Happy Birthday Ramana Maharshi

Whoops! It was actually yesterday, I wrote it down wrong.  Oh well better later than never!

Ramana Maharshi, born in 1879, was one of the most influential and enlightening teachers of the philosophy of advaita vedanta (self realisation) in the 20^th century. No unnecessary complexity, just straight to the heart of the issue with the contemplation of the eternal question, 'Who am I?'.

“Nearly all mankind is more or less unhappy

because nearly all do not know the true Self.

Real happiness abides in Self-knowledge alone.

All else is fleeting.

To know one's Self

is to be blissful always.”

“Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.”

“Bliss is not something to be got.

On the other hand you are always Bliss.

This desire [for Bliss] is born of the sense of incompleteness.

To whom is this sense of incompleteness?

Enquire. In deep sleep you were blissful.

Now you are not so.

What has interposed between that Bliss and this non-bliss?

It is the ego.

Seek its source and find you are Bliss.”

http://peacefulrivers.homestead.com/maharshi.html