Can you ever remain apart from the SELF ? – Ramana

Can you ever remain apart from the SELF ?


Dr. Mohammed Hafiz Syed, a Muslim Professor of Persian and Urdu in the University of Allahabad, asked:

D.: “ What is the purpose of this external manifestation?”
M.: This manifestation had induced your question.

D.: True. I am covered by maya. How to be free from it?
M.: Who is covered by maya? ‘Who’ wants to be free?

D.: Master, being asked ‘Who?’, I know that it is ignorant me, composed of the senses, mind and body. I tried this enquiry ‘Who?’ after reading Paul Brunton’s book. Three or four times I was feeling elated and the elation lasted sometime and faded away. How to be established in ‘I’? Please give me the clue and help me.
M.: That which appears anew must also disappear in due course.

D.: Please tell me the method of reaching the eternal Truth.
M.: You are That. Can you ever remain apart from the Self? To be yourself requires no effort since you are always That.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
3rd January, 1936
Talk 123.