Abiding as the Self - Grace

Sri Ramana Maharshi

A Telugu gentleman, quiet in look, but learned in philosophy, asked Sri Bhagavan about manolaya.

Sri Bhagavan said that everything is contained in Upadesa Saram, a copy of which the man was holding in his hand.

D.: What is mind?

M.: See what it is.

D.: It is sankalpa vikalpatmaka (made up of thoughts and their changes).

M.: Whose sankalpa (thought)?

D.: Sankalpa is the nature of the mind.

M.: Of what is the sankalpa?

D.: Of the externalities.

M.: Quite so. Is that your nature?

D.: It is of the mind.

M.: What is your nature?

D.: Suddha Chaitanya (Pure Conscious Light).

M.: Then why do you worry about sankalpa and the rest.

D.: The mind is admitted to be changing and unsteady (chanchala and asthira).

M.: It is also said in the same place that the mind is to be introverted and made to merge into the Self; that the practice must be long because it is slow; and must be continued until it is totally merged in the Self.

D.: I want prasad, i.e., Grace, for it.

M.: It is always with you. All that is required of you is not to confound yourself with the extrovert mind but to abide as the Self. That is prasad.

The gentleman saluted and retired.