Gems From Ramana

Sri Ramana Maharshi

• In deep sleep you are entirely free from thoughts, because the 'I' thought is absent. The moment the 'I' thought rises on waking, all other thoughts rush out spontaneously. The wisest thing for one to do is therefore to catch hold of this leading thought, the 'I' thought, and dissect it - who and what it is - giving thereby no chance to other thoughts to distract one. There lies the true value of the vichara and its efficacy.
• What is body-consciousness? It is the insentient body plus consciousness. Both these must lie in another consciousness which is absolute and unaffected, and ever-abiding, with or without body-consciousness. What does it then matter whether the body-consciousness is lost or retained, provided one is holding on to the Pure Consciousness? It makes no difference in the knowledge of the Supreme.
• Why should you bear your load on the head when you are traveling in a train? It carries you and your load whether the load is on your head or on the floor of the train. You are not lessening the burden of the train by keeping it on your head, but only straining yourself unnecessarily. Similar is the result of your sense of doership in the world.
• Regarding the significance of the name Rama, the RA stands for the Self and MA stands of the ego. As one goes on repeating 'Rama Rama', the MA disappears getting merged in the RA and then RA alone remains. In that state there is no conscious effort at dhyana, but it is there, for dhyana is our real nature.

From Thus Spake Ramana