"Who am I” is useful no doubt, it has certainly a value in its place, and gives some knowledge of self as the Witness, but what about the witnessed?

One can finds different views emerge from different people’s interaction with Sri, Raman Maharishi.  But seeker has to indulge in deeper self-search not limiting himself to WHO AM ‘I’? but one has to study deeper interaction of Sri, Ramana Maharishi   with different type of mind set .  

I have the highest reverence for Sri, Ramana Maharishi a sage of highest order. 

Until the ignorance is there is duality remains as reality.  Right now means time. Form, time and space are mere illusion created out of consciousness. The form, time and space remain as reality until ignorance remains. The insentient is mere illusion created of the sentient, which consciousness. When sentient and insentient are one is essence then there no second thing exist other than sentient consciousness.   Thus sentient, which is consciousness alone is real and insentient which appears as universe or mind or waking is unreal.   The self is formless thus question of heart [insentient] does not arise. 

Deeper self-search revels the fact that, the Self-Inquiry prescribed by Sri, Ramana Maharishi is inadequate to reach the ultimate end. This is because he might have prescribed it to the beginners and as they go deep enough they will work it on their own. Most of his followers are of the orthodox back ground and they mix orthodox Advaita in Raman’s teaching. Thus it becomes great hindrance in understanding Sri Ramana Maharishi’s teaching.  But one will find many insights which are helpful for the seekers of truth other than WHO AM ‘I’?.  

Sri, Ramana Maharishi’s teachings are very valuable for seeking world. But Serious seekers have to move much deeper and beyond Who am ‘I’? , to realize the ‘I’ itself is illusion.

Pursuit of truth starts from inquiring “Who am ‘I’? but wisdom dawns only by knowing the mind, which is in the form of universe and the self ,which is in the form of consciousness. Who am ‘I’ inquiry helps to unfold half-truth. To leave out one of these parts is to prevent attainment of non-dual wisdom. 

"Who am I” is useful no doubt, it has certainly a value in its place, and gives some knowledge of self as the Witness, but what about the witnessed? The universe still faces us. It must also be looked at. If the universe is ignored, then "Who am I” cannot give the full truth. It is the yogic enquiry; not the spiritualistic; the latter deals with the whole of life whereas the former deals with a part only.

"Who am I" is dualistic, because there, is no person in the realm of truth but only in the illusion the ‘I’ exists. . It should be "What is “I”?" To meditate on the formula “What am I?" can only yield the thought 'I'. I never cease even after long years of practice of “Who am I?” inquiry. The question "Who am I” is an egocentric, not a soul-centric question. It is a based on the physical self. It is on a par with "What shall I be after death?" and "What shall I get if I do good deed in this life?" It is purely ego-cantered: it is an appeal to the interest in egoistic only. Only the soul-centric -minded can lift their thoughts above ego and inquire;-What is this mind? "What is the universe?" “What is the substance of the mind?

All the experiences of the three states put together make the Atman[self], not merely the ego questioning itself ''Who am I.” but becoming aware of the fact that ‘I’ or ‘I am’ itself is cause of the ignorance because ‘I’ or ‘I am is itself is illusion.  

Meditation on the whole is the best meditation: meditation on the parts is only steps towards that. The first thing that one sees is the world. The yogis and religionists disregard this in order to think of self because they are unaware of the fact that self is not the ‘I’. They think ‘I’ is the true self and they continue their spiritual pursuit without verifying what ‘I’ is?. The deeper inquiry analysis reveals the fact that, ‘I’ is not the self, but ‘I’ is mind and mind is the universe, which appears as whole waking experience of dream. Thus, people who limit the ‘I’ to the physical entity or ego will never be able to reach their non-dual destination. 

Those who jump at once to Atman disregarding the world are yogis or religionists, not seekers of truth. If one don’t see the world, it does not mean he have wisdom. One who looks at objects alone, at the external world, he is wholly ignorant. But he who is able to witness his body and the world together without the physical apparatus is a Gnani.

We have to analyse both mind and its source to get at truth. Two things are necessary in pursuit of truth:-

 (1) Knowledge of the object [mind or universe]

(2) Knowledge of the subject [true self].

When one begins inquiry he does it to please himself, not for truth; hence he asks "Who am I?" It is an elementary stage of discipline because ego-bound but aiming at loosening ego. But one has to become aware of the fact that, the body, ego and universe appear together and they disappear together. Therefore just trying to get rid of the ego alone is impossibility.

Those seekers who inquire “Who am I?" may succeed in finding the common factor in all ‘I’s, the I-ness but they have to come back afterwards to the world or duality. Their task is incomplete. They do not know the world also is consciousness.

"What is ‘I’? is " a spiritualistic interrogation. What is the universe? What is mind? What is the whole? One becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is the mind and mind is the universe. After having examined deeply; one becomes aware of the fact that the universe is noting to with self that is the experience of birth, life and death has nothing to do with the self, which is in the form of consciousness. The self is the formless and witness of the universe, which is in the form of ‘I’, which comes and goes as waking or dream. The self is the one witness in all and are really ever free. Therefore there is a need to become aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not the self but the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ is the true self.

When the self is not the body then the inquiry will not go further, it stops there because self is formless, but just by knowing the self is formless the sense of ‘I’ will not vanish. The sense of ‘I’ will prevail. Until sense of ‘I’ prevails, the ignorance prevails. Until ignorance is there, duality is there. Until duality there, the illusion is there. Until illusion is there, the unreality will be experienced as reality. Thus one has to think beyond “Who am “I”? in order to realize Brahman or ultimate truth. 

People find self-inquiry is difficult and drop it without going deeper enough.

I admire David Goodman who has done deeper research on Sri, Ramana Maharishi and contributed much information about Sri, Raman Maharishi and Papaji to seeking world.

 
In an Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks:- 

It's fashionable nowadays to be very positive about one's spiritual experiences. People like to jump up and down and exclaim, "I'm free! I'm free!" I prefer the refreshing honesty of a devotee, Sivaprakasam Pillai, who, after fifty years of being with Sri Ramana, was still lamenting about his faults and his lack of progress. This is the person who first got Bhagavan to record his teachings on self-enquiry in 1901. I admired his honesty, his humility and his integrity in admitting that he still couldn't control his mind. [An Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks for Realization.org Page 1]

This proves that even after long years practice of self-inquiry a sincere and serious devotee like Sri, Sivapraksam Pillai, who, after fifty years of being with Sri Ramana, was still lamenting about his faults and his lack of progress. Thus with the practice of self- inquiry, it is difficult to reach the ultimate end. Thus one has to find out on his own what is blocking his realization and remove the blockades on his own.

And also in that interview

:-

RS: I often wonder whether Westerners misunderstand Ramana Maharshi. What are the most common misconceptions about his teachings?

DG: I am not sure how much understanding there is of Ramana Maharshi and his teachings in the West. He is an iconic figure to a vast number of people who are following some sort of spiritual path. I think that for many people he epitomizes all that is best in the Hindu Guru tradition, but having said that, I think that very few people know much about him, and even fewer have a good grasp of his teachings. Not many people read books about him nowadays � I know that from trying to sell my own �and even fewer would profess themselves to be his devotee. I find there is very little interest in his teachings even among the people who come to visit Ramanasramam. Nowadays, many of the people who come are spiritual tourists, pilgrims who just travel round India, checking out all the various ashrams and teachers.About twenty years ago I met a foreigner here who had come to the ashram for advice on how to do self-inquiry properly. For several days he couldn't find anyone who was practicing it, even in Ramanasramam. The people he asked in the ashram office just told him to buy the ashram's publications and find out from them how to do it. Eventually, he had what he thought was a bright idea. He stood outside the door of the meditation hall at Ramanasramam, the place where Sri Ramana lived for over twenty years, and asked everyone who came out how to do self-inquiry. It transpired that none of the people inside were doing self-inquiry. They came out one by one and said, "I was doing japa," or "I was doing vipassana," or "I was doing Tibetan visualizations."

How can there be misunderstandings among people who have never even bothered to find out the teachings in the first place, or put them into practice? [An Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks for Realization.org Page 2]

--

I have found many people who are sentimentally immersed with Sri,Ramana Maharishi’s form and personality are refused to accept anything other than their devotion  towards Sri,Ramana Maharishi , therefore they hold WHO AM ‘I’ ? as a yardstick it becomes great hindrance in   understanding and assimilating His teaching. Thus blind devotion is not enough but one has to dig much deeper to reach the destination shown by the great Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi. 

Until the seeker is serious and sincere in pursuit of truth it is difficult to reach the ultimate end. Seeker has to find what is blocking his realization even after many years of practice of self-inquiry and find out the reason for what is blocking his realization of the self.

One has to find answers for all the doubts and confusion in Sri, Ramana Maharishi's "Who Am I? inquiry

If mind is same as Atman, how can it vanish? How can Atman vanish? [Page 4 Para. 3]

Sri, Ramana Maharishi says: - "Whenever any thought leads you outward" etc. What can you be certain of when you leave the external world? And why leave the world if you say everything is Brahman? [Page 6 –middle]

Mind ceases to struggle" Yes, if I commit suicide I shall also cease to struggle! How can you say the world ceases to exist if you don't look at it? [Page 6]

Who has seen the subtle mind projecting through the brain and the senses? Can you see it? Is not brain also a piece of gross matter? Then how can it come into existence after the world is created, if latter, depends on brain. [Page 6 last Para]

How can you say the world vanishes when you are introspected? The world is still there; whether you see it or not. [Page 7 top]

Heart is an idea created by mind, so how can Mind emerge from it? [Page 7 Line 4]

"In deep sleep, trance, swoon, mind turns inwards and enjoys atmasukam." Why should any man study or inquire or practice if in sleep he can easily get the Atman? If sleep gives Brahman why trouble with Vedanta? [Page 12: middle]

Page 16 middle: "If this truth is appreciated who can refrain from being good?" This is opposite of real Vedanta. Vedanta says it is not enough to be good; one must serve the world and relieve suffering. [Page 16 middle]

Page 16 last para. Is the vanishing of ego to be the end of life? [Page 16 last para]

Only after one finds answers for all above doubts and able to clear all his doubts he will be able to move forward in his pursuit of truth.

 
EGO is the false self within the false experience. Ego, body and the world appear together as mind or universe or waking or dream.  False indeed go but real must come one must know consciousness, is everywhere and in everything in all the three states. It is only half to say ego must vanish. This is only a step, not highest.

One must realize everything is consciousness. Sri, Ramana Maharishi's teaching is most useful in elementary stages in pursuit of truth, but one has to do his own home work to reach the ultimate end.

Second angle:-

Self -inquiry prescribed by Sri,Raman Mahrshi is a good tool in the beginning of the pursuit of truth. But seeker will find it inadequate to in latter stages. However, it creates lots of doubts and confusion. The seeker has to find the answers on his own through deeper reasoning, then all his doubts and confusions will be cleared, and he will be able to move ahead in the path of inquiry, and he will be able to reach his nondual destination.

The doubts and confusion in Self-Inquiry:-

The seeker has to overcome the doubts and confusion in in later stages in self-inquiry, the seeker finds some doubts and confusion, which cannot be overcome if inquiry practiced on the present format prescribed in self-inquiry book. As per my personal research the self-inquiry in the present format will not yield any fruits.

If mind is same as Atman, how can it vanish--when the mind appears and disappears as Waking or dream?

How can one be certain when one leave the external world--when the person is within the world and the world is within the waking experience?

Why leave the external world when everything is Brahman---when everything is Brahman why crate division between the world and its perceiver?

How can the world alone cease to exist if one does not look at it—how can the person remain without the world and where he will exist without the world?

Who has the subtle mind projecting through brain and senses? How can one see his subtle mind?--when the brain also piece of the gross matter? ---then how can the brain come into existence after the world is created if the later depends on the brain.

Heart is idea created by mind, how the mind can emerge from it---when the heart disappear along with the mind and reappears along with the mind, how the mind emerge from it.

In deep sleep, swoon and trance, the mind turns inwards and enjoys its natural state--if so why should one inquire if one gets Ataman in sleep. With drug one can get sleep and peace or bliss. If sleep gives Brahman then why trouble with inquiry--better get it through sleeping pills or ganja or hemp.

There are many seekers practicing inquiry for many years and waiting for something mystical to happen, why nothing happens and why their inquiry does not yield fruits.

Since Sri, Ramana Maharishi is not present physically to guide us, so seeker has to overcome these obstacles in the path of inquiry on his own.

 In-  From “Talks with Ramana Maharshi”, Ninth Edition (1994), page 383.

Sages emphasize the path that they walked and what worked for them. The experiences of sages differ due to differences in their mental and physical structures and the social/historical context they are embedded in.  They use the vocabulary that is available to them due to their personal and cultural conditioning which fits their needs and those of their students. It is not something we need to worry about. Our focus is on understanding Bhagavan Ramana’s teachings. The Heart is very central to one aspect of Bhagavan Ramana’s teaching.

Sri Ramana did not ever say that it was “necessary” to meditate on the “Heart-center” for Self-Realization. The key word here is “necessary”. It is not “necessary” to do Japa either! But Bhagavan told Kunju Swami to do Japa as part of his spiritual routine after Kunju Swami had served him for twelve years and knew Bhagavan’s teachings inside and out. Kunju Swami had even by then glimpsed the Self in Kevala Nirvikalpa Samadhi!

It is clear that whatever the mode of someone’s spiritual practice (Japa, Prayer, Nada, Kundalini, Devotion to a deity, various meditations, etc.), Bhagavan encouraged it in the context of Self Inquiry and was keen to make the devotees aware of the Heart.

To think that Self-Inquiry is somehow inconsistent with another spiritual practice like focusing on the Spiritual Heart is a mistake. To suggest that Arthur Osborne did not understand Self-Inquiry because he was focusing on the Heart-center is certainly quite a leap! The fact is that Bhagavan Ramana spoke of the Heart in both physical terms and at the same time explained how it transcends the physical upon Realization!

Bhagavan Ramana did explain many times that the Spiritual Heart he spoke of was not the major psychic center (Heart Center) of Kundalini Yoga which is experienced in the middle of the chest. The Spiritual Heart is the final center after Shakti has already ascended to the Sahasarara (the brain center). The Spiritual Heart is experienced slightly to the right and slightly below the Heart Center of Kundalini Yoga.

With reference to the location of the Spiritual Heart center on the right hand side of the human body, Sri Bhagavan said and I quote below:

“I had been saying all along that the Heart center was on the right, notwithstanding the refutation by some learned men that physiology taught them otherwise. I speak from experience. I knew it even in my home during my trances. Again during the incident related in the book “Self-Realization” I had a very clear vision and experience. All of a sudden a light came from one side erasing the world vision in its course until it spread all around when the vision of the world was completely cut out. I felt that the muscular organ on the left had stopped working; I could understand that the body was like a corpse, that the circulation of the blood had stopped and the body became blue and motionless. Vasudev Sastri embraced the body, wept over my death, but I could not speak. All the time I was feeling that the Heart center on the right was working as well as ever. This state continued for 15-20 minutes. Then suddenly something shot out from the right to the left resembling a rocket bursting in air. The blood circulation was resumed and normal condition restored. I then asked Vasudev Sastri to move along with me and we reached our residence.”

“The Upanishads say that 101 nadis terminate in the Heart and 72,000 originate from them and traverse the body. The Heart is thus the center of the body. It can be a center because we have been accustomed to think that we remain in the body. In fact the body and all else are in that center only.”

Final conclusion:-

I fully agree with Swami Vivekananda who said: - “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

There is no doubts Sri, Ramana Maharishi is spiritual icon of the seeking world whose teachings are valuable to the seeking world but seeker has to dig deeper without getting immersed in glorifying the form and name of the great sage and move forward to the inner realm indicated by the great sage.  Until one overcomes the sentimentality and indulges in his own self search it is impossible to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Buddha said --There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting

I fully agree with BUDDHA who is right in saying: - Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.

Who am I? Inquiry yields only half- truth, because it inquires only into the physical structure and leaves the other half , without it the truth of the whole illusion will not be revealed.  

An intense desire for truth -realization is itself the way to it. The Lord is The Self in Advaita. Therefore one need not accept anything other than the self, which is consciousness. Thus consciousness alone is ultimate truth or Brahman that is free from falsehood.

The tradition or religious based Advaita is nothing to do with pursuit of truth. Thus orthodoxy has to be discarded if one is seeking Brahman or ultimate truth. 

Kabir views humanity as being caught up in illusion, searching for Ultimate Reality in all the wrong places, always seeking It outside of ourselves in various rituals, temples, forests and mountaintops, not realizing That for which we seek is already hidden within us. 

Sri, Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self. [" Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works]

Sri, Sankara founded his Advaita Vedanta either on reason independent of sruti or on sruti confirmed by reason."   Sri, Sankara's commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, II, 1:  This [the unreality of duality] is borne out by the Srutis ... But it is possible also to show the unreality of the object world even from pure reasoning, and this second chapter is undertaken for that purpose.

 Sri, Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture.  This may be because Sri, Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter.  He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can therefore dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

Nonduality does not need the support of any Scripture or Revelation like the Veda. For it is based, not upon the varying theological fancies, which are as numerous as the sands of the sea, but upon reason, the common heritage of all mankind, irrespective of colour or creed or clime.

Sri, Sankara rightly indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

  

Sri, Sankara indicated in Aparoksh Anuboothi 88 :-  When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman.

Sri, Sankara rightly indicated 63. [VC]:- Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

Gaudapada says: - the merciful Veda teaches karma and upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

Gaudapada’s rational exposition of Advaita: - that whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis, is unreal.

It is clearly indicated in Panchadashi : - The Atman is the witness-consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

Upanishads are right in  indicating  that:-

SARVAM KHALVIDAM BRAHMA - all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality [Chandogya Upanishad]. 

  This Ataman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Ataman reveals Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]

Mundaka Upanishad  :-

This Ataman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Ataman—by him alone is Ataman attained. It is Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. [    3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad  Upanishads by Nikilanada]

The scriptures indicate that Ataman is Brahman, and Brahman is ultimate truth. Therefore the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is ultimate truth.  Thus to realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal.   A well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning will lead one to his nondual destination. 

Self-Realization is direct realization of the ultimate truth or real god, in contrast with traditional paths, which are indirect. And the other paths cannot lead to the ultimate destination because they are based on the false self, which they hold as real self and false experience as reality. 

Until and unless one overcomes physical shackle it is impossible to understand and assimilate the nondual truth, which is beyond the physical existence or the universe.  Consciousness itself is lord of itself though not of the universe. And having nothing it has all.

Gaudapada quotes from the Upanishads: "There's no plurality here"; "The Lord [Atman] through his powers appears to be many"; "those who are attached to creation or production or origination go to utter darkness"; "the unborn is never reborn, for who can produce him [Atman]?”

Scientific inventions say:-

Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness.

By :AlvaNoë. Hill and Wang, 2009

Alva No, a University of California, Berkeley, philosopher and cognitive scientist, argues that after decades of concerted effort on the part of neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers "only one proposition about how the brain makes us conscious ... has emerged unchallenged: we don't have a clue." The reason we have been unable to explain the neural basis of consciousness, he says, is that it does not take place in the brain. Consciousness is not something that happens inside us but something we achieve it is more like dancing than it is like the digestive process. To understand consciousness the fact that we think and feel and that a world shows up for us we need to look at a larger system of which the brain is only one element. Consciousness requires the joint operation of brain, body and world. "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."

If the brain [body] is not the self then what is self? Therefore, there is a need to understand and assimilate the knowledge of the self through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning in order to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’.

One cannot know the truth until one knows the stuff from which the mind is created. The goal of pursuit of truth is to realize the fact that, the true self is not physical but it is the formless soul/ spirit/consciousness.

When one puts aside the imagination and has the thinker-- what does he get with thinking—he can get only a thoughts. Meditation is only an effort; it is imagination, an idea; the soul/consciousness remaining the same with or without ideas. 

Some people got their opinion and understanding of “WHO AM “I’ but it is time to verify their opinion and intellectual understanding.  It is only who base on ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self, argue and quarrel amongst themselves. The people who are fully aware of the fact that, the form, time and space are mere mirage created out of consciousness have no reason to quarrel, because for them everything is consciousness and no second thing exist other than consciousness.

No teaching scriptures are needed other than verifying “What is Mind?” and “What is the substance of the Mind?” and “What is the source of the mind?”,  in order to realize the mind and its substance and its source are one in essence and that essence is formless consciousness, which is the innermost self.