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Rooting Out the Ego and Persevering on the Path
Sri Ramana Maharshi
on Rooting Out the Ego and Persevering on the Path
Edited by John David Oct 2021
INTRODUCTION
In this blog “Ramana Maharshi on Rooting Out the Ego and Persevering on the Path,” we explore the transformative practice of self-enquiry as taught by Sri Ramana Maharshi. Central to his teachings is the idea of eradicating the ego at its root, a crucial step for anyone committed to true spiritual progress. We delve into how perseverance on the spiritual path, as emphasized by Ramana Maharshi, is essential for overcoming the obstacles of the mind and ego, which continuously try to pull us away from our natural state of pure awareness. By embracing self-enquiry with determination, we uncover the deeper truths of our existence and move closer to lasting inner peace.
Available Worldwide
on www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
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Widely appreciated
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
“This collection is a profound offering for those who are inspired to deeper inquiry. I have read both volumes for myself and others. Many passages reveal freshly and intimately the gift that is Ramana Maharshi. This is a book to cherish.”
Gangaji
“Thanks for presenting the book. I went through the book and it is indeed a good read. As you have mentioned, certain portions are controversial. However, many portions on Self-enquiry (genuinely in Bhagavan’s words) are profound and helpful to the seekers. Pranams”
Sri Ramanacharana Tirtha Swami
(formerly Sri Nochur Venkataraman),
“An excellent book suitable for anyone serious about the spiritual life and committed to knowing profound and liberating realisations. The beauty of Ramana’s teachings shows in the unwavering directness with a remarkable clarity and simplicity. Meditate on the questions and responses. Listen inwardly beneath the mind’s activity.”
Christopher Titmuss
“Aham Sphurana is the most profound, subtle and practical version of Ramana Maharshi. When you read this book you realise just how diluted, vague and lacking are most of the books published in the name of this great sage of Arunachala.
It is not an easy new age read, it is the real deal with all its subtleties and intricacies. Our role is to develop a profound, sensitive and subtle mind and heart to understand and absorb these teachings.
The persons who wrote and published this book faced fierce objection from many people and are no less than warriors of spiritual truth.
Their devotion and respect to Ramana Maharshi made them fight this war and they deserve our appreciation and respect for making these rare teachings available to us.”
Noah
2nd Volume
now available
on www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
The pristine, pure mind of the Master that speaks through this profound volume is bound to bring us to an awakening into the most obvious yet hidden truth of our own existence.
Pravrajika Divyanandaprana
Rooting Out the Ego and Persevering on the Path
Q: Which is genuine Vichara – asking myself Who am I? every time a thought arises or keenly investigating the problem of who I am?
B: The latter. If you want to get rid of a poisonous tree, do you lop off its leaves one by one? What is the use of such an approach? In the time it takes for you to cut down one leaf, leaves multitudinous in number and multifarious in variety would have sprouted forth from the vicious tree. Instead, attack the poisonous root of illusion, namely the ahamvritti, straightaway!
Q: But I have heard it spoken of amongst Bhagavan’s devotees that Vichara, according to Bhagavan, can be compared to an aged mongoose waiting for a snake to come out of a discarded anthill that the latter happens to be using as its place of residence.
B: Yes. The sword can be used for slicing as well as for stabbing. In the preliminary phase of sadhana, when thoughts rush out furiously one after the other, Vichara is used as a tool to go on returning the mind to its native state of thought-free pure Subjective Consciousness. It is always to be practised as and when it is discovered that the mind has strayed away from this natural state. However, there is also the subsequent stage, where thoughts have largely subsided. Now, the investigation Who am I? is used to seek the mind with mind. Use the mind to scrutinise closely what ‘I’ is. Rather than creating something called ‘I’ and then looking at it so as for fulfilling the instruction to closely scrutinise ‘I’, seek ‘I’, whatever it might be and whether it might exist or not, without harbouring notions as to its existence or non-existence.
Q: I am trying to follow Bhagavan’s instructions. But my vasanas prove to be an obstacle. What can I do?
B: Never mind obstacles. Keep on going. Do not sit down or pause to moan or complain, but keep on going. The only important thing is to keep on going. If you try to take stock of progress yet to be made, you will feel alarmed and then further progress would have become impossible. So, never stop, but go on escalating. One day you will reach the summit, or rather, realise that you never left it. Until then, climb relentlessly and incessantly. Do not bother about obstacles, progress, and the like. Simply and only, go on scaling.
More from Ramana Maharshi
How shall we kill the mind?
The mind cannot kill itself. Seeking its source and ignoring objects dissolve it, revealing the Heart as stillness.
The Aghori Sadhu Life Story
Through a lifetime of hardships, rituals, and encounters with saints, the Aghori finds the grace of Ramana Maharshi, surrendering ego and discovering the peace of the Self.
Reference Books and Translation
Bhagavan spoke many languages, quoted texts with precision, and used interpreters as needed, making profound teaching universally accessible.
Unrealise the not-Self
Recognise that all ideas of ego and identity are unreal, and by seeing this clearly, only the true Self remains.
Summa Iru
Summa Iru means resting quietly, free from thought and activity, allowing the mind to dissolve and reveal natural peace.
Meditation
Meditation means sticking to one thought to the exclusion of every other. One particular thought keeps away all others.
Schopenhauer and Renunciation
Schopenhauer exposes life’s futility, but true renunciation and surrender arise from Grace, dissolving ego and revealing the Self.
I have a body
Ramana Maharshi explains that regardless of thoughts about the body, one must abide as the Self, allowing life to flow spontaneously.
Kaushika
Kaushika’s pride is humbled by a housewife and butcher, teaching that surrender and dutiful living lead to true realization.
The Aghori’s Death and Liberation
Bhagavan guides the Aghori’s death with serene grace, ensuring sacred release and merging the sadhu’s being with the Absolute.
Get Your Copy of the Book
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Danger of Emptiness [shunyastithi]
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Danger of Emptiness [shunyastithi]
Bhagavan: ( )…Otherwise, the aspirant will in all likelihood unknowingly mistake the shunyastithi [state of emptiness] to be Jnana and rest in it, eventually becoming hopelessly lost.
It is an unfortunate fact that many teachers of meditation tutor shunyastithi and purposely delude their pupils into believing that it is Jnana.
Shunyastithi [state of emptiness] is a deadly spiritual poison.
It drives one away from the Heart, thereafter the lost ground has to be recovered all the way by means of doubling-back if Jnana is to be reached. That is why meditation is not encouraged here, but only Vichara.
Edited by John David Nov 2024
Mixed Blogs
What is Spiritual Awakening?
The only sure way to step out of all the stories and all the nonsense is to really see with great clarity that this ‘me’ that we are so fond of referring everything to, simply doesn’t exist. Once you see it doesn’t exist then the whole thing falls away. Everything just falls away and you’re left with your essence.
Love is
Love is
Only love is
Love moves the leaves in the wind and the planets in the universe
All is LOVE and you are this LOVE
Enlightenment is an Illusion
The first thing I would say is that there are not any enlightened people. This word enlightenment is a wrong word. It is like sex or love or god. It is like some idea far away in the future. Maybe it has a value because it can bring people to find themselves, just as the peak of Mount Everest brings people to climb mountains.
Osho Ten Commandments
You have asked for my ten Commandments. It’s a difficult matter,
because I am against any kind of commandment.
Yet, just for the fun of it.
Reference Books and Translation
Bhagavan spoke many languages, quoted texts with precision, and used interpreters as needed, making profound teaching universally accessible.
Sri Gajapathi Aiyyer, Author of Aham Spraruna
Gajapathi Aiyyer’s Red Notebooks preserve Bhagavan’s profound teachings, offering timeless guidance for seekers, now published and accessible to all.
A Former Classmate Visiting Bhagavan
A touching reunion of childhood friends highlights Bhagavan’s humility, refusal of special gifts, and unconditional compassion for all.
BE As You Are
Realization is simply BEing as you ARE. Through persistent vichara, Grace shines forth until seeker and seeking both dissolve.
Letters to Bhagavan
Letters to Bhagavan, answered by a Brahmin scribe, carried the Master’s imprimatur, preserving his teaching and direct spiritual essence.
Guru’s Grace
Ramana Maharshi explains that Guru’s Grace burns ego and mental habits, allowing total surrender and spontaneous Self-Realization to arise.
My Job is to Destroy You
Then one day, this was the big change, I’ll never forget it, never to this day.
He sat up cross-legged on His bed and I was sitting on the floor in the hospital.
He drew a line and He said, “Look.” He said it like, “Look (gruffly), this is a line. On this side of the line is everything you’ve ever known, everything…
Guru Purnima Day
When I was living with Papaji I still had very strong issues with my father, and sometimes I was looking to Papa to come and tell me I was a good boy. I guess he knew that.
It was a special day; it was Guru Purnima day when everybody gives a garland to the Guru. We all came in a long line, each holding a garland, and slowly we came closer to Papaji.
What is the Purpose of Life?
Life does not question its own purpose. It has no questions to ask. It has no complaint to raise. It has no grudge to bear.
Suppressing Our Mechanisms
I would say that that seeing of our nature is like the first step in an ongoing process that reveals everything that’s been suppressed or been jumped over, and in that process it’s really a fire, but ultimately the fire is not for any person, it’s actually for the benefit of all beings.
The Desire for Material Wealth
Much of life has become solely focused on material wealth. Money has become the focus all around the world, and through that focus the planet itself has become threatened by the ecological consequences. Yet the economic rationalism of the society always takes first place.
