Skip links

Inspirational Quotations

by RightAttitudes.com

Inspirational Quotations by Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi (Indian Hindu Mystic)

Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) is widely acknowledged as one of the outstanding Indian gurus of modern times. He was born as Venkataraman Iyer, in Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu. At the age of sixteen, Venkataraman lost his sense of individual selfhood, an awakening which he later recognised as enlightenment. About 6 weeks thereafter he left his home and travelled to the holy mountain Arunachala, at Tiruvannamalai, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Source: Wikipedia (via CC-BY-SA license) • READ: Books by Ramana Maharshi

Nobody doubts that he exists,
though he may doubt the existence of God.
If he finds out the truth about himself and
discovers his own source, this is all that is required.
—Ramana Maharshi

The happiness of solitude is not found in retreats. It may be had even in busy centres. Happiness is not be sought in solitude or busy centres. It is in the Self.
—Ramana Maharshi

Wanting to reform the world without discovering one’s true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.
—Ramana Maharshi

The two states, waking, and dream are filled up by forms and names, which are the creations of the restless mind; therefore, they are alike unreal.
—Ramana Maharshi

Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.
—Ramana Maharshi

The wavering of the mind is a weakness arising from the dissipation of its energy in the shape of thoughts. When one makes the mind stick to one thought the energy is conserved, and the mind becomes stronger.
—Ramana Maharshi

Silence is ever-speaking;
it is a perennial flow of language;
it is interrupted by human speaking.
These words obstruct that mute language.
—Ramana Maharshi

Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world.
—Ramana Maharshi

If a man considers that he is born, he cannot avoid the fear of death. Let him find out if he has been born or if the Self has any birth. He will discover that the Self always exists, that the body that is born resolves itself into thought and that the emergence of thought is the root of all mischief. Find from where thoughts emerge. Then you will be able to abide in the ever-present inmost Self and be free from the idea of birth or the fear of death.
—Ramana Maharshi

Misery is due to multifarious thoughts. If the thoughts are unified and centred on a single item there is no misery, but happiness is the result. Then, even the thought, I do something’ is absent; nor will there be an eye on the fruit of action.
—Ramana Maharshi

If one can only realize at heart what one’s true nature is, one then will find that it is infinite wisdom, truth, and bliss, without beginning and without end.
—Ramana Maharshi

If you think that this world is real because it appears, then conclude that mirage-water also is real, because it also appears. What difference is there between the two?
—Ramana Maharshi

The Ultimate Truth is so simple. It is nothing more than being in one’s natural, original state.
—Ramana Maharshi

The mind is only a bundle of thoughts. The thoughts have their root in the ‘I’-thought. He quoted: Whoever investigates the origin of the ‘I’-thought for him the ego perishes. This is the true investigation””. The true ‘I’ is then found shining by itself”.
—Ramana Maharshi

The end of all wisdom is love, love, love.
—Ramana Maharshi

Mourning is not the index of true love.
It reflects love of the object,
of its shape only, but that is not love.
True love is shown by the certainty that
the object of love is in the Self and
that it can never become non-existent.
—Ramana Maharshi

Related Authors