WHAT IS THE
NATURE OF THE MIND
What is called 'mind' is
a wondrous power
residing in the Self.
It causes all thoughts to arise.
Apart from thoughts, there
is no such thing as mind.
Therefore, thought is
the nature of mind.
Apart from thoughts,
there is no independent
entity called the world.
In deep sleep there are
no thoughts, and
there is no world.
In the states of waking and
dream, there are thoughts,
and there is a world also.
Just as the spider emits the
thread (of the web) out of
itself and again withdraws
it into itself, likewise the mind
projects the world out of itself
and again resolves it into itself.
When the
mind comes
out of the Self,
the world appears.
Therefore, when the world
appears (to be real), the
Self does not appear; and
when the Self appears
(shines) the world
does not appear.
When one persistently
inquires into the nature
of the mind, the mind will
end leaving the Self
(as the residue).
What is referred to as
the Self is the Atman.
The mind always exists
only in dependence
on something gross;
it cannot stay alone.
It is the mind that
is called the subtle
body or the soul (jiva)
#SriRamanaMaharshi