Solitude Everywhere

Sri Ramana Maharshi

• Actions and states are according to one's point of view. A crow, an elephant, a snake, each makes use of one limb for two alternate purposes. With one eye, the crow looks on either side; for the elephant the trunk serves the purpose of both a hand and a nose; and the serpent sees as well as hears with its eyes. Whether you say the crow has an eye or eyes, or refer tot eh trunk of the elephant as hand or nose or call the eye of the serpent its ears, it means all the same. Similarly in the case of the jnani, sleep-waking or waking-sleep or dream-sleep or dreaming-wakefulness are all much the same thing.
• There is only one consciousness subsisting in the states of waking, dream and sleep. In sleep, there is no 'I'; thought arises on waking and then the world appear. Where was this 'I' in sleep? Was it there or was it not? It must have been there also, but not in the way that you feel now. The sleeping I is the real I. That subsists all through. That is consciousness. If that is known, you will see that it is beyond thoughts.
• There is solitude everywhere. The individual is solitary always. His business is to find out within and not without. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Enquire for whom there is distraction. You say the answer does not come from the search inwards. The enquirer is the answer and no other answer can come. What comes cannot be true. What is, is true.

From Thus Spake Ramana