"Who Am I?" –– Enquiry - Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

The mind will merge only by Self-enquiry ‘Who am I?’ The thought ‘Who am I?’ will destroy all other thoughts and finally kill itself also. If other thoughts arise, without trying to complete them, one must enquire to whom did this thought arise. What does it matter how many thoughts arise? As each thought arises one must be watchful and ask to whom is this thought occurring. The answer will be ‘to me’. If you enquire ‘Who am I?’ the mind will return to its source (on where it issued from). The thought which arose will also submerge. As you practice like this more and more, the power of the mind to remain as its source is increased.

By means of a moderate quantity of sattwik (pure) food (which is superior to all other rules and regulations of self-discipline) the sattwik or the pure quality of the mind will grow and Self-enquiry will be helped.

Though ancient and timeless sense attachments in the shape of vasanas (subtle tendencies) may rise countless like the waves of the sea, they will all be destroyed as dhyana progresses. Without giving any room for doubt whether it would at all be possible to eradicate all those vasanas and be the Self alone, one must take hold ceaselessly of dhyana of the Self. However, great a sinner one may be, instead of lamenting ‘I am a great sinner, how can I make any progress?’ one must completely forget the fact of one being a sinner and earnestly pursue meditation of Self. He is then sure to succeed.

If the ego is present, all else will also exist. If it is absent all else also will vanish. As ego is all this, to enquire what this ego is to give up all attachment.

© "Gems from Bhagavan" by A Devaraja Mudaliar, published by Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai. Reprinted with permission.

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