Who am I? Paragraph 17

[Guest guest]

Paragraph 17

 

For the subsidence of mind there is no other means more effective and

adequate than Self-enquiry. Even though by other means the mind

subsides, that is only apparently so; it will rise again.

 

COMMENT

 

Now Ramana starts instruction on the practice of Self-inquiry. This

will continue for several paragraphs.

 

The first issue addressed is `the subsidence of mind.' It is only

when the mind is quiet that most seekers can start to see that there

is something beyond the mind, that even one's subtle thoughts are

objective. This points them directly to Self. (Who knows these

thoughts?)

 

It is a common goal of a variety of spiritual practices to still the

mind. For example, Buddha, according to a sutra once said, "Stop,

stop. Do not talk. The highest truth is not even to think." It is

clear, in this Self-inquiry practice, that the still mind is just a

starting point. When the mind is still, who knows the still mind?

So there continues to be Consciousness-Being. When thoughts are

still you continue to exist. Can you be any thought? When one can

look deeply, one sees that the idea of ego, of individuality, or

being a separate person, is just another thought, another idea.

Which thought are you? Are you any of them? Are you all of them?

 

So how is best to get subsidence of mind? Here Ramana is specific.

He says, "there is no other means more effective and adequate than

Self-enquiry." In Self-inquiry, the seeker uses the mind, and the

capabilities of the mind to look `past' the mind (into Bring-

Consciousness-Bliss). In this inquiry one sees that their identity,

their being, "who they are," is not any thing that is objective. (And

even subtle experience like thought is objective.) And the seeker

continues to direct the mind to Being (Being-Consciousness-Bliss).

 

Other forms of meditation stop the mind when practiced, but the

mind's habits resume as meditation is interrupted (as in dream and

deep sleep).

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Comments or dialog is welcome.

 

We are Not two,

Richard