Ramana
Some Choice quotations
Jul 20, 2009 18:15 Filed in: Quotations
In case you are
wondering, I’m having a hard time making time for
writing this summer. I won’t go into all the reasons,
but I do ask your prayers that I can buckle down and
start producing new commentaries.
I thought I'd share a few quotes I ran across today from Ramana Maharshi, an Indian sage who lived from 1879 to 1950. His primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga. What is striking to me about these quotations is the marked similarity to "A Course in Miracles."
We loosely talk of Self-realization, for lack of a better term. But how can one real-ize or make real that which alone is real? All we need to do is to give up our habit of regarding as real that which is unreal. All religious practices are meant solely to help us do this. When we stop regarding the unreal as real, then reality alone will remain, and we will be that. (Ramana Maharshi)
If the mind is happy, not only the body but the whole world will be happy. So one must find out how to become happy oneself. Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the whole world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes. (Ramana Maharshi)
All religions have come into existence because people want something elaborate and attractive and puzzling. Each religion is complex, and each sect in each religion has its own adherents and antagonists. For example, an ordinary Christian will not be satisfied unless he is told that God is somewhere in the far-off heavens, not to be reached by us unaided. Christ alone knew Him and Christ alone can guide us. Worship Christ and be saved. If he is told the simple truth, that "the kingdom of heaven is within you," he is not satisfied and will read complex and far-fetched meanings into such statements. Only mature minds can grasp the simple truth in all its nakedness. (Ramana Maharshi)
Reality is simply the loss of the ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity. It will automatically vanish and reality will shine forth by itself. This is the direct method. (Ramana Maharshi)
There is no greater mystery than this, that we keep seeking reality though in face we are reality. We think that there is something hiding reality and that this must be destroyed before reality is gained. How ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That which will be on the day you laugh is also here and now. (Ramana Maharshi)
I thought I'd share a few quotes I ran across today from Ramana Maharshi, an Indian sage who lived from 1879 to 1950. His primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga. What is striking to me about these quotations is the marked similarity to "A Course in Miracles."
We loosely talk of Self-realization, for lack of a better term. But how can one real-ize or make real that which alone is real? All we need to do is to give up our habit of regarding as real that which is unreal. All religious practices are meant solely to help us do this. When we stop regarding the unreal as real, then reality alone will remain, and we will be that. (Ramana Maharshi)
If the mind is happy, not only the body but the whole world will be happy. So one must find out how to become happy oneself. Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the whole world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes. (Ramana Maharshi)
All religions have come into existence because people want something elaborate and attractive and puzzling. Each religion is complex, and each sect in each religion has its own adherents and antagonists. For example, an ordinary Christian will not be satisfied unless he is told that God is somewhere in the far-off heavens, not to be reached by us unaided. Christ alone knew Him and Christ alone can guide us. Worship Christ and be saved. If he is told the simple truth, that "the kingdom of heaven is within you," he is not satisfied and will read complex and far-fetched meanings into such statements. Only mature minds can grasp the simple truth in all its nakedness. (Ramana Maharshi)
Reality is simply the loss of the ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity. It will automatically vanish and reality will shine forth by itself. This is the direct method. (Ramana Maharshi)
There is no greater mystery than this, that we keep seeking reality though in face we are reality. We think that there is something hiding reality and that this must be destroyed before reality is gained. How ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That which will be on the day you laugh is also here and now. (Ramana Maharshi)
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