Sri Ramana Teachings

In this episode Michael James answers the question: “Why is it that Bhagavan’s teaching always appears fresh and suits almost everyone, at any stage of life?” ----more---- This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-02b Why are Bhagavan’s teachings always so fresh and well suited to each of us?, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In this episode Michael James answers the question: “Bhagavan’s teaching goes beyond religions but at the same time contains the heart of all the religions. Can you elaborate on this please?” ----more---- This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-02a Bhagavan’s teachings go beyond all religions but are the heart of each of them, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 14th August 2022 Michael James the meaning and implications of verses 21 and 22 of Upadēśa Sāraḥ: ----more---- Upadēśa Sāraḥ verse 21: इदम हंपदाऽ भिख्य मन्वहम् । अहमि लीनकेऽ प्यलय सत्तया ॥ २१ ॥ idama haṁpadā’ bhikhya manvaham ahami līnakē’ pyalaya sattayā पदच्छेद: इदम् अहम् पद अभिख्यम् अन्वहम् अहमि लीनके अपि अलय सत्तया. Padacchēda (word-separation): idam aham pada abhikhyam anvaham ahami līnakē api alaya sattayā. English translation: This is what the word ‘I’ always refers to, being undissolvable existence even when ‘I’ is dissolved. Explanatory paraphrase: This [the heart, our real nature, which shines forth spontaneously as ‘I am I’ when ego is annihilated] is what the word ‘I’ always refers to, [because we remain] as undissolvable existence even [in sleep] when ‘I’ [ego] is dissolved. Upadēśa Sāraḥ verse 22: विग्र हेन्द्रिय प्राण धीतमः । नाह मेकस त्तज्ज डंह्यसत् ॥ २२ ॥ vigra hēndriya prāṇa dhītamaḥ nāha mēkasa ttajja ḍaṁhyasat पदच्छेद: विग्रह इन्द्रिय प्राण धी तमः न अहम् एक सत् तत् जडम् हि असत्. Padacchēda (word-separation): vigraha indriya prāṇa dhī tamaḥ na aham ēka sat tat jaḍam hi asat. English translation: Body, mind, life, intellect and darkness are not I, the one existence, because that is non-aware and non-existent. Explanatory paraphrase: [The five sheaths, namely] the physical body, life, mind, intellect and darkness [the ānandamaya kōśa, the cittam or will, which is internal darkness in the form of the dense fog of viṣaya-vāsanās, inclinations or desires to seek happiness in things other than oneself] are not I, the one sat [what actually exists] [and cit, what is actually aware], because that [the body consisting of these five sheaths] is jaḍa [non-aware or insentient] and asat [non-existent or unreal]. This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-14 Ramana Kendra, Delhi: Michael James discusses Upadēśa Sāraḥ verses 21 and 22, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang on 7th August 2022 Michael answers questions about ‘I-I’, ‘I am I’, sphuraṇa, the ‘I’-thought, what Bhagavan meant by the terms the first, second and third persons, his death experience, the need for both grace and effort, and various other aspects of his teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender. ----more---- This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-07 San Diego Ramana Satsang: Michael James discusses ‘I am I’, sphuraṇa and the ‘I’-thought, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 6th August 2022 Michael James discusses verse 5 of Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu: ----more---- உடல்பஞ்ச கோச வுருவதனா லைந்து முடலென்னுஞ் சொல்லி லொடுங்கு — முடலன்றி யுண்டோ வுலக முடல்விட் டுலகத்தைக் கண்டா ருளரோ கழறு. uḍalpañca kōśa vuruvadaṉā laindu muḍaleṉṉuñ colli loḍuṅgu — muḍalaṉḏṟi yuṇḍō vulaha muḍalviṭ ṭulahattaik kaṇḍā ruḷarō kaṙaṟu. பதச்சேதம்: உடல் பஞ்ச கோச உரு. அதனால், ஐந்தும் ‘உடல்’ என்னும் சொல்லில் ஒடுங்கும். உடல் அன்றி உண்டோ உலகம்? உடல் விட்டு, உலகத்தை கண்டார் உளரோ? கழறு. Padacchēdam (word-separation): uḍal pañca kōśa uru. adaṉāl, aindum ‘uḍal’ eṉṉum sollil oḍuṅgum. uḍal aṉḏṟi uṇḍō ulaham? uḍal viṭṭu, ulahattai kaṇḍār uḷarō? kaṙaṟu. அன்வயம்: உடல் பஞ்ச கோச உரு. அதனால், ‘உடல்’ என்னும் சொல்லில் ஐந்தும் ஒடுங்கும். உடல் அன்றி உலகம் உண்டோ? உடல் விட்டு, உலகத்தை கண்டார் உளரோ? கழறு. Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): uḍal pañca kōśa uru. adaṉāl, ‘uḍal’ eṉṉum sollil aindum oḍuṅgum. uḍal aṉḏṟi ulaham uṇḍō? uḍal viṭṭu, ulahattai kaṇḍār uḷarō? kaṙaṟu. English translation: The body is a form of five sheaths. Therefore all five are included in the term ‘body’. Without a body, is there a world? Leaving the body, is there anyone who has seen a world? Say. Explanatory paraphrase: The body is pañca-kōśa-uru [a form composed of five sheaths, namely a physical structure, life, mind, intellect and will]. Therefore all five [sheaths] are included in the term ‘body’. Without a body [composed of these five sheaths], is there a world? Without [experiencing oneself as such] a body, is there anyone who has seen a world? Say. This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-06 Sri Ramana Center, Houston: Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu verse 5, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with Ernesto, Carlos and José of ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 3th August 2022, Michael James discusses the question: ----more---- If this is a path of happiness, how is it that devotees feel unfit, feelings of failure, being full of flaws or unsuitable for this path? Are those feelings an inevitable effect of looking for the restoration of our natural condition or that shows we are still highly immature spiritually speaking? This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-08-03 Yo Soy Tu Mismo: However much we may fail, we must persevere in being self-attentive, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 30th July 2022 Michael James first discussed the meanings and deep implications of verse 9 of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai, and that first portion of this meeting has been posted here as a separate episode: Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 9. ----more---- After discussing this, Michael answered questions on this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender, so this second portion of the meeting is posted here as this episode. This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-07-30b Ramana Foundation UK: Michael answers questions on Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 9, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 30th July 2022 Michael James discusses verse 9 of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai: ----more---- எனையழித் திப்போ தெனைக்கல வாவிடி       லிதுவோ வாண்மை யருணாசலா eṉaiyaṙit tippō deṉaikkala vāviḍi       liduvō vāṇmai yaruṇācalā பதச்சேதம்: எனை அழித்து இப்போது எனை கலவாவிடில், இதுவோ ஆண்மை அருணாசலா? Padacchēdam (word-separation): eṉai aṙittu ippōdu eṉai kalavāviḍil, iduvō āṇmai aruṇācalā? English translation: Arunachala, if not now uniting me, destroying me, is this manliness? Explanatory paraphrase: Arunachala, now [that I am willing to surrender myself entirely to you], if [you] do not unite me [with yourself in inseparable oneness], [thereby] destroying me [destroying my ‘virginity’, namely ego], is this [your] manliness? This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-07-30a Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK: Michael discusses Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 9, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. After discussing this verse of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai Michael answers questions about this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender, and this part of the meeting is recorded in a separate episode: Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 9 Q&A.

In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 10th July 2022 Michael James the meaning and implications of verses 19 and 20 of Upadēśa Sāraḥ: ----more---- Upadēśa Sāraḥ verse 19: अहम यंकुतो भवति चिन्वतः । अयिप तत्यहं निजवि चारणम् ॥ १९ ॥ ahama yaṁkutō bhavati cinvataḥ ayipa tatyahaṁ nijavi cāraṇam पदच्छेद: अहम् अयम् कुतः भवति चिन्वतः, अयि, पतति अहम्. निज विचारणम्. Padacchēda (word-separation): aham ayam kutaḥ bhavati cinvataḥ, ayi, patati aham. nija vicāraṇam. English translation: By investigating from where this ‘I’ arises, ah, ‘I’ falls down. Self-investigation. Explanatory paraphrase: By investigating from where this ‘I’ [namely ego, the thought ‘I’] arises, ah, ‘I’ falls down [in nāśa, never to rise again]. [This is] nija vicāraṇam [investigation of nija: what is innate, natural, constant, permanent or one’s own, namely ātma-svarūpa, one’s own real nature]. Upadēśa Sāraḥ verse 20: अहमि नाशभा ज्यहम हंतया । स्फुरति हृत्स्वयं परम पूर्णसत् ॥ २० ॥ ahami nāśabhā jyahama haṁtayā sphurati hṛtsvayaṁ parama pūrṇasat पदच्छेद: अहमि नाशभाजि अहम् अहंतया स्फुरति हृत् स्वयम्. परम पूर्ण सत्. Padacchēda (word-separation): ahami nāśa-bhāji aham ahaṁtayā sphurati hṛt svayam. parama pūrṇa sat. English translation: On ‘I’ undergoing annihilation, the heart shines forth spontaneously as ‘I am I’. The supreme whole reality. Explanatory paraphrase: When ‘I’ [ego] is annihilated, the heart [the real nature of oneself] shines forth spontaneously as ‘aham aham’ [‘I am I’]. [This is] parama pūrṇa sat [the supreme whole existence, being or reality]. This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-07-10 Ramana Kendra, Delhi: Michael James discusses Upadēśa Sāraḥ verses 19 and 20, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 9th July 2022 Michael James first discussed the meaning and deep implications of verse 8 of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai, and that first portion of this meeting has been posted here as a separate episode: Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 8. ----more---- After discussing this, Michael answered questions on this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender, so this second portion of the meeting is posted here as this video. This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-07-09b Ramana Foundation UK: Michael answers questions on Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 8, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.