Sri Ramana Teachings

Bhagavan’s description of his death experience

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 27th April 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 'seeing' or 'knowing' God?

During the international celebration of Bhagavan Ramana’s 74th Aradhana (anniversary of the day he left his body) organised by Arunachala Ashrama, New York, on 14th April 2024 Michael James discusses what the real 'seeing' or 'knowing' of God is.

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 blind intelligence of AI cannot help us to see what is real

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 13th April 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.  

 

svarūpa and ego are one in substance but differ in appearance

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 7th April 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 13

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 6th April 2024, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verse 13.

The following is Michael's translation of this verse:

தானந் தவம்வேள்வி தன்மம்யோ கம்பத்தி
வானம் பொருள்சாந்தி வாய் மையருள் — மோனநிலை
சாகாமற் சாவறிவு சார்துறவு வீடின்பந்
தேகான்ம பாவமற றேர்.
 
dāṉan tavamvēḷvi dhaṉmamyō gambhatti
vāṉam poruḷśānti vāymaiyaruḷ — mōṉanilai
sāhāmaṟ sāvaṟivu sārtuṟavu vīḍiṉban
dēhāṉma bhāvamaṟa ṟēr.
 
பதச்சேதம்: தானம், தவம், வேள்வி, தன்மம், யோகம், பத்தி, வானம், பொருள், சாந்தி, வாய்மை, அருள், மோனம், நிலை, சாகாமல் சாவு, அறிவு, சார் துறவு, வீடு, இன்பம் தேகான்ம பாவம் அறல். தேர்.
 
Padacchēdam (word-separation): dāṉam, tavam, vēḷvi, dhaṉmam, yōgam, bhatti, vāṉam, poruḷ, śānti, vāymai, aruḷ, mōṉam, nilai, sāhāmal sāvu, aṟivu, sār tuṟavu, vīḍu, iṉbam dēhāṉma-bhāvam aṟal. tēr.
 
அன்வயம்: தேகான்ம பாவம் அறல் தானம், தவம், வேள்வி, தன்மம், யோகம், பத்தி, வானம், பொருள், சாந்தி, வாய்மை, அருள், மோனம், நிலை, சாகாமல் சாவு, அறிவு, சார் துறவு, வீடு, இன்பம். தேர்.
 
Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): dēhāṉma-bhāvam aṟal dāṉam, tavam, vēḷvi, dhaṉmam, yōgam, bhatti, vāṉam, poruḷ, śānti, vāymai, aruḷ, mōṉam, nilai, sāhāmal sāvu, aṟivu, sār tuṟavu, vīḍu, iṉbam. tēr.
 
English translation: The condition ‘the body is myself’ being severed is giving, austerity, sacrifice, righteousness, yōga, devotion, space, substance, peace, truth, grace, silence, firmness, death without dying, knowledge, accomplished renunciation, liberation and happiness. Know.

Explanatory paraphrase: Know [understand or consider] that dēhātma-bhāva [the body-self-condition or body-self-conviction, namely ego, the false awareness ‘this body is myself’] being severed [ceasing or perishing] is dāna [giving or charity], tavam [tapas, burning, heat, fire, austerity or asceticism], vēḷvi [yāga, yajña, offering, sacrifice, sacrificial fire or worship], dharma [righteousness], yōga [joining, yoking or union, particularly in the sense of yoking the mind to the object or target of its meditation or to any spiritual practice], bhakti [devotion or love], vāṉam [space or sky, implying either the space of pure awareness or heaven], poruḷ [substance or vastu, in the sense of either the one real substance, namely pure being, or wealth], śānti [pacification, peace, tranquillity, calmness or quiet], vāymai [truth or truthfulness], aruḷ [divine grace, kindness, tenderness, affection, love, solicitude, compassion, benevolence, pity, mercy or blessing], mauna [silence, namely the silence of pure being], nilai [standing, fixedness, firmness, stability, permanence or niṣṭhā], sāhāmal sāvu [death without dying], aṟivu [knowledge, awareness, understanding, wisdom or jñāna], sār tuṟavu [accomplished renunciation], vīḍu [mukti, liberation, release, leaving, letting go] and iṉbam [happiness or bliss].

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 heart of surrender is being without rising as ego

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 30th March 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.  

ātma-vicāra is investigating who am I, not asking ‘Who am I?’

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 9th March 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.  

bhakti japa, jñāna japa and self-investigation

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 3rd March 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 12

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 2nd March 2024, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verse 12.

The following is Michael's translation of this verse:

இழிவுடல்யா னென்ன லிகந்திடுக வென்று
மொழிவிலின் பாந்தன்னை யோர்க — வழியு
முடலோம்ப லோடுதனை யோரவுனல் யாறு
கடக்கக் கராப்புணைகொண் டற்று.
 
iṙivuḍalyā ṉeṉṉa lihandiḍuga veṉḏṟu
moṙiviliṉ bāndaṉṉai yōrga — vaṙiyu
muḍalōmba lōḍudaṉai yōravuṉal yāṟu
kaḍakkak karāppuṇaigoṇ ḍaṯṟu.
 
பதச்சேதம்: இழிவு உடல் ‘யான்’ என்னல் இகந்திடுக. என்றும் ஒழிவு இல் இன்பு ஆம் தன்னை ஓர்க. அழியும் உடல் ஓம்பல் ஓடு தனை ஓர உனல் யாறு கடக்க கரா புணை கொண்டு அற்று.
 
Padacchēdam (word-separation): iṙivu uḍal ‘yāṉ’ eṉṉal ihandiḍuga. eṉḏṟum oṙivu il iṉbu ām taṉṉai ōrga. aṙiyum uḍal ōmbal ōḍu taṉai ōra uṉal yāṟu kaḍakka karā puṇai koṇḍu aṯṟu.
 
English translation: Cease considering the wretched body ‘I’. Investigate yourself, who are ever-unceasing happiness. Together with cherishing the perishable body, thinking to investigate oneself is like grasping a crocodile, a raft to cross a river.
 
Explanatory paraphrase: Cease considering the wretched [base or despicable] body [to be] ‘I’. Investigate [or know] yourself, who are ever-unceasing [or imperishable] happiness [or bliss]. Together with [along with or while] cherishing the perishable body, thinking [or intending] to investigate [or know] oneself is like grasping a crocodile [as] a raft to cross a river.

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, freedom of will, surrender and self-investigation

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 24th February 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.