Sri Ramana Teachings

We are pure existence-awareness and infinite perfect happiness

Following the book launch in August 2023 of Ramana Maharshi's Forty Verses on What Is, a compilation of the writings and talks of Michael James on Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu, Michael and Sandra have started a series of talks in which Michael explains the essential import of these verses and all of Ramana's teachings in 8 key points -- 8 talks (videos). This is the second talk with the second point: what we actually are is just pure existence-awareness (sat-cit), which is what always shines as our own being, our fundamental awareness ‘I am’, and which is the infinite fullness of perfect happiness (ānanda). After explaining the second point, Michael answers questions related to Ramana's teachings. 

FREE SAMPLE OF THE BOOK:
You can find the 8 key points in the introduction that Michael wrote to this book (pp. xxxi-xxxii), which is also part of the 108-page free sample that you can download here. 

There was also a reference made in the video to the following article, in which Michael is included regarding Bhagavan’s teachings (page 123 in the PDF version): “A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications" by Robert Lawrence Kuhn in 'Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology': https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.12.003

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.  

 

2024-06-29 Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK: Pure awareness, manōnāśa and manōlaya

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 29th June 2024, 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.  

What is real? What is unreal? How to unrealise the unreal?

In a Zoom meeting on 12th June 2024, Michael answers Carlos' question: What is real? What is unreal? How to unrealise the unreal?

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 4 (concluded) with Q&A

In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 9th June 2024, Michael James concludes the discussion of the meaning and implications of verse 4 of Āṉ𝘮𝘢 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘪 and answers questions about Bhagavan's teachings.

The link to this verse is here: 

கன்மா திகட்டவிழ சென்மா திநட்டமெழ
வெம்மார்க் கமதனினு மிம்மார்க் கமிக்கெளிது
சொன்மா னததனுவின் கன்மா திசிறிதின்றிச்
சும்மா வமர்ந்திருக்க வம்மா வகத்திலான்ம —
   சோதியே; நிதானு பூதியே; இராது பீதியே;
      இன்பவம் போதியே.      (ஐயே)

English translation: For the bonds beginning with action to be untied, to rise from the devastation beginning with birth, more than whatever path, this path is what is exceedingly easy. When one just is, resting without the least action of mind, speech or body, ah, in the heart the light of oneself alone. The eternal experience. Fear does not exist. The ocean of bliss alone. (Ah, extremely easy, ...)

Explanatory paraphrase: For the bonds beginning with karma [that is, the bonds of action and of all that results from it] to be untied, and to rise [or be resurrected] from the devastation beginning with birth [that is, to transcend and become free from the miseries of embodied existence, which begins with birth and ends with death], more than whatever [other] path, this path [of ātma-vicāra] is what is exceedingly easy. When one just is, resting [calmly as pure awareness] without the least karma [action] of mind, speech or body, ah, in [one’s] heart the light of oneself alone [will shine forth clearly as ‘I am I’]. [Having thereby drowned and lost oneself (namely ego) forever in this perfectly peaceful and infinitely clear state of pure awareness, it will be clear that this is one’s] eternal experience. Fear does not [or will not] exist. The ocean of [infinite] bliss alone [will remain]. ([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.  

 

 

Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu verse 28 and the practice of ātma-vicāra

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 8th June 2024, 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.  

2024-06-02 San Diego Ramana Satsang: Ego, prāṇa, prāṇāyāma and self-investigation

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 2nd June 2024, 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 verse 15

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 1st June 2024, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verse 15.

The following is Michael's translation of this verse:

சத்தியினாற் றாமியங்குந் தன்மையுண ராதகில
சித்திகணாஞ் சேர்வமெனச் சேட்டிக்கும் — பித்தர்கூத்
தென்னை யெழுப்பிவிடி னெம்மட்டித் தெவ்வரெனச்
சொன்னமுட வன்கதையின் சோடு.

śattiyiṉāṯ ṟāmiyaṅgun taṉmaiyuṇa rādakhila
siddhigaṇāñ cērvameṉac cēṭṭikkum — pittarkūt
teṉṉai yeṙuppiviḍi ṉemmaṭṭit tevvareṉac
coṉṉamuḍa vaṉkathaiyiṉ jōḍu.

பதச்சேதம்: சத்தியினால் தாம் இயங்கும் தன்மை உணராது, ‘அகில சித்திகள் நாம் சேர்வம்’ என சேட்டிக்கும் பித்தர் கூத்து ‘என்னை எழுப்பிவிடின், எம்மட்டு இத் தெவ்வர்?’ என சொன்ன முடவன் கதையின் சோடு.

Padacchēdam (word-separation): śattiyiṉāl tām iyaṅgum taṉmai uṇarādu, ‘akhila siddhigaḷ nām sērvam’ eṉa cēṭṭikkum pittar kūttu ‘eṉṉai eṙuppiviḍiṉ, emmaṭṭu i-t-tevvar?’ eṉa soṉṉa muḍavaṉ kathaiyiṉ jōḍu.

அன்வயம்: தாம் சத்தியினால் இயங்கும் தன்மை உணராது, ‘அகில சித்திகள் நாம் சேர்வம்’ என சேட்டிக்கும் பித்தர் கூத்து ‘என்னை எழுப்பிவிடின், இத் தெவ்வர் எம்மட்டு?’ என சொன்ன முடவன் கதையின் சோடு.

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): tām śattiyiṉāl iyaṅgum taṉmai uṇarādu, ‘akhila siddhigaḷ nām sērvam’ eṉa cēṭṭikkum pittar kūttu ‘eṉṉai eṙuppiviḍiṉ, i-t-tevvar emmaṭṭu?’ eṉa soṉṉa muḍavaṉ kathaiyiṉ jōḍu.

English translation: Not knowing the fact that they move by śakti, the buffoonery of lunatics who strive thus, ‘We shall acquire all siddhis’, is a match for the story of the lame person who said, ‘If anyone helps me rise, what measure are these enemies?’

Explanatory paraphrase: Not knowing the fact that they move [or the manner in which they function] [only] by śakti [divine power, namely cit-śakti, the power of pure awareness], the buffoonery of lunatics [or idiots] who strive [doing various kinds of tapas with the desire] ‘We shall [hereby] acquire all siddhis [supernatural, magical or miraculous powers]’ is a match for the story of the lame person [who could not even stand or do anything else unaided, but] who [nevertheless] said, ‘If anyone helps me rise, what measure are these enemies [that is, what match will they be for my strength]?’

Padavurai (word-explanation): சத்தியினால் (sattiyiṉāl): by śakti [divine power] {instrumental (third case) form of satti, a Tamil form of the Sanskrit śakti} | தாம் (tām): they | இயங்கும் (iyaṅgum): moving, functioning, that [they] move, in which [they] move {adjectival participle} | தன்மை (taṉmai): nature, manner, fact | உணராது (uṇarādu): not knowing, not being aware of {negative adverbial participle} | அகில (akhila): all | சித்திகள் (siddhigaḷ): siddhis, accomplishments (particularly supernatural, magical or miraculous powers) {plural of siddhi, ‘accomplishment’} | நாம் (nām): we | சேர்வம் (sērvam): will acquire {a future first person plural form of sēr, ‘join’, ‘reach’, ‘gain’ or ‘acquire’} | என (eṉa): thus {literally ‘to say’, an infinitive that is often used in an adverbial sense as an alternative to the adverbial participle eṉḏṟu, ‘saying’, which generally serves the same function as ‘that’, ‘thus’, ‘as’ or inverted commas in English} | சேட்டிக்கும் (cēṭṭikkum): who strive, exert themselves {adjectival participle of cēṭṭi, a Tamil form of the Sanskrit verb cēṣṭ, ‘be active’, make effort’, ‘exert oneself’, ‘strive’ or ‘struggle’} | பித்தர் (pittar): lunatics, madmen, fools, idiots | கூத்து (kūttu): dancing, dramatic performance, pantomime, ludicrous actions, buffoonery | என்னை (eṉṉai): me {accusative (second case) form of the first person singular pronoun} | எழுப்பிவிடின் (eṙuppiviḍiṉ): if raising, if helping to rise, if [anyone] helps to rise {a conditional form of eṙuppu, ‘cause to rise’, ‘help to rise’ or ‘raise’} | எம்மட்டு (emmaṭṭu): what measure, what extent {interrogative pronoun, formed from the interrogative prefix e, ‘what’, and maṭṭu, ‘measure’, ‘amount’, ‘degree’, ‘size’ or ‘extent’} | இ (i): this, these {proximal demonstrative prefix} | தெவ்வர் (tevvar): enemy | என (eṉa): thus {as explained above} | சொன்ன (soṉṉa): who said {past adjectival participle} | முடவன் (muḍavaṉ): lame person, cripple | கதையின் (kathaiyiṉ): of the story {inflectional base and genitive (sixth case) form of kathai, a Tamil form of the Sanskrit kathā, ‘story’} | சோடு (jōḍu): pair, partner, match, equal.

Note: This verse, which is also included in Guru Vācaka Kōvai as verse B2, is an original composition by Bhagavan. He first expressed the teaching in this verse orally, and what he said was recorded by Muruganar in verses 168 and 169 of Guru Vācaka Kōvai, on seeing which Bhagavan condensed the meaning of those two verses as this one verse.

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.  

The nature of the awareness that shines in sleep

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 25th May 2024, 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.  

 

What actually exists is only ourself as we actually are

Following the book launch in August 2023 of Ramana Maharshi's Forty Verses on What Is, a compilation of the writings and talks of Michael James on Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu, Michael and Sandra are starting a series of talks in which Michael explains the essential import of these verses and all of Ramana's teachings in 8 key points -- 8 talks (videos), starting the first talk with the first point: what actually exists is only ourself as we actually are. After explaining the first point, Michael answers questions related to Ramana's teachings.

FREE SAMPLE OF THE BOOK: You can find the 8 key points in the introduction that Michael wrote to this book (pp. xxxi-xxxii), which is also part of the 108-page free sample that you can download here.

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.  

The basics of Bhagavan's teachings

In a Zoom meeting between Sukhdev Virdee and Michael James, on 16th May 2024, Michael answered questions and talked about the basics of 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.