Gespräche mit Ramana Maharshi: vollständige Ausgabe

by Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi wurde am 30. Dezember 1879 in Tiruchuli in der Nähe von Madurai (Tamil Nadu, Südindien) geboren. Nach einem Erleuchtungserlebnis im Alter von sechzehn änderte sich sein Leben schlagartig. Bald darauf ging er von Zuhause fort und ließ sich am heiligen Berg Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai nieder. Schließlich entstand der Ramanashram am Fuße des Berges, wohin viele Verehrer des Maharshi und Besucher für einen kurzen oder längeren Aufenthalt kamen. Er blieb dort bis zu seinem Tod am 14. April 1950. Die Gespräche mit Ramana Maharshi umfassen den Zeitraum 1935-1939 und wurden von Munagala S. Venkataramiah, einem seiner langjährigen Schüler aufgezeichnet. Während dieser vier Jahre hatte der Ramanashram seinen Höhepunkt erreicht. Der Maharshi war bei guter Gesundheit, und die Halle, in der er Tag und Nacht anzutreffen war, stand für alle offen. Die Besucher strömten aus allen Weltteilen herbei. Es gab kaum ein Land, das zur einen oder anderen Zeit nicht vertreten gewesen wäre. Viele dieser Gespräche führte der Maharshi mit westlichen Besuchern. Er lehrte vorwiegend Selbstergründung (atma vichara), erläuterte aber auch alle anderen spirituellen Wege und philosophischen Richtungen, wie es für den jeweiligen Frager am hilfreichsten war. Munagala S. Venkataramiah übergab seine Mitschriften dem Ashram, und sie wurden als ›Talks with Ramana Maharshi‹ veröffentlicht. Die ›Gespräche‹ sind eines der Hauptwerke über Ramana Maharshis Lehre und ein Klassiker der Ramana-Literatur. Dies ist die erste vollständige Übersetzung aller Gespräche mit einigen erläuternden Fußnoten der Übersetzerin Gabriele Ebert.

682 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2014

About the author

Bhagavan Sri Ramaṇa Mahārṣi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) born Venkataraman Iyer, was probably the most famous Indian sage of the twentieth century, he was born on December 30, 1879 in a village called Tirucculi about 30 miles south of Madurai in southern India. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended American Mission High School.

At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala where he would remain for the rest of his life. For several years he stopped talking and spent many hours each day in samadhi. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer, and the name stuck. Eventually he became world-famous and an ashram was built around him. He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70.

Ramana Maharshi was born 30 kilometers south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.

His Self-Realization

At age 16, he heard somebody mention "Arunachala." Although he didn't know what the word meant (it's the name of a holy hill associated with the god Shiva) he became greatly excited. At about the same time he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, a book that describes the lives of Shaivite saints, and became fascinated by it. In the middle of 1896, at age 16, he was suddenly overcome by the feeling that he was about to die. He lay down on the floor, made his body stiff, and held his breath. "My body is dead now," he said to himself, "but I am still alive." In a flood of spiritual awareness he realized he was spirit, not his body.

His Guru
Ramana Maharshi didn't have a human guru (other than himself). He often said that his guru was Arunachala, a holy mountain in South India.

His Teachings

Ramana Maharshi taught a method called self-inquiry in which the seeker focuses continuous attention on the I-thought in order to find its source. In the beginning this requires effort, but eventually something deeper than the ego takes over and the mind dissolves in the heart center.