Self

Really there's nothing to do, nothing to become, in order for you to find total happiness. It's not finding something new to add on to yourself. It's letting go of everything you've been holding onto, becoming virtually empty, total emptiness, becoming a no one, a nobody, a nothing. Allowing all of your preconceived ideas, your conceptual thinking, to dissolve. Letting go of everything that you've been holding onto, your desires, your emotions. Becoming a simple person. Not worrying about the future. Being your Self, absolute reality, the Self which is God, allowing that to take place. Forgetting about time and space. Not trying to change the world or anyone else, not even trying to change yourself, but rather going deep within yourself, diving deep within yourself, deeper than you've ever gone before. The deeper you dive, the more the ego disappears. Remember, the ego, the body, the mind are one. They never existed really.

~ Robert Adams

Jivan mukta

Facets of Self-enquiry
Part Three: From Self-Abidance to Fulfilment by N.A Mohan Rao. 
January 2012 Mountain Path..

- Concepts of Jnani: Jivan-mukta and Videha-mukta 

Vasanas are of two kinds, bandha-hetuh (causative of bondage) and bhoga-hetuh (causative of enjoyment). To attain jnana, it is enough that the binding kind of vasanas are eliminated. One who attains to jnana thus is called a jivan-mukta (liberated while yet in the body). The bhoga-vasanas that may have been left in him are to be spent by enjoying the respective pleasures without getting attached to them. 

The jnani is said to have a remnant of a mind, and ego, to enable such enjoyment. Since he is without attachment, this ego cannot bind him, just as a burnt rope, though looking like a rope, cannot be of service to bind. The jnani is also credited with an intellect of an extremely subtle kind by which he experiences the ‘Self-bliss’ and knows that he is ever the Self. When the enjoyment of the bhoga-vasanas is completed, the body of the jivan-mukta falls, and he becomes a videha-mukta
(liberated having left the body). His subtle mind gets resolved, and the experience of Self-bliss too ceases: he becomes one with the Self bliss ‘without any differentiated existence.’ 

Jivan-muktas may be of four kinds, namely, brahma-vid, brahmavidvara, brahma-vidvarya and brahma-vidvarishta. They correspond to the last four jnana-bhoomikas respectively. They all mean ‘knower of Brahman’ on an increasing scale of greatness. The differences in greatness arise apparently due to the kinds of bhoga-vasanas left in them. The brahma-vidvarishta is thus the greatest of the four jivanmuktas and is alone said to experience Bliss. Bhagavan’s teaching that a jivan-mukta ripens from moment to moment, may therefore perhaps be taken to apply to the three lower levels. If a movie theatre is flooded with light to a certain level, one may not readily notice the picture on the screen. But if he bestows careful attention,he might see it faintly. In the same way, the jnani does not ordinarily see the world due to the illumination of jnana, but can see it faintly if he makes an effort. Even so, he sees it as not apart from his Self. Bhagavan has said that his awareness of his cancer was similar in nature.

Bhakti , vichara marga

Advaita (Nonduality, Oneness, One Love)

So long as there is vibhakti [separation], there must be bhakti [devotion]. So long as there is viyoga [separation], there must be yoga [union (with the Supreme Being)]. So long as there is duality, there must be God and devotee. Similarly also in vichara [enquiry]. So long as there is vichara, there is duality too. But merging into the Source there is unity only. So it is with bhakti too. Realising the God of devotion, there will be unity only. God too is thought of in and by the Self. So God is identical with the Self. If one is told to have bhakti for God and he does so straightaway, it is all right. But there is another kind of man who turns round and says: "There are two, I and God. Before knowing the far-off God, let me know the more immediate and intimate `I'." For him the vichara-marga has to be taught. There is in fact no difference between bhakti and vichara.

~ Sri Ramana Maharshi 

Quotes 1.3

Quotes 1.2

Be as you are

Q: However often Bhagavan teaches us, we are not able to understand. 

Sri Ramana Maharshi : 

People say that they are not able to know the Self 
that is all pervading. 
What can I do ? 

Even the smallest child says, `I exist; I do; this is mine.' 
So, everyone understands that the thing `I' is always existent. 

It is only when that `I' is there that there is the feeling that you are the body, he is Venkanna, this is Ramanna and so on. 

To know that the one that is always visible is one's own Self, 
is it necessary to search with a candle ? 

To say that we do not know the atma swarupa [the real nature of the Self] which is not different 
but which is in one's own Self 
is like saying, `I do not know myself.` 

Q: But how is one to reach this state? 

Sri Ramana Maharshi : 

There is no goal to be reached. 
There is nothing to be attained. 

You are the Self. 
You exist always. 
Nothing more can be predicated of the Self than that it exists. 

Seeing God or the Self is only being the Self or yourself. 
Seeing is being. 
You, being the Self, want to know how to attain the Self. 

It is something like a man being at Ramanasramam 
asking how many ways there are to reach Ramanasramam 
and which is the best way for him. 

All that is required of you is to give up the thought 
that you are this body 
and to give up all thoughts of the external things 
or the not-Self.

~ From Be as you are book

Ego self

Q: What is the ego-self ? How is it related to the real Self ? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : 
The ego-Self appears and disappears and is transitory, whereas the real Self is permanent. 
Though you are actually the true Self you wrongly identify the real Self with the ego-self. 

Q: How does the mistake come about? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : See if it has come about. 

Q: One has to sublimate the ego-self into the true Self. 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : The ego-self does not exist at all. 

Q: Why does it give us trouble? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : To whom is the trouble ? 
The trouble also is imagined. 
Trouble and pleasure are only for the ego.

Q: Why is the world so wrapped up in ignorance? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : 
Take care of yourself. 
Let the world take care of itself. 
See your Self. 
If you are the body there is the gross world also. 
If you are spirit all is spirit alone. 

Q: It will hold good for the individual, but what of the rest? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : Do it first and then see if the question arises afterwards. 

Q: Is there avidya [ignorance]? 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : For whom is it? 

Q: For the ego-self. 
Sri Ramana Maharshi : Yes, for the ego. 
Remove the ego and avidya is gone. 
Look for it, the ego vanishes and the real Self alone remains. 
The ego professing avidya is not to be seen. 
There is no avidya in reality. 
All sastras [scriptures] are meant to disprove the existence of avidya.

~ From Be as you are book