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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
M.: Who is the worker? Let him who works ask the question. You are
always the Self. You are not the mind. It is the mind which raises
these questions. Work proceeds, always in the presence of the Self
only. Work is no hindrance to realisation. It is the mistaken identity
of the worker that troubles one. Get rid of the false identity.
The Professor: Is not the state of non-consciousness close to Infinite
Consciousness?
M.: Consciousness alone remains and nothing more.
D.: Sri Bhagavan’s silence is itself a powerful force. It brings about
a certain peace of mind in us.
M.: Silence is never-ending speech. Vocal speech obstructs the other
speech of silence. In silence one is in intimate contact with the
surroundings. The silence of Dakshinamurti removed the doubts of
the four sages. Mouna vyakhya prakatita tatvam (Truth expounded
by silence.) Silence is said to be exposition. Silence is so potent.
For vocal speech, organs of speech are necessary and they precede
speech. But the other speech lies even beyond thought. It is in short
transcendent speech or unspoken words, para vak.
D.: Is there knowledge in Realisation?
M.: Absence of knowledge is sleep. There is knowledge in Realisation.
But this knowledge differs from the ordinary one of the relation
of subject and object. It is absolute knowledge. Knowledge has
two meanings:
(1) vachyartha = vritti = Literal meaning.
(2) lakshyartha = Jnana = Self = Swarupa = Secondary significance.
D.: With vritti one sees knowledge.
M.: Quite so, he also confounds vritti with knowledge. Vritti is a mode
of mind. You are not the mind. You are beyond it.
The Lady: There is sometimes an irresistible desire to remain in
Brahma-akara-vritti.
M.: It is good. It must be cultivated until it becomes sahaja (natural).
Then it culminates as swarupa, one’s own self.
Later Sri Bhagavan explained: Vritti is often mistaken for
consciousness. It is only a phenomenon and operates in the region
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