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

Talk 352.
Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
THE DIFFERENT CREEDS
The thought rises up as the subject and object. ‘I’ alone being held,
all else disappears. It is enough, but only to the competent few.
The others argue, “Quite so. The world that exists in my sleep has
existed before my birth and will exist after my death. Do not others
see it? How can the world cease to be if my ego appears not?” The
genesis of the world and the different schools of thought are meant
to satisfy such people.
D.: Nevertheless, being only products of intellect they cannot turn
the mind inward.
M.: Just for this reason the scriptures speak of “in-turned look”, “onepointed
look” and so on.
The Self being always the Self, why should only a dhira be
illumined? Does it mean a man of courage? No; dhih = intellect;
rah = watch; protection. So dhira is the one who always keeps the
mind inward bent without letting it loose.
Talk 353.
D.: What is turiya?
8th February, 1937
M.: There are three states only, the waking, dream and sleep. Turiya
is not a fourth one; it is what underlies these three. But people do
not readily understand it. Therefore it is said that this is the fourth
state and the only Reality. In fact it is not apart from anything, for
it forms the substratum of all happenings; it is the only Truth; it is
your very Being. The three states appear as fleeting phenomena on
it and then sink into it alone. Therefore they are unreal.
The pictures in a cinema show are only shadows passing over
the screen. They make their appearance; move forward and
backward; change from one to another; are therefore unreal
whereas the screen all along remains unchanged. Similarly
with paintings: the images are unreal and the canvas real. So
also with us: the world-phenomena, within or without, are only
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