Q: We Europeans are accustomed to a particular diet; change of diet affects health and weakens the mind. Is it not necessary to keepup physical health?
M.: Quite necessary. The weaker the body the stronger the mind grows.
Will you please explain this weaker the body stronger the mind grows ??
Below is Explanation by Mr. Harbhajan ji : -
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H: Here, first a distinction needs to be made between brain and mind. Brain is to us as roots are to a tree and acts quite like them (how the roots in trees on evolution became brain in us you will come to know from my book Self Designed Universe, particularly from a picture therein).
Now we or the tree in fact also began right from big bang with the universe and evolved through clay to minerals to trees to animals to apes to man etc. That which links us to all this evolution is our mind. Obviously it is spread throughout the (past history of) earth and ultimately of the universe.
Imagine a cell in your body. It will also have an equivalent of our brain as its body part. But at the same time, apart from this, it (cell) will also be linked to you as a whole in some way right from your birth. What represents that link is its mind.
Now mind's effort is to advance or force the scheme of things of evolution upon us which began right from big bang, forcing our brain/bodies in the process to do its bidding while brain/body's job is to resist the change. It first tries to resist, then adapt what it cannot resist in the process changing into various forms we call species (in case of cells in our bodies into bone, marrow, blood, muscle and nerve cells etc).
In other words, brain/body act as per Darwinian notions of survival, natural sepection, adaptation, while mind or force of mind acts as per what now-a-days is coming to be known as design or intelligent design and which is the cause of what hitherto are understood to be chance mutations (to which species try to adapt or of which they make selections for survival).
Mind, in most simple terms throws us of center , leads us astray in a way, while brain/body try to keep us in the center, try to keep us to ourselves. In other words, mind goes on trying to separate us from the original light/oneness while brain/body keep on trying to revert to it. If the brain/body is strong it will quickly return to itself/its center and if it is weak mind will be comparatively strong and will lead it more and more astray.
Mind forces us to get up in childhood, brain/body tries to keep us in our center of gravity - a weak baby will fall more a strong baby less. Mind forces us to fall into loves, wars, hates in youth, brain/body tries to keep us in the center of our emotional being. Mind forces us to fall into various intellectual concepts/ideas brain/body tries us to not to lose ourselves in any particular ideology at the cost of forgetting ourselves (not to get brain-washed in other words).
It is in the above sense, in which brain/body and mind are pitted against each other that Ramana says that yes, body needs to be kept healthy otherwise mind will become comparatively stronger derailing in the process balanced growth or evolution.
Mind basically is that part of the original Superforce of the big bang which has now come to become our lot and which, when reacted upon by brain/body throws us into the ambit of four basic forces/interactions, more about which you will be able to know from my book Self-Designed Universe. It is the same to what Yogic philosophers call our kundlini shakti and acts through various force centers in our bodies also called chakras in Hindu Yogic philosophy.
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D:How long did it take Maharshi to realise the Self?
M.: This question is asked because the name and form are perceived.These are the perceptions consequent on the identification of the ego with the gross body.If the ego identifies itself with the subtle mind, as in dream, the perceptions are subtle also. But in sleep there are no perceptions.Was there not the ego still? Unless it was, there cannot be the memory of having slept. Who was it that slept? You did not say in your sleep that you slept. You say it now in your wakeful state. The ego therefore is the same in wakefulness, dream and sleep. Findout the underlying Reality behind these states. That is the Reality underlying these. In that state there is Being alone. There is no you,nor I, nor he; no present, nor past, nor future. It is beyond time and space, beyond expression.
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H: Ramana's emphasis has always been to realise the Self - that which is beyond relativity, beyond time and space, beyond intellectual analysis. All questions on the face of it, which certainly belong to the relative, timespace-ruled world, and are really asked to pander to intellect in one way or the other, are not of much use. By the above explanation Ramana has tried to show just that, that the question is not of much use for acheiving the real goal.
It is like you have to realise that you are, in fact, the Sea and the questions regarding the individual drops of water in it, or regarding the formation of waves or other formations of froth on it would be of no use. It is like you have to realise that you are Gold and the questions regarding the formations of various ornaments of it would be of no use.
All such questions belong to ego while we need to go beyond ego. This can be done either by surrendering - in which case you will do whatever comes to be your lot at any given point of time like a small child, that is, without questioning or intellectual analyses - or by enquiring "who am I?"- in which case you will find that you have in fact no separate existence apart from the whole (or from the scheme of things of the whole) and will again do whatever comes to be your lot at any given point of time without questioning or intellectual analyses. In the later case it is called flowing with the flow and sages are usually identfied with this state.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Everytime when thought arises, do I must go back tracing the source of thoughts.
M.: Quite so; in that way the thoughts will disappear and the Self alonewill remain. In fact there is no inside or outside for the Self. Theyare also projections of the ego. The Self is pure and absolute.
i got the point what Maharishi is trying to convey through this, but my questions is how to do this. i am not able to get it completely.
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All our thoughts can finally be reduced to the 'I' thought. As Ramana would further ask in the book on many occasions, in answer to various questions: "To whom does the question arise?" Or, "To whom does the thought arise?" The questioner will have to answer: "To me." It means all questions , all thoughts are based on the questioner or his basic thought, the "I" thought. Thus leading to the "I" or "I thought" Ramana would then further ask the questioner to ask himself "Who is this 'I'?" Or, "Who am I?". And if the questioner is evolutionally ripe enough, someday he will experience the Self or All Spirit in response to this question. In fact I had what I call my 'First Experience of Oneness' in answer to this question myself. I suppose you have read about it at Intentblog.com. If not, let me know and I will paste a copy here.
The above is just as if were the salt doll of the previous example to trace her origin in the same way, that is, by asking the question "Who or What is she?" she will reach the water of the sea or will find that she has, in fact, no separate existance from the water of the sea and is the sea itself which in that case is like All Spirit or Self. Similarly, we or any questioner will reach All Spirit.
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Can destiny (karma) ever come to an end?
M.: The karmas carry the seeds of their own destruction in themselves.
i didn't get real meaning, i think they are trying to say like give away the doer feeling from the doings or something else, please elaborate.
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A seed has a future plant in it. We can say that the seed has the karma of developing into a plant. It is its life. Now, in developing into a plant it will be at the same time destroying its potential or karma of giving birth to a further plant. Similarly, our karma are contained in our brain/minds and in giving birth to us or our life are at the same time destroying themselves. In the process of our living we will at some point of time develop the doer feeling and at some further point of time get rid of it. Everything happens in terms of evolution and really we have not much say in it. (Have you read my book, if not, perhaps you should.)
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"Can anyone get any benefit by repeating sacred syllables (mantras)picked up casually?M.: "No. He must be competent and initiated in such mantras.
As Sikhism, Hinduism,Muslims..most of the religion are based on reciting the sacred mantras. So what your thought is about this. i agree with explanation given in talk and it is also the same when i am reciting sacred symbol, mind remains calm for some time after that it start to wonder here and there again. Please guide me how i will proceed now ?
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All are on different rungs of the ladder of evolution, and that means all are not ripe for getting benefit of repeating sacred syllables. The question is of getting the benefit and that too, in most cases in talks with Ramana, of realising the Self. Obviously, all can not do it. An initiator (Guru) will at once judge the evolutionary status and hence competency of the seeker and will give the suitable mantra accordingly. That does not mean that all cannot repeat them as said by various religions you mention. But the benefit in their cases will be no more than some calmness of mind. Ramana's focus is on realizing the Self. All are yet far from it, he is not talking to them but to particular persons. May be, were he had to answer the same question to people in general, he too may have said, "Yes, yes, you too will benefit..."Whatever you are doing, you are finding your own way and going straight to where you are supposed to go. So don't worry on that count. Carry on with whatever comes to your mind. As Ramana would have said, finally the Guru is within each one of us and is directing our actions. You shouldn't overly worry about your mind wandering. Let it rather wander. Trying to fight; it is rather like giving life to it or to its wanderings. Sometimes even it is desirable to submit to its dictates. After some time it will lose its force/hold. Finally all will come around because it is destined that all will realise their Self thanks to the Grand Scheme of Things of evolution.
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M.: Quite so; in that way the thoughts will disappear and the Self alonewill remain. In fact there is no inside or outside for the Self. Theyare also projections of the ego. The Self is pure and absolute.
i got the point what Maharishi is trying to convey through this, but my questions is how to do this. i am not able to get it completely.
********
All our thoughts can finally be reduced to the 'I' thought. As Ramana would further ask in the book on many occasions, in answer to various questions: "To whom does the question arise?" Or, "To whom does the thought arise?" The questioner will have to answer: "To me." It means all questions , all thoughts are based on the questioner or his basic thought, the "I" thought. Thus leading to the "I" or "I thought" Ramana would then further ask the questioner to ask himself "Who is this 'I'?" Or, "Who am I?". And if the questioner is evolutionally ripe enough, someday he will experience the Self or All Spirit in response to this question. In fact I had what I call my 'First Experience of Oneness' in answer to this question myself. I suppose you have read about it at Intentblog.com. If not, let me know and I will paste a copy here.
The above is just as if were the salt doll of the previous example to trace her origin in the same way, that is, by asking the question "Who or What is she?" she will reach the water of the sea or will find that she has, in fact, no separate existance from the water of the sea and is the sea itself which in that case is like All Spirit or Self. Similarly, we or any questioner will reach All Spirit.
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Can destiny (karma) ever come to an end?
M.: The karmas carry the seeds of their own destruction in themselves.
i didn't get real meaning, i think they are trying to say like give away the doer feeling from the doings or something else, please elaborate.
********
A seed has a future plant in it. We can say that the seed has the karma of developing into a plant. It is its life. Now, in developing into a plant it will be at the same time destroying its potential or karma of giving birth to a further plant. Similarly, our karma are contained in our brain/minds and in giving birth to us or our life are at the same time destroying themselves. In the process of our living we will at some point of time develop the doer feeling and at some further point of time get rid of it. Everything happens in terms of evolution and really we have not much say in it. (Have you read my book, if not, perhaps you should.)
********
"Can anyone get any benefit by repeating sacred syllables (mantras)picked up casually?M.: "No. He must be competent and initiated in such mantras.
As Sikhism, Hinduism,Muslims..most of the religion are based on reciting the sacred mantras. So what your thought is about this. i agree with explanation given in talk and it is also the same when i am reciting sacred symbol, mind remains calm for some time after that it start to wonder here and there again. Please guide me how i will proceed now ?
********
All are on different rungs of the ladder of evolution, and that means all are not ripe for getting benefit of repeating sacred syllables. The question is of getting the benefit and that too, in most cases in talks with Ramana, of realising the Self. Obviously, all can not do it. An initiator (Guru) will at once judge the evolutionary status and hence competency of the seeker and will give the suitable mantra accordingly. That does not mean that all cannot repeat them as said by various religions you mention. But the benefit in their cases will be no more than some calmness of mind. Ramana's focus is on realizing the Self. All are yet far from it, he is not talking to them but to particular persons. May be, were he had to answer the same question to people in general, he too may have said, "Yes, yes, you too will benefit..."Whatever you are doing, you are finding your own way and going straight to where you are supposed to go. So don't worry on that count. Carry on with whatever comes to your mind. As Ramana would have said, finally the Guru is within each one of us and is directing our actions. You shouldn't overly worry about your mind wandering. Let it rather wander. Trying to fight; it is rather like giving life to it or to its wanderings. Sometimes even it is desirable to submit to its dictates. After some time it will lose its force/hold. Finally all will come around because it is destined that all will realise their Self thanks to the Grand Scheme of Things of evolution.
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Sunday, January 27, 2008
About Talk 5
Mr. M. Frydman, an engineer, remarked on the subject of Grace, "A saltdoll diving into the sea will not be protected by a waterproof coat".It was a very happy smile and was applauded as such. Maharshiadded, "The body is the waterproof coat".
In this Mr. Harbhajan Singh elaborate the meaning which Shri Ramana Maharishi want to convey through this talk. Below is the Explanation by him.
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Ramana speaks from the point of view of Spirit, All Spirit - that All is Spirit (Jot in Punjabi). The physical forms we see - including our socalled body/minds - are also transformed forms of Spirit only. And so will one day transform back into Spirit. (I have explained it in my book Self Designed Universe, why and how all forms begin from Spirit and taking various forms will finally again merge into It. The same is being said by Ramana here, only I have given the reasons of its why and how in my book in addition. It is in fact the whole story of universal evolution.
In the above Talk the sea is likened to All Spirit and salt doll to our body (or matter or physical forms in general), which, as our body is made of Spirit is made of sea water itself (salt is only dried sea water). So will be eventually the protective coating as there is nothing else of which it could be made up of otherwise. So, as salt doll and protective coating will dissolve into the water of sea on immersion because of being made up of the same basic stuff, similarly, our body/minds will dissolve into the Spirit (Jot) as basically they are made up of the same stuff. (Man tu Jot saroop hein apna mool pachhan - oh my mind, you are really the Spirit - One, God - recognise it and realize it. Ramana is indirectly talking of this eventual realzation by all by the force of evolution so that none is left.
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In this Mr. Harbhajan Singh elaborate the meaning which Shri Ramana Maharishi want to convey through this talk. Below is the Explanation by him.
*****
Ramana speaks from the point of view of Spirit, All Spirit - that All is Spirit (Jot in Punjabi). The physical forms we see - including our socalled body/minds - are also transformed forms of Spirit only. And so will one day transform back into Spirit. (I have explained it in my book Self Designed Universe, why and how all forms begin from Spirit and taking various forms will finally again merge into It. The same is being said by Ramana here, only I have given the reasons of its why and how in my book in addition. It is in fact the whole story of universal evolution.
In the above Talk the sea is likened to All Spirit and salt doll to our body (or matter or physical forms in general), which, as our body is made of Spirit is made of sea water itself (salt is only dried sea water). So will be eventually the protective coating as there is nothing else of which it could be made up of otherwise. So, as salt doll and protective coating will dissolve into the water of sea on immersion because of being made up of the same basic stuff, similarly, our body/minds will dissolve into the Spirit (Jot) as basically they are made up of the same stuff. (Man tu Jot saroop hein apna mool pachhan - oh my mind, you are really the Spirit - One, God - recognise it and realize it. Ramana is indirectly talking of this eventual realzation by all by the force of evolution so that none is left.
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About
Hi to all of you who come to visit this blog. This blog is idea of Mr. Harbhajan Singh (http://www.selfdesigneduniverse.com) to answer my queries regarding "Talks with Ramana Maharishi". So, it's just a mere effort to put all the conversation so other people also obtain benefit through this.
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