Meditation: Bhagavan Ramana Answers

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Ramana was ever abiding in the natural state of steady wisdom, of overflowing joy. His silent mind was the source of all speech and his spiritual instructions bears a unique hallmark of its own- always simple, direct, fully aware of the receptivity of the questioner and his capacity to understand the teaching. This of course was a must for him since the Virupaksha Cave days. His was a open House. Anyone could walk and walkout at anytime. The questioners had therefore varied backgrounds, ranging from those who were seekers in search of truth, of Self-discovery, to those who wished to add a little of spirituality to their lives.

However, all his answers have a common feature. They were filled with compassion and the questioner would benefit immeasurably.

In this pocket book, covering about fifty questions and Ramana’s answers have been compiled from five different sources keeping in mind, the practical aspect and the essential and core need of the seekers.

Ramana was ever abiding in the natural state of steady wisdom, of overflowing joy. His silent mind was the source of all speech and his spiritual instructions bears a unique hallmark of its own - always simple, direct, fully aware of the receptivity of the questioner and his capacity to understand the teaching. This of course was so since the Virupaksha Cave days. His was an Open House into which anyone could walk—in and walkout at anytime. These questioners had therefore varied backgrounds, ranging from those who were seekers in search of truth, of Self- discovery, to those who wished to add a little spirituality to their lives.

However, all his answers have a common feature. They were filled with compassion and the questioner would benefit immeasurably.

In this pocket book, covering about fifty questions Ramana’s answers have been compiled from five different sources keeping in mind, the practical aspect and the essential and core need of the seekers. One might say that there are three broad streams, those relating to what is ordinarily understood by the word ‘Meditation’. The second relates to the direct path of Ramana; self-enquiry and it being the only means for fixity in one’s natural state. Those in this state are bright and resplendent like the sun. One who abides in his natural state is a beacon light, to those who come into his orbit, in accordance with the divine scheme of things. The third stream is the abundant joy of such persons who are ever conscious of this joy as a throb in their spiritual heart.

All meditation sessions, whatever category it may be, are certainly steps in the right direction. For they all have a common purpose, which is to establish a relationship with the Supreme. The meditation commonly practiced has a fixed timeframe and has mental images as integral to it. One thinks of a particular form of God in the Heart, or a particular sacred syllable or both. It is therefore based on the subject object division. Ramana points out that this is certainly useful for some and for sometime. However, since the distinction between the subject and object itself is erroneous its use is limited. The thief who deprives one of a steady and continuous touch with the Supreme is the mind itself. It makes one believe, for its own self-perpetuation, that is one’s operational strength.

This myth is well and truly exploded if one enquires about the nature of the subject, the mind by searching for its source. In tracing the mind back to its place of origin, which is the spiritual heart, is the key and the only lasting solution. In the path of Ramana, one achieves this by tracing the thoughts back to their centre, the thinker and using the mind so unified to search for its source. Then one experiences natural joy, which becomes steady by repeated effort to return to the source backed by the ever-flowing Grace of the guru. For those on the direct path, Ramana represents this divine source, and his unfailing grace makes fruition of effort possible.