Spring Time, All Time-Part II

Ramana Maharshi

oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, May 4, 2009, 16:08

Ramana points out that each day in deep sleep we do not have thoughts. Why should we therefore fear a state that is free of thoughts? Secondly he emphasises that if one looks at thoughts and seeks to control them, erroneously thinking that it would lead to the control of the mind, then he would have missed the wood for the trees. Because all thoughts are for the thinker, the centre of every thought is the thinker. The movement of thought itself is caused by shifting the thinker's attention to some other thought, from one thought to another.

Thoughts have no independent status and they will move away from the mental horizon the moment the thinker changes his attention to some other thought. Ramana once clarified “Arranging thoughts in the order of value, the 'I' thought is the all important thought. Personality-idea or thought is also at the root of or the stem of all other thoughts, since each idea or thought arises as somebody's thought".

Any method which tries to minimise thoughts or hold them controlled for sometime would be without a proper foundation. Forceful limitation of thought for particular periods through different modes of spiritual practice would at best be palliatives. They are based on concentration and not on attention. When concentration weakens the forcefully controlled mind would become uncontrolled again and the old thoughts would return with reinforced vigour. There can be no lasting benefit.

It is in this context that one must understand Ramana's teachings that the peace of mind which we all seek can be found only through understanding the mind and not by controlling it. If one understands the mind right it would be seen that the mind is centred now on the individual 'I' thought. It would also be seen that in deep sleep this 'I' thought is nascent. Understanding the nature of this 'I' thought by questioning its source, its centre, alone can lead to the result sought because one would be rightly directed. This enquiry into the source of the mind is called self-enquiry, or enquiring into the nature of the individual to whom all thoughts relate. According to Ramana this is the only infallible means for being restored to the natural state of the silent mind.

Based on his experience Ramana indicates the source to be the spiritual heart from which the notion of 'I' rises on waking and into which it subsides in sleep. This source is the fullness of consciousness. Thereafter thoughts will arise depending upon the need. They will cease when their purpose is over. There will not be any carry forward of thought. For there is no need to find pleasure outside when one is immersed in joy.

The mind's natural silence is undisturbed by the pulls and counterpulls of a mind with its endless seeking. Happiness in its fullness would have been discovered. Each moment would be fresh and invigorating. For then one has crossed the time barrier. A life lived in the present blooms. It is spring time all the time.

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