February 25, 1981
Maharaj: Each one lives in the world according to certain preconceived concepts. Whatever spiritual knowledge he thinks he may have achieved, he continues to live according to those concepts.
Q: What is it like to live with no concepts?
M: Any answer given to you will be a concept.
Q: How can one know that he is beyond concepts?
M: Merely to understand, without the slightest doubt, with great
conviction, that there is a state prior to the arising of this
consciousness. That, itself, is sufficient.
Q: How can one differentiate between just having the thought of it and
living it?
M: How do you understand anything? Any knowledge of any kind that you think you have can only be in the consciousness. How can the consciousness,which came later, give you any knowledge about that state which exists prior to its arrival?
Any thought that you have reached or are going to reach that state is false. Whatever happens in consciousness is purely imaginary, and hallucination; therefore keep in mind the knowledge that it is consciousness in which everything is happening. With that knowledge, be still; don't not pursue any other thoughts which arise in consciousness. What is necessary is to understand with sure conviction is that all is temporary, and does not reflect your true state.
--Sri Ramana Maharshi
http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/whoamib.htm
