Ever Experienced 'I'

Sri Ramana Maharshi

All mistake the mind-consciousness for Self-Consciousness. There is no mind in deep sleep; but no one denies his being in sleep. Even a child says on waking, “I slept well,” and does not deny its existence. The ‘I’ rises up, the mind turns outward through the five senses and perceives objects, this they call direct perception.

Asked if ‘I’ is not directly perceived, they get confused, because ‘I’ does not announce itself as an object in front and only the perception with the senses can be recognized by them as knowledge: this habit is so strong with them. A stanza in Thevaram says: “O sages, eager to get over all misery, worry not about inferences and examples! Our Light is ever shining forth from within! With mind clear, live in God!” This is direct perception. Will the common people admit it? They want God to appear in front of them as a bright Being mounted on a bull. Such a vision once originated must also end. It is therefore transient. Thevaram speaks of the Eternal and Ever-experienced Being. This Thevaram takes one directly to the Reality.