Poonjaji Teachings

H.W.L. Poonja (1910 to 1997) - Poonjaji is affectionately referred as ‘papaji’ and was a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi. Here is a collection of Poonjaji Teachings.

Freedom is to know your own fundamental nature, your own self. Nothing else.

Everything happens through that consciousness in which even emptiness is housed. That supreme power which is beyond the beyond – your own self – to that you have to surrender.

Consciousness is beyond the concepts of birth and death, beyond even any concept of eternity or emptiness or space. That which accommodates the space or emptiness or eternity is called consciousness, within which everything is existing.

Existences and destructions happen ceaselessly. All these manifestation are like bubbles and waves in the ocean; let them happen. The ocean does not find that they are separate. The bubbles, the eddies, the waves – they may appear to themselves as separate, but the ocean itself has no trouble with them. Let them move on, let them have different shapes and different names, coming and going. This body will be the food of worms and ants. From earth it came and to earth it will return. You are that which shines through it. The consciousness is untouched.

If you want to wake up, don’t think and do not make the effort. This is the only way. This may appear as wisdom with inquiry or as love by devotion, but both are the same.

True wisdom is the love of Self. The Supreme Self, the dearest love, the source of joy, must be meditated on day and night in whatever you are doing, if you want freedom now.

Disregard everything else, see only That, and all will be added to you. Only contemplate existence. This contemplation is to just be. Go straight to the light. There is no question of having time for this or not because it is that which is through all time. Your true nature is awareness; it cannot be practiced.

I want this, I want that. I dislike this, I like that. If you remove this switch of like and dislike, how will you feel? Instantly you will be free. Likes and dislikes keep you in bondage and suffering.

People don’t fully desire freedom. How many people desire freedom? I tell you that you are already free and you don’t accept it. You want to do something. Freedom doesn’t need any effort. Other things may need effort. Freedom is free. Free of your efforts.

I have to laugh sometimes because I see fish in the river crying, “I am thirsty.” “I want enlightenment” is the same thing.

Discriminate between what gives you peace and what disturbs you. Whatever is better, follow that.

You can give up all desires by keeping quiet.

All these objects of the mind are only projections. Only when you stop the projecting will you be happy. When the projection is finished then only the screen is left. This screen is the same before, during, and after the projections. When mind stops there is no projection, this is the blissful state.

Thinking brings you to the past which doesn't exist. So not thinking is the only way to stay here in peace.

You have to be very careful, to be vigilant, to see what is coming from the mind, and to see the happiness that is coming from the Self.

That ocean of eternal peace is you. What is the difficulty that we suffer from? It is that we seek peace elsewhere and do not experience that we are peace incarnate itself.

Enlightenment is not about words and thoughts and concepts which can be doubted. Enlightenment is always here. By 'here' I don't mean this present space. Here is somewhere within where mind cannot reach. Presence is always here and you are always That. This here is not the opposite of 'there'. This here is nowhere, it is your Heart. When mind is still all comes back to the Heart. All the cosmos is but a speck in your Heart. Turn mind over into this 'here' and it is lost. Then only light, wisdom and love remain and This you are not different or apart from.

Peace is beyond thought and effort. That is why keeping quiet is the key to the storehouse of Love and Peace.

To be bound takes effort, to be free takes no effort.

Know your Self and you know everything.

The concept of effort and practice is bondage.

To be this Moment abandon all desires, including the desire to be in it.

Forget what can be forgotten and know yourself to be that which can never be forgotten.

Name and form can never leave consciousness, as the ring can never leave the gold.

If there is peace in your mind, you will find peace with everybody. If your mind is agitated, you will find agitation everywhere. So first find peace within and you will see this inner peace reflected everywhere else. You are this peace.

You have to simply become aware of the movement of the mind, with which begins this endless trouble.

Keep quiet for some time and It will reveal itself.

Discriminate between what gives you peace and what disturbs you. Whatever is better, follow that.

When you ask the question, ‘Who is thinking?’ you arrest the process of thinking and return back to your true nature.

HWL Poonja on Freedom

Freedom is anything but objective.

No object is freedom.  Go on rejecting everything objective from the mind. Freedom is nothing that the mind can conceive or perceive or understand.

Finally you will arrive at that which cannot be rejected.  Then the mind will be quiet.  Mind will be no-mind: that cannot be described. All description belongs to the objective world only, and consciousness cannot be objectified. In the beginning, when there was nothing, there was consciousness, total consciousness, where no objects and no subjects existed. You are this consciousness.

Starting from the beginning, before the beginning, you are this consciousness, and this consciousness became all that you see.

You are this consciousness itself. For this you do not have to exert, or make effort, or search for any way, or method, or practice.  Somehow you have to arrive here.  How can you do it?  Through Adoration of the Wisdom of the Self. That is consciousness.  Adore  your own consciousness, with wisdom, and you have achieved what you are aspiring for here and now.