RAMANA MAHARSHI

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA'S TALKS : - J.K. SIVAN

IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BHAGAVAN RAMANA IF YOU READ THE QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM AND THE ANSWERS GIVEN BY HIM, SLOWLY, CONCENTRATING ON EACH WORD ATTENTIVELY WITH INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST TO LEARN.- It is made simple for you so that you will enjoy His teaching profusely. JKS

BIRTH AND REBIRTH

Devotee: Are there many jivas. For a jiva there is only the ego which forms the reflected light of the Self. Multiplicity of selves may be wrong is it not?

Maharishi Ramana.: Jiva is called so because he sees the world. A dreamer sees many jivas in a dream but all of them are not real. The dreamer alone exists and he sees all. So it is with the individual and the world. There is the creed of only one Self which is also called the creed of only one jiva. It says that the jiva is only one who sees the whole world and the jivas therein.

D.: Then jiva means the Self here.

M.: So it is. But the Self is not a seer. But here he is said to see the world. So he is differentiated as the Jiva.

D.: Of what use is the fear of death which is common to all?

M.: True, it is common to all. Such fear serves no useful purpose

because being overpowered by the latent tendencies of the mind

the man dies a natural death. It does not lead him to non-attachment and he cannot investigate the matter.

D.: How then are you giving the same instruction without distinction to visitors?

M.: What do I say? The ego in each one must die. Let him reflect

on it. Is there this ego or is there not? By repeated reflection one

becomes more and more fit.

D:How long is the interval between one’s death and reincarnation?

M.: It may be long or short. But a Jnani does not have any such

changes; he merges into the universal Being, so says the Briha daranyaka Upanishad.

Some say that those who after death pass into the path of light

are not reborn, whereas those who after death take the path of

darkness are reborn after they have enjoyed the fruits of karma

in their subtle bodies.

If one’s merits and demerits are equal, they are directly reborn here. Merits outweighing demerits, the subtle bodies go to heavens and are then reborn here; demerits outweighing merits, they go to hells and are afterwards reborn here.

A yogabrashta is said to fare in the same manner. All these are

described in the sastras. But in fact, there is neither birth nor death. One remains only as what one really is. This is the only Truth.