Essential is Grace!

Sri Ramana Maharshi:

What are the obstacles which hinder realization of the Self?

M: They are habits of mind (vasanas).

How to overcome the vasanas?

M: By realizing the Self.

That is a vicious circle.

M: It is the ego which raises such difficulties, creates obstacles and then suffers from the perplexity of apparent paradoxes. Find out who makes the enquiries and the Self will be found.

What are the aids for realization?

M: The teachings of the Scriptures and of realized souls.

Can such teachings be discussions, lectures and meditations?

M: Yes, all these are only secondary aids, whereas the essential is the Master's Grace.

How long will it take for one to get that?

M: Why do you desire to know?

To give me hope.

M: Even such a desire is an obstacle. The Self is ever there, there is nothing without it. Be the Self and the desires and doubts will disappear. Such Self is the witness in sleep, dream and waking states of existence. These states belong to the ego. The Self transcends even the ego. Did you not exist in sleep? Did you know then that you were asleep or unaware of the world? It is only in the waking state that you describe the experience of sleep as being unawareness; therefore the consciousness when asleep is the same as that when awake. If you know what this waking consciousness is, you will know the consciousness which witnesses all the three states. Such consciousness could be found by seeking the consciousness as it was in sleep.

In that case, I fall asleep.

M: No harm!

It is a blank.

M: For whom is the blank? Find out. You cannot deny yourself at anytime. The self is ever there and continues in all states.

Should I remain as if in sleep and be watchful at the same time?

M: Yes. Watchfulness is the waking state. Therefore the state will not be one of sleep, but sleepless sleep. If you go the way of your thoughts you will be carried away by them and you will find yourself in an endless maze.

So, then, I must go back tracing the source of thoughts.

M: Quite so; in that way the thoughts will disappear and the Self alone will remain. In fact there is no inside or outside for the Self. They are also projections of the ego. The Self is pure and absolute.