Ego Is Like A Leech

Sri Ramana Maharshi

21-11-1945 Night

The following remarks were also made by Bhagavan this night:

"The jnani sees he is the Self and it is on the Self as the screen that the various cinema-pictures of what is called the world pass. He remains unaffected by the shadows which play on the surface of that screen."

"See with the 'ஊனக்கண்' (the physical eye), and you see the world. See with the 'ஞானக்கண்' (the eye of realization), everything appears 'பிரம்மமயம்' (as the Self).

"To see an object that is in the dark, both the eye and the light of a lamp are required. To see the light only, the eye is enough. But to see the Sun, there is no need of any other light. Even if you take the lamp with you, its light will be drowned in the light of the Sun. Our intellect or buddhi is of no use to realize the Self. To see the world or external objects, the mind and the reflected light (chidabhasa) which always arises with it are necessary. To see the Self, the mind has simply to be turned inside and there is no need of the reflected light."

"If we concentrate on any thought and go to sleep in that state, immediately on waking the same thought will continue in our mind. People who are given chloroform are asked to count one, two etc. A man who goes under after saying six for instance will, when he again comes to, start saying seven eight, etc."

"In some books, the ego is compared to a leech; before leaving one body, it takes hold of another."