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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
Later Sri Bhagavan continued: It is said “I AM that I AM”. That
means a person must abide as the ‘I’. He is always the ‘I’ alone.
He is nothing else. Yet he asks “Who am I?” A victim of illusion
would ask “Who am I?” and not a man fully aware of himself.
The wrong identity of the Self with the non-self makes you ask,
“Who am I?”
Later still: There are different routes to Tiruvannamalai, but
Tiruvannamalai is the same by whichever route it is gained. Similarly
the approach to the subject varies according to the personality. Yet
the Self is the same. But still, being in Tiruvannamalai, if one asks
for the route it is ridiculous. So also, being the Self, if one asks
how to realise the Self it looks absurd. You are the Self. Remain
as the Self. That is all. The questions arise because of the present
wrong identification of the Self with the body. That is ignorance.
This must go. On its removal the Self alone is.
Talk 355.
D.: Does not education make a sage more useful to the world than
illiteracy?
M.: Even a learned man must bow before the illiterate sage.
Illiteracy is ignorance: education is learned ignorance. Both of
them are ignorant of their true aim; whereas a sage is not ignorant
because there is no aim for him.
Talk 356.
D.: Why should there be sleep in the world?
M.: Owing to sin only.
D.: Can it be destroyed?
M.: Yes.
D.: It ends only after making itself felt, they say.
M.: Why then devotion to God?
D.: How can sleep be destroyed?
M.: Be not aware of its activities and effects.
D.: How can it be done?
M.: Only by enquiry of the Self.
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