"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

How to Avoid Misery?

Sri Annamalai Swami

About ten days after my arrival I asked Bhagavan (Ramana Maharshi), "How to avoid misery?" This was the first spiritual question I ever asked him.

B replied, "Know and always hold on to the Self. Disregard the body and the mind. To identify with them is misery. Dive deep into the Heart, the source of being and peace, and establish yourself there."

I then asked him how I could attain Self-realization and he gave me a similar answer: "If you give up identifying with the body and meditate on the Self, which you already are, you can attain Self-realization."

As I was pondering on these remarks B surprised me by saying, "I was waiting for you. I was wondering when you would come."

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सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad