Ramana Maharshi Commentary: Recent Episodes
Richard Clarke
Ramana Maharshi‘s deep teachings bring Self-knowledge and liberation. This podcast series will review major books from Ramana Maharshi in detail. Richard Clarke will offer commentary, and will lead a short meditation to bring the teaching directly to your experience. Additional teachings from contemporary teachers will deepen your experience.
Richard Clarke has studied and practiced these teachings for more than 30 years. For 15 of these he was with a Self-realized teacher. For 8 years he and his wife, Carol, lived in Tiruvannamalai, the Indian home of Ramana Maharshi. He now lives and teaches in Mexico. Please send your comments to richard@infinitepie.net
Ramana Maharshi: "True, strong, fresh forever stands The Self.
From this in truth spring forth the phantom body
and phantom world.
When this delusion is destroyed and not a speck
remains, the Sun of Self shines bright and real in
the vast Heart-expanse.
Darkness dies, afflictions end, and bliss wells up."
Comments by Richard Clarke
Atma Vidya was written by Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Muruganar was instrumental in the creation of this book.
Muruganar wanted to recast a popular Tamil poem that begins,
“Lo, very difficult is Self-Knowledge.”
This did not express what Ramana taught and experienced directly, and Muruganar wanted Ramana's version. Muruganar started:
"Lo, very easy is Self-Knowledge, Lo, very easy indeed." He asked Ramana to finish it. Bhagavan’s response was to write these five verses called Atma Vidya or “Self Knowledge.”
Here's the first verse
Lo, very easy is Self-Knowledge,
Lo, very easy indeed.
Even for the most infirm
So real is the Self
That compared with it the amlak
In one's hand appears a mere illusion.
Ramana Maharshi: "If it is said that Liberation is of three kinds, with form or without form or with and without form, then let me tell you that the extinction of three forms of Liberation is the only true Liberation."
Comments by Richard Clarke, with a video by Nome, "Beyond name and form" and a guided Self-inquiry led by Richard.
Ramana Maharshi: "Bondage and Liberation exist so long as thoughts of bondage and liberation exist. These come to an end when an inquiry is made into the nature of he who is bound or free, and the ever-present and ever-free Self is realized."
Comments by Richard Clarke. With a short clip from Nome, “Find out if you are bound” and an inquiry guided by Richard.
Ramana Maharshi: "So long as a man feels himself the doer, he reaps the fruits of his actions.
But as soon as he realizes through inquiry who is the doer, the sense of doership drops off and the threefold karma comes to an end.
This is the final Liberation."
Comments by Richard Clarke, Audio from Nome, "Do you think of yourself as a doer?"
In these verses Ribhu tell us more of what is not true for the jivanmukta, and ends with declarations of what a jivanmukta indeed is.
Read by Richard Clarke.
Ramana’s words:
"The contention, “Dualism during practice, non-dualism on Attainment,” is also false.
While one is anxiously searching, as well as when one has found one’s Self, who else is one but the tenth man?"
Dualism is false, says Ramana. There is no duality.
Comments by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "You are the Self." With a short guided inquiry.
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"Only if the thought “I am the body” occurs will the meditation “I am not this, I am That.” help one to abide as That.
Why should we forever be thinking, “I am That?” Is it necessary for man to go on thinking “I am a man?” Are we not always That?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio clip from Nome, "There is no doubt that you Exist always.”
Richard Clarke reading The Song of Ribhu, one of Ramana Maharshi’s favorite books. From Chapter 8, the definition of the jivanmukta, one liberated while alive.
Verses 7 – 12.
In these verses Ribhu tell us about the characteristics of the jivanmukta. .
Ramana Maharshi’s words:
"To seek and abide in the Reality that is always attained, is the only Attainment. All other attainments (siddhis) are such as are acquired in dreams.
Can they appear real to someone who has woken up from sleep? Can they that are established in the Reality and are free from maya, be deluded by them?"Comments by Richard Clarke. With a talk by Nome, "Attainment of the ever attained.”
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"It is due to illusion born of ignorance that men fail to recognize That which is always and for everybody the inherent Reality dwelling in its natural Heart-centre and to abide in it,"
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With an audio from Nome, “Illusion of Duality.”
Ramana Maharshi’s words:
"It is ridiculous to say either “I have not realized the Self” or “I have realized the Self,” are there two selves, for one to be the object of the other’s realization? It is a truth within the experience of everyone that there is only one Self."
Richard Clarke, reviewing and commenting on Sri Ramana Maharshi’s book, 40 Verses on Reality.
Richard Clarke reading The Song of Ribhu. I am starting to read from, Chapter 8, the definition of the jivanmukta, one liberated while alive.
I’ll read the first six verses
In these verses Ribhu tell us about the characteristics of the jivanmukta. .
Listen to a few verses of the Ribhu Gita before you meditate and inquire. Email ramanacommentary@gmail.com with question or comments.
Ramana Maharshi’s words:
"Although the scriptures proclaim “Thou art That,” it is only a sign of weakness of mind to meditate “I am That, not this,” because you are eternally That.
What has to be done is to investigate what one really is and remain That."
Commentary by Richard Clarke, with a discourse by Nome, "Blissfully eternally true."
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"For Him who is immersed in the bliss of the Self, arising from the extinction of the ego, what remains to be accomplished?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke, with a dialog from Nome, "There is nothing else to be known."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "If one enquires “Who am I?” within the mind, the individual “I” falls down."
You do not need to do anything to make the Self more real; the Self is already entirely real. The Self is just hidden, like the sun behind clouds. Clear away the clouds and the sun appears. It has always been there.
Comments by Richard Clarke, and an audio from Nome, "Reality of the Self."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The only enquiry leading to Self-realization is seeking the Source of the “I” with in-turned mind and without uttering the word ‘“I.” Meditation on “I am not this; I am That” may be an aid to the enquiry but it cannot be the enquiry.."
Commentary by Richard Clarke, with a short talk by Nome.
In these verses Ribhu summarizes this chapter about discrimination; that the individual, the world, and the idea of a higher power are all only appearances and of the nature of the undivided supreme.
Read by Richard Clarke.
Ramana Maharshi was one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century.In this verse, he said, "Just as a man would dive in order to get something that had fallen into the water, so one should dive into oneself, with a keen one-pointed mind, controlling speech and breath, and find the place whence the “I” originates."Commentary by Richard Clarke, with a talk by Nome, "Inquire."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The State of non-emergence of “I” is the state of being THAT."Comments by Richard Clarke, with a talk by Nome, "Inquiry to know oneself. "
In these verses Ribhu talks about the mind, what it is and what it is not.
Read by Richard Clarke. Respond to ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"If the ego is, everything else also is. If the ego is not, nothing else is. Indeed, the ego is all. Therefore the enquiry as to what this ego is, is the only way of giving up everything."Commentary by Richard Clarke, with a talk by Nome, "Inquire," and a short guided inquiry.
Richard Clarke reads a favorite of Ramana Maharshi, The Song of Ribhu, Chapter5, Verses 25 – 30
In these verses Ribhu talks about thought, ideas and Sankalpas - concepts, and intentions
Here is a line, "Whatever thought is, that indeed is all."
Email ramanacommentary@gmail.com with question or comments.
Ramana Maharshi's words:"It comes into being equipped with a form, and as long as it retains a form it endures. Having a form, it feeds and grows big. But if you investigate it this evil spirit, which has no form of its own, relinquishes its grip on form and takes to flight."Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a video discourse by Nome, "Beyond Name and Form,"
Ribhu says, "The idea that concludes "I am the body"Is not a whit real, all that exists is Brahman."Read by Richard Clarke.
Ramana Maharshi's words:"This inert body does not say “I.” Reality-Consciousness does not emerge."Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a talk by Nome, "The body is inert and does not know.”
Richard Clarke reads The Song of Ribhu, Chapter5, Verses 13 – 18In these verses Ribhu continues with his negations, saying that various appearances are unreal, like the horns of a hare, then starts to reveal the wisdom, All if Brahman.”
Richard Clarke reading The Song of Ribhu, Chapter 5, Verses 7-12.
In these verses Ribhu continues with his negations, saying that various appearances are unreal, like the horns of a hare.
Listen to a few verses of the Ribhu Gita before you meditate and inquire. Email ramanacommentary@gmail.com with question or comments.
Ramana Maharshi's words""The body does not say “I.” No one will argue that even in deep sleep the “I” ceases to exist. Once the “I” emerges, all else emerges. With a keen mind inquire whence this “I” emerges."Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a talk by Nome, Inquire."
Ramana's words:"The Divine gives light to the mind and shines within it. Except by turning the mind inward and fixing it in the Divine, there is no other way to know Him through the mind.Commentary by Richard Clarke, ramanacommentary@gmail.com. From https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
From these verses:"All objects seen are like the horns of a hare.The seer, too, is like the horns of a hare."Read by Richard Clarke., from Song of Ribhu, the Tamil Ribhu Gita, most used by Ramana Maharshi. Available from publisher: https://satramana.org/web/bookstore/sat-publications/the-song-of-ribhu/ Comments to ramanacommentary@gmail.com
From these verses, Ramana's words:"Why should we forever be thinking, “I am That?” Is it necessary forman to go on thinking “I am a man?” Are we not always That?"
Read by Clay Lomakay from https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana \Maharshi's words: "How can one see one’s Self? If, since one is a single being, one cannot see one’s Self, how can one see God? Only by becoming a prey to Him."Commentary by Richard Clarke. With an audio from Nome, “Knowledge is Non-objective, Mind is Not.”
From these verses:"I, myself, am of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss,Which is the witness of the world in all its variety." Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Read by Clay LomakayuRamana's words: "If one enquires “Who am I?” within the mind, the individual“I” falls down abashed as soon as one reaches the Heart andimmediately Reality manifests itself spontaneously as “I-I”."From Richard Clarke's "Forty Verses on Reality With comments and practice notes." https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words>
"He who sees God without seeing the Self sees only a mental image. They say that he who sees the Self sees God."|Comments by Richard Clarke. With a talk by Nome, "The one Self."
From these verses:"I, myself, am of the nature that is of the supreme Brahman,Beyond the reach of mind and words."
Read by Richard Clarke. https://satramana.org/web/bookstore/sat-publications/the-song-of-ribhu/
Read by Clay LomakayuRamana's words: "one should dive into oneself, with akeen one-pointed mind, controlling speech and breath, andfind the place whence the “I” originates."From Richard Clarke's "Forty Verses on Reality With comments and practice notes." https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Only those who have no knowledge of the Source of destiny and free-will dispute as to which of them prevails.They that know the Self as the one Source of destiny and free-will are free from both."Commentary by Richard Clarke, and a talk by Nome, "Bodiless egoless Self."
A line from these verses:"I, myself, am of the nature of the supreme, which is only consciousness."
Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Truth shines as the Formless Perfection, and as the Substratum of the world."Comments by Richard Clarke. Talk from Nome, , "If the “I” is formless, who experiences what?"
Read by Clay LomakayuRamana's words: "They that know the Self as the one Source of destiny and free-will are free from both."From Richard Clarke's "Forty Verses on Reality With comments and practice notes." https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "To those who have not realized the Self, as well as to those who have, the word “I” refers to the body, but with this difference,that for those who have not realized, the ‘I’ is confined to the body whereas for those who have realized the Self within the body the “I” shines as the limitless Self."Comments by Richard Clarke. Discourse on the body by Nome.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Apart from us, where is time and where is space? If we are bodies, we are involved in time and space, but are we?" Commentary by Richard Clarke and a talk by Nome, “Inconceivable, Timeless, and Perfectly Full.”
Ribhu says, in these verses: "I am ever the one undivided essence." Read by Richard Clarke.
Clay Lomakayu read's Richard Clarke Commentary on Ramana Maharshi's "Forty Verses on Reality," Verses 14-18 Ramana Maharshi's words: "Apart from us, where is time and where is space? If we are bodies, we are involved in time and space, but are we?" https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Only with reference to the present can the past and the future exist. They too, while current, are the present."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Extract from a dialog with Nome "Now appears only in the waking state of mind”
A line from these verses: "All is of the nature of the one undivided essence." Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Clay Lomakayu reads from Richard Clarke's "Forty Verses on Reality with Comments," verses 10-13. Ramana Maharshi's words from verse 11: "Is it not, rather, ignorance to know all else without knowing oneself, the knower?" https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "By enquiring into the nature of the “I,” the “I” perishes. With it “you” and “he” also perish. The resultant state, which shines as Absolute Being, is one’s own natural state, the Self." Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a discourse by Nome, "Natural"
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The Self, which is Knowledge, is the only Reality. Knowledge of multiplicity is false knowledge."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a discourse by Nome, “Reality of the Self”
A line from these verses:
"Steadfast Knowledge is of the nature of one undivided essence."
Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Clay Lomakayu reads from Richard Clarke's "Forty Verses on Reality with Comments," verses 5-9. Ramana Maharshi's words from verse 5: "Apart from the body does the world exist? Has anyone seen the world without the body?"
https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Since the Self shines with nothing else to know or to make known, It alone is Knowledge." Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a discourse by Nome, "True Knowledge."
From these verses: "All the variety of beings, Isvara, and the worlds, are only the one undivided essence." Read by Richard Clarke. Email ramanacommentary@gmail.com with question or comments.
Lomakayu reads "Forty Verses on Reality with Comments," verses by Ramana Maharshi and comments by Richard Clarke. Download at:
https://www.free-ebooks.net/religious/Forty-Verses-on-Reality-with-Comments
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Is it not, rather, ignorance to know all else without knowing oneself, the knower?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Discourse by Nome, "Know the self.”
A line from these verses: "The idea that concludes, "I am the body" Is not a whit real. Indeed, all That exists is Brahman." Read by Richard Clarke. comments to ramanacommentary@gmail.com.
Ramana's words: "True Knowledge is that by which one knows the Self." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Discourse by Nome, "Absolute Knowledge."
Ribhu starts these verses with:
"Be of the certitude that all that exists As manifold and indicated as 'this' is Brahman."
Read by Richard Clarke. Comments to ramanacommentary@gmail.com .
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"The duality of subject and object and trinity of seer, sight, and seen can exist only if supported by the One. If one turns inward in search of that One Reality they fall away."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With audio by Nome, “The Self is the only One”
Ribhu begins:
"The concept of the entire moving and moving is illusory."
Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"That alone is true realization, wherein one knows oneself in relation to that Reality, attains peace and realizes one’s identity with it."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Satsang discourse by Nome, "The nature of the Knower."
Lines from verse 6:
"All that are seen are illusory. The Supreme Brahman, the seer, is the only Reality."
Read by Richard Clarke
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"That Perfection wherein the world and knowledge thereof rise and set, and which shines without rising and setting, is alone the Reality."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With a talk by Nome, “Always the same”
From verse 46:
"By the certitude of the undivided Supreme, now expounded, Become the infinite, beginingless and endless, nondual Supreme Brahman."
Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With an discourse from Nome, "What do you consider yourself to be?"
Ribhu begins, "There is no maya, no effect created by maya." Read by Richard Clarke. ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi asks, "Do you see the world without a body?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke, with an audio from Nome, "You are."
From these verses, Ribhu declares: "Truly, the world never exists. The world was never created."
Read by Richard Clarke
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The seeing Self is the Eye, and that Eye is the Eye of Infinity." Commentary by Richard Clarke, With an audio by Nome, "If the “I” is formless, who experiences what?"
Extraordinary verses on your very nature.
"You yourself are that which is indicated by the word 'Reality' and such others."
Read by Richard Clarke. Ramana Maharshi used the Ribhu Gita frequently. Listen before you meditate and inquire. Email ramanacommentary@gmail.com with question or comments.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "That State is agreeable to all, wherein, having given up the objective outlook, one knows one’s Self and loses all notions..."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "What is Mind?"
Ribhu Starts, "You are of the nature that is all pervasive and changeless." Read by Richard Clarke. Comments to ramanacommentary@gmail.com.
Sri Ramana Maharshi's words: "All religions postulate the three fundamentals, the world, the soul, and God, but it is only the one Reality that manifests Itself as these three. One can say, “The three are really three” only so long as the ego lasts. Therefore, to inhere in one’s own Being, where the “I,” or ego, is dead, is the perfect State."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. With an audio from Nome, "One Undivided Self."
Ribhu starts: "You are of the nature of Consciousness alone, which is not veiled." Read by Richard Clarke.
Comments to ramanacommentary@gmail.com.
Ramana Maharshi ends this verse with, "he himself is all of these."
Commentary by Richard Clarke, with an audio from Nome, Existence.
This starts with "You, yourself are the Supreme Brahman, which is the substratum of all."
Read by Richard Clarke from The Song of Ribhu.
Ramana Maharshi's 40 Verses on Reality gives his teaching in a direct way. Ramana's words:
Those who know intense fear of death seek refuge only at the feet of the Lord Who has neither death nor birth. Dead to themselves and their possessions, can the thought of death occur to them again? Deathless are they.
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, part of a dialog, Error, or ignorance, is death.
Ramana Maharshi used this text, and frequently recited from it. Listen before you meditate for a deeper meditation session.
Recording by Richard Clarke. IF you have question or comments email ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi begins "40 Verses on Reality" or Ulladu Narpadu in Tamil, Ramana's words: "Reality exists as the Heart, your very Being. If Reality did not exist, could there be any knowledge of existence?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, a discourse, Reality is Ever Existent.
From Song of Ribhu, the Tamil Ribhu Gita, chapter 2: You are of the nature of Brahman. Read by Richard Clarke. Comments to ramanaccommentary@gmail.com.
Ramana Maharshi starts with, "If the ego rises, all else will also rise; if it subsides all else will also subside." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Discourse by Nome, "Egoless Existence."
Ramana starts with, "There are not two minds..."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio segment from Nome, a discourse, "Nonduality."
Read by Richard Clarke. This was the book frequently read by Ramana Maharshi in the evenings. Listening to a few verses is a great way to start your meditation and inquiry.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Except that the wakeful state is long and the dream state is short there is no difference between the two."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio clip from Nome, "In a dream the only thing that exists is consciousness."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "... it is futile for him who seeks to know the Self to set to work enumerating the tattvas (classifications of the elements of existence) that envelop the Self and examining them, instead of casting them away. He should consider the phenomenal world with reference to himself as merely a dream." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Discourse by Nome, "Reality and Illusion."
Listen to these verses before you inquire. Comments or questions to ramanacommentary@gmail.com
Ramana Maharshi's words: "To enquire “Who am I that is in bondage?” and to know one’s real nature is alone Liberation." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Being is Knowing."
Listen, reflect and deeply meditate.
Posted by Richard Clarke. Comments to ramanacommentary@gamil.com
The Ribhu Gita was the book most recited in front of Ramana Maharshi. He held this work in high esteem. He said that if you could not inquire, then read the Ribhu Gita; it will have the same effect. In this session, the Ribhu Gita is introduced and six verses are recited. Listen to the verses before you meditate.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Therefore, it is futile to seek by means of the study of scriptures the Self that has to be realized by summarily rejecting even the five sheaths." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, a discourse, "Neti, Neti."
Ramana |Maharshi's words:
"What is required for such control is actual enquiry into oneself by self-interrogation: “Who am I?” How can this enquiry in quest of the Self be made merely by means of a study of the scriptures?"
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, a discourse, "Inquiry and Knowledge."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The Lord Himself has no resolve; no act or event touches even the fringe of His Being. This state of immaculate aloofness can be likened to that of the sun." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Dialog with Nome, " If the perceiver is formless..."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "This phenomenal world, however, is nothing but thought. When the world recedes from one’s view — that is when one is free from thought — the mind enjoys the Bliss of the Self. Conversely, when the world appears — that is when thought occurs — the mind experiences pain and anguish." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, a discourse, "The Reality of the Self."
Ramana's words: " ...the wise man never leaves the shade: in the same way the mind of the Enlightened Sage (Jnani) never exists apart from Brahman, the Absolute."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio for |Nome, from a discourse, Steady abidance as the Self
Ramana Maharshi's words: "It is pleasant under the shade of a tree, and scorching in the heat of the sun outside..."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, a discourse, "Happiness."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "That which is Bliss is also the Self. Bliss and the Self are not distinct and separate but are one and the same. And That alone is real." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Blissfully Eternal."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Firm and disciplined inherence in the Atman, without giving the least scope for the rise of any thought other than the deep contemplative thought of the Self, constitutes self-surrender to the Supreme Lord."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Freedom from "I" and "mine"."
Ramana Maharshi words: "God and the Guru are not really different: they are identical. He that has earned the Grace of the Guru shall undoubtedly be saved and never forsaken." Commentary by Richard Clarke, audio from Nome, "Who is Sri Ramana?"
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Not to desire anything extraneous to oneself constitutes vairaga (dispassion) or nirasa (desirelessness). Not to give up one’s hold on the Self constitutes jnana (knowledge). But really vairaga and jnana are one and the same. " Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio track from Nome.
Ramana Maharshi’s words, So long as subtle tendencies continue to inhere in the mind, it is necessary to carry on the enquiry: “Who am I?” As and when thoughts occur, they should one and all be annihilated then and there, at the very place of their origin, by the method of enquiry in quest of the Self.
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome: "Liberation from tendencies of the mind."
Ramana Maharshi’s words, However sinful a person may be, if he would stop wailing inconsolably: “Alas! I am a sinner, how shall I attain Liberation?” and, casting away even the thought that he is a sinner, if he would zealously carry on meditation on the Self, he would most assuredly get reformed. Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Free From Thought."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Without giving room even to the thought which occurs in the form of doubt, whether it is possible to stay merely as the very Self, whether all the vasanas can be destroyed, one should firmly and unceasingly carry on meditation on the Self."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome: "a dialog: Confusion with the source of happiness."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Regulation of diet, restricting it to satvic food taken in moderate quantity, is of all the rules of conduct the best; and it is most conducive to the development of the satvic qualities of the mind.
These, in their turn, assist one in the practice of Atma vichara or enquiry in quest of the Self." Commentary by Richard Clarke with an Audio from Nome, "Silent Self"
Ramana Maharshi's words: "When the mind is split up and dissipated into countless varying thoughts, each individual thought becomes extremely weak and inefficient.
When, on the contrary, such thoughts subside more and more till they finally get destroyed, the mind becomes one-pointed and, thereby acquiring strength and power of endurance, easily reaches perfection in the method of enquiry in quest of the Self."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome "Free from thought."
Ramana Maharshi's words:
"Like breath control, meditation on form, incantations, invocations, and regulation of diet are only aids to control of the mind. Through the practice of meditation or invocation the mind becomes one pointed. ..."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "The essence of meditation is the luminosity of undivided consciousness."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Breath and vital forces are also described as the gross manifestation of the mind. Till the hour of death the mind sustains and supports these forces in the physical body; and when life becomes extinct the mind envelops them and carries them away. During sleep, however, the vital forces continue to function, although the mind is not manifest. ... But in the wakeful state and in samadhi, when the mind subsides, breath also subsides. For this reason the practice of breath control is merely helpful in subduing the mind, but cannot bring about its final extinction."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Mind subsides in sleep like state."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "The source of the mind is the same as that of breath and vital forces. It is really the multitude of thoughts that constitutes the mind; and the “I”-thought is the primal thought of the mind, and is itself the ego. But breath too has its origin at the same place whence the ego rises. Therefore, when the mind subsides, breath and vital forces also subside; and conversely, when the latter subside, the former also subsides."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "No I and no mine.” Concludes with a short guided inquiry.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "For instance, the mind subsides by the practice of pranayama (restraint and control of breath and vital forces); yet such subsidence lasts only as long as the control of breath and vital forces continues; and when they are released, the mind also gets released and immediately, becoming externalized, it continues to wander through the force of its subtle tendencies." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio clip from Nome, on Sankara's "Meditation on Brahman."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "For the subsidence of mind there is no other means more effective and adequate than Self-enquiry. Even though by other means the mind subsides, that is only apparently so; it will rise again." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, "Beyond Body, Mind, and Ego."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Atman alone exists and is real.
The threefold reality of world, individual soul, and God is, like the illusory appearance of silver in the mother of pearl, an imaginary creation in the Atman. They appear and disappear simultaneously.
The Self alone is the world, the “I” and God. All that exists is but the manifestation of the Supreme." Comments by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, Tat Tvam Asi.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "This state of mere inherence in pure Being is known as the Vision of Wisdom. Such inherence means and implies the entire subsidence of the mind in the Self. Nothing other than this, and no psychic powers of the mind such as thought-reading, telepathy, and clairvoyance, can be Wisdom."
Comments by Richard Clarke, audio from Nome, "Absorption in Silence."
Ramana Maharshi's words: "If in this manner the mind becomes absorbed in the Heart, the ego or “I”. Which is the center of the multitude of thoughts and pure Consciousness or Self, which subsists during all the states of the mind, alone remains resplendent.
It is this state where there is not the slightest trace of the “I”-thought, that is the true Being of oneself. And that is called Quiescence or Mouna (Silence)." Commentary by Richard Clarke, with an audio by Nome, and a short guided Self-inquiry.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "It is only when the subtle mind is externalized through the activity of the intellect and the sense-organs that the gross name and form constituting the world appear. When, on the other hand, the mind stays firmly in the Heart, they recede and disappear. Restraint of the out-going mind and its absorption in the Heart is known as introversion (antarmukda-drishti). The release of mind and its emergence in the Heart is known as objectiveness (bahirmukda-drihshi)." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Even when extraneous thoughts sprout up during such inquiry, do not seek to complete the rising thought, but instead, deeply inquire within, “To whom has this thought occurred?”
No matter how many thoughts thus occur to you, if you would with acute vigilance inquire immediately as and when each individual thought arises to whom it has occurred, you would find it is “to me.” If then you inquire “Who am I?” the mind gets introverted and the rising thought also subsides.
In this manner as you persevere more and more in the practice of Self-inquiry, the mind acquires increasing strength and power to abide in its Source." Comments by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome, For whom is the thought?
Ramana's words: "Since every other thought can occur only after the rise of the “I”- thought and since the mind is just a bundle of thoughts, it is only through the inquiry “Who am I?” that the mind subsides.
Moreover, the integral “I”-thought, implicit in such inquiry, having destroyed all other thoughts, gets finally destroyed or consumed, just as the stick used for stirring the burning funeral pyre gets consumed."
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Talk, "Inquiry" by Nome. Concluded with a guided Self-inquiry,
Ramana Maharshi’s words,
The first and foremost thought that arises in the mind is the “I”-thought.
It is only after the rise or origin of the “I”-thought that innumerable other thoughts arise.
In other words, only after the first personal pronoun, “I”, has arisen, do the second and third personal pronouns (“you, he,” etc.) occur to the mind; and they cannot subsist without the former.
Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "That which arises in the physical body as “I” is the mind.
If one enquires whence the “I”-thought in the body arises in the first instance, it will be found that it is from hydayam or the Heart. That is the source and stay of the mind.
Or again, even if one merely continuously repeats to oneself inwardly, “I-I” with the entire mind fixed thereon, that also leads one to the same source." Commentary by Richard Clarke. Audio from Nome.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "By a steady and continuous investigation into the nature of the mind, the mind is transformed into That to which the “I” refers; and that is in fact the Self.
Mind has to necessarily depend for its existence on something gross, it never subsists by itself. It is the mind that is otherwise called the subtle body, ego, jiva or soul." Commentary by Richard Clarke, audio from Nome, short guided inquiry.
Ramana's words:
"The world is perceived as objective reality when the mind is externalized, thereby forsaking its identity with the Self. When the world is thus perceived, the true nature of the Self is not revealed: conversely, when the Self is realized, the world ceases to appear as an objective reality."
Comments by Richard Clarke, audio clip from Nome.
Ramana's words, "Who am I?" paragraph 6 "Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought.
In deep sleep there are no thoughts: nor is there a world. Just as the spider draws out the thread of the cobweb from within itself and withdraws it again into itself, in the same way the mind projects the world out of itself and absorbs it into itself."
Commentary by Richard Clarke, audio clip from Nome.
Ramana's words: "The mind is a unique power (sakti) in the Atman, whereby thoughts occur to one.
On scrutiny as to what remains after eliminating all thoughts, it will be found that there is no such thing as mind apart from thought.
So then, thoughts themselves constitute the mind." Commentary by Richard Clarke, audio from Nome as SAT.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "If the mind, which is the instrument of knowledge and is the basis of all activity, subsides, the perception of the world as an objective reality ceases.
Unless the illusory perception of the serpent in the rope ceases, the rope on which the illusion is formed is not perceived as such. Similarly, unless the illusory nature of the perception of the world as an objective reality ceases, the Vision of the true nature of the Self, on which the illusion is formed, is not obtained." Commentary by Richard Clarke, Audio by Nome, "Beyond body, mind, and ego." Short guided Self-inquiry.
Ramana Maharshi's words: "Therefore, summarily rejecting all the above-mentioned physical adjuncts and their functions, saying “I am not this; no, nor am I this, nor this” — that which remains separate and alone by itself, that pure Awareness is what I am.
This Awareness is by its very nature Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss)." Commentary an meditation by Richard Clarke. Audio, "Neti, Neti" by Nome of SAT.
Here starts Ramana's teaching on spiritual practice, focusing on negation and discrimination. Ramana's words: "
“Who am I?”
I am not this physical body, nor am I the five organs of sense perception, I am not the five organs of external activity, nor am I the five vital forces, nor am I even the thinking Mind. Neither am I that unconscious state of nescience which retains merely the subtle vasanas (latencies of the mind) which being free from the functional activity of the sense organs and of the mind, and being unaware of the existence of the objects of sense perception." Commentary by Richard Clarke, plus an audio from Swami Sarvapriyananda, "Differentiating ego and mind from Pure Awareness."
Ramana's words: "Every living being longs always to be happy, untainted by sorrow; and everyone has the greatest love for himself, which is solely due to the fact that happiness is his real nature." Commentary by Richard Clarke, and an audio by Nome of SAT on Happiness. Concludes with a short guided Self-inquiry.
Richard Clarke provides early history of Ramana Maharshi in Tiruvannamalai in the time frame when the dialogs between the young Ramana Maharshi and Sivaprakasam Pillai were held which were the basis of "Who am I?" Includes a short talk, “How to Find Peace in World,” by Swami Sarvapriyananda, and a short meditation, a guided Self-inquiry.
This session introduces myself, Richard Clare, and Ramana Maharshi. Also with a talk by Nome titled, "Who is Sri Ramana?," and a guided Self-inquiry meditation.
Send comments to richard@infinitepie.net