Why do the Hindus use the term I AM instead of God?

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

I always find it interesting how people like to quote Ramana's wisdom and use it from the point of where he was, without looking at how Ramana got there. I've heard recently that the ashram is empty, and nobody goes there to meditate. If people do go there, it's more an act of reminiscing and discussion. It's now morphed into a practice of talking about it, rather than doing. (i.e .. meditating)

Ramana spent many years 'living' in the sanctum of the great Siva temple, Arunaleswara, just below the mountain named Arunachala, before he moved up towards the mountain.

Your point is well-taken. Unfortunately, too many people indeed do talk more than UNDO.

I am very familiar with HOW Ramana got to where he was at the time that the dialogues were recorded. That is why he is one of my favorites since he demonstrates what it is to be a "light unto one's self". Ramana did NOT study scriptures and indicated that scriptures alone would not suffice for realization. He indicated that scriptures are meant to point to the Truth and, when Truth is realized, the scriptures are no longer needed. Ramana is remarkable and it is interesting to learn the process whereby he discovered Truth. Tracing the "I" to the Source is an absorbing process that probably requires a thread of its own here on this site.

PRACTICE (i.e., meditating or SURRENDER) is essential. Talk is intellectual and Truth cannot be expressed in words.

I would love to hear more about your practice. Once again, your point is well taken.

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by samsara4

Your point is well-taken. Unfortunately, too many people indeed do talk more than UNDO.

I am very familiar with HOW Ramana got to where he was at the time that the dialogues were recorded. That is why he is one of my favorites since he demonstrates what it is to be a "light unto one's self". Ramana did NOT study scriptures and indicated that scriptures alone would not suffice for realization. He indicated that scriptures are meant to point to the Truth and, when Truth is realized, the scriptures are no longer needed. Ramana is remarkable and it is interesting to learn the process whereby he discovered Truth. Tracing the "I" to the Source is an absorbing process that probably requires a thread of its own here on this site.

PRACTICE (i.e., meditating or SURRENDER) is essential. Talk is intellectual and Truth cannot be expressed in words.

I would love to hear more about your practice. Once again, your point is well taken.

Ramana , due to austerities and training in his past lives, had come to a point early in life where he could intuitively grasp the essence of the scriptures at an early age.

Let us not forget that the study of the book of the Saivite saints as a young teenager made a considerable impression on him and was a turning point for him.

His inner sensitivity was highly developed, and this helped him to discriminate between the real and unreal properly, which ultimately lead to his Self-realization.

Originally Posted by ajay00

Ramana , due to austerities and training in his past lives, had come to a point early in life where he could intuitively grasp the essence of the scriptures at an early age.

Let us not forget that the study of the book of the Saivite saints as a young teenager made a considerable impression on him and was a turning point for him.

His inner sensitivity was highly developed, and this helped him to discriminate between the real and unreal properly, which ultimately lead to his Self-realization.

Ramana describes in detail his moment of awakening and his decision to leave his family home to absorb himself in meditation. He was undoubtedly aware of the scriptures when he was a teenager. His thoughts on reincarnation are well known.

[Vinayaka]

Originally Posted by samsara4

Your point is well-taken. Unfortunately, too many people indeed do talk more than UNDO.

I am very familiar with HOW Ramana got to where he was at the time that the dialogues were recorded. That is why he is one of my favorites since he demonstrates what it is to be a "light unto one's self". Ramana did NOT study scriptures and indicated that scriptures alone would not suffice for realization. He indicated that scriptures are meant to point to the Truth and, when Truth is realized, the scriptures are no longer needed. Ramana is remarkable and it is interesting to learn the process whereby he discovered Truth. Tracing the "I" to the Source is an absorbing process that probably requires a thread of its own here on this site.

PRACTICE (i.e., meditating or SURRENDER) is essential. Talk is intellectual and Truth cannot be expressed in words.

I would love to hear more about your practice. Once again, your point is well taken.

I agree with all of this, but would add one thing... Since he stayed in the sanctum of Arunaleswarar, He had help from the Siva (Brahman) outside to help him Realise that same Siva was also on the inside.

As for me, I'm no Vedantin, but a Saiva bhaktar, some 100 odd lifetimes behind where He was. I believe scriptures point to the truth, but ultimately one has to lean on His own spine. Ramana or any other Guru can't do it for you.

The Sage of Lanka, Siva Yogaswami, met with Ramana once and all they did was sit. No words were spoken. Afterwards, a devotee inquired why and Ramana responded, "Nothing to say."

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

I agree with all of this, but would add one thing... Since he stayed in the sanctum of Arunaleswarar, He had help from the Siva (Brahman) outside to help him Realise that same Siva was also on the inside.

As for me, I'm no Vedantin, but a Saiva bhaktar, some 100 odd lifetimes behind where He was. I believe scriptures point to the truth, but ultimately one has to lean on His own spine. Ramana or any other Guru can't do it for you.

The Sage of Lanka, Siva Yogaswami, met with Ramana once and all they did was sit. No words were spoken. Afterwards, a devotee inquired why and Ramana responded, "Nothing to say."

First of all, I do agree with your comment that "scriptures point to the truth, but ultimately one has to lean on His own spine. Ramana or any other Guru can't do it for you."

Secondly, your comment about the meeting between the Sage of Lanka and Ramana brought back a memory of a meeting I personally had with a "hidden master" sitting alone in a park in Haridwar, India, at the time of the Khumba Mela in 1998. His aura and demeanor attracted me and I stared at him from behind a tree when he silently signaled for me to come forth and sit in front of him. He chanted silently on his japa beads; I did the same and entered the stillness. Whenever a question arose in my mind, the entire answer just manifested without words. As reported afterwards, this went on for at least 3 hours in outward silence. When no more questions arose, I bowed and he acknowledged it in silence. We parted without words and never saw each other again. Although there was "nothing to say", a lot was "communicated" at least to me.

[Vinayaka]

Indeed, great teachings are imparted via silence. My daughter and I were on pilgrimage to the great Siva temples in the South, and we were in Tiruvanammalai. There was a nice picture of Ramana up behind the desk lobby of the hotel we were at.

We were having troubles with our driver, (booze) so I looked for guidance from the picture. He seemed to be saying. "Don't worry, this is my town, and I'll take care of it." After that things seemed to improve.

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

Indeed, great teachings are imparted via silence. My daughter and I were on pilgrimage to the great Siva temples in the South, and we were in Tiruvanammalai. There was a nice picture of Ramana up behind the desk lobby of the hotel we were at.

We were having troubles with our driver, (booze) so I looked for guidance from the picture. He seemed to be saying. "Don't worry, this is my town, and I'll take care of it." After that things seemed to improve.

Truth can only be expressed in silence. Words, however, are often used even though thoughts and words clearly obscure the Truth.

[Honza]

Originally Posted by samsara4

Truth can only be expressed in silence. Words, however, are often used even though thoughts and words clearly obscure the Truth.

Have you ever heard people singing? Is that not truth?

[Honza]

Originally Posted by samsara4

Truth can only be expressed in silence. Words, however, are often used even though thoughts and words clearly obscure the Truth.

It is these 'eastern' generalisations which annoy me!

[Vinayaka]

Originally Posted by Honza

It is these 'eastern' generalisations which annoy me!

They annoy me too. Advaita Vedanta in it's simplest form has been the most common school of Hinduism brought to the west. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's often oversimplified and put into sayings that aren't even in the remotest sense practical. An essay giving hints on how not to get angry (a chakra below the muladara) would be far more useful.