaneous. That perfectly spontaneous state of continuous, volitionless and effortless thoughtlessness is the coveted state of sleepless sleep. That is the object of our efforts. It will come only by long practice.

Questioner: How to remind myself that I am not the body?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Compare the present state with deep sleep. Were you with a body in sleep? Did you not exist all the same? The same ‘I’ which slept is now also present. Hold on to Him. The experience of bodilessness that was in deep sleep is also now. Even now you are bodiless. Only rein in the malefic force that asserts contrariwise: thought.

Questioner: How shall I get nirvikalpa samadhi?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: What is nirvikalpa samadhi? It is to remain permanently submerged in the Heart. In sleep, swoon, death and so on we merge into the Heart unconsciously. In samadhi we merge into the Heart consciously. Why remain apart from the source? Who is that one who wishes to remain apart from his source? Is his existence not mere pretension? The idea of your existence as an individual being is called moola avarana [Tom: root veiling, ie. root ignorance]. The idea is false, because as soon as he is steadily called upon to investigate himself and announce his existence the ego flies away. Then only Reality is left. This process is known as Realising the Self. But there is nothing to be newly gained. The one who dissipates the clouds does not create sky.

Grace Alone is of Prime Importance | Sadhanai Saram | Sri Sadhu Om | Sri Ramana Maharshi

~ Tom Das ~ 2 Comments

The following text is taken from the wonderful text Sadhanai Saram (The Essence of Spiritual Practice) written by Sri Sadhu Om. This text not only gives us the essence of Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching, but also directs us to the true Vedanta teachings. The notes are written by Sri Sadhu Om himself.

  1. The ego is only a trivial entity; besides, it is unreal (asat) and powerless (asakta). It is a mere adjunct which rises and subsides. Therefore, what foolishness it is to think, “The spiritual practice (sadhana) done by the strength of this ego will by itself bestow the goal of life; the supreme power of divine Grace is not of any consequence (and is not necessary in order for one to attain the goal)”!

Note: Not believing Grace, but thinking one’s own individual effort alone to be of very great consequence, is mere foolishness.

  1. Is not the unreal help which one unreal man renders to another unreal man, experienced by everyone in this world as real? Therefore, O Sadguru, the embodiment of Grace, the sole reality, is it impossible for You to save me by dispelling the unreal ego? What doubt or wonder is there in Your being able to help me thus

Note: A man or jiva is merely an unreal appearance, and hence whatever help he may seem to render to another man is also unreal. But when such unreal help rendered by an unreal man is experienced by everyone as real, why should we doubt the ability of the Sadguru, who alone is truly real, to render us the real help of destroying the unreal ego? Such help from the Sadguru will certainly be experienced by us as more real than the help that we feel is rendered to us by others.

  1. Unless our Lord, Sri Ramana, who is the form of God, Himself bestows His divine Grace, who can by his own effort attain that heroic state of firmly abiding as Self, having clearly known one consciousness other than the body to be the real “I”?

Grace & Liberation | How the ego can use ‘Grace’ as an ego-preservation strategy

~ Tom Das ~ 1 Comment

For other articles I have written on the role of Grace in liberation please see here.

I have seen that the idea that Liberation is all down to grace is often an ego-preservation strategy and excuse for the mind not to engage with the actual liberating teaching and practice.

Great sages like Sri Ramana always emphasised the need to listen to the Guru’s teaching and do the practice suggested as it is this which leads to liberation. Otherwise suffering continues indefinitely.

Teachings such as ‘no need to practice as all is already one’ and ‘no need to do anything as there is no-one to do anything’ just allow the present ignorance and suffering to continue unabated. These types of teachings give temporary relief at best, with the sense of individuality & suffering reasserting itself as the root ignorance has not been fully destroyed.

Grace is always here. Grace simply means the ever-present unchanging Self. We (the jiva or ego) must turn towards the Self to ‘activate’ Grace. The Self or Grace then does the last part by finally destroying the ego (the illusory sense of individuality), hence it is said ‘Liberation arises through Grace’, but we must turn within towards the Self first.

This is what Bhagavan Sri Ramana said again and again.

Otherwise it is just the ego-mind saying ‘all is one’, etc, etc, whilst the suffering and the sense of duality continues.

Grace of God vs Sadhana (practice) for attaining moksha (liberation)

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

‘It is mainly through enquiry (vichara) that he who is competent achieves knowledge of the Self; circumstance, time, and the grace of the Lord are but aids to the quest.’

~ Shankara (Vivekachudamani)

Tom: Some say that grace of god is required for liberation and so slacken and shy away from their sadhana. Grace of God is certainly needed, but Grace of God is always here. Shankara reminds us that it is Sadhana ie. Self-enquiry, that is the foremost factor that leads directly to liberation

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Video: how these teachings work

~ Tom Das ~ 2 Comments

All spiritual concepts are ultimately illusion – they are more food for the ego, for the apparent separate identity, that actually is not real. Is the seeker willing to go beyond these concepts? This video below explores this.

It is mysterious how these teachings work and result in liberation. There is an ‘X-factor’ about how it happens. We can call it The Grace of God or just say it is a mystery. When liberation comes it is impossible to suffer basically.

Before, you try not to suffer and then it becomes impossible to suffer. There is still a whole range of emotions, but there is no suffering.

Please support these videos by subscribing to my YouTube Channel, liking and sharing

Namaste!

My Love. Faith & Jnana.

~ Tom Das ~ 2 Comments

ramana-maharshi face
Sri Ramana Maharshi

Perfection of Faith in God/Guru/Self is the same as Jnana (spiritual ‘knowledge’ or ‘enlightenment’).

You could say that one leads to another – faith and surrender leads to knowledge, or knowledge leads to surrender and faith – and these are both true on one level, but ultimately they are one and the same – where is the difference apart from on the conceptual level?

For me Faith in the Guru, my Beloved, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, overcame me quite spontaneously, without my asking, and clinging to Him and Faith in his Word and dwelling in His Presence became the Way and the Law and my Self.

For me, whilst I like to learn a bit about Ramana’s life and I enjoy reading his teachings, gazing at His Image and feeling His Presence has often been more powerful than all the written teachings and all my efforts put together.

Someone recently approached me at the end of one of my Satsangs/meetings and asked me which book would I recommend as being the best one to understand Ramana’s teachings. I told him that Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi and Be As You Are are two wonderful books, but when you open the book, the most important page is the one which has a photograph of Ramana on it (most of Ramana’s books contain a photograph of him in the first few pages).

Instead of reading all the teachings and trying to figure it all out, just look at His Image, feel His Presence!

We can read and listen to the teachings as much as we like, but I have found there is power in something else, something intangible – the Guru’s grace, the eyes of the Guru, His Divine Grace…

So, cling to the Guru, cling to His Teachings. For me, that means Sri Ramana Maharshi. If it suits you, if you are drawn to Him, Ramana, take Him up as your Guru. Look at His Image, give yourself to Him, if it feels right for you. Of if you have another Guru/God you are drawn to, do the same with him/her. Or if you cannot relate to a Guru or God, try relating to Life or the Universe or Universal Energy or something similar. See what happens and feel free to let me know too!

Ramana said that life often brings us to have faith in God, then God brings us a Guru, and the Guru then directs us back to our Self and we realise all is One. Of course, we do not really realise, rather the ‘we’ or the ‘me’ that is seeking Union disappears or ‘merges into Him’. There was only ever Him/Self/Guru/God/Oneness…use any word that suits you.

Ramana also said that if we are lucky enough to be blessed with faith in something, that is a blessing to us and we should seize that faith and lean on it with loving devotion, and not to allow it to wither away.

So I encourage you to look at His Image, surrender to Him, and let me know how it goes!

‘Perfection of Faith in God/Guru/Self is the same as Jnana’

With love and best wishes

Tom

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