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We Want  The Dream To Continue.... 

  "I Know the Teachings are Coming from the Absolute ...

BUT

'I' Don't Agree With Some of Them ..."

How often does Sri Ramakant hear this? Genuine Self-Realized Masters like Sri Ramakant Maharaj are so rare, and yet unrecognized, undervalued and generally unappreciated. 

These Masters are like precious gems      or...a flower in the desert.              

                                           

 All they ask for is our trust. 

Trust so that they can show our Reality.

Some Masters:

                  

            

To "know  ourself in a  real  sense",  says Ramakant Maharaj,  we are to understand that all the knowledge that we have amassed since baby-hood is body-knowledge,  has come "after the spirit clicked with the body". Then came the impressions, conditioning, pressures and illusory concepts which we have pretty much  unwittingly  imbibed and  accepted over the years  without  question. These have kept us trapped in a vicious circle of body-knowledge, trapped in an illusory world.

WE ACCEPTED  ILLUSION AND ALL THE SUFFERING THAT IT BROUGHT

WHEN THE EGO/MIND/INTELLECT BECAME OUR MASTER.

     NOW THE MASTER SAYS: YOU ARE NOT THE BODY/MIND. YOU NEVER WERE!                                            COME OUT OF THE ILLUSORY CIRCLE.                                         COME OUT OF IGNORANCE, AND THEN YOU WILL DISCOVER YOUR REALITY.

                                      BUT BEFORE YOU CAN DO THIS,                                             YOU MUST EMPTY YOURSELF OF EVERYTHING, OF ALL KNOWLEDGE TO DATE.

KNOWLEDGE IS NO KNOWLEDGE.

THE MASTER WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO CLEAR OUT YOUR HOUSE AND GET RID OF THE UNWANTED TENANTS. SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD LONG LEASES. SO, IN ORDER TO EJECT THESE, COMMANDO TRAINING IS NECESSARY.

All the illusions that you have been caught up in will fall away, if you trust the Master and follow his guidance. The only way to uncover Reality, the Master says, is by first undergoing the discipline of Meditation, along with the help of Self-enquiry, singing the bhajans and absorbing the Knowledge from the Master.

There must be trust, wholehearted, complete trust, not partial. And deep self-involvement is necessary, especially at the beginning. It is simple, if you trust the Master!

But putting our trust in the Master and the teachings is not so easy. 

We are suspicious and we rebel.

 We don't want Reality, not really.  We pretend that we do, 

but we really just want the dream.

We want the dream to continue!

             

Seekers  are  always  complaining  to  Shri Ramakant Maharaj:     “Why do we need a Master? Why should I meditate and sing bhajans?    You are asking me to do too much, too many things, when I already know that I am not the doer. I don't need a Master! Why should I bow to the Master?  I know the teachings are coming from the Absolute, but 'I' don't agree, so 'I' can't accept them! Why should I meditate, recite the mantra and sing bhajans when I am not Indian? Why should I do all these things.  There are too many demands, etc, etc”. 

       Master                         Meditation                      Mantra                      Bhajan               

                                     

It is interesting to hear all these objections, resistance, ego rebellion, lack of humility, excuses, call it what you will. All of this is very understandable, if you keep the mind going with its stream of mental questions, and take the Master's words literally. But if a little light is cast on these seemingly problematic issues, then maybe more people will see, that these apparent blocks and barriers are in fact illusory, and not such a big hurdle to overcome. You will come to see that the whole process is in fact an illusion!... BUT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, essential in fact, so that we can dissolve all the impressions, experiences, concepts, influences etc.

This is a big task. Deprogramming will take time because if you think about it,

we have all been shaped, moulded, programmed.

 Have we not all been conditioned since babyhood?

       

      

So we do need some help, don't we? And we need some tools to help us.

    Clearing the 'field'    Hammering/chipping   Self-enquiry                     Meditation                     

                     


         


We can  use these tools to  de-condition ourselves.

Maharaj tells us repeatedly that in order to get out of the ditch of illusion, 

a ladder is needed to help us climb out.

 

YOU ARE SUBTLER THAN SKY

The ladder in the form of knowledge, self-enquiry, mantra and bhajans are all essential and very useful aids in the beginning - with the emphasis of “in the beginning”. Maharaj tells us that these tools are all illusion, but necessary. One illusory thorn is needed to remove another thorn.


                  


But we may still continue to object... 

When the illusory ash of “I am the body” has been removed, the Master tells us to throw the thorn away! Throw the ladder away! There is no further need of these. When you have reached home, the address becomes superfluous. It was a means to an end that has now served its purpose. 


The Master is illusion, and the disciple is illusion. There is only ONENESS. However, the Master-disciple meeting seems to act as a catalyst that uncovers our Inner Master, the Master within. What happens in this dynamic is a kind of transmission which cannot really be explained -  because what happens, happens
spontaneously, and is beyond words. 




When  you  are  in  the  Presence of  a  Self-Realized  Master,   your 'Masterly essence'  is  drawn  into a  timeless, spaceless,   formless    realm - Reality.   The Master's Presence is Omnipresence.         This  Reality  has nothing  to  do  with  words.          Because  the  Master is  liberated from the body form,   he speaks from Thoughtless Reality, from Source.        


When awakening occurs, it occurs spontaneously.  




So, do we need a Guru, a Master? Yes! Absolutely! What is the role of the Guru? The Guru or Master assists in removing the ash of illusion. He hammers the disciple with Knowledge, Reality. He washes the brain of a lifetime's brainwashing: “You are not the body. You were not the body. You are not going to remain the body. You are unborn”.




 He re-ignites the FIRE.


               

 

The Guru/Master is also illusion. There is no master, and there is no disciple. But,  at the  beginning  stage the  "disciple"  does  not   know this.  Once the ocean of illusion has been fully traversed, and the knowledge absorbed, it is no longer needed.So the Master is illusion and the disciple is illusion. There is only ONE, ONENESS alone


  


Illusion  aside,    something  happens  when  the  Master  meets  the  disciple. 

The Master  has no  attachments left.  He is  beyond the  body,  beyond the mind  -  Transparent.

This  transparency   then  acts as a  mirror in which we can  see our  Self  and  our  True  Nature.


And what about Meditation? For many of us, the word has negative associations – it turns us a shade of pale green! If everything is illusion, then that includes meditation. Right? So why does the Master instruct us to persevere with it? OK Meditation is illusion, but still, it is absolutely necessary in the beginning because it ensures that a solid foundation is being laid, a solid base. At the moment, our foundation is the body-form, not formless Reality. We measure everything in, and by, the body-form. We are not the body, therefore the body is the wrong foundation.


                                



Here the meditation is mantra-centred and helps to erase body-knowledge. The purpose of this is to constantly hammer into dissolution the stronghold that the illusory ego/mind/body complex has over us, until it is fully dissolved. Once this objective has been achieved, and Conviction is established spontaneously, the meditation has done its job.


   You could say that in order to know oneself in a 'real' sense various tricks and tools are used.  


                                                   

  

 Reality is beyond words. However, the mantra is used as a concentration tool. When we are focussing on the mantra, 'mind' activity stops. We have, all of us, had 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70+ years of conditioning/brainwashing, reinforcing that we are the body/mind. 

Some concerted effort and use of various techniques are essential,

to assist in awakening from the stupor of the apparent "human condition".

Therefore meditation is essential to dissolve all body knowledge and erase memories, experiences, illusory concepts that sustain the body-mind, that sustain the dream.


And the biggest bugbear of them all seems to be the bhajans. Surely bhajans are only part of the Indian culture, and not for us Westerners! This is a common complaint. Again, the bhajans are to be seen as simply another illusory tool. While we are singing the bhajans, mind activity is halted. The bhajans assist in melting the ego and body/mind complex so that one becomes more receptive and open to Self-knowledge. They also lift the spirit so that the knowledge LIVES. As Nisargadatta Maharaj and his Master before him said:

                                 “knowledge without devotion is dry and colourless”.                                  


                                            


Perhaps the bhajans might be seen as simply songs/hymns of praise to Oneself, with the understanding that our Selfless Self - Ultimate Reality is the ineffable source and one-pointed 'focus' of the song. Selfless Self vibrating within the illusion as Selfless Self, using words and tunes/songs. No duality in this devotion...see below. As Ramakant Maharaj says "Selfless Self likes the bhajans". Singing bhajans helps reduce/stop the monkey mind and its rabid activity. The teachings to be found within the bhajans are of the same order as Maharaj's. Nisargadatta Maharaj and his Master before him sang the same bhajans 3 times a day, every day.


If it was good enough for the great Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

 and Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, then surely we can do them, too!



*It's worth mentioning here that this devotional aspect is an integral part of these lineage teachings. It was left out from  various Western translations such as I Am That, and other Nisargadatta books, maybe because of a misunderstanding that there is some sort of duality implied in devotion, (which would have put seekers off the teachings).


If everything is illusion, and Reality is one, then there is no duality in devotion either

“the worshipper, the worshipped and the worship are One”. 




These elements have pretty much been ignored or overlooked by non-Indian scholars. Bhajans make up part of the powerful cocktail, alongside Knowledge and Meditation which, together with the illusory Guru-disciple relationship, are central to the Inchegiri Navnath Sampradaya. At the same time, there is also the clear understanding that True Knowledge is beyond any Sampradaya! “Where was the Sampradaya prior to beingness?” challenges the Master.



So why Bhajans? Bhajans are sung to assist the whole process of erasing body knowledge and help fend off mental wanderings. The ego is not so keen on this, so it raises a lot of objections. It does not want to be silenced, erased and dethroned. What is needed to overcome these barriers is a tablespoon of humility.




Bhajans are simply another form, a vibrational form of hammering the ego, while at the same time lifting the SpiritChanting and singing have always been a natural expression of contentment, gratitude, praise, worship - call it what you will - that is present in all cultures. Joy, inner contentment or organic happiness expressed in gentle rhythmic, or sometimes powerful, ecstatic ways using the medium of singing is nothing new. 


These bhajans are simply tools, without duality


We are celebrating our true nature,  humbled before

this wondrous Presence and bowing to ourselves!

Bhajans are yet another reminder of Reality, of who we truly are.




These bhajans contain the highest teachings, and are used to help absorb the Knowledge. Knowledge by itself will remain 'dry' knowledge. The bhajans bring the knowledge to life – they oil and make it active, flowing knowledge. The bhajans make this whole illusory process a living and pragmatic one - and not just some kind of vague abstract idea found in a dry book, and mulled over in one's head for a few moments.


Our doubts continue with a “Yes, but”... So what is the point of it all? What is the result?

The point is that Conviction is spontaneously established. 


CONVICTION THAT YOU ARE NOT THE BODY. 

YOU WERE NOT THE BODY 

AND YOU WILL NOT REMAIN THE BODY.


  If we take the Master's medicine, and patiently persevere with the power-packed concoction, the Conviction will arise that we are not the body! And when this happens spontaneously, we will know that the various tools have served their purpose. Knowledge has been absorbed. Time to 'down tools'!


Maybe we are still not convinced: “Is it worth investing in all this? What are the rewards?” we ask. The rewards are Indescribable! Once you KNOW, when the Conviction is established, outside sources of happiness decrease in importance, and in time, will not be relied upon. Gradually, they lessen, and do not hold the same importance or attraction. You  can still be part of the show, but one step removed, without  taking it all for real. So, what used to seem important and maybe brought contentment has lesser importance. 

EVERYTHING IS FORGOTTEN!

However, the Master can never be forgotten, for without the Master, we would never have known ourselves in a real sense. He alone has enabled our awakening/enlightenment/liberation, or whatever you wish to call it.

Inner contentment is supreme. 

Fulfilment is abundant, and inexpressible, and quiet. 

What need is there of anything?

All these changes are manifestations of the dissolution of body knowledge.

 Now Reality shines forth uninhibited and unobstructed by layers of illusion. 


                                    

  It is a fact that being in the active, actual presence of the guru acts as a direct catalyst. The Master-disciple encounter is one which has been shown to work, through the methods demonstrated within this sampradaya.

It is said that when the disciple meets the Master, he meets himself.


The Master  draws the  disciple into the  spaceless,  timeless,  thoughtless realm,  and  brings  him  home.  Within  this  spontaneous   merging,  the melting   process  of  the  'individual'  begins,  and   will   continue,  until this  illusion is extinguished. Illusory  obstacles  fall  away  and the  sense of separation dissolves - to reveal ….



One cannot fail to be impressed by the number of Realized Masters who have come through this lineage.  But again,  lets not get caught up in a lineage!  The Master says  “Look at you.  Be with you”.  Forget the rest!  Forget the lineage! Forget everything!    The world is a projection of your Spontaneous Presence. All illusion!     

  You are not the body.  You were not the body.   And you are not going to remain as the body.    


Care is needed to protect this new-found status especially in the early days. Rome was not built in a day! So dynamic Self-enquiry, mantra practice, bhajans are needed to act as reminders to stabilize and prevent one going off at a tangent and falling back into the ditch.


Ramakant Maharaj

The aim of this completely illusory process is to return to the Stateless State Prior to Beingness which means prior to the body/mind, prior to anything and everything.

 But is it really worth it, you may still ask?


If a philanthropist promised you a reward of a million dollars, and all you had to do was a couple of simple things, would you just turn around and say, “I don't see the point of doing this and that”. Or, “Why bother?” Here, the Master is asking you to do a couple of simple things, and promises you that the rewards will be beyond your imagination. 


So, are you going to keep the mind going and say, “I don't see the point of it all?”

 or are you going to trust the Master and do as he tells you? It is up to you!


Trust the Master! Accept what he says with all your heart. Ramakant Maharaj trusted his Master Nisargadatta, and he trusted Siddharameshwar... and look what happened.... say no more!


If you trust the Master then 
life as you know it will never be the same again. Immeasurable happiness without any material cause! A fearless life. Death holds no sway over a body that recognizes that all is illusion. Tension-free: there is no one there to feel tension. Who feels tension? The tension triggers are illusory, worldly based body-knowledge. The dramas are seen for what they are, just that, dramas with no permanent reality. You are the star of the movie in which you are also directing/producing and playing the lead role! Is it worth taking the medicine? Absolutely! If you wish to be happy, fearless, tension-free and peaceful,  Indescribable peace awaits! Intoxication beyond words with the nectar, the fragrance of Selfless Self. 



Do you still want the dream?


Ramakant Maharaj

Ramakant Maharaj Dasbodh start.mp3

 Why should  'I' self-enquire,  meditate, recite the mantra and sing bhajans?

TO ERASE THIS  'I'


 Because only by doing so can we awaken to our true nature.



Nisargadatta Maharaj said,

"If you want to compare yourself to anything let it be sky."


THERE IS NO 'I' IN SKY.


~~~~~~~



 ‘Be Here Now’ 2?

Seminal, Square and Iconic

 

Selfless Self: Talks With Shri Ramakant Maharaj might just remind some of us who are old enough to remember, of the 1971 spiritual classic Be Here Now by Ram Dass - and not just because it is square either!

Ramakant Maharaj

 "Be Here Now"  -  Ram Dass

Ramakant Maharaj

"Invisible anonymous, unidentified        identity."  -  Shri Ramakant Maharaj 

Tukaram Song.mp3




Ramakant Maharaj

 Light, Truth, Power emanating from Selfless Self to Selfless Self.

Ramakant Maharaj
Ramakant Maharaj

"

The new book, 'Selfless Self' is a self-help, spiritual manual and is - like its predecessor - seminal and iconic. A real ground-breaker and fresh road map for enlightenment.

Self-Realized Master, Ramakant Maharaj                              

spent 20 years with the famous Master,        Nisargadatta Maharaj. 

If 'Be Here Now' via Ram Dass:  and his guru, Neem  Karoli Baba 

AWAKENED a generation to Indian philosophy, and was a profound life-changing book for many, (eg George Harrison - song 'Be Here Now' 1973)   Selfless Self  via Ramakant Maharaj and via his Master Nisargadatta Maharaj, is now awakening readers to Reality, a Reality that is prior to any philosophy, Indian or Western; prior to any name, prior to, and beyond everything. Wonderfully inspiring, simple and intoxicating! As one reader said recently, “In time, this book may emerge as the closest you can get to truth on paper!”  

Like Be Here Now in the 70’s, Selfless Self   has the power to dramatically alter your perceptions of life, spirituality and sense of self. Get a copy and start “reading the reader”. You will hear Truth ringing out, and feel the energy emanating from within, behind and beyond, Ramakant Maharaj's words. He explains that this truth that speaks from the "bottomless bottom of Reality" resonates forcefully because it is Our Truth, our Reality, our Knowledge, prior to any language, prior to the ‘body-form’.

There are so many AHA! moments, so many insights contained in this one book, that it offers the ultimate experience in self-discovery... akin to an exciting and wondrous trek through a

Treasure Trove of sparkling gems,


As another  reader described recently: “Selfless Self took me, (WHO?) through a whole gamut of experiences, ranging from

         elation                                     to ecstasy              to feeling punch drunk

         


Till eventually ... being stunned into silence.”    

Any  reviews that you may come across of this book will likely tell you as much about the reader as the book BECAUSE they are one and the same. Reading Selfless Self is comparable to reading your own biography! The Master explains: “What you are reading is your story. It is not just another spiritual book of ideas but your reality,
your knowledge, Self-Knowledge that is being narrated."            

 “You have forgotten your Identity, Master reminds you. You are like the amnesiac. The Master jolts your memory until you are convinced: "I AM THAT!”

                 He presents you with your story, your Reality, your Godhead.

 You have forgotten your identity. The Master is reminding you.

                   "You are covered with ash. The Master removes the ash".

                                


Feedback to date? Awesome! e.g. "When I first picked it up,  it grabbed hold of me and refused to let me go. Then I dissolved ... into truth, reality, my story, as if 'I' had been absorbed by the book, into Oneness. Indescribable!"


Selfless Self is a Master Key that unlocks the door to Endless Happiness - a happiness that is not dependent on any external circumstance or material cause.            


                    master key               unlocks          the happiness door !

 Selfless Self grabs you and just won’t let you go until you have dissolved.”

           You will find, as many readers have already, that when you open Selfless Self and start reading and contemplating, it will start speaking directly to you. And then you will, gradually, and often suddenly, realize that it is not you who is studying or ‘working on the book’, but 'the book that's working on you', and, steadily transforming the reader!    The book is so alive, it is as though you can actually feel    

  an explosive transmission from Source to Source.

Really! Really strong, powerful, your power!


Ramakant Maharaj

     Disciple                         Master

Ramakant Maharaj

 It has the power to awaken, transform, and liberate the  reader.

TRANSMISSION


 Once the ash of illusory concepts has been removed,             then the fire is reignited.

Ramakant Maharaj expresses the highest teachings and universal wisdom in down-to-earth language and delivers it in a simple package for everybody, east and west, north and south, 

and most importantly for YOU!

This is YOUR Knowledge, 

Self-Knowledge. 

"Know thyself and be within Selfless Self." exhorts the Master.

    

                                                                                                                                    

 These teachings, can, and  will, have a profound effect on the illusory  'you' that never existed, 


 

thanks to the Master's tireless hammering.

Your story has been told.

... no  beginning

no  end ...




Shri Swami Samarth Ramdas dictating the Dasboadh over 300 yrs  ago!

Like Swami Ramdas conveying Reality/Knowledge orally, 

today's Self-Realized Masters continue to teach in the same way: 

"Speaking Spontaneously from the Bottomless Bottom of Reality!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Ramakant Maharaj
Ghost of Death 1.pdf Ghost of Death 1.pdf
Size : 2988.803 Kb
Type : pdf
The Master smiles warmly:
"So be alert and prepare for that happy and peaceful moment which is the goal of the serious seeker, the Great Mahasamadhi."
Click picture above for full BLOG
                    
                           -----------------------------------------------------

Ramakant Maharaj Dasbodh start.mp3

WHY IS SELF-REALIZATION SO RARE?


The Bhagavad-Gita says that out of 1,000 people, one will become interested in spirituality. And then from there, out of a crore, (10 million), only one will hit the 'jackpot' of Self-realization. To give it some perspective, that means that something like 1 in 10 billion abide in the 'stateless state', leaving the remaining 999,999,999 of us with the booby prize – where the only 'pop' we are going to get is a lollipop, or a balloon. These figures give us an idea of how rare all this seeking business is. So why bother?

Ramakant Maharaj
 
 

OK, so what are the main obstacles then? Why are there not many more seekers pop, pop, popping up around the world? Ramakant Maharaj has the answer. He says, “It is very easy but it is very difficult”. Okay, that doesn't help me a lot. So I ask him again, “Can you say more?”


I can only talk about what happens here. This Knowledge is direct Knowledge. It is rare but simple, very simple teachings. People come, and I place before them their Ultimate Truth, but then they go and visit some other Master, and then another. They are so busy doing their visiting, that they are ignoring the visitor, their own inner, living Master. It means they are not accepting the Knowledge as their Reality.”


Let's see if I got that right. So, it seems that we are going to various Masters and listening to them, almost exclusively with the mind, ego, intellect, (exactly what Maharaj tells us not to do). In the process, we are feeding our egos. And then, when we think ''I've got it', we leave … 'done it, been there, bought the T-shirt'... and clocked it up on our spiritual CV - feeling, 'I'm the business!' with a fresh celestial swagger in the walk.
Ramakant Maharaj
Ramakant Maharaj

Maharaj doesn't ask for monetary payment for the teachings, but he does ask us for something else. As with others, just as we were leaving the ashram, Maharaj raised his hand and said, with a wry smile:“One more thing! Before you leave, don't forget to deposit your mind, ego and intellect”.


I suspect most of us would find it a lot easier to leave a donation!

We're so lovingly attached to these precious babies (ego, mind, intellect) which we have nurtured all our lives, that giving them up seems like a very big deal indeed.

 
 
Ramakant Maharaj
Ramakant Maharaj
 
 
 

Another barrier on the path is the 'spiritual ego'. Just as we think we've dealt with the physical one – well-bashed and under control – then up pops another, a pretty solid and much loved self-identification, in the form of the spiritual ego. Maharaj would say that this illusory 'spiritual' ego is harder to melt than the 'physical' ego. Some examples might be expressed as “I know it all”, or “I don't have to do anything, it will just happen to me”, or “I don't need a Master because realization has already happened, after all, I had my first epiphany when I was 12 years old, and I have read pretty much all the Masters since then”, or “I am an old soul, ie front of the queue job, the Chosen One, the Special One!” etc. etc... bells are ringing.

Ramakant Maharaj

So what is this pinnacle of Self-Realization that seems to be unachievable to ordinary folk like us, and reserved for only the very, very select few? Maharaj demystifies it.“Self-Realization is just a word. Call it enlightenment or self-knowledge, if you like. All these people asking, 'Are you realized? Am I realized? This is nonsense. Put simply, it means knowing yourself in a real sense. We are knowing ourselves in, as, and through, the body form only. This is not knowledge. Self-Realization, or whatever you want to call it, means just to know oneself in a real sense”.


"So why is it so rare?", we ask again. Maharaj points to the real culprit, the ego. “Most people are after spiritual ego-knowledge. They are simply looking for spiritual entertainment. They want to collect more and more philosophies, information, and knowledge for themselves. They have no intention of giving anything up, like their 'I', their ego, but this is the price that has to be paid. They want to stay as they are, and not make any changes. It is not their fault. But what they are really doing is adding further spiritual layers to their body-knowledge base."


You are Ultimate Truth, Ultimate Reality, Final Truth” the Master hammers home, again and again. He is not just spouting off 'intellectual knowledge', a novel theory from the realm of ideas, to be analysed and stored alongside the rest of our treasured illusory concepts. No! He is directly conveying Ultimate Truth That We Are – beyond concept, beyond knowledge, beyond intellect, beyond spirituality, beyond imagination, beyond the perceivable and the conceivable. Beyond everything, "beyond words, beyond worlds".


I Am That”. “You Are That”. Full stop!


So the conclusion is - we can't have the best of both worlds ... Oh dear! All self-identifications have to go! Oh deary me! All body knowledge, ego knowledge is illusion and therefore has to go – “say Ta, Ta!”, chuckles the Master.



Ramakant Maharaj



The ego, mind and intellect are to be surrendered and dissolved. And all we have to do is accept that we are not the body-mind complex. We are Ultimate Reality.


It is easy. It is up to us, our choice. We just have to barter a bit and exchange the limited for the unlimited, illusion for reality. Either stay as we are, like a bird trapped in a cage, stroking its ego feathers of bodily identity, or, uncover our true identity - and be, as it were, like the sky – without bondage. Free.


Ramakant Maharaj

Realization will not happen until all body knowledge has been erased”, cautions the Master, “but nothing is impossible. It could happen to you”.


Any one of us could be the next 1 in 10 billion. As the sages say, if you really want it, it will happen. Watch this space!

                         ------------------------------------------------------------

Ramakant Maharaj

Stripped of Words and Left Powerless   18th Jan 2014

What's the point of giving up concepts such as "God", "spirit", "soul"  etc, if you're        going to exchange them for Sanskrit concepts such as "Brahman", "Atma",       "Paramatman" - in other words adopt more concepts in a foreign language?
   
When we started Skyping with Maharaj, we told him that we had read many spiritual    books and dropped a few Sanskrit words in to prove this. Maharaj was unimpressed. Every Sanskrit word or term we put forward, he dismissed outright. We learned quickly to stop referring to ourselves as "jivas" who were looking for "moksha" - not that we did that very often. 

Moving on, we shared our understandings of the teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj. Again, he took another swipe, calling our knowledge book knowledge or ego knowledge - in other words, it was not real knowledge, pretty useless, in fact. 

How did we feel? Smaller and smaller and more cautious about opening our mouths again. Next session, I thought, this time I'll say the right thing and it will go down well, satisfy Maharaj. I began "I'm stronger and happier since we last spoke!". His disgruntled reply was "body mind!" and he ignored me. Then there followed silence and more silence. The kindly Master had turned into an ogre

The dilemma we faced was what to say when you can't say anything, when no words are relevant? Fear started creeping in on the day before the Tuesday session. The ego wasn't enjoying being hammered repeatedly. There was even a sense of dread. But we knew that bitter medicine was good for us, so we persevered. In other words it was tough to swallow.

Gradually, less 'non-sense' was spoken by us, fewer concepts arose. Instead, a           deepening of silence filled the space and a palpable silence was shared - oneness experienced. 

We realized the truth of his words that "Silence is the answer to all questions." 
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Ramakant Maharaj
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Straight to the nitty-gritty.

                                       

A few people who visit Ramakant Maharaj come for one thing – to receive a blessing. They say “Please Maharaj give me your blessing! Please!” Maharaj will say “Why are you asking me for a blessing?” He has begun his teaching for the day. He may not give people what they think they might want, but he gives them what they have come to hear. Maharaj continues “Put your hand on your own head and bless yourself”. The visitors look surprised and smile nervously. What to say next?

The Master tells them that there is no difference between them and himself. “You are not the body, you were not the body, you will not remain the body. The body is not your identity” “You are the same as me, but you have forgotten your true identity. You are underestimating your power. You have tremendous power. You are Almighty.”

They say OKAY, while still wondering what he's talking about, while at the same time wondering how they can still get that blessing. A long silence follows. Maharaj looks directly at them, then, it appears, through them.

One of them breaks the silence. It is going on for too long and it is uncomfortably strong. By now he's feeling a bit zapped by Maharaj's presence. He tries again, “But Master, I have come for your grace. You are the guru and I am just a humble ...” The Master stops him in his tracks, “There is no 'you', there is no 'I' Your presence is just like the sky – you are everywhere”. To say 'I' is illusion, to say 'you' is illusion, to say 'Master' is illusion. Listen to me, “You are great. You are a powerhouse. But, you see, you are considering yourself as the body form. Don't insult yourself.”

A spontaneous silence spreads. Everyone seems comfortable. The Master says a few more words, “Know thyself and be within the Selfless Self. Know thyself and be within the Selfless Self”. He hammers away. After a while the visitors eventually leave, scratching their heads a little and wondering what had just taken place. Something intangible, maybe a small shift? A sense that what has transpired in the meeting was something that they could not get their heads around, something new yet strangely familiar. …..in some way what actually felt like a blessing from within.... “like dancing on bubbles....with feet not quite touching the ground”.....perhaps thinking 'I' will return for further treatment....

“I want some more of this!”

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TRUTH IS FREE

Recently, Ramakant Maharaj spoke on the controversial issue of “paying for Knowledge”: "In our lineage, Bhausaheb Maharaj strictly instructed all disciples not to expect/demand money from any devotee. Knowledge is free. There should be no marketing, no commercialization of knowledge". That is the way it should be. He also said that these days, ironically, if you want to give something for nothing, people become suspicious. They don’t want it because they think it has no value. If it is free, then it must not be any good at all!

We live in an age where Western self-styled gurus are ten a penny, popping up all over the world. One "epiphany" seems to be the only qualification needed to launch a career as a teacher, giving satsangs. “Epiphany” is now a very overused term, and is considered to be an experience of sudden and striking realization. Well, OK, but… Is this enough to set oneself up as a guru? “Satsang” means a gathering together for the truth, or the company of the highest truth. These teachers don’t seem to be driven to share true knowledge, but rather, to share the partial knowledge gained from their so-called “epiphany”. They are often motivated by the desire for power or wealth or sex, or all three. This as we all know, is the triad of temptations which has caused the downfall of many gurus.

In the “spiritual market-place” this will be a trend that continues. Even though the gurus’ teachings are often false or half-baked, they still attract followers. And because there are so many gurus to choose from, with their pseudo-truths, then seekers regularly swap from one to another - tasting an endless assortment of sweets. Maharaj calls this guru-hopping mere “spiritual entertainment” or “casual spirituality”, which is simply a hobby and a waste of time - part-time spirituality! “Time is very precious”, he stresses, “for, this moment will never be repeated”.

Ramakant Maharaj often quotes from his Master, Nisargadatta Maharaj who used to say “I am not making disciples of you, I am making you Masters”. He, like other authentic gurus actually helps aspirants on the road to self-realization. He can do this, because there is crystal clear truth at the core of the teachings, with a more than solid lineage behind him, containing the highest teachings. In contrast, contemporary, self-made gurus more often  than not, have limited knowledge, and as a result, are unable to instruct seekers in a way that is fully embedded in truth.

“Knowledge has to be usable in a real sense, not just mental concepts, which come and go.” Maharaj : “Will this false knowledge or book knowledge help you on your death bed? Or will you still remain full of fear?” However, in spite of this, the self-styled gurus still continue to attract followers who are drawn to the cult of personality, rather than the teachings.

Discrimination and discernment are essentials when choosing a guru. Common sense is a must, for without this, poor judgement can cause psychological damage and spiritual darkness, and waste a precious lifetime.

The trend of paying for knowledge has become commonplace and keeps followers in an ever-expanding loop that invariably involves spending more and more money and wasting precious time and energy.

Did Sri Ramana Maharshi ask for money? No! Did Nisargadatta Maharaj? No! Or Siddharameshwar Maharaj? Knowledge is free, it is universal. Truth is free.
“It is my duty to share knowledge.” Ramakant Maharaj has no hidden agenda.
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16th Jan 2014.


We have been following and practising the teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj for many years. It became obvious to us that a living teacher was necessary, even essential, to "go forward" as it were, so we searched and searched for a few years specifically for a Realized disciple of Nisargadatta Maharaj who is giving teachings. We were told by informed sources (not naming any names), that there were no teaching disciples left. However, we knew, we had a gut feeling, that there was someone out there - there had to be.  Surely nearly a third of century on from his passing there was someone....  then we came across a helpful Ranjit Maharaj devotee.

We asked him, did  he know of any living, actively teaching, Indian disciple of Nisargadatta Maharaj who is realized? He only knew of one - one was enough for us - Ramakant Maharaj.  He  is a direct disciple of Nisargadatta Maharaj and took the Naam Mantra from His Master in October 2nd 1962...over 50 years ago! He is actively teaching from his ashram in Nashik, Maharastra. We had struck gold!

After speaking to Maharaj on the phone, we Skyped with him for a few months, before planning our trip to India to meet the Master. After being in the Master's presence for a few months, all we can say is that we have found much more than we were looking for. He goes straight for the jugular, addressing issues of mind, intellect, ego, illusion, discrimination, etc. The practice is ongoing and is more real and flowing than before. We are full of gratitude to the Master and his Master, Nisargadatta Maharaj, for the transformation that is taking place. Ramakant Maharaj quotes Nisargadatta Maharaj who said: "I am not making disciples of you, I am creating Masters." 

The seeker is being slowly, silently, erased for ever!

What more to say? Jai guru!

UPDATE  6th February 2016! Further on down the illusory road, a few words: There is both a sense of emptiness and fullness. The emptiness relates to dissolving body-knowledge, the lack of mind activity, the lack of distracting thoughts producing tension, fear, dispeace, sadness, depression, etc. etc. The fullness is about the cup overflowing with inner contentment and quietude. As Maharaj says, "there is exceptional happiness and peace". There is of course also immense gratitude to the Master and his Master before him.

The seed that was planted has spontaneously germinated, and continues to grow.

Jai Guru!


Ramakant Maharaj
Ramakant Maharaj

  


UPDATE:

Now, well over 2 years since encountering the Master, we are pleased to say that approx 200 visitors from all over the world have travelled to see Maharaj and received the Naam Mantra. (Many others have appeared at the ashram spontaneously!) Maharaj's wish is "to bring as many people all over the world out of the darkness of illusion". This is happening now!

We are 2 members of Ramakant Maharaj's admin team. We spent a lengthy period of time with Maharaj, regularly attending the ashram for bhajans, meditation, satsang in the presence of Sri Ramakant Maharaj.

We are sure that there are many like us, who have been searching for a realized disciple of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj - one who is teaching. We are so fortunate to have found this Master, that we felt we had to tell the world about him, we created a website www.ramakantmaharaj.net 

We would like to let all serious seekers and dedicated Nisargadatta Maharaj followers, that a direct disciple of Nisargadatta, Ramakant Maharaj  is living and actively teaching here in Nashik. All students of Advaita  are, of course, included in this understanding. And if you have any questions, lingering doubts, and/or nearing the end of the journey, and wish to be in the presence of the Master.... come and be with him in Nashik! What are you waiting for?

Maharaj welcomes serious seekers, with the base knowledge of Nisargadatta Maharaj's teaching, at the very least. For example, you ought to have read/studied "I Am That", and now, since its recent publication: "Selfless Self: Talks with Shri Ramakant Maharaj" otherwise time and energy is being wasted.

From this base knowledge you can go forward. Self-enquiry, meditation, devotion, self-abidance are all deepened as a result of being in the Master's presence. A push is given........the fuel is loaded and the fire is re-ignited and the train is rolling. You now have a first-class ticket and reserved front seat on the Direct Line Express to Self-Knowledge and Self-Realization.

Ramakant Maharaj

Sadguru Devotion.mp3

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