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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
Self and periodically ceases to function. That is to say, it appears
and disappears; this might be considered to be birth and death.
Relative knowledge pertains to the mind and not to the Self. It is
therefore illusory and not permanent. Take a scientist for instance.
He formulates a theory that the Earth is round and goes on to prove
it and establish it on an incontrovertible basis. When he falls asleep
the whole idea vanishes; his mind is left a blank; what does it matter
if the world remains round or flat when he is asleep? So you see
the futility of all such relative knowledge.
One should go beyond such relative knowledge and abide in the Self. Real
knowledge is such experience and not apprehension by the mind.
D.: Why does not Sri Bhagavan go about and preach the Truth to the
people at large?
M.: How do you know that I am not doing it? Does preaching consist
in mounting a platform and haranguing to the people around?
Preaching is simple communication of knowledge. It may be
done in Silence too.
What do you think of a man listening to a harangue for an hour and
going away without being impressed by it so as to change his life?
Compare him with another who sits in a holy presence and leaves
after some time with his outlook on life totally changed. Which
is better: To preach loudly without effect or to sit silently sending
forth intuitive forces to play on others?
Again how does speech arise? There is abstract knowledge
(unmanifest). From it there rises the ego which gives rise to thoughts
and words successively. So then:
Abstract Knowledge
Ego
Thoughts
Words
Words are therefore the great grandson of the original source. If
words can produce an effect, how much more powerful should the
preaching through silence be? Judge for yourself.
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