More on effort
It is strange that the fatalist-sics are happy to quote the Maharshi and drop his name into conversation at every opportunity and yet he recommends effort to attain the Self.
In Ramana Gita, it is clearly stated that the seeker of knowledge must go further than mere study of the scriptures. There must also be upasana. Ganapati Muni (author of Ramana Gita) has chosen an interesting word here, "upasana", which can mean 'meditation' but also means "the act of throwing off [arrows]" (Monier-Williams). One must throw off the thought arrows and sense objects which assail the mind. In this way, the natural state is experienced during practice. This is also called upasana.
The Maharshi continues, in Chapter 1 of Ramana Gita, "having abandoned sense objects, one abides in one's own true state, burning as jnana. This is called the natural state."
This is clear to me. Why do people re-interpret to suit themselves?
2 comments:
I have also read Ramana say something like: Before realization, there is effort, but afterwards, effort is impossible..
My understanding of this and the fatalistic interpretations is:
Whenever thoughts are generated,the need to do this itself is effort. But when the thoughts are left alone or just observed, like one dispassionately looks at a tree, then there is no effort at all. Abandonment of senses is equivalent to abandonment of mental modifications (= ego or the I thought) to get things done. This is surrender. It is not complacency or fatalism. Surrender is the confidence in the higher power's supremacy. What needs done is automatically done by the Self. In this sense it is not fatalism. It is like a child drinking milk "unconsciously" (meaning not using the mind to determine the need to drink) while asleep.
Or once you understand a thing, then you have changed and you no longer find it difficult, but for the one who has not yet understood, there is difficulty and effort. The former person is the ego and the latter is the Self.
But since the Self is second to none, there is no one else to explain to; all egos are like bubbles in the ocean of which the ocean itself is not aware. So the duality is for the ego not for the Self.
This is mentioned in Talk 78
"Effort is necessary up to the state of realisation. Even then the Self should spontaneously become evident. Otherwise happiness will not be complete. Up to that state of spontaneity there must be effort in some form or another."
To be oneself requires no effort. Common sense all along prevails. Effort is required to remove the clutter of thoughts alone. The clean surface of the lacquered table is there all along and spontaneously shines once the dust is wiped off.
The fatalist would say that one must leave the dust. There is nothing one can do. This is their opinion. They miss the fictional play.
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