Ramana Maharshi - Dream, Sleep and Samadhi

Ramana Maharshi - Dream, Sleep and Samadhi Q: What is Maya? Illusion? A: Seeing ice without seeing that it is water is illusion, Maya. Therefore saying things like killing the mind or anything like that also has no meaning, for after all mind also is part and parcel of the Self. Resting in the Self or inhering in the Self is i s mukti, getting rid of Maya. Maya is not a separate entity. Absence of light is called darkness, so also absence of Knowledge, Illumination etc., is called ignorance, illusion or Maya. Q: What is samadhi? A: When the mind is in communion with the Self in darkness, it is called nidra (sleep) i.e. the involution of the mind in ignorance. Involution in a conscious or wakeful state is called samadhi. Samadhi is continuous inherence in the Self in a waking state. Nidra or sleep is also inherence in the Self but in an unconscious state. state. In sahaja samadhi the communion is continuous. Q: What are kevala nirvikalpa samadhi and sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi? A: The involution of the mind in the Self, but without its destruction, is kevala nirvikalpa samadhi. There are four obstacles in this, namely, vacillation of: i. mind ii. life breath or prana iii. body, iv. drishti. In kevala nirvikalpa samadhi one is not free from vasanas and does not, therefore, therefore, attain mukti. Only after the samskaras have been destroyed can one attain salvation. Q: When can one practice sahaja samadhi? A: Even from the beginning. Even though one practices kevala nirvikalpa samadhi for years together, if one has not rooted out the vasanas, he will not attain salvation.