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I am that I am

Vishy

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Miss Umadevi, a Polish lady, asked Sri Bhagavan (Ramana Maharishi):

I once before told Sri Bhagavan how I had a vision of Siva. A similar experience recurred to me at Courtallam. These visions are momentary. But they are blissful. I want to know how they might be made permanent and continuous. Without Siva there is no life in what I see around me. I am so happy to think of Him. Please tell me how His vision may be everlasting to me.

M (Ramana Maharishi):

You speak of a vision of Siva. Vision is always of an object. That implies the existence of a subject. The value of the vision is the same as that of the seer. (That is to say, the nature of the vision is on the same plane as that of the seer). Appearance implies disappearance also. Whatever appears must also disappear. A vision can never be eternal. But Siva is eternal. The pratyaksha (vision) of Siva to the eye signifies the existence of the eyes to see; the buddhi (intellect) lying behind the sight; the seer behind the buddhi and the sight; and finally the Consciousness underlying the seer. This pratyaksha (vision) is not as real as one imagines it to be, because it is not intimate and inherent; it is not first-hand. It is the result of several successive phases of Consciousness. Of these, Consciousness alone does not vary. It is eternal. It is Siva. It is the Self. The vision implies the seer. The seer cannot deny the existence of the Self. There is no moment when the Self as Consciousness does not exist; nor can the seer remain apart from Consciousness.

This Consciousness is the eternal Being and the only Being. The seer cannot see himself. Does he deny his existence because he cannot see himself with the eyes as pratyaksha (in vision)? No! So, pratyaksha does not mean seeing, but BE-ing. “To BE” is to realise - Hence I AM THAT I AM. ‘I AM’ is Siva. Nothing else can be without Him. Everything has its being in Siva and because of Siva. Therefore enquire “Who am I?”. Sink deep within and abide as the Self. That is Siva as BE-ing. Do not expect to have visions of Him repeated. What is the difference between the objects you see and Siva? He is both the subject and the object. You cannot be without Siva. Siva is always realised here and now. If you think you have not realised Him, it is wrong. This is the obstacle for realising Siva. Give up that thought also and realisation is there.

The whole Vedanta is contained in the two Biblical statements:

I am that I am and Be still and know that I am God.

Your duty is ‘to be’ and not ‘to be this or that’.
“I am that I am” sums up the whole truth. The method is summed up in “Be Still”.

What does “stillness” mean? It means “destroy yourself”. Because, any form or shape is the cause of trouble. Give up the notion that “I am so and so”.

"I am that I am" - That means a person must abide as the ‘I’. He is always the ‘I’ alone. He is nothing else. The sastras say: ahamiti sphurati (it shines as ‘I’)

- Ramana Maharishi (Thanks to: ‘Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi’)