Shri Jamnalal Bajaj asked questions:
Shri Jamnalal Bajaj : How is the mind to be steadily kept right?
Ramana Maharshi : All living beings are aware of their surroundings and therefore intellect must be surmised in all of them.
At the same time, there is a difference between the intellect of man and that of other animals, because man not only sees the world as it is and acts accordingly, but also seeks fulfilment of desires and is not satisfied with the existing state of affairs. In his attempt to fulfil his desires he extends his vision far and wide and yet he turns away dissatisfied. He now begins to think and reason.
The desire for permanency of happiness and of peace bespeaks
such permanency in his own nature. Therefore he seeks to find and
regain his own nature, i.e., his Self. That found, all is found.
Such inward seeking is the path to be gained by man’s intellect.
The intellect itself realises after continuous practice that it is enabled by some Higher Power to function. It cannot itself reach that Power.
So it ceases to function after a certain stage. When it thus ceases
to function the Supreme Power is still left there all alone. That is
Realisation; that is the finality; that is the goal.
It is thus plain that the purpose of the intellect is to realise its own
dependence upon the Higher Power and its inability to reach the
same. So it must annihilate itself before the goal is gained.
D.: A sloka is quoted which means: “I do not desire kingdoms, etc.
Only let me serve Thee forever and there lies my highest pleasure.”
Is that right?
Maharshi .: Yes. There is room for kama (desire) so long as there is an object apart from the subject (i.e., duality). There can be no desire if there is no object. The state of no-desire is moksha. There is no duality in sleep and also no desire. Whereas there is duality in the waking state and desire also is there. Because of duality a desire arises for the acquisition of the object. That is the outgoing mind, which is the basis of duality and of desire. If one knows that Bliss is none other than the Self the mind becomes inward turned. If the Self is gained all the desires are fulfilled. That is the apta kamah atma kamah akamascha (fulfilment of desire) of the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad. That is moksha.
Here Shri Jamnalal Bajaj tried to make himself clear by saying that what he meant by sadbuddhi was not the same as buddhi. It means that which holds fast to the good, the right and the chosen path. He wanted to know how such steadfastness could be gained.
Maharshi : What is wanted for gaining the highest goal is loss of individuality.
The intellect is co-extensive with individuality. Loss of individuality
can only be after the disappearance of buddhi, good or bad. The
question therefore does not arise.
D.: But yet one must know the right thing, choose the right path,
practise the right dharma and hold fast to it. Otherwise he is lost.
M.: True strength accrues by keeping in the right direction without
swerving from it.
D.: Difficulties are met with. How is one to get the strength necessary
to overcome the obstacles which beset one’s path?
M.: By means of devotion and company of the sages.
D.: Loss of individuality was just before mentioned as a prerequisite
to moksha. Now devotion and association with the wise are advised
as the methods. Is there not individuality implied in them e.g., in
“I am a bhakta”, “I am a satsangi”?
M.: The method is pointed out to the seeker. The seeker has certainly not lost his individuality so far. Otherwise the question would not have arisen. The way is shown to effect the loss of individuality of the seeker. It is thus appropriate.
