The Central Teaching of the Ribhu Gita
(six verses selected by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi)
The concept
"I-am-the-body" is the sentient inner organ, the mind. It is also
the illusive bondage to identification with birth and death. It is
the source of all groundless fears. If there is no trace of it at all,
everything will be found to be the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The concept
"I-am-the-body" is the primal ignornace. It is known as the firm knot
of the heart. It gives rise to the concepts of existence and non-existence.
If there is no trace of it at all, everything will be found to be the
Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The ego
or separate soul is a concept. God, the world, the mind, desires, action,
sorrow and all other things are all concepts.
Abiding
without concepts is the undifferentiated state. It is inherence in
the Supreme Being. It is wisdom. It is Liberation. It is the natural
and true state. It is the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being. It is
the Supreme Formless God. If there is no concept at all everything will
be found to be the Realtiy of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The body
and the various functions of manifest existence are only concepts.
Hearing, reasoning and contemplating are concepts. Enquiry into the
ultimate nature of one's own existence is a concept. All other things
are also concepts. Concepts give rise to the world, the separate souls,
and God. There is nothing whatever except concepts. Everything is in
truth the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The mind
is unreal. It is like a magic show. It is like the son of a barren woman.
It is absolutely non-existent. Since there is no mind, there are no concepts,
no Master, no disciple, no world, no separate soul. All concepts are
really the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.