MAHARSHI RAMANA

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA'S TALKS :

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 you will enjoy profusely. JKS

Devotee: What is family?

Maharishi.: That’s it. It must be known.

D.: There is my wife and there are also my children. They are

dependent on me. That is the family.

M.: Do the members of the family bind your mind? Or do you bind

yourself to them? Do they come and say to you “We form your

family. Be with us”? Or do you consider them as your family and

that you are bound to them?

D.: I consider them as my family and feel bound to them.

M.: Quite so. Because you think that so-and-so is your wife and so-and-so are your children you also think that you are bound to them. These thoughts are yours. They owe their very existence to you. You can entertain these thoughts or relinquish them. The former is bondage and the latter is release.

D.: It is not quite clear to me.

M.: You must exist in order that you may think. You may think these thoughts or other thoughts. The thoughts change but not you. Let go the passing thoughts and hold on to the unchanging Self. The thoughts form your bondage. If they are given up, there is release.

The bondage is not external. So no external remedy need be sought

for release. It is within your competence to think and thus to get

bound or to cease thinking and thus be free.

D.: But it is not easy to remain without thinking.

M.: You need not cease thinking. Only think of the root of the thoughts; seek it and find it. The Self shines by itself. When that is found the thoughts cease of their own accord. That is freedom from bondage.

D.: Yes. I understand it now. I have learnt it now. Is a Guru necessary?

M.: So long as you consider yourself as an individual, a Guru is

necessary to show to you that you are not bound by limitations

and that your nature is to be free from limitations.

D: Actions are bondage. One cannot remain without some kind of activity. So bondage goes on increasing. What is one to do under the circumstances?

M.: One should act in such a manner that the bondage is not

strengthened but gets weakened. That is selfless action.