The Light

Sri Ramana Maharshi

A casual visitor asked: What is nishta? How is the look to be directed between the eyebrows?

M.: How do we see these things? There is a light by which these are seen. Your question amounts to asking how that light is seen. 

D.: What is the significance of the spot between the eyebrows?

M.: That is mentioned as if to say: “Do not see with your eyes.” 

D.: What is regulation of breath for? 

M.: Only to control the mind. 

Again after a few minutes Sri Bhagavan continued: The mind functions both as light and as objects. If divested of things the light alone will remain over. 

D.: But we must know that there is such light. 

M.: Sight or cognition is impossible without such light. How do you cognise anything in sleep? Our cognition pertains to the present state because there is light. Light is the essential requisite for sight. It is plain in our daily life. Among the lights, sunlight is the most important. Hence they speak of the glory of millions of suns. 

D.: There is light if we press the eyelids with our fingers.

Another questioner: What is the use of seeing such a light? 

M.: It is done lest we forget the goal. The practice helps one not to divert the attention to other pursuits. The object is seen or the light is recognised because there is the subject to do so. How does it affect the subject whether the objects are seen or not? If the light, i.e., the cogniser or the consciousness is seen, there will be no object to be seen. Pure light, i.e., Consciousness, will alone remain over.