Mind Q&A

QUESTION: “What is the nature of the mind?”

Sri Ramana Maharshi: “What is called mind is a wonderous power residing in the Self. It causes all thoughts to arise. Apart from thoughts, there is no such thing as mind. Therefore, thought is the nature of mind. Apart from thought, there is no independent entity called the world.

In deep sleep there are no thoughts, and there is no world. In the states of waking and dream, there are thoughts and there is a world also. Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) out of itself and again withdraws it into itself, likewise the mind projects the world out of itself and again resolves it into itself.

When the mind comes out of the Self, the world appears. Therefore, when the world appears (to be real), the Self does not appear; and when the Self appears (shines), the world does not appear. When one persistently inquires into the nature of the mind, the mind will end leaving the Self. What is referred to as the Self is the Atman. The mind always exists always only in dependence on something gross; it cannot stay alone. It is the mind that is called the subtle body or the soul (embodied soul or jiva).”

Question: “Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent?”

Sri Ramana: “Other than inquiry, there is no adequate means. If through other means it is sought to control the mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will again go forth. Through the control of breath also, the mind will become quiescent; but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath remains controlled, and when the breath resumes, the mind also will again start moving and will wander as impelled by residual impressions. The source is the same for both mind and breath. Thought, indeed, is the nature of the mind. The thought “I” is the first thought of the mind; and that is egoity.

It is from that whence egoity originates that breath also originates. Therefore, when the mind becomes quiescent, the breath is controlled, and when the breath is controlled the mind becomes quiescent.But in deep sleep, although the mind becomes quiescent, the breath does not stop.

This is because of the will of God, so that the body may be preserved and other people may not be under the impression that it is dead. In the state of waking and in samadhi, when the mind becomes quiescent the breath is controlled. Breath is the gross form of mind. Till the time of death, the mind keeps the breath in the body; and when the body dies the mind takes the breath along with it. Therefore, the exercise of breath control is only an aid for rendering the mind quiescent (manonigraha); it will not destroy the mind (manonaashaa).

Like the practice of breath control, meditation on the forms of God, repetition of mantras, restriction on food, etc., are but aids for rendering the mind quiescent.

Through meditation on the forms of God and through repetition of mantras, the mind becomes one-pointed. The mind will always be wandering. Just as when the chain is given to an elephant to hold in its trunk it will go along grasping the chain and nothing else, so also when the mind is occupied with a name or form it will grasp that alone.When the mind expands in the form of countless thoughts, each thought becomes weak; but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes one-pointed and strong; for such a mind Self-inquiry will become easy. Of all the restrictive rules, that relating to the taking of sattvic food in moderate quantities is best; by observing this rule, the sattvic quality of mind will increase, and that will be helpful to Self-inquiry.”

Question: “Why should Self-inquiry alone be considered the direct means to jnana?”

Sri Ramana: “Because every kind of sadhana except that of Atma Vichara presupposes the retention of the mind as the instrument for carrying on the sadhana, and without the mind it cannot be practised. The ego may take different and subtler forms at the different stages of one’s practice, but is itself never destroyed.

When King Janaka exclaimed, “Now I have discovered the thief who has been ruining me all along. He should be dealt with summarily,” the king was really referring to the ego or the mind.”

Question: “But the thief may well be apprehended by the other sadhanas as well.”

Sri Ramana: “The attempt to destroy the ego or the mind through sadhanas other than Atma -Vichara is just like the thief turning out a policeman to catch the thief, that is, himself. Atma-Vichara alone can reveal the truth that neither the ego nor the mind really exists, and enables one to realise the pure , undifferentiated Being of the Self or the Absolute. Having realised the Self, nothing remains to be known, because it is perfect Bliss; it is the All.”

Question: “But is it not funny that the “I” should be searching for the “I” ? Does not the inquiry “Who am I?” turn out in the end an empty formula? Or am I to put the question to myself endlessly, repeating it like some mantra?”

Sri Ramana: “Self-inquiry is certainly not an empty formula; it is more than the repetition of any mantra. If the inquiry “Who am I?” were a mere mental questioning, it would not be of much value. The very purpose of Self-inquiry is to focus the entire mind at its Source. It is not,therefore, a case of one ’ I ’ searching for another ’ I ’ “.

Question: “How can I control the mind?”

Sri Ramana: “There is no mind to control if the Self is realised. The Self shines forth when the mind vanishes. In the realised man the mind may be active or inactive; the Self alone exists. For the mind, body, and world are not separate from the Self; and they cannot remain apart from the Self. Can they be other than the Self? When aware of the Self, why should one worry about these shadows? How do they affect the Self?”

Question: “Why do thoughts of many objects arise in the mind even when there is no contact with external objects?”

Sri Ramana: “All such thoughts are due to latent tendencies (purva sanskaras). They appear only to the individual consciousness (jiva) which has forgotten its real nature and becomes externalised. Whenever particular things are perceived , the inquiry “Who is it that sees them?” should be made; they will then disappear at once.”

Question: “What is the relation between jnana and bhakti?” (between knowledge and devotion)

Sri Ramana: “The eternal, unbroken, natural state of abiding in the Self is jnana (knowledge). To abide in the Self you must love the Self. Since God is verily the Self, love of the Self is love of God; and that is Bhakti (devotion). Jnana and Bhakti are thus one and the same.”

Question: “Should we read the Bhagavad Gita now and then?”

Sri Ramana: “Always”

Question: “How should I carry on nama-japa?”

Sri Ramana: “One should not use the Name of God mechanically and superficially without the feeling of devotion. To use the Name of God one must call upon Him with yearning and unreservedly surrender oneself to Him. Only after such surrender is the Name of God constantly with the man.”

Question: “Where, then, is the need for inquiry or Vichara?”

Sri Ramana: “Surrender can take effect only when it is done with full knowledge as to what real surrender means. Such knowledge comes after inquiry and reflection and ends invariably in self-surrender. There is no difference between Jnana and absolute surrender to the Lord, that is, in thought, word and deed. To be complete, surrender must be unquestioning; the devotee cannot bargain with the Lord or demand favours at His hands. Such entire surrender comprises all: it is Jnana and Vairagya, Devotion and Love.”

Question: “What is the highest goal of spiritual experience for man?”

Sri Ramana: “Self-realisation.”

Question: “A salt-doll diving into the sea will not be protected by a waterproof coat. This world in which we have to toil day in and day out is like the ocean.”

Sri Ramana: “Yes, the mind is the waterproof coat.”

Question: “What is the nature of the heart?”

Sri Ramana: “The meaning of the word heart (hrdayam) is the Self (Atman). As it is denoted by the terms Existence,Consciousness, Bliss eternal and plenum (sat,Chit, Anandam, Nityam, Puranam) it has no differences such as exterior and interior or up and down. That tranquil state in which all thoughts come to an end is called the state of the Self. When it is realised as it is, there is no scope for discussions about its location inside the body or outside.”

Question: What is the difference between the mind and the Self?

Sri Ramana: There is no difference. The mind turned inwards is the Self; turned outwards, it becomes the ego and all the world. Cotton made into various clothes we call by various names. Gold made into various ornaments, we call by various names. But all the clothes are cotton and all the ornaments gold. The one is real, the many are mere names and forms.

Source: http://www.hinduism.co.za/mind1.htm