Effort must be made, the Self realised here and now

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONETHE

NATURE

OF

MANSuch examples sometimes gave rise to the mistaken idea thatthe state of Realisation or abidance in the Self which Bhagavanprescribed was a state of nescience like physical sleep andtherefore he guarded against this idea also.Bhagavan:

Waking, dream and sleep are mere phases of the mind,not of the Self. The Self is the witness of these three states. Yourtrue nature

exists in sleep.Devotee: But we are advised not to fall asleep during meditation.B.: It is stupor which you must guard against.

That sleepwhich alternates with waking is not the true sleep. That wakingwhich alternates with sleep is not the true waking. Are you awakenow? No. What you have to do is to wake up to your true state.You

should neither fall into false sleep nor remain falsely awake. 1B.: Though present even in sleep, the Self is not then perceived.It cannot be known in sleep straightaway.

It must first be realisedin the waking state for it is our true nature underlying all the threestates. Effort must be made in the waking state and the Self realisedhere and now. It will then be understood to be the continuous Selfuninterrupted by the alteration of waking, dream and deep sleep. 21 Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, 495.2 Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, 307.