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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
M.: That means that one should be aware of his eternal state of trance.
Inattentiveness to it is ignorance. Pramado vai mrtyuh (inattention
is death itself).
D.: How can I be attentive without getting trance beforehand?
M.: Very well. If you are so anxious for trance any narcotic will bring it
about. Drug-habit will be the result and not liberation. There are vasanas
in the latent state even in trance. The vasanas must be destroyed.
Another devotee: Can there be Self-Realisation before the vasanas
are entirely destroyed?
M.: There are two kinds of vasanas: (1) bandha hetuh, causing
bondage for the ignorant, and (2) bhoga hetuh, giving enjoyment
for the wise. The latter do not obstruct realisation.
D.: Are the Self-realised persons reborn? e.g., Vamadeva, Jada
Bharata, etc.
M.: The Realised ones cannot be reborn. Rebirth is due to vasanas which
are binding. But they are destroyed in the state of Self-realisation.
D.: Are we to take it that they had gone to the stage of kevala
nirvikalpa but not to sahaja nirvikalpa?
M.: Yes.
D.: If only vasanas for enjoyment do not obstruct the state of
realisation and if one can look upon the events of the world without
his state of bliss being disturbed, it means that attachment alone is
bondage. Am I right?
M.: Yes, quite. Attachment is bondage. Attachment disappears with
the elimination of the ego.
D.: Realisation is said to be helped by Guru’s Grace.
M.: Guru is none other than the Self.
D.: Krishna had Sandipini for his Guru and so Rama had Vasishta.
M.: Guru is said to be external for the seeker. The in-turn of the mind
is brought about by the Guru. Since the seeker is out-ward-bent he
is advised to learn from a Guru whom he will in due course find
to be the Self.
D.: May I have Guru’s Grace?
M.: Grace is always there.
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