Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi Complete ... - BrahminVoice.org

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
28th February, 1936
Talk 172.
A visitor: What is the difference between meditation (dhyana) and
investigation (vichara)?
M.: Both amount to the same. Those unfit for investigation must practise
meditation. In this practice the aspirant forgetting himself meditates
‘I am Brahman’ or ‘I am Siva’; thus he continues to hold to Brahman
or Siva; this will ultimately end on the residual Being as Brahman or
Siva which he will realise to be Pure Being, i.e. the Self.
He who engages in investigation starts holding on to himself, asks
‘Who am I?’ and the Self becomes clear to him.
D.: Will the knowledge gained by direct experience be lost afterwards?
M.: Kaivalya Navanita says it may be lost. Experience gained without
rooting out all the vasanas cannot remain steady. Efforts must be
made to eradicate the vasanas. Otherwise rebirth after death takes
place. Some say direct experience results from hearing from one’s
master; others say it is from reflection; yet others say from onepointedness
and also from samadhi. Though they look different on
the surface, ultimately they mean the same. Knowledge can remain
unshaken only after all the vasanas are rooted out.
29th February, 1936
Talk 173.
D.: Lord, how can the grip of the ego be slackened?
M.: By not adding new vasanas to it.
D.: Any amount of japa has not slackened the grip!
M.: How so! It will duly slacken and vanish.
2nd March, 1936
Talk 174.
Dr. Hand, the American gentleman, asked: Are there two methods for
finding the source of the ego?
M.: There are no two sources and no two methods. There is only one
source and only one method.
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