Instead of saying, ‘Give up kama, krodha (lust, anger )’ — in order to eliminate the acquired habits that divide us — Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi says, “Search within asking ‘Who am I?’. The new accretions will fall off by themselves.”
A doctor tells the patient, ‘Don't think of the monkey when you drink the medicine.’ Another doctor might say, ‘Think of the elephant when you drink the medicine. 'Is not the second doctor cleverer because his advice is more positive and easier to follow?
Sri Ramana Maharshi says, "Seek the Self. Don't worry about lust, anger, greed and other weaknesses. To end all evils, seek the Self which is happiness, beauty and goodness. The ego will vanish.' When thought turns towards the Self, thinking ceases and gives place to pure awareness. Action becomes a mode of being. Karma becomes akarma.
All the evils of personal and social life come to us because of this forgetfulness of the whole and the stupidity of mistaking the part for the whole, that is, due to the loss of child-like wholeness and integrity.
If one opens the window, the sunlight rushes in. No effort is needed to go and meet the sunlight or to bring it into the home. One should not sit in fear, trembling and keeping doors and windows shut. In the ‘search’ for the Self, there is no scope for effort, for there is no one to make the effort. In a moment the ego dies, the Self awakens.
Additional Information And Explanation:
Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teachings, particularly the quote you’ve shared, offer profound insight into the nature of the Self, the ego, and the path to inner freedom. His message revolves around the concept of Self-realization—the direct experience of one's true essence, which transcends the ego and personal identity. Let's expand on the key points in this passage with additional symbolism, stories, and relevance in modern life.
1. Seek the Self: The Direct Path to Truth
Ramana Maharshi says, “Seek the Self.” This instruction reflects the core of Advaita Vedanta, which teaches that the individual soul (Atman) is not separate from the universal consciousness (Brahman). The ignorance of this truth is what leads to suffering, attachment, and the rise of negative tendencies like lust, anger, and greed.
Symbolism of the Sunlight: The metaphor of sunlight rushing in when the window is opened represents the effortless nature of Self-realization. The Self is ever-present, like sunlight, but we block it with the walls and windows of the ego, which creates separateness. Opening the window symbolizes removing ignorance (illusion of separateness) and letting the light of truth shine within effortlessly.
The Sun as Brahman: In the Upanishads, Brahman (the Supreme Reality) is often compared to the sun—eternally shining, radiant, and self-luminous. The act of opening the window in Ramana’s analogy is akin to Jnana (knowledge) or awakening. The effort is not in attaining the Self but in removing the veils of ignorance. As the Mundaka Upanishad says:
"When the mind is purified, the light of Brahman shines in the heart."
Example of River and Ocean: A commonly used analogy in Advaita Vedanta is that of the river merging into the ocean. The river (individual ego) mistakenly believes itself to be separate, but upon reaching the ocean (Self), it realizes that it has always been part of the whole. Similarly, the individual ego dissolves when one seeks the Self.
2. Transcending Ego and Karma:
Ramana Maharshi emphasizes the dissolving of the ego and turning thought towards the Self. He highlights that when the ego dissolves, action (karma) becomes akarma (non-action). This doesn’t mean inaction, but rather that actions are no longer bound by the sense of doership or attachment to results.
Bhagavad Gita Connection: This resonates with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. In Chapter 3, verse 19, Lord Krishna advises:
"Therefore, without being attached to the results of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme."
The Bhagavad Gita also speaks of performing action without ego or desire for fruits, where karma becomes akarma—free from bondage, pure action, like a child’s spontaneous play. In modern life, this could be interpreted as performing one's daily responsibilities without being driven by selfish motives, thus turning even mundane tasks into spiritual practice.
3. The Loss of Wholeness:
Ramana mentions the "loss of child-like wholeness and integrity" that causes personal and social problems. This highlights the human tendency to divide life into compartments—self and others, individual and society, good and bad—forgetting the underlying unity. In childhood, one has an innate sense of oneness and simplicity, which becomes fragmented by societal conditioning.
Story of the Rope and the Snake: In Advaita, there’s the famous story of mistaking a rope for a snake in dim light. The snake represents the ego or the false self (illusion), and the rope is the Self (truth). The fear and confusion arise not because of the snake, but because of the misperception of the rope. The moment the true nature of the rope is realized, the illusion of the snake vanishes, just as the ego vanishes when the Self is realized.
Sri Ramakrishna's Example: Sri Ramakrishna, the 19th-century saint, once said, "The ego is like the stick used to churn butter. Once the butter (Self-realization) is obtained, you throw away the stick (ego)." This simple analogy shows that the ego is only necessary until the realization of the Self, after which it dissolves naturally.
4. Practical Relevance in Modern Life:
In today’s fast-paced world, people often live in a constant state of dissatisfaction, seeking happiness outside themselves through material success, relationships, and status. Ramana Maharshi’s teaching to “seek the Self” offers an antidote to this external pursuit by pointing inward.
Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: In modern terms, this could be likened to practices like mindfulness or self-inquiry (Atma Vichara), where one constantly questions the nature of the “I” thought—Who am I? As distractions and anxieties fill our daily lives, turning within for a moment of stillness or reflection helps reduce stress and brings clarity.
Balancing Personal and Professional Life: In a practical sense, the dissolving of the ego Ramana speaks about can be experienced by balancing work and life with detachment. For example, performing one's job diligently without constantly worrying about promotion or recognition leads to less stress, more focus, and better performance. This is living with the awareness that your actions do not define you, but rather, you are an eternal witness to the unfolding of life.
5. The Effortlessness of Realization:
Finally, Ramana insists that there is no “effort” required to realize the Self, just like no effort is needed to bring sunlight into a room—the room simply needs to be opened. This teaching can be profound in its simplicity but often misunderstood.
The Story of the Musk Deer: There is a story in Indian folklore about a musk deer. The deer searches frantically all over the forest for the source of the intoxicating fragrance of musk, unaware that the scent is coming from its own body. This symbolizes the spiritual seeker's journey—seeking happiness and fulfillment outside, not realizing that the ultimate source of joy (the Self) is within.
6. Modern-Day Relevance:
In today's world of stress, competition, and fragmented attention, Ramana Maharshi’s words offer deep comfort and clarity. His emphasis on realizing the Self is an invitation to look beyond the shallow layers of personality and social conditioning and experience life in its fullest, most natural state.
Living in the Present Moment: Practically speaking, cultivating present-moment awareness is one way to bring Ramana’s teachings into daily life. Every moment that we let go of ego-driven thoughts—like fears about the future, regrets about the past, or concerns about how others perceive us—we are "opening the window" to the sunlight of the Self.
Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching to “seek the Self” transcends intellectual understanding and calls for direct experience. It teaches that by turning inward, one can transcend the ego and all negative emotions that stem from it, like lust, anger, and greed. The wholeness and integrity he speaks of are not lost; they are simply hidden behind the veils of thought and ego. When these veils are lifted, the sunlight of the Self rushes in naturally, without effort.
The teachings of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and stories from saints like Sri Ramakrishna echo the same timeless wisdom—freedom is our true nature, and by realizing the Self, we awaken to that truth. In daily life, this could mean embracing stillness, detachment, and mindful awareness, turning every action into a form of worship, and allowing life to flow without resistance.