#truthandillusion

[coffeenuts]

Float On by aknacer https://flic.kr/p/8AQUdQ

[shinymoonbird]

ॐ

— Hence this world-wandering of the Self is just a myth. But this can be verified only in the mind-free state. ‘Apart from the mind there is no ignorance; the mind itself is ignorance, which is bondage to life in the world.’ 

The latter half of the verse is a quotation from Viveka Chudamani of Sri Sankaracharya.

The analogy of the rope-snake is here repeated, to explain this wrong notion of the Self.

— As one seeing the false snake fails to see the real rope, so, seeing the world – in which are included the personal God and the individual soul – he does not see the real Self as it really is, that is, as the supreme reality [Brahman].

How long will this effect of ignorance continue?

— The Self will remain concealed [in this way] as long as the world is taken to be real. It will cease to be so taken when the mind is once and for all extinguished; hence one must strive towards extinguishing the mind.

The world-appearance being the obstacle to right awareness of the Self, and the mind being the cause of the world-appearance, the cure of this evil is the attainment of the mind-free state, which is done by the quest, which will now be briefly described.

— Sri Ramana Paravidyopanishad [1] -The Supreme Science of the Self as Taught by Sri Ramana - Verses 12 - 13 - 14 

[1] http://davidgodman.org/rteach/rpv_intro.shtml     http://davidgodman.org/rteach/RPV1-331.pdf

[shinymoonbird]

The mind projects on the Self the illusory world appearance. He who, seeing the Self, becomes firmly established in the true state as that Self, thus uncovering that Self and dissolving the mind, which comprises ignorance and the whole world, will enjoy his own true state, which is without samsara, which is not covered by the vehicles, which is identical with Brahman, and which exists alone, without a second.

Sri Ramana Paravidyopanishad [1] -The Supreme Science of the Self as Taught by Sri Ramana - Verses 15-16

An alternative to the quest is the path of devotion to God, culminating in self-surrender, which also leads ultimately to the same goal.

[1] http://davidgodman.org/rteach/rpv_intro.shtml      http://davidgodman.org/rteach/RPV1-331.pdf

Samsara: The repeating cycle of birth, life and death (reincarnation)

[shinymoonbird]

It is only Self, the one pure knowledge, that, as the unreal knowledge [the mind], makes all differences [vikalpas] appear. Therefore for the one who knows and reaches Self, which is the harmonious knowledge, all those other things [the entire world-appearance] will be [found to be] of the nature of the one Self.

Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of Guru’s Sayings) by Sri Muruganar - Ch. All is Brahman, Verse 985

All differences such as name and form, time and space, subject and object, are made to appear only by the mind, which is truly non-existent, being nothing but an unreal appearance in the real Self. Just as when the real rope is seen, the unreal and non-existent snake is found to be nothing but that rope, so when the real Self is known, the unreal and non-existent mind and all its products (the entire world-appearance) are found to be nothing but that Self. It is only in this sense that the unreal world-appearance is said to be of the nature of the one Self or Brahman.

[shinymoonbird]

The natural and true Reality forever resides in the Heart of all. Not to realize It there and stay in It, but to quarrel ‘It is’, ‘It is not’, ‘It has form’, ‘It has not form’, ‘It is one’, ‘It is two’, ‘It is neither’, this is the mischief of maya*.

Ulladu Narpadu, verse 34

Maya:  delusion of this world-dream

[shinymoonbird]

Just as wild horses are broken-in by whipping and stabling them, so also the unruly senses, straying among objects, are lashed by the whip of discrimination, showing that objects are unreal, and are tethered by the rope of pure intellect to the Self by the wise. Such is the Truth — Thou art That!

Sri Ramana Maharshi - Ashram Tamil Parayana - Sri Guru Stuti, V.3 (audio mp3) (pdf)

[shinymoonbird]

When the mind is lost in pure Supreme Self-Consciousness, all the powers which seemed to function [through the mind], such as ‘Icheha’ [will-power], ‘Kriya’ [the power of action] and ‘Jnana’ [the power of knowing], will cease, being found to be imaginary

Guru Vachaka Kovai - The Light of Supreme Truth or The Collection Of Guru’s Sayings, by Sri Muruganar - V. 42

[shinymoonbird]

... and here, Annamalai and Ramana are at work, building the Ashram.

Jane Adams Art - https://janeadamsart.wordpress.com

Just like one who is seemingly listening to a story when his mind has in fact gone far away, the mind of the Atmajnani or knower of self in which the tendencies (vasanas) have been erased, has not in fact done anything even though it has seemingly done many things. 

On the other hand the mind of an ajnani or one who does not know Self which is saturated with them (tendencies or vasanas), has in fact done many things even though it has seemingly not done anything, just like one who thinks in dream that he has climbed a hill and is falling over a precipice, even though his body is in fact lying here without movement sleeping on his bed.

— Sri Ramanopadesa Noonmalai - Ulladu Narpadu - Anubandham, V.30 pg.142 (pdf)

This verse is adapted from Yoga Vasishtha 5.56.13 and 14.