What is mind? If one searches to find out, then there would be no separate entity as the mind. this is a straight path; Maharishi Ramana.

Even though both the mind and the world rise and set together, the mind lights the world. The source from which the mind and world rise and into which they set is the reality ( self or ataman ) that doesn’t rise or subside: Maharishi Ramana.

Comments:

Our self, which is an observer of our body and mind, is reality. Our mind is in front of us. We can see our minds, and we say, please tell me again, my mind, not hearing it was thinking of another person. So you can see your mind because it is different from the you(self ). When the mind goes out, we can see the world, and when it is inward, then the world disappears. In a deep sleep, there is no mind and, therefore, no world. In deep meditation or samadhi, there is no mind and world also. Only bliss shines here.

Your effort is not to allow yourself to be distracted by others thoughts : Maharishi Ramana.

Comments: This is essential when watching your thoughts that others may not be allowed to come into your mind. As J. Krishnamurti used to say in his public talks that, meditation is ending the thoughts. It is necessary.

Withdrawing all thoughts from sense objects one should remain fixed in steady non-objective enquiry. Maharishi Ramana.

Men are attached to objects and have endless thoughts due to the strength of latent tendencies finding it difficult to control the mind; Maharishi Ramana.

This is the first Chapter entitled ‘On the importance of upasana’

These questions were asked by Ganapti Muni. The questions are 8 and i will write one question and one answer by Maharishi Ramana.

1. I bow to Maharishi Ramana, God in human form and set forth teaching in this lucid work.
2. In the year 1913 of the Christian era, on the 29th of cold December when all the disciples were seated around with with attentive minds, I (Vasishta Ganapati) asked Bhagavan Maharishi Ramana for definite answers
3. Question no 1; Is Mukti to be had by mere discrimination between the real and unreal or are there other means for the ending of bondage?
4. Answer: Abidance in the self alone releases one from all bounds. Discrimination between real and unreal leads to non-attachment.
5. Comments; mind is not real , it is seen ,we can see our mind what it is doing, but I (self) is separate from it. we can not find mind in deep sleep beacuse it merges in the self (Atama). but in deep sleep we are in ignorence but it merges in the self . but by practicing self-inquiry in the stage of Samadhi it merges in the self and we find that bliss which is our real state.

Men attached to the objects and having endless thoughts due to strength of latent tendencies find it difficult to control the mind.; Maharishi Ramana.

Commons; In meditation mind should be silent but if we are attached to so many worldly desires it will be not easy to still the mind.

Divine grace is essential for the realisation. But grace is vouchsafed only to him who is a true devotee or a yogi. It is given to those who have striven hard and ceaselessly on the path to freedom.

Effort is necessary upto the stage of realization. even then the self should spontaneously become eviident. otherwise happiness should not be complete. upto the stage of spontaneity there must be effort, ln some form or other.

The mind turned inward is the self: when turned outward it becomes the ego and all the world. The mind doesn’t exist apart from the self, it has no independent existence. The self exists without the mind, but never the mind without the self.

Comments; this is the whole story! One should understand it by one’s experience of self-inquiry. Nobody can able to tell you any Guru or any Saint, they tell you some ideas but you have to learn them from your practice.