Alone

The capacity to be alone is the capacity to love. It may look paradoxical to you, but it's not. It is an existential truth: only those people who are capable of being alone are capable of love, of sharing, of going into the deepest core of another person--without possessing the other, without becoming dependent on the other, without reducing the other to a thing, and without becoming addicted to the other. They allow the other absolute freedom, because they know that if the other leaves, they will be as happy as they are now. Their happiness cannot be taken by the other, because it is not given by the other.

Osho

Grace

Ramana says: "Divine grace is essential for realization. It leads one to God realization. But such grace is vouchsafed only to him who is a true devotee or a yogi. It is given only to those who have striven hard and ceaselessly on the path towards freedom."
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Happiness

'What is happiness?'

Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We imagine through our ignorance that we derive happiness from objects. When the mind goes out, it experiences misery. In truth, when its desires are fulfilled, it returns to its own place and enjoys the happiness that is the Self. Similarly, in the states of sleep, samadhi and fainting, and when the object desired is obtained or the object disliked is removed, the mind becomes inward-turned, and enjoys pure Self-happiness. Thus the mind moves without rest alternately going out of the Self and returning to it. Under the tree the shade is pleasant; out in the open the heat is scorching. A person who has been going about in the sun feels cool when he reaches the shade. Someone who keeps on going from the shade into the sun and then back into the shade is a fool. A wise man stays permanently in the shade. Similarly, the mind of the one who knows the truth does not leave Brahman. The mind of the ignorant, on the contrary, revolves in the world, feeling miserable, and for a little time returns to Brahman to experience happiness. In fact, what is called the world is only thought. When the world disappears, i.e., when there is no thought, the mind experiences happiness; and when the world appears, it goes through misery.

('Who Am I': 24)

The self

Q: It is said that the Self is beyond the mind and yet the realization is with the mind. `The mind cannot think it. It cannot be thought of by the mind and the mind alone can realize it.'How are these contradictions to be reconciled?

Sri Ramana Maharshi :

Atman is realized with mruta manas [dead mind], that is,
mind devoid of thoughts and turned inward.

Then the mind sees its own source and becomes that [the Self].
It is not as the subject perceiving an object.

When the room is dark a lamp is necessary to illumine
and eyes to cognize objects.
But when the sun has risen there is no need of
a lamp to see objects.

To see the sun no lamp is necessary,
it is enough that you turn your eyes towards
the self-luminous sun.

Similarly with the mind.
To see objects the reflected light of the mind is necessary.
To see the Heart it is enough that the mind is turned towards it.
Then mind loses itself and Heart shines forth.

The essence of mind is only awareness or consciousness.
When the ego, however, dominates it,
it functions as the reasoning, thinking or sensing faculty.

The cosmic mind, being not limited by the ego,
has nothing separate from itself and is therefore only aware.

This is what the Bible means by `I am that I am'.

When the mind perishes in the supreme consciousness of one's own Self, know that all the various powers beginning with the power of liking [and including the power of doing
and the power of knowing] will entirely disappear,
being found to be an unreal imagination appearing in
one's own form of consciousness.

The impure mind which functions as thinking and forgetting,
alone is samsara, which is the cycle of birth and death.

The real `I' in which the activity of thinking and forgetting has perished, alone is the pure liberation.

It is devoid of pramada [forgetfulness of Self]
which is the cause of birth and death.

~ from Be as you are book

Where will Bhagwan go ?

FROM MY-LIFE-AT-SRIRAMANASHRAM.
BY SURI NAGAMMA.
WHERE WILL BHAGAVAN GO?
Dr. Guruswami gave some homeopathic medicine and went away saying that he would come back a week later when he would say whether he could take up the responsibility of treating Bhagavan. It seems he remarked that the wound might not after all be cancerous in nature. That remark cheered up everybody. Before leaving, Dr.
Guruswami Mudaliar had said that it would be beneficial if Suryanamaskar (salutation to the Sun God) could be performed. Balarama Reddi offered to get it done at his own cost if Bhagavan could permit it.
Bhagavan said, “Why not? Do as you please. It is always good to perform Suryanamaskaram.” A pundit was accordingly appointed
and he began to do the Namaskarams from then on at the
Vedapatasala. Every day when after the Namaskaram Bhagavan was given the Thirtha (holy water), he would take it as sacred medicine. Some devotees remarked that those prayers were being done by a pundit for a fee but that it would be much better if someone did them with great devotion without expectation of payment. I had never
offered prayers at any time for personal favours or reward, but it occurred to me spontaneously to take up the work for Bhagavan’s sake. Encouraged by others, one evening, I approached Bhagavan for permission. He said that the Suryanamskaram was being done already. I told him I knew that, but would do them in my own house as
well. Realising my sincerity of purpose, Bhagavan said, “That is all right. You may. It is good. I merely mentioned that it is already being done here.”
Accordingly the very next day, I began this practice. Previously, some women devotees had started circumambulating the hill together once a week for the improvement of Bhagavan’s health. Now some men also began doing it.
The tumour was bleeding so profusely that it had to be bandaged both morning and evening. At this, some of them wept and said, “We are afraid Bhagavan will soon no longer be in our midst”. Laughing at their words, Bhagavan said, “Oh! What an idea! Where will Bhagavan
go without being here? Where can he go?” When we heard the Master’s answer, we had high hopes of the tumour healing up, but on second thoughts I felt there was a double meaning in those words. Bhagavan had said, where will Bhagavan go? Where can he go? But
he did not say where Bhagavan’s body would go? This doubt was worrying me continuously.

Self grace

Tapas Swami

In 1930, one afternoon, when I entered the Hall I found Bhagavan all alone. Those were the days when I was disgusted with life, as I had to face too many family problems. In addition, I was entrusted with the supervision of a temple renovation which was a very tedious job. I was depressed and miserable, and had a longing to renounce the world and lead the life of a recluse. Summoning my courage, I approached Bhagavan and said, "Bhagavan, to pursue spiritual sadhana one has to renounce worldly links, hasn't one?"

His answer was a motionless silence!

After some time I broached the subject again and said, "I am not yet blessed with a reply by Bhagavan!" Bhagavan looked stern and said, "What do you mean by 'giving up' (something) and 'taking up' (something) else? Where to go, what to take? Everywhere, everything is only the 'I'. Who is to give up what and who is to go where?"

He uttered these words with such sternness that I took it as a reprimand and went out and started crying. After fifteen minutes, when I had calmed down, I became aware of the surroundings and wondered whether Bhagavan would have watched my crying.

I was unnerved to see that Bhagavan was looking at me without any change in his stern face. When I went into his presence again, Bhagavan turned to Muruganar and said,

"Look at him! He wants to give up everything and run away. From where have we come to think of going elsewhere? What is, always exists. Where to go, and who goes?" But then, suddenly, Bhagavan's face changed into one of love and compassion. He looked at me with tender affection and asked me in a sweet voice,

"Who are you? Tell me."

Again, I gathered courage and said: "I know, Bhagavan, that I am the Self alone." Then, full of grace, He uttered the following words: "That is all that is to be understood. This intellectual conviction now is athida jnana (infirm knowledge). In due course, you will be established in thida jnana (firm abidance). That is the Final Truth - to be what you ARE!" I was fortunate indeed to get these words of assurance from the Master. What more do I want?

— Tapas Swami, From the Mountain Path, January, 1985

Thoughts

'Why do thoughts of many objects arise in the mind even when there is no contact with external objects?'

All such thoughts are due to latent tendencies (purva samskaras). They appear only to the individual consciousness (jiva) which has forgotten its real nature and become externalised. Whenever particular things are perceived, the enquiry ‘Who is it that sees them?’ should be made; they will then disappear at once.

('Spiritual Instruction': II.10)