Are You Born?

Sri Ramana Maharshi

A Hindi gentleman asked how the fear of death could be got over. 

M.: Find out if you were born before you think of death. Only he who is born could die. You are as  good as dead even in sleep. What fear is there of death?

D.: How are we in sleep?

M.: Ask the question in sleep. You recall the experience of sleep only when you are awake. You recall that state by saying “I slept happily”.

D.: What is the instrument by which we experience that state? 

M.: We call it Mayakarana as opposed to the antahkarana to which we are accustomed in our other states. The same instruments are called differently in the different states, even as the anandatman of sleep is termed the vijnanatman of the wakeful state.

D.: Please furnish me with an illustration for the mayakarana experiencing the ananda.

M.: How can you say “I slept happily”? The experience is there to prove your happiness. There  cannot be the remembrance in the wakeful state in the absence of the experience in the sleep state.

D.: Agreed. But please give me an illustration.

M.: How can it be described? If you dive into water for recovering an article you speak of its recovery only after rising out of the water. You do not say anything while remaining sunk in water.

D.: I do not have fear in sleep whereas I have it now.

M.: Because dwiteeyadvai bhayam bhavati - fear is always of a second one. Of what are you afraid?

D.: By reason of the perception of the body, the senses, the world, Isvara, doership, enjoyment etc.

M.: Why do you see them if they cause fear?

D.: Because they are inescapable.

M.: But it is you who sees them. For whom is the fear? Is it for them?

D.: No, it is for me.

M.: Because you see them, you fear them. Do not see them and there will be no fear.

D.: What then should I do in the waking state?

M.: Be the Self; there will be no second thing to cause you fear.

D.: Yes. Now I understand. If I see my Self, then the sight is warded off the non-self and there is happiness. Yet there is the fear of death.

M.: Only the one who is born should die. See if you have been born at all in order that death should threaten you.