The Goal - The Teachings of Bhagavan - Arthur Osborne

Part II

D.: Can a yogi know his past lives?

B.: Do you know the present life so well that you wish to know the past? Find the present, then the rest will follow. Even with your present limited knowledge, you suffer much. Why should you burden yourself with more knowledge? Is it so as to suffer more?

D.: Does Bhagavan use occult powers to make others realize the Self or is the mere fact of Bhagavan’s Realization enough for that?

B.: The spiritual force of Realization is far more powerful than the use of all occult powers. Inasmuch as there is no ego in the Sage there are no ‘others’ for him. What is the highest benefit that can be conferred on you? It is happiness, and happiness is born of peace. Peace can reign only where there is no disturbance, and disturbance, is due to thoughts that arise in the mind. When the mind is itself absent, there will be perfect peace. Unless a person has annihilated the mind, he cannot gain peace and be happy. And unless he himself is happy, he cannot bestow happiness on ‘others’. Since, however, there are no ‘others’ for the Sage, who has no mind, the mere fact of his Self-realization is itself enough to make the ‘others’ happy too.1

(To be continued in August, 2005 issue)

1. M.G., I. p. 41, 42.

© "The Teachings of Bhagavan: Sri Ramana Maharshi –– In His Own Words" published by Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai 606 603. Website: www.ramana-maharshi.org. Reprinted with permission.

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