Be as You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Arkana) by Sri Ramana Maharshi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Be as You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Arkana)
Book Review: "what if God was one of us..."
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned this book for one year now. I bought it because a guru-skeptical friend told me that Ramana Maharshi was enlightened. On the front cover picture, I immediately noticed the pleasant glow in Ramana's eyes that my friend spoke of, but they did not teleport me to instant samadhi. Nor did Ramana's answers to seekers' questions (this book is in Q-and-A format) lead me to what he terms "abidance in the Self." I briefly tried to practice Ramana's self-enquiry, to no avail, and abandoned the book last summer. For some reason, the book sat on my night table for seven months. I really don't know why I didn't just put it back on my bookshelf.
Finally, after a huge life crisis last winter, I picked the book up off the night table. This time, something "clicked" and I figured out what Ramana meant by the "I-feeling." To make a long story short, I'm now planning a visit to Ramana's ashram.
Ramana Maharshi was not just enlightened, he WAS that Light. This is what makes his realization stand out--in a world where gurus and masters rarely do more than "see the light," Ramana somehow... became the light. That is why looking at his photo is as powerful as a thousand pages of his teaching. It is also why some people don't understand the words in this book. Of course the words are nonsense, they are not the point! If you're pondering the conceptual implications of Ramana's teaching of the Self, you might as well be contemplating the "meaning" of the letter "f" in "Self."
Changed my path. I suppose that's worth five stars?
Book Review: The ABCs of an Enlightened Sage
Summary: 5 Stars
Be As You Are is like a personal conversation with your own guru. Sri Ramana answers questions on a variety of topics. I keep coming back to the book again and again. Merely reading it will open new horizons to you. This book keeps on giving for years.Book Review: Simple . Lucid . Direct
Summary: 5 Stars
Ramana Maharishi, was a philosopher, a realized soul and a teacher. A very humble person who lived at the Arunachala Hill in southern India during late 19th and early 20th century period.
His view of the world, and the way he perceived it and lived his life are simply fantastic. Based on the ancient Hindu philosophy of Advaita, or 'non-dualism', he lived the life of a enlightened soul, and helped others approach reality.
Advaita in a nutshell says that `Everything is the same'. You and me and all the things that we perceive and the entire Universe are one and the same. All the things that we perceive, that we imagine, think and so on.., are nothing but illusion, a mere play of the mind.
What was special about Ramana, was not any uniqueness in his definition of reality. He simply said what Advaita says is basically the truth. What he did was he simplified the approach to the realization of the truth. He prescribed very definite and immediate steps that one can follow in order to realize the Self. His simple method was to first go and figure out who the individual really was? To figure out the root of this feeling of `I'. at each and every moment, right at the time of the `I' feeling arises, such as `I am happy', or `I am feeling overwhelmed' or `I have an Idea'. One has to figure out who this I really is. Excluding step by step the physical body, the thoughts, the ideas etc.. until one reaches the ultimate. It is not merely an intellectual exercise, it is a path that leads to the ultimate realization or awareness. Teaching this Direct method is what makes Ramana unique.
This book by David Godman, makes an excellent introduction to the teachings of Ramana. The book is ordered into chapters of different topics such as The Self, Enquiry & Surrender, The Guru, Meditation and Yoga, Expereince and Theory. Each topic is in the format of a brief overview of the subject according to Ramana, and followed by questions and answers that were actually answerd by Ramana to disciples who came from all over the world, and were recorderd at various points in time.
The material has been well researched and collected from several sources, and from interviews with people who were close to Ramana, making it a very coherent source.
The author understands the anxieties and searchful mind of the reader who is just getting to know Ramana, and Advaita, the text is very very lucid, one can almost hear the author as well as Ramana speak. The questions take one from simple to more deeper discussions.
I realized how simple, clear and straightforward this book was, more after reading lots of other resources on Ramana
Book Review: One of the greatest spiritual teachers to have graced the world
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great collection of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings
It is aimed at people at all different levels of understanding, so one has to be carefull not to take everything written as 'Law', but just what feels right for you.
Ramana had the amazing mind cutting ability to insightfully answer questions with one or a few sentances that others would take books to do so and not even come close.
An enjoyable, enlightening read about one of the great spiritual masters and his teachings
Book Review: Letting go of the unreal
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are not familiar with the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, they may seem a bit redundant, conflicted and contradictory. It appears that he answered questions on the level of the seeker's ability to grasp them. The bigger issue seems to be trying to describe an indescribeable state of awareness using mere words and mental concepts. From other accounts I've read, he came into enlightenment suddenly, as a teenager, and stayed in a state of speechless bliss for a number of years. He later began to articulate this transcendant state and people were naturally attracted to his teachings and his presence.
His basic instruction was self inquiry. That is the practice of asking "who" is the one asking the question. It's a bit uncomfortable, like staring at yourself in the mirror for a long time. But according to Sri Ramana, this constant inquiry will cause the outer false self to drop away and one's true nature will shine forth. The most common false identifications are "I am my body", "I am my mind" or "I am my thoughts". This constant inquiry causes these false identifications to loosen their grip and a deeper, more universal sense of self arises. In that state, you are no longer the "doer" but the observer. You sense the universal "Self" working through you and you take no personal ownership of making things happen. In this state you are aware and at peace.
Another great book along these same lines is "I AM THAT", which I think is offered by Amazon in combination with this book. I found that book a little easier to read, but they compliment each other in exposing the veil of thought we mistake as ourselves.
If you have difficulty with the translation or unfamilair terms used in this book, try Lester Levenson's "No Attachments, No Aversions". Lester had a similar experience of enlightment, but his was at age 42 in New York City. He also speaks of letting go of the mind/false self/mental limitations. The result in both cases was a profound inperturbable peace.
"Since you are awareness there is no need to attain or cultivate it. All that you have to do is to give up being aware of other things, that is of the not-Self. If one gives up being aware of them, than pure awareness alone remains, and that is the Self."
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, page 12