The Mind must Die

Sri Lakshmana Swamy

Q: In self-enquiry, after concentrating the mind, I become aware of the thoughts and enquire as to their source, and I find out it is an I AM, a beingness that is present before and after every passing thought. Then I just try to hold on to this sense of I AM, and when any thought arises I just try to bring the mind back to it. Is this practice correct? Is anything else needed?

LS: In self-enquiry you have to catch hold of the I-thought by giving up other thoughts. If other thoughts intrude ask yourself 'For whom are these thoughts?' and you will find that the answer is 'They are occurring to me'. Then question yourself as to who is this 'I' that is having these thoughts, or ask yourself, 'Where does this 'I' come from?' If you are ripe, that is, free from other thoughts, the 'I' dives into itself and experiences the bliss of the Self. In the end the 'I', which is the mind, must die. The mind won't kill the mind by itself so the grace of the Guru, who is the Self, is most important. The death of the mind is Self-realization. As there is no mind after realization, the Self remains alone, one without a second. It is eternal peace and bliss and it is beyond time and death.

It is difficult to reach that beingness that you describe. Beingness means I AM and I AM means the Self. When the mind is quiet the I-thought may experience a little bit of the bliss that is emanating from the Self, but you will not experience pure beingness until the I-thought has completely subsided into the Heart. Your imagination is making you think that a peaceful or blissful experience of the I-thought is an experience of I AM or the Self. This belief has arisen because of ignorance, because you have not experienced the real 'I' as it really is.

First try to keep the mind still, that is, without thoughts.