Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950,) born Venkataraman Aiyer, was an eminent twentieth-century Indian spiritual teacher, whose life and teachings have been cited as an exemplar of a God-realized sage.
Born in the village of Tiruchuzhi, near Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu, Aiyer was stirred to study the lives of Tamil saints after meeting a visitor from Arunachalam, a holy place in Tiruvannamalai.
After having trance-like spiritual experiences in his teenage years, Aiyer decided to visit Arunachalam. He spent the rest of his life there in a state of mystical meditation.
Ramana Maharshi’s ability to answer the most perplexing metaphysical questions with saintly wit and perceptive wisdom attracted a large following of devotees. Ultimately, a religious settlement evolved around him. His dominant metaphysical theme was the discovery of the essential “Self,” which he summarized in the famous formulation “Who Am I?”
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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
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
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 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
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
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
The end of all wisdom is love, love, love.
—Ramana Maharshi
Topics: Wisdom, Love
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
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
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
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
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
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
The Ultimate Truth is so simple. It is nothing more than being in one’s natural, original state.
—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
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
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