Be As You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Arkana S.)

by Ramana Maharshi

he went through a simulated death experience during which he became consciously aware for the first time that his real nature was imperishable and that it was unrelated to the body, the mind or the personality.

his verbal teachings were only given out to those who were unable to understand his silence.

He also used the word ‘silence’ to indicate that the Self was a silent thought-free state of undisturbed peace and total stillness.

You are awareness. Awareness is another name for you. Since you are awareness there is no need to attain or cultivate it. All that you have to do is to give up being aware of other things, that is of the not-Self. If one gives up being aware of them then pure awareness alone remains, and that is the Self.3

For those who live in Self as the beauty devoid of thought, there is nothing which should be thought of. That which should be adhered to is only the experience of silence, because in that supreme state nothing exists to be attained other than oneself.8

There is no difference between dream and the waking state except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result of the mind. Because the waking state is long, we imagine that it is our real state.

The mind turned inwards is the Self; turned outwards, it becomes the ego and all the world.

In deep sleep man is devoid of possessions, including his own body. Instead of being unhappy he is quite happy. Everyone desires to sleep soundly. The conclusion is that happiness is inherent in man and is not due to external causes.