The only true knowledge is pure awareness

The only true knowledge is pure awareness. Thoughts, beliefs, ideas and concepts are all false knowledge.

What is worth seeking and discovering is the truth of Self. Such knowledge comes only to the still, clear intellect not muddled by strenuous search without but questing for the Truth in silence.

-- Sri Ramana (Today is Annamalai Swami Day)

Mind tempting you with words

Don't be interested in the words that the mind is serving up for you. It is putting them there to tempt you into a stream of thoughts that will take you away from the Self. You have to ignore them all and focus on the light that is shining within you. (Cow Lakshmi Day)

Giving up false identification

When I say give up your false identification with the "I am the body" idea, I don't mean that you are not the body, I mean that you should give up the idea that you are only the body. You are all bodies, all things, all creation, but this knowledge will not come unless you give up identifying with particular objects, such as "I am the body" and limiting thoughts such as "I am this person". When you have given up all thoughts, all identifications, the true knowledge suddenly dawns on you: "I am the unmanifest Self, and I am also the whole of manifestation."

Continuous Effort

Self-enquiry must be done continuously. It doesn't work if you regard it as a part-time activity. You must have a lifelong commitment to establish yourself in the Self. Your determination to succeed must be strong and firm, and it should manifest as continuos effort. -- Sri Annamalai Swami

Self alone exists

Self-enquiry is the process by which attention is put on the substratum instead of on the names and forms that are habitually imposed on it. Self is the substratum out of which all things appear to manifest, When the Self is seen and known, all these ideas fade away and one is let with the knowledge: Self alone exists. -- A.S

"I am the body" causes maya

There are so many thoughts in the mind. Thought after thought after thought... But there is one thought that is continuous, "I am the body". This is the string on which all other thoughts are threaded. Once we identify ourselves with the body by thinking this thought, maya follows. If we cease to identify ourselves with the body, maya will not affect us anymore. -- A.S.

Devote yourself to your practice all the time

Sadhakas (aspirants) should only work enough to maintain the body. Try to avoid unnecessary activities. Less work is good. Devote yourself to your sadhana (practice) all the time. You dissipate your desire for the Self by undertaking all kinds of useless activities that waste your time and lead to attachments.

You think that your life is endless and you can put off meditation till a later date. ...

If you have to engage in activity to support yourself or your family, then do it, but always be aware of the Self, while you work.

Meditation all the time

Continuous meditation is required.
Don't allocate periods of time for this.
Don't regard it as something you do when you sit with your eyes closed. This meditation has to be continuous.
Do it while eating, walking, and even talking. It has to be continued all the time.

Continuous Enquiry

You have to keep up the enquiry, ' To whom is this happening? ', all the time.

Let go of the "I"

This is the teaching of Bhagavan Ramana, my Guru. I am passing it on to you.

You must understand who you are and what you are, and then you must remain as that. If you can manage this, this itself will suffice. Right now, you are under the impression that you are your body and your mind, but the truth is, you are the Self. Let go of the "I" that you imagine yourself to be, and catch hold of the real "I", the Self.
-- Final Talks, p.70.

There is no mind

Q: How to give up the false idea that the mind is real?

Annamalai Swamy: If this does not happen spontaneously when you hear the truth from the teacher, keep telling yourself, 'I am not the mind, I am not the mind. There is no mind; there is no mind. Consciousness alone exists.'

If you have a firm conviction that this is the truth, one day this firm conviction will mature to the point where it becomes your direct experience.

Bhagavan's final teaching

I ask you to put all your attention, all your interest on realizing the final teaching:

'I am not the body or the mind.
I am Self.
All is the Self.'

This is Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi's final teaching. Nothing more needs to be added to it.

-- For more, see Final Talks (Annamalai Swami, 1995)

Bhagavan's true son

In the 1930's I received a telegram that my father had passed away. Soon after, the ashram manager asked me to take a purificatory bath, as per Hindu tradition.

I told him, 'My father has not died. Bhagavan (Ramana Maharshi) is my father. He is still here. The man who has just died was my father in my last birth. My father in this birth is Bhagavan, my Guru. I don't need to take a bath.'

Annamalai Swami standing on left of photo with arms crossed. Photo copyright Sri Ramanasramam.

-- Final Talks, p 61.

Only seven days left to live

If you are having trouble with your enthusiasm for sadhana, just tell yourself, 'I may be dead in seven days'. Let go of all the things that you pretend are important in your daily life and instead focus on the Self for twenty-four hours a day. Do it and see what happens.
-- For more, see Final Talks.

Mind is not you

Remember that nothing that happens in the mind is 'you', and none of it is your business.

You don't have to worry about the thoughts that rise up inside you. It is enough that you remember that the thoughts are not you.
-- For more, see Final Talks.

Self-enquiry

Self-enquiry must be done continuously. It doesn't work if your regard it as a part-time activity. ...
You must have a lifelong commitment to establish yourself in the Self. Your determination to succeed must be strong and firm, and it should manifest as continuous, not part-time effort.
-- For more, see Final Talks, p18.

Namaskar

The benefit of performing namaskaram (prostrating) to the Guru is only the removal of the ego. This is not attained except by total surrender. Within the Heart of each devotee the gracious Guru is giving darshan in the form of consciousness. Since to surrender is to offer fully, in silence, the subsided ego, which is a name-and-form thought, to the aham sphurana (the effulgence of "I"), the real holy feet of the gracious Guru.
Since this is so, Self-realization cannot be attained by a bowing of the body, but only by a bowing of the ego.
--Final Talks p28, 1995

The Feet of the Lord

Only the supreme Self, which is ever shining in your Heart as the reality is the Sadguru. The pure awareness, which is shining as the inward illumination "I", is His gracious Feet. The contact with these [inner holy feet] alone can give you redemption.

Joining the eye of reflected consciousness (which is your sense of individuality) to these holy feet, which are the real consciousness, is the union of the feet and the head which is the real significance of the verb asi (in tat tvam asi, "that thou art").

As these inner holy feet can be held naturally and unceasingly, hereafter, with an inward-turned mind, cling to that inner awareness which is your own real nature. This alone is the proper way for the removal of bondage and the attainment of the supreme truth.

The one asking questions is not you

(In reply to a question) The one who is asking is not you. The thoughts that come and go are not you. Whatever comes and goes is not you. Your reality is peace. If you don't forget that, that will be enough.
-- Annamalai Swami

Bhagavan is always present

Bhagavan is always present, inside you and in front of you. If you don't cover the vision of Bhagavan with your ego, that will be enough. The ego is the 'I am the body' idea. Remove this idea and you shine as the Self.

-- Annamalai Swami
(Photo of the room where Bhagavan's mother attained Nirvana)