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

Talk 289.
Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
30th November, 1936
While discussing Karma, Sri Bhagavan said: “Karma has its fruit
(phala). They are like cause and effect. The interrelation of a cause
and its effect is due to a Sakti whom we call God. God is phala data
(dispenser of fruit).
A visitor had been speaking of the Self having forgotten its true nature.
Sri Bhagavan after some time said: “People speak of memory and
oblivion of the Fullness of the Self. Oblivion and memory are only
thought-forms. They will alternate so long as there are thoughts. But
Reality lies beyond these. Memory or oblivion must be dependent on
something. That something must be foreign too; otherwise there cannot
be oblivion. It is called ‘I’ by everyone. When one looks for it, it is not
found because it is not real. Hence ‘I’ is synonymous with illusion or
ignorance (maya, avidya or ajnana). To know that there never was
ignorance is the goal of all the spiritual teachings. Ignorance must be
of one who is aware. Awareness is jnana. Jnana is eternal and natural.
Ajnana is unnatural and unreal.
D.: Having heard this truth, why does not one remain content?
M.: Because samskaras have not been destroyed. Unless the
samskaras cease to exist, there will always be doubt and confusion
(sandeha, viparita). All efforts are directed to destroying doubt
and confusion. To do so their roots must be cut. Their roots are the
samskaras. These are rendered ineffective by practice as prescribed
by the Guru. The Guru leaves it to the seeker to do this much so
that he might himself find out that there is no ignorance. This truth
mentioned is in the stage of the hearing of the Truth (sravana). That
is not drdha (firm). For making it unshaken, one has to practise
reflection (manana) and one-pointedness (nididhyasana). These
two processes scorch the seeds of vasanas so that they are rendered
ineffective.
Some extraordinary persons get drdha jnana (unshaken knowledge)
even on hearing the Truth only once (sakrchhravana matrena).
Because they are krthopasakah (advanced seekers), whereas the
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