Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi

Sage of self-enquiry teachings.

A highly respected Indian sage known for his teachings on self-enquiry and the nature of the self. His method of self-inquiry, particularly the question "Who am I?", encourages individuals to look beyond the ego and discover their true essence. His teachings emphasize the importance of inner silence and the realization of the self as the ultimate reality, guiding seekers towards profound self-awareness and spiritual liberation.

Ramana Maharshi Quotes about Illusion

  • The 'I' casts off the illusion of the 'I' and yet remains 'I'. Such is the paradox of Self-realization. The Realized do not see any paradox in it. Consider the case of the worshipper. He approaches God and prays to be absorbed in Him. He then surrenders himself in faith and by concentration. And what remains afterwards? In the place of the original 'I', self-surrender leaves a residuum of God in which the 'I' is lost. That is the highest form of devotion or surrender and the peak of detachment.
  • We see only the script and not the paper on which the script is written. The paper is there, whether the script is on it or not. To those who look upon the script as real, you have to say that it is unreal - an illusion - since it rests upon the paper. The wise person looks upon both paper and script as one.
  • What is illusion? M.: To whom is the illusion? Find it out. Then illusion will vanish. Generally people want to know about illusion and do not examine to whom it is. It is foolish. Illusion is outside and unknown. But the seeker is considered to be known and is inside. Find out what is immediate, intimate, instead of trying to find out what is distant and unknown.