little scope as possible for the ego to frustrate our efforts.1 Herein it will be useful to remember that a theoretical knowledge of the Self does not destroy the ego, the enemy within us. Devotion to the Guru as God incarnate is proper and necessary, as we shall see later. Until one becomes egoless, therefore, it would be unwise to try to look upon the Guru as oneself, because the actual result will be something quite different. It will result in believing oneself to be the equal of the Guru. To be really one with the Guru is to be egoless. Hence the caution, not to imagine non-difference with the Guru. The following cautions and instructions are from the Guru Ramana Vachana Mala, Sadhakachara prakarana.2 “Forgetting (the Self) is verily Death; therefore for him that is out to conquer Death by the Quest, the one rule to fulfil is not to forget.” “Since even one’s own activities are a cause of forgetting (the Self), is it necessary to say that he that is engaged in the Quest of the Self should not engage in the work of other people?” “Though there are numerous observances, the rule of regulated eating is alone sufficient for the sadhaka (seeker), because it augments the Sattva quality.”3 1. Superficial students of Advaitic Vedanta — who have not sat at the feet of the Sage or any Sage — do not know of this rule of caution, and hence think it proper to apply the teaching in action. They as a rule apply it fractionally. The worst mistake they make is in regard to what is called equality; their ideas on this subject are due to a misunderstanding of the teaching. This will be discussed in the next chapter, where it will be shown that true equality is something that the Sage alone can practise. 2. See Appendix B, verses 170, 172, 176, 178, 182, 185, 187, 188, 193, 196, 199, 201 to 208 and 214. 3. There are three main qualities or moods of the mind, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Of these the first is the state of clarity and calm. The second of restlessness and action, the third of darkness and indolence. The first one is to be cultivated and other two to be outgrown.
153