The miracle of self realization: why god, guru and the self are one and the same?

Abstract

This contribution is rooted in Indian spirituality, more specifically in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta or the philosophy of non-dualism. In this paper, an attempt is made to outline the biggest miracle of all, namely, the miracle of self realization. In Indian spirituality, it constitutes the very purpose of our birth as human beings. This purpose lies in self revelation and if this is not successfully pursued then the current life is said to have been wasted from a spiritual point of view. We discuss three concepts that are central to Indian spirituality. These include, God, Guru and the Self. Our purpose is to demonstrate that all three terms designate one Reality. We anchor ourselves on the pronouncements of Sri Ramana Maharishi, who was one of the greatest sages of India, who left his mortal coil in the last century. For this purpose, we have selected some excerpts from one of the most celebrated works in Ramana literature known as Talks which was put together by Sri Mungala Venkatramiah and subsequently published by Sri Ramanasramam in Tiruvannamalai. It is a veritable Bible for Ramana devotees and widely regarded as such. The central challenge in all management is realizing the nature of oneself. The advancement of humankind is best served when a human being connects with his or her or her own divinity. This is in sharp contrast to the Western view where helping others is viewed as the penultimate purpose of human existence. In Indian spirituality, the world is best served when self understanding precedes helping others. The world is changed for the better when we change ourselves. The key to a better world is self realization.