tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post8757173241723309572..comments2023-10-16T13:06:42.360+01:00Comments on Happiness of Being: The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: Repeating 'who am I?' is not self-enquiryMichael Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-53475151250370858962018-12-10T20:17:43.863+00:002018-12-10T20:17:43.863+00:00Sanjay,
thanks for your correction.Sanjay,<br />thanks for your correction.anadi-anantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08815024045988099944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-9902356818714459622018-12-10T20:16:59.162+00:002018-12-10T20:16:59.162+00:00manju,
sorry about a serious error in my comment:
...manju,<br />sorry about a serious error in my comment:<br />It should be: So the disappearance of the wrong awareness of yourself only should happen.<br /><br />anadi-anantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08815024045988099944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-9812439665225710552018-12-10T16:44:19.785+00:002018-12-10T16:44:19.785+00:00Manju, Bhagavan often used to say that one is prog...Manju, Bhagavan often used to say that one is progressing if one is persevering. If we are practising self-surrender and self-investigation, we are surely progressing. This progress may not be perceptible, but it is there.<br /><br />You ask, ‘When does samadhi happen?’ One of the meanings of <i>samadhi</i> is ‘when our mind is in equilibrium’. However, in Bhagavan’s path, we are not aiming to attain some sort of <i>samadhi</i> but are aiming to experience ourself as we actually are. Michael has explained that the term <i>samadhi</i> does not have a clear meaning in all contexts, so it is better to avoid such terms while discussing Bhagavan’s teachings. However, Bhagavan did sometimes talk about <i>sahaja-samadhi</i>. This is our natural state in which we are permanently established in our true nature. <br /><br />However, our only aim should be to experience ourself as we really are. This is the clearest and simplest way of describing the goal we are seeking to attain. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-54175888199664827952018-12-10T16:25:46.634+00:002018-12-10T16:25:46.634+00:00Josef, the sentence should have been as follows: W...Josef, the sentence should have been as follows: We know that ‘I am’ but do not know what ‘I am’. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-9673335261021892572018-12-10T09:31:13.955+00:002018-12-10T09:31:13.955+00:00manju,
you are always in samadhi, but you experien...manju,<br />you are always in samadhi, but you experience yourself to be seemingly outside or separated of it. So the wrong awareness of yourself only should happen.anadi-anantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08815024045988099944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-23621419478430495532018-12-10T09:25:09.615+00:002018-12-10T09:25:09.615+00:00Sanjay,
your final sentence: "We know that ‘I...Sanjay,<br />your final sentence: "We know that ‘I am’, but do know what ‘I am’."<br /><br />You certainly note that a and which word (between "do" and "know") is missing in your statement.<br />anadi-anantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08815024045988099944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-10545568905043845932018-12-10T05:07:19.239+00:002018-12-10T05:07:19.239+00:00How do I know if I am making progress in this path...How do I know if I am making progress in this path ? When does samadhi happen ?manjuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03328036919685703121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-89964329985389920822018-08-09T11:35:07.409+01:002018-08-09T11:35:07.409+01:00Thank you Sanjay, yes, know, love is sure. Invest...Thank you Sanjay, yes, know, love is sure. Investigation will show us there is no "other". We can conceptualize we can categorize or name but if we look closely we find there are no real divisions. Totality exists.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040736062508814491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-83486570334887626342018-03-30T18:06:35.182+01:002018-03-30T18:06:35.182+01:00In order to comment on the applicable article:
...In order to comment on the applicable article:<br /> K@r@n, our existence is clear because we are aware of our existence, or conversely, we are always aware of our existence. According to Bhagavan’s teachings, one entails the other: ulladu (what actually is) is unarvu (what is actually aware). Bhagavan explains this in the first mangalam verse of Ulladu Narpadu:<br /><br /> If what exists were not, would existing awareness exist? Since the existing substance exists in the heart without thought, how to think of the existing substance, which is called ‘heart’? Being in the heart as it is alone is thinking. Know.<br /><br /> So, contrary to what to imply, ‘Am I aware?’ need not be asked by us, because we clearly know that we exist and we are aware. In fact, Bhagavan made this clear in the first teaching he gave to Sivaprakasam Pillai. The very question he asked was: ‘Who am I?’ Bhagavan replied: ‘aṟivu [knowledge, awareness or consciousness] that stands isolated alone is ‘I’. The nature of [this] knowledge [‘I am’] is sat-cit-ānanda [being-consciousness-bliss]. Awareness, therefore, is our very nature, and we can never be divorced from this awareness.<br /><br /> So the correct question we should ask ourself is not ‘Am I aware?’, but ‘Who am I that is aware’. We need to investigate this ‘I’ and find what exactly this ‘I’ is. We know that ‘I am’, but do know what ‘I am’.<br /><br /> 30 March 2018 at 16:34Blogger Sanjay Lohianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-58432001299077870382018-03-30T15:03:33.954+01:002018-03-30T15:03:33.954+01:00thank you for the post.
what i feel is that people...thank you for the post.<br />what i feel is that people do not actually understand the approach given by sri ramana. another direct question can be asked 'AM I AWARE', and just as you direct your attention towards that feeling on your conscious being, u'll find that after few moments that attention is gone towards something else. the point is to hold that experience by repeatative practice.<br />thank you.K@r@nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05787703479815673855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-72328082734719651432016-11-06T07:00:36.381+00:002016-11-06T07:00:36.381+00:00Thank you for your informative post. The Path of S...Thank you for your informative post. The Path of Sri Ramana sounds like a good book to read. Thanks again.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09724421487449266091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-28895155754060472612016-11-06T06:58:53.637+00:002016-11-06T06:58:53.637+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09724421487449266091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-46845235781043577482015-12-31T04:06:27.684+00:002015-12-31T04:06:27.684+00:00'who' misleads. It suggest a thing.
Exis...'who' misleads. It suggest a thing.<br /><br />Existence cannot be conceptualized because it is prior to thought. If existence cannot be conceptualized, it is not an object. If not object, then not subject to time.<br />When man sees that man is an idea, peace on Earth. For if no thought, identify the enemy.mr. bendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03173390981267723595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-63193414032233096862015-11-10T20:23:32.835+00:002015-11-10T20:23:32.835+00:00While the repetition of the words "who am I&q...While the repetition of the words "who am I" or "to whom has this thought arisen" might appear to be tedious repetition, it is actually, every time it is done, engraining a habit of profound change in awareness, by separating the self (or ego) from the Self (Spirit). By seeing the former as unreal and fleeting one will e entually only be aware of the latter. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-20527056998220383992009-06-16T12:40:17.283+01:002009-06-16T12:40:17.283+01:00When reading some of the teachings, the impression...When reading some of the teachings, the impression I came away with was, in a nut-shell, that the individual ‘l’ is in fact an illusion and that if one investigates earnestly, it can be realised that no owner (or ‘l’) of this body or this mind, can be found to exist.<br /><br />Consequently, I decided it was a good idea to begin actively directing my attention to the ‘l’ thought and the ‘l’ feeling as and when they arise. When I see the ‘l’ arise, I have taken to verbally challenging it: Who is this? Where did this come from? Whose is this? etc etc.<br /><br />My thinking is that if the ‘l’ is in fact illusory, then persistently challenging such thoughts and feelings would consequently undermine the ‘l’ and its associations.<br /><br />I don’t experience this approach as mindless questioning but rather as interested investigation into the ‘l’.<br /><br />Is there no case, when viewed in the context of Ramana's teachings, for the approach as described??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-21880834307726435802008-11-20T14:09:00.000+00:002008-11-20T14:09:00.000+00:00In reply to the above two anonymous comments dated...In reply to the above two anonymous comments dated <A HREF="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2007/01/repeating-who-am-i-is-not-self-enquiry.html?showComment=1225487820000#c2505759255136082927" REL="nofollow">31 October 2008</A> and <A HREF="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2007/01/repeating-who-am-i-is-not-self-enquiry.html?showComment=1227131160000#c1847286161317519283" REL="nofollow">19 November 2008</A> I have written a new article, <A HREF="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2008/11/atma-vichara-and-practice-of-neti-neti.html" REL="nofollow"><I>Atma-vichara</I> and the ‘practice’ of <I>neti neti</I></A>.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-18472861613175192832008-11-19T21:46:00.000+00:002008-11-19T21:46:00.000+00:00Yes, Stephen's Neti Neti is effective as it's a "g...Yes, Stephen's Neti Neti is effective as it's a "guided" meditative inquiry which(at least for me)keeps my attention on what's being said. Same with the meditation he has in the 4th DVD, "Beyond Consciousness."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-25057592551360829272008-10-31T21:17:00.000+00:002008-10-31T21:17:00.000+00:00Or you could practice neti neti as it's prescribed...Or you could practice neti neti as it's prescribed by Stephen Wolinsky who was a student of Nisargatta(i.e., without using your thoughts, memory, feelings, associations and perceptions, are you perfect, imperfect or neither?).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-87482248246920683862007-01-28T03:51:00.000+00:002007-01-28T03:51:00.000+00:00For me, Self Inquiry means to leave off all thinki...For me, Self Inquiry means to leave off all thinking (centered in the head), and language and actually try to Feel and Experience and trace in silence, where the sense of I is located at various times of the day and night.<br /><br />Pure, sattvic food, little speech and not too much sleep are great aids.<br /><br />One can feel oneself withdraw into the right-side Heart at night.<br /><br />One can be awake prior to the body awakening in the morning - first radiant light in which there is nothing, then the layers of body mind coming to be, then the world spilling forth. In silence, one can hear the world waking up, from within. The sun comes out of the Heart.<br /><br />If one listens in the Heart, for Truth to arise, then correction and direction arise from within to inform the mind.<br /><br />All the teachings are buried in the Heart.summahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08709272472448702350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-29891065404946842442007-01-27T14:07:00.000+00:002007-01-27T14:07:00.000+00:00"If someone said to us, 'Investigate what is writt...<i>"If someone said to us, 'Investigate what is written in this book', we would not close our eyes and repeat to ourself 'what is written in this book?' but would open the book and read what is written inside it."</i><br /><br />This is a wondeful analogy, Michael.robbie1687https://www.blogger.com/profile/07744808288571818216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-27550350774007626822007-01-25T16:59:00.000+00:002007-01-25T16:59:00.000+00:00The gentleman who referred to this confusion preva...The gentleman who referred to this confusion prevalent in the minds of many people, may be better able to understand the quest, "Who am I," through the approach of, "Awareness watching awareness," to remove any possible doubt about self-inquiry being one of repetition. Since the quest is essentially one of one of knowing oneself as pure awareness which is at once Being, there is no question of this involving a mental act like repetition of a mantra. While Bhaghavan discountenances even meditations on Mahavakyas such as, " I am That," with the complicated syntactical meanings of the words, 'That,' and, 'Thou,' how could this suggest the idea of, 'who am I,' inquiry being a mental repetition?Sankarramanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01718256859263931847noreply@blogger.com