The goal and the path taught by Bhagavan Ramana

In a meeting with Kumar of Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 14th June 2020 (via Zoom), Michael James discusses the goal and the path as taught by Bhagavan Ramana, specifically in answer to the following questions:

1. Can you please explain the goal of human birth as taught by Bhagavan Sri Ramana?
2. Sri Sadhu Om states that Sri Bhagavan gave us two paths: self-enquiry and self-surrender. Can you please explain the logic behind self-enquiry?
3. How do we practice self-enquiry?
4. Can you please explain self-surrender?

These questions were asked with reference to a summary of Bhagavan’s teachings written by Sadhu Om in Tamil, an English translation of which is available at A Summary of the Philosophy and Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

While answering these questions Michael discussed several passages of Bhagavan’s teachings from his own original writings, particularly the first paragraph of Nāṉ Ār? (Who am I?):

சகல ஜீவர்களும் துக்கமென்ப தின்றி எப்போதும் சுகமாயிருக்க விரும்புவதாலும், யாவருக்கும் தன்னிடத்திலேயே பரம பிரிய மிருப்பதாலும், பிரியத்திற்கு சுகமே காரண மாதலாலும், மனமற்ற நித்திரையில் தின மனுபவிக்கும் தன் சுபாவமான அச் சுகத்தை யடையத் தன்னைத் தானறிதல் வேண்டும். அதற்கு நானார் என்னும் ஞான விசாரமே முக்கிய சாதனம்.

sakala jīvargaḷum duḥkham eṉbadu iṉḏṟi eppōdum sukham-āy irukka virumbuvadālum, yāvarukkum taṉ-ṉ-iḍattil-ē-y-ē parama piriyam iruppadālum, piriyattiṟku sukham-ē kāraṇam ādalālum, maṉam aṯṟa niddiraiyil diṉam aṉubhavikkum taṉ subhāvam āṉa a-c-sukhattai y-aḍaiya-t taṉṉai-t tāṉ aṟidal vēṇḍum. adaṟku nāṉ ār eṉṉum ñāṉa-vicāram-ē mukkhiya sādhaṉam.

English translation: Since all sentient beings want [or like] to be always happy without what is called misery, since for everyone the greatest love is only for oneself, and since happiness alone is the cause for love, [in order] to obtain that happiness, which is one’s own nature, which one experiences daily in [dreamless] sleep, which is devoid of mind, oneself knowing oneself is necessary. For that, jñāna-vicāra [awareness-investigation] called ‘who am I’ alone is the principal means.

This episode can also be watched as a video: 2020-06-14a Sri Ramana Center, Houston: Michael James discusses the goal and the path.