Sri Ramana Teachings

Why is self-enquiry not like a thief posing as a policeman?

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 9th September 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Viṣaya-vāsanās and vairāgya

In a Zoom meeting of ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 6th September 2023, Michael James was asked to discuss the tenth and eleventh paragraphs of Nan Ar?

Paragraph 10: https://www.happinessofbeing.com/nan_yar.html#para10

Paragraph 11: https://www.happinessofbeing.com/nan_yar.html#para11

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Do body and world exist if we do not rise as ego?

Michael answers the following questions in this video:

1) Can the world and all phenomena appear if we don’t rise as ego?

2) If we don’t rise as ego, would this body exist?

3) The fact that the body is appearing, does that mean there is ego?

4) Can we ever be free of ego identification while there is a body and world appearing?

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

How to distinguish the pure ‘I’ from the thought called ‘I’?

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 3rd September 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham verses 6 and 7

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 2nd September 2023, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verses 6 and 7.

Verse 6

தேவனா ரார்மனந் தேருவ னென்மன
மாவியா மென்னா லறிபடுமே — தேவனீ
யாகுமே யாகையா லார்க்குஞ் சுருதியா
லேகனாந் தேவனே யென்று.

dēvaṉā rārmaṉan tēruva ṉeṉmaṉa
māviyā meṉṉā laṟibaḍumē — dēvaṉī
yāhumē yāhaiyā lārkkuñ śurutiyā
lēkaṉān dēvaṉē yeṉḏṟu.

பதச்சேதம்: ‘தேவன் ஆர்?’ ‘ஆர் மனம் தேருவன்?’ ‘என் மனம் ஆவி ஆம் என்னால் அறிபடுமே.’ ‘தேவன் நீ ஆகுமே, ஆகையால், ஆர்க்கும் சுருதியால் “ஏகன் ஆம் தேவனே” என்று.’

Padacchēdam (word-separation): ‘dēvaṉ ār?’ ‘ār maṉam tēruvaṉ?’ ‘eṉ maṉam āvi ām eṉṉāl aṟibaḍumē.’ ‘dēvaṉ nī āhumē, āhaiyāl, ārkkum śurutiyāl “ēkaṉ ām dēvaṉē” eṉḏṟu.’

அன்வயம்: ‘தேவன் ஆர்?’ ‘ஆர் மனம் தேருவன்?’ ‘என் மனம் ஆவி ஆம் என்னால் அறிபடுமே.’ ‘ஆகையால், “தேவனே ஏகன் ஆம்” என்று சுருதி ஆர்க்குமால், தேவன் நீ ஆகுமே.’

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): ‘dēvaṉ ār?’ ‘ār maṉam tēruvaṉ?’ ‘eṉ maṉam āvi ām eṉṉāl aṟibaḍumē.’ ‘āhaiyāl, “dēvaṉē ēkaṉ ām” eṉḏṟu śuruti ārkkumāl, dēvaṉ nī āhumē.’

English translation: ‘Who is God?’ ‘Who knows the mind?’ ‘My mind is only known by me, who am the soul.’ ‘Therefore, since the Vedas roar “God alone is the one”, you are actually God.’

Explanatory paraphrase:
[Disciple:] Who is God?
[Guru:] Who knows the mind? [implying that whoever knows the mind is God].
[Disciple:] My mind is only known by me, who am the soul [or spirit].
[Guru:] Therefore, since śruti [the Vedas] roar [or declare
emphatically] ‘God alone is the one’ [implying that the one who actually exists is only God, so he is ‘one only without a second’ (ēkam ēva advitīyam), and hence nothing can be other than him], you are actually God.

Verse 7

ஒளியுனக் கெதுபக லினனெனக் கிருள்விளக் கொளியுண ரொளியெது கணதுண ரொளியெது வொளிமதி மதியுண ரொளியெது வதுவக மொளிதனி லொளியுநீ யெனகுரு வகமதே.

oḷiyuṉak kedupaha liṉaṉeṉak kiruḷviḷak
koḷiyuṇa roḷiyedu kaṇaduṇa roḷiyedu
voḷimati matiyuṇa roḷiyedu vaduvaha
moḷitaṉi loḷiyunī yeṉaguru vahamadē.

பதச்சேதம்: ‘ஒளி உனக்கு எது?’ ‘பகல் இனன் எனக்கு, இருள் விளக்கு.’ ‘ஒளி உணர் ஒளி எது?’  ‘கண்.’ ‘அது உணர் ஒளி எது?’ ‘ஒளி மதி.’ ‘மதி உணர் ஒளி எது?’ ‘அது அகம்.’ ‘ஒளி தனில் ஒளியும் நீ’ என குரு, ‘அகம் அதே’.

Padacchēdam (word-separation): ‘oḷi uṉakku edu?’ ‘pahal iṉaṉ eṉakku, iruḷ viḷakku.’ ‘oḷi uṇar oḷi edu?’  ‘kaṇ.’ ‘adu uṇar oḷi edu?’ ‘oḷi mati.’ ‘mati uṇar oḷi edu?’ ‘adu aham.’ ‘oḷi taṉil oḷiyum nī’ eṉa guru, ‘aham adē’.

அன்வயம்: ‘உனக்கு ஒளி எது?’ ‘எனக்கு பகல் இனன், இருள் விளக்கு.’ ‘ஒளி உணர் ஒளி எது?’  ‘கண்.’ ‘அது உணர் ஒளி எது?’ ‘ஒளி மதி.’ ‘மதி உணர் ஒளி எது?’ ‘அது அகம்.’ ‘ஒளி தனில் ஒளியும் நீ’ என குரு, ‘அகம் அதே’.

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): ‘uṉakku oḷi edu?’ ‘eṉakku pahal iṉaṉ, iruḷ viḷakku.’ ‘oḷi uṇar oḷi edu?’  ‘kaṇ.’ ‘adu uṇar oḷi edu?’ ‘oḷi mati.’ ‘mati uṇar oḷi edu?’ ‘adu aham.’ ‘oḷi taṉil oḷiyum nī’ eṉa guru, ‘aham adē’.

English translation: ‘What is the light for you?’ ‘For me in daytime the sun, in darkness a lamp.’ ‘What is the light that knows the light?’ ‘The eye.’ ‘What is the light that knows that?’ ‘The light is the mind.’ ‘What is the light that knows the mind?’ ‘That is I.’ When the guru said, ‘The light in light is you’, ‘I am that alone.’

Explanatory paraphrase:
[Guru:] What is the light for you?
[Disciple:] For me in daytime the sun, in darkness a lamp.
[Guru:] What is the light that knows [or is aware of] the [physical] light [from such sources]?
[Disciple:] The eye.
[Guru:] What is the light that knows [or is aware of] that?
[Disciple:] The light [that knows the eye] is the mind.
[Guru:] What is the light that knows [or is aware of] the mind?
[Disciple:] That is I.
When the guru said, ‘The light in light [namely the light of awareness, which is what shines in all lights, illumining or making them known] is you’,
[Disciple:] I am that alone [or that indeed].

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Bhagavan’s Advent in the context of his teachings

In an online meeting on 31st August 2023, to celebrate Bhagavan's advent (arrival) to Tiruvannamalai on 1st September 1896, Michael discusses Bhagavan's return to Arunachala in the context of his teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Ego part 1: Who is aware ‘I am’, and who is to practise self-investigation?

Michael answers the following question of a devotee in this video: 'Who is aware of ‘I AM’? If it’s ego that will be aware of ‘I AM’, then ‘I AM’, i.e. the Self, will become an object for the ego. Still getting confused with who does the practice of investigation.'

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Āṉ𝘮𝘢 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘪 verse 3

In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 27th August 2023 Michael James concludes the discussion of the meaning and implications of verse 3 of Āṉ𝘮𝘢 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘪.

Verse 3: https://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2023/07/anma-viddai-verse-3-knowledge-of-all.html

தன்னை யறிதலின்றிப் பின்னை யெதறிகிலென் றன்னை யறிந்திடிற்பின் னென்னை யுளதறிய பின்ன வுயிர்களில பின்ன விளக்கெனுமத் தன்னைத் தனிலுணர மின்னுந் தனுளான்ம — ப்ரகாசமே; அருள் விலாசமே; அக விநாசமே; இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே)

taṉṉai yaṟidaliṉḏṟip piṉṉai yedaṟihileṉ ḏṟaṉṉai yaṟindiḍiṟpiṉ ṉeṉṉai yuḷadaṟiya bhiṉṉa vuyirgaḷila bhiṉṉa viḷakkeṉumat taṉṉait taṉiluṇara miṉṉun taṉuḷāṉma — prakāśamē; aruḷ vilāsamē; aha vināśamē; iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē)

பதச்சேதம்: தன்னை அறிதல் இன்றி, பின்னை எது அறிகில் என்? தன்னை அறிந்திடில், பின் என்னை உளது அறிய? பின்ன உயிர்களில் அபின்ன விளக்கு எனும் அத் தன்னை தனில் உணர, மின்னும் தன் உள் ஆன்ம ப்ரகாசமே. அருள் விலாசமே, அக விநாசமே, இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே, அதி சலபம், ...)

Padacchēdam (word-separation): taṉṉai aṟidal iṉḏṟi, piṉṉai edu aṟihil eṉ? taṉṉai aṟindiḍil, piṉ eṉṉai uḷadu aṟiya? bhiṉṉa uyirgaḷil abhiṉṉa viḷakku eṉum a-t-taṉṉai taṉil uṇara, miṉṉum taṉ uḷ āṉma-prakāśamē. aruḷ vilāsamē, aha vināśamē, iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē, ati sulabham, ...)

அன்வயம்: தன்னை அறிதல் இன்றி, பின்னை எது அறிகில் என்? தன்னை அறிந்திடில், பின் அறிய என்னை உளது? பின்ன உயிர்களில் அபின்ன விளக்கு எனும் அத் தன்னை தனில் உணர, தன் உள் ஆன்ம ப்ரகாசமே மின்னும். அருள் விலாசமே, அக விநாசமே, இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே, அதி சலபம், ...)

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): taṉṉai aṟidal iṉḏṟi, piṉṉai edu aṟihil eṉ? taṉṉai aṟindiḍil, piṉ aṟiya eṉṉai uḷadu? bhiṉṉa uyirgaḷil abhiṉṉa viḷakku eṉum a-t-taṉṉai taṉil uṇara, taṉ uḷ āṉma-prakāśamē miṉṉum. aruḷ vilāsamē, aha vināśamē, iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē, ati sulabham, ...)

English translation: Without knowing oneself, if one knows whatever else, what? If one has known oneself, then what exists to know? When one knows in oneself that self, which is the light without separation in separate sentient beings, within oneself the shining of oneself alone will flash forth. The shining forth of grace; the annihilation of ego; the blossoming of happiness. (Ah, extremely easy, ...)

Explanatory paraphrase: Without knowing oneself, if one knows whatever else, [so] what? [That is, how can such knowledge be reliable, so how can it have any real value?] If one has known oneself, then what [else] exists to know? When one knows in oneself that self [one’s real nature], which is the light [that shines] abhinna [without bhinna: separation, division, difference or distinction] in separate sentient beings [or souls], within oneself ātma-prakāśa [the shining, clarity or light of oneself] alone will flash forth [like lightening]. [This is] aruḷ-vilāsa [the shining forth, amorous play or beauty of grace], aha-vināśa [the annihilation of ego], iṉba-vikāsa [the blossoming of happiness]. ([Therefore] ah, extremely easy, ātma-vidyā, ah, extremely easy!) 

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

Why is this entire world as unreal as a dream?

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 26th August 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

The first question Michael answered was:

"My question is related to the apparent reality of the world, as experienced in our waking state; Bhagavan's teachings say that our so-called reality in fact is a dream, projected by ourselves. From an intellectual level I can relate to this when I look at the world and its inhabitants as being a collective of apparent individual entities, whereas in fact it's the one (Brahman) playing out the script we call life and erroneously take to be something 'happening' to us as an individual. Also, I think to understand the role the ego plays in this through our identification with the body, mistakingly making us believe to be ‘one amongst many’.

In all multiplicity that appears to be, where I seem to get stuck in my understanding, is:

a. how literally we should take life to be a dream?

b. and what can be called real in the apparent dream-like individual life?

1. Is it that (the sense of) individuality by definition is dualistic and therefore unreal, thus: a dream? For instance my neighbour will have a slightly different viewing point in looking at the world since his locality is slightly different. When my neighbour is merely a dream character projected by me, he actually doesn't exist at all, along with all wars, disease, the seasons, bodies, plants, volcanic eruptions, planets, entities etc etc. Can we conclude that these do actually not exist, hence, making all interpersonal dynamics in our lives unreal as well?

2. Or should we take the dreamlike waking state in a more metaphorical sense, so that the multiplicity of bodies seemingly exists because of the identification with our bodies and therefore mistakingly experienced as ’individuals’, forming a multiplicity of realities, limited in their nature, therefore arbitrary and impossible to be taken for ‘real’?

3. Or is it to be taken as a dream due to the impermanent nature of the world we see as defined in Advaita Vedanta as “Things that are changing, perceived and impermanent are unreal”?

4. Or a dream because of the fact that we can practically make up any narrative or world-view we like, creating the world as a projection made up by our (ever restlessly outgoing) mind?

5. Or a dream in the sense that all is predestined and we erroneously believe ourselves to be the doer or actor in the projected life we live? This, I find rather confusing to comprehend and sometimes difficult to deal with.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. 

Can self attentiveness be too shallow to weaken 𝘷𝘪ṣ𝘢𝘺𝘢 𝘷ā𝘴𝘢𝘯ā𝘴?

In a Zoom meeting of ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 20th August 2023, Michael James was asked: I have been on this path for 3 years now and I have a feeling that, when I turn inwards, I turn shallowly because many times various inclinations seem to be much stronger and I see that my self-attentiveness is too shallow for my vasanas to be really weakened. I also have a very strong belief that I will have to live through many difficult situations or misfortunes and that, no matter how hard I try to investigate myself, I will not be able to stop the fulfilment of prarabdha karma to live through all those hard situations. So can this practice take me several lifetimes? Is it not a path unsuitable for such impure minds as mine? He answers this and several other related questions.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.