Mind wants a fixed theory to satisfy itself with. Really, however, no theory is necessary for the man who seriously strives to approach God or his true Self. *
Everyone is the Self and indeed, is infinite. Yet each person mistakes his body for his Self. In order to know anything, illumination is necessary. This can only be of the nature of Light; however, it lights up both physical light and physical darkness. That is to say, that it lies beyond apparent light and darkness. It is itself neither, but it is said to be light because it illumines both. It is infinite and is Consciousness. Consciousness is the Self of which everyone is aware. No one is ever away from the Self and therefore everyone is in fact Self-realised; only – and this is the great mystery – people do not know this and want to realise the Self. Realisation consists only in getting rid of the false idea that one is not realised. It is not anything new to be acquired. It must already exist or it would not be eternal and only what is eternal is worth striving for.
Once the false notion ‘I am the body’ or ‘I am not realised’ has been removed, Supreme Consciousness or the Self alone remains and in people’s present state of knowledge they call this ‘Realisation.’ But the truth is that Realisation is eternal and already exists, here and now. (2)
Consciousness is pure knowledge. The mind arises out of it and is made up of thoughts. (3)
The essence of the mind is only awareness or consciousness. However, when the ego overclouds it, it functions as reasoning, thinking or perceiving.
The universal mind, not being limited by the ego, has nothing outside itself and is therefore only aware.
This is what the Bible means by ‘I AM THAT I AM.’ (4)
(*) Sat Darshana Bhashya, viii, ix
(2) Talks, 482
(3) Talks, 589
(4) Exodus III, 14
~ The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words
Edited by: Arthur Osborne (pdf)
