Category: meditation

Observer is observed

In observation, you are the Observer, and you are observing your mind. Some time in your practice, there is no you and no mind. This time you feel like intervals, of Bliss. You think Lord has come in your life,

I was reading J.Krishnamurti’s life written by an American Lady at my farm in India; she wrote that when J.Krishnamurti speak in his lectures ’ Observer is observed.’ I was confused. It happens in meditation.

Our yogis in India says.’ trupti.’ end of the trupti. ’ meaning is the same. ’ Observer is observed ’.

These questions were asked by Paul Brunton to Maharishi Ramana in the year 1925. Maharishi lived in Samadhi at Virupakasa cave and Paul Brunton was a journalist from the U.K. And reached to find the truth of human life. I will use the language of this conversation.

Question; The wise men of the West. Our scientists are greatly honoured for their cleverness. Yet they have confessed that they can throw, but little upon the hidden truth behind life. It is said that in your land who can give what our western sages fail to reveal. Is that so? Can you assist me to experience enlightenment? Or is the search is itself a mere delusion?

I have now reached my conversational objective and decided to await the Maharishi’s response. He continues to stare thoughtfully at me. Perhaps he is pondering over my question ten minutes pass in silence.

At last his lips opened and he says gently.

” You say I. I want to know tell me, who is that I? “

What does he mean? He has cut now across the services of the interpreter and speaks directly in English. Bewilderment creeps across my brain.

” I am afraid I do not understand your question,” I reply blankly.

” Is it not clear.Think again”

I puzzle over his words once more. An idea suddenly comes into my mind. I point a finger toward myself and mention my name.

” And do you know him?”.

“All my life” I smile back at him.

“But that is only your body! again I ask,’ who are you”

I can not find a ready answer to this extraordinary query.

The Maharishi continues,” Know first that I then you shall know the truth.”

My mind hazes again. I was deeply puzzled. this bewilderment finds verbal expression. but Maharishi reached the limit of his English, for this, he turned to the interpreter and the answer was slowly translated to me.

” There is only one thing to be done. look into your self, and through constant meditation, light can be found.”

“I have given myself up to the meditation upon the truth but I see no signs of progress.”

” How do you know that no progress has been made? it is not easy to perceive one’s progress into the spiritual realm”.

” Is the help of a master necessary?”

“It might be.”

” Can a master help a man to look into his own self in the way you suggest?”

” He can give the man all he needs for this quest .such a thing can be perceived through personal experience.”

” how long will it take to get some enlightenment with a master’s help?”.

” It all depends on the maturity of a seeker’s mind. the gunpower catches the fire in an instant, while much time needed to fire coal.”

The thought.’ I am not able to concentrate.’ is itself an obstacle. why should the thought arise?’—-Maharishi Ramona

Comment; In fact, every thought is itself an obstacle for meditation. To find Bliss in your heart, there should be not too much thinking. By looking on intellect, we minimise our thoughts. In the absence of ideas, we can find Bliss in our hearts. My Guru st Nikka Singh used to tell us that in a deep sleep you have nothing, no money no sex, but you are happy. Same happens in meditation.

The more you get fixed in the self the more thoughts will drop off themselves………Regulation of life,such as getting up at a fixed hour, bathing,doing mantra, Japa, observing ritual, all this is for a people who do not feel daw to self-inquiry or not capable of it. but those who can practice this method all rules and disciplines are unnecessary.—–Maharishi Ramana.

Comments; Self-inquiry is the last saddhana. The meaning is clear if you can find the experince of self-inquiry, then it is not doing any other Saddhanas like Nam Japa, getting on a fixed hour or bathing or ritual .but if you can not find experience of self-inquiry, then you have to do Nam Japa,getting on fixed time other Saddanas also. By that method you will become nearer to do self-inquiry.

Sleep is the first obstacle. The second is the sense objects of the world which divert one’s attention. The third thoughts in the mind about previous experiences with sense objects. The forth is bliss. In that state the thought ‘ I am the enjoyer’ is still present.The final state of Samadhi is to be reached in which one is the bliss ,or one with reality.—–Maharishi Ramana.

Comment; I mostly feel bliss while doing my practice of self-inquiry or observation. I have been doing this practice for 35 years. In sitting I felt more bliss, but while working or walking I use this method, but that time no more bliss but it is just there.But there is this thought remains, that I am enjoying bliss, or grace.Maharishi is telling us about nirvikalp Samadhi. While practicing you can understand this. It is not a matter of language because our language has limited but bliss is a divine experience.

–There is consciousness alone with quietness in the mind. This is exactly the state to be aimed at. The word ‘diving’ is only appropriate if one has to turn the mind within in order to avoid being distracted by outgoing tendencies of the mind.But when deep quietness prevails without obstructing the consciousness, where is needed to dive.? —–Maharishi Ramana.

Comments; This state of mind ‘ Consciousness alone with quietness ‘is the real state of self-realization which we want or is aimed by making efforts ‘ if anybody have reached in this state then there is no need to do meditation or any type of efforts. By diving, meaning is that the mind has reached in inner being or has sunk in the self. Because everytime mind goes outside by thoughts or outgoing tendencies. We do practice for inwardness and if anybody is also there, then there is no need for practice of meditation, this means of Maharishi Ramana.

Effort must be made in the waking state and the self realized, here and now.—- Maharishi Ramana.

I have been doing this practice for 36 years and found it right that you can not do practice while sleeping. And your walking stage is a good opportunity for meditation. And as Maharishi said that self realized here and now, it is very true. Self realization is not a thing which is hidden in the well, it is your real nature. By efforts, we have to remove only obstacles. We have to remove only our thoughts which are in our mind. It is like as clouds cover the sky and we cannot see it. But when there are not clouds we can see blue sky. Likewise by practice, we have to remove our thoughts, then we can find the bliss which you are! That is why real Gurus told you that you are not body you are not mind but you are that.

Success in turning the mind inward is achieved by practice and dispassion , and it succeeds only gradually. — Maharishi Ramana.

Comment; Maharishi Ramana was such a saint; he lived in a cave; meditation was his God blessing; he doesn’t read the books; his words come from his inner being. He told us that it takes time to turn the mind inward. And it will happen gradually and with dispassion.meaning that it needs more practice of mediation and dispassion.