By Domingos Sande
Domingos Sande began his search when he was a teenager. The first book which caused a great impact in his life was “A Search in Secret India”, by Paul Brunton. He visited India three times. In 1988-89, he visited several places connected with Krishnaji, including the city of Madanapalle and Rishi Valley School. He also went to Adyar. In 2012 and 2013, he went to Arunachala. In 1982, at the age of 29, he had a personal encounter with Krishnaji in Gstaad, near Saanen. There is a description of this encounter in “The Mountain Path” journal (July 2011 issue), Sri Ramana Ashram.
Investigation is a tremendous thing. It has to do with the totality of life. What is all this? Why is there the Universe? Why are there rocks, plants, animals and human beings? Why is there suffering? What is the meaning of all this? Is it possible for the human being to be really happy?
One wants to know the answers to all these questions. But when one begins to investigate, one is confronted with the fundamental question: who am I who wants to know all this? What am I? Without knowing myself, I am in the strange situation of wanting to know everything without knowing who wants to know. So, it becomes evident that it is essential to know who I am.
Every human being has the feeling of incompleteness and tries to surpass it in many ways related to the things of the world. When there is a sense of tremendous discontent, then only can one really begin the journey of self-knowledge.
The other day, someone asked the author of this article, “How did this clarity come to you? Which were the facts you perceived that brought it to your life? Could you kindly tell me?”. The whole thing began with the discontent which brought about great passion, interest and curiosity. Which are the facts that can trigger a revolution in the mind and can bring about a fundamental discovery?
First, you perceive that there are the “me” and a world in the wakeful and dream states. They are not present in deep sleep. Yet, you are present in the three states, There is no break in your being. So, who are you? What are you who is there even in the absence of the sense of “I” and of the world?
In a movie, there are situations of goodness, fear, ambition, kindness, violence, jealousy and many other feelings. Where do you recognize them? Where do you observe them? In the theater? On the screen? In your mind? Of course it is in your mind.
You observe the feeling of fear inside you. You are the observer. Is not the observer recognizing fear? So, fear is in the observer and, therefore, the observer is the observed. When you see this, the whole approach in relation to fear changes. The same with regard to ambition and so on.
Image is not the thing itself. I have an image about myself and an image about Truth. There is a psychological distance between these two images and, therefore, a time needed to travel the distance. These, time and distance, are also images. So, the image of myself, which is the ego, has continuity trying to reach the image of Truth.
Thought battles against thought in order to make it become quiet. It’s like a thief pretending to be a policeman and saying that he will catch the thief.
I want to know what Truth is. If Truth could be contained in the intellect, the intellect would be vaster than Truth!
All separation is based on images. That is, separation is based on what is not. Therefore, all separation is false. The seer, the act of seeing and the seen are all one. Seeing is being. These are some of the basic facts.
So, my friend, investigate. Pay attention to these facts. Ask who are you. Something will happen. And this awakening is a tremendous thing.
Domingos Sande
So many questions worth pondering! Thankyou.