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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
M.: After the rise of the ‘I-thought’ there is the false identification
of the ‘I’ with the body, the senses, the mind, etc. ‘I’ is wrongly
associated with them and the true ‘I’ is lost sight of. In order to shift
the pure ‘I’ from the contaminated ‘I’ this discarding is mentioned.
But it does not mean exactly discarding of the non-self, but it means
the finding of the real Self.
The real Self is the Infinite ‘I-I’, i.e., ‘I’ is perfection. It is eternal.
It has no origin and no end. The other ‘I’ is born and also dies. It is
impermanent. See to whom are the changing thoughts. They will be
found to arise after the ‘I-thought’. Hold the ‘I-thought’. They subside.
Trace back the source of the ‘I-thought’. The Self alone will remain.
D.: It is difficult to follow. I understand the theory. But what is the
practice?
M.: The other methods are meant for those who cannot take to the
investigation of the Self. Even to repeat Aham Brahmasmi or think
of it, a doer is necessary. Who is it? It is ‘I’. Be that ‘I’. It is the
direct method. The other methods also will ultimately lead everyone
to this method of the investigation of the Self.
D.: I am aware of the ‘I’. Yet my troubles are not ended.
M.: This ‘I-thought’ is not pure. It is contaminated with the association
of the body and senses. See to whom the trouble is. It is to the ‘Ithought’.
Hold it. Then the other thoughts vanish.
D.: Yes. How to do it? That is the whole trouble.
M.: Think ‘I’ ‘I’ ‘I’ and hold to that one thought to the exclusion of
all others.
23rd October, 1936
Talk 267.
While speaking of the animal companions in the hall Sri Bhagavan
quoted a Tamil stanza by Avvai.
When the old lady was going along she heard on one occasion some
one praising Kambar. She replied with a stanza which means:
“Each is great in its own way. What is Kambar’s greatness when
compared with a bird which builds its nest so fine, the worms which
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