Direct Method-Part II

Ramana Maharshi

-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, May 29, 2008, 12:20

We have arrived at the point that as long as the thinker is not the focus of one's attention, any sadhana to control the mind, to be free of its illusions, would be peripheral and perhaps even counter productive. Having come thus far we are still baffled when we start fixing attention on the question 'to whom do these thoughts relate?' Baffled because we are so used to thinking in terms of solutions within the framework of the mind. Counter 'bad' thoughts with 'good' thoughts, give up desires and so on.

The whole approach is foredoomed for the very act of pruning thoughts gives them strength as the pruning of the leaves of a tree would lead only to their profuse and lustrous growth. Hence the root and branch 'revolution' of Ramana, which enables side-stepping the world of thoughts through 'subjective' sadhana. It is not the usual subject-object oriented way but an exclusive focus on the subject, the thinker.

Along the path problems crop up. All of us know only too well the deafening roar of thoughts crowding in whenever an attempt is made to create a thought vacuum. It is almost as if the dirty muck is being churned. There is such a volcanic surfacing of thoughts in quick and benumbing succession. One wonders whether one has succeeded only in opening up the Pandora's box in attempting to meditate. How are we to meet the challenges posed by hidden thoughts? For it is easy to be disheartened in the face of this thought-explosion, easy to give up or become lukewarm in sadhana. To complain about this situation is like asking why the water boils in a kettle kept on an electric stove.

The very purpose of lighting the torch of enquiry about who the thinker is through the simple query 'Who am I?' is to expose the enemy, the innumerable thoughts which lie camouflaged in seed form in the heart. By all means let them come out singly or in groups or in their battalions or regimental strength. They cannot disturb your poise unless you let them. What power do they have merely because of their numerical strength?

Ramana compares the way we load our minds with layer and layers of thoughts to a man 'who fills all the rooms of his house with chokefuls of unnecessary junk'. Ramana would add that 'if all the false ideas and impressions are swept away what remains is only the plenitude of the Self'.

This is possible only if you do not 'run with the running mind'. Thoughts should not be given any foothold. There should be no loopholes for their surreptitious entry. A precondition is to starve thoughts. For heavens sake do not pay attention to them. Let the focal point of your attention remain always on the thinker. So long as this attention is not allowed to stray one can be sure to go beyond the limitations of bizarre and uncontrolled thoughts.

What happens when the single minded focus is on the thinker is quite surprising. Surprising because we do not expect it, because we do not know how it occurs. It is totally unexpected but it happens. The idea of a separate thinker disappears. What is meant by this? The sense of individuality ceases. One becomes aware that nothing exists apart from oneself. The unity of the conscious source, the individual, and the world is experienced. All life pulsates in oneness. Oh! For the joy of it and the beauty of its benediction.