Be As You Are by Ramana Maharish / Edited by David Godman

Be As You Are
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
by Ramana Maharish / Edited by David Godman

Paperback

(April 1991)
Arkana
ISBN: 0140190627

Bookshelf Categories

Yoga & Hinduism

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Reviews:

wow

1/3/2002

Reviewer: A reader from Long Beach, CA United States

To me, there is no question about Sri Ramana Maharshi. This collection of questions and answers is excellent. I highly recommend.

Excellent but not the best introduction to the teachings.

10/25/2001

Reviewer: A reader from sanbornville, nh USA

This book is excellent and I strongly recommend it. Why did he fail to satisfy some other readers ? I think it is not the best introduction to Ramana Maharshi`s teaching because of its thematic organizing of chapters. Very helpful for the persons familiar with the teachings, I think it loses for the others, the wonderful flow and naturalness that make you just fall in love with this extraordinary person and teachings. I would rather recommend as an introduction Arthur Osborne`s Teachings of Ramana Maharshi or his Path of Self-Knowledge. This takes nothing from this excellent book.

Excellent Introduction To Teaching Of Ramana Maharshi

5/3/2001

Reviewer: Peter from Berkeley, CA USA

Godman has done a great service for those who want an introduction to the (conceptual) teaching of Ramana Maharshi, one of the great Hindu mystics and teachers of the last century. Ramana's recorded teachings are mostly conversations with a variety of people, whom he addressed on numerous topics from different levels of awareness according to each one's ability and understanding. The conversations then, read chronologically, seem disorganized, confusing and even contradictory. Godman has defragmented them, as it were, putting together continuous dialogs on each of twenty-one topics. He arranges the topics in order of importance, giving the central and purest teaching first and the adaptations afterwards. The book is divided into six general sections on the nature and experience of the Self, the practice of self-enquiry that leads to this experience, the role of the guru, the place for meditation and yoga, levels or varieties of religious experience, and theoretical metaphysical concerns (creation, reincarnation, God, suffering, and karma). Each general section contains three to five subordinate topics treated in a unified conversation. Of particular value are Godman's one or two page introductions to each section and topic that read sequentially provide an excellent introduction to and summary of Raman's teaching. While the introduction and composite conversations are sometimes repetitious, Ramana's concepts are sufficiently obscure that repetition is a clarifying desideratum.

"The Supreme Teaching" - for life time and beyond. SUPERB!

11/15/1999

Reviewer: A reader from Windy City, Chicago

Maharshi Ramana through his silence quells every doubt. In fact he repeatedly said "Silence is Eternal Speech." "Be Still and know that I am God." Some seekers insisted on asking him questions verbally, unable to rise to his level of understanding. The seekers posed questions to suit their tastes. This book is a summary of responses to such questions asked by seekers. The answers are relevant when viewed from the perspective of the questioner/seeker.
The summary is simple and lucid. You are already REALISED. Just be your REAL-SELF. Understand this and there is nothing more to accomplish in life. Erase your small self and merge into the REAL-SELF. The Universal "I" or REAL-SELF is God, Shiva/Vishnu or Atman-Brahman, Christ the Spirit, Buddha Mind, Ayin of the Kabblah, Allah of Islam, Tao of the Taosim. Universal I and your REAL-SELF are one and the same. The same Essence exists in all sentient beings. This Essence is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Being-Bliss-Happiness. The perfect SELF.
Maharshi was superb Universalist. He never distinguished between people. Seekers came to him from all faiths and religions and all were treated with respect and understanding.
Mr.Godman has done a remarkable job of clarifying the responses from a variety of sources. He needs to be thanked by all.
If you are trying to understand Hinduism "So called Intellectually" then you should look at Indian Pholosophy by S. Radhakrishnan. This book is not for readers but for seekers of one real truth the SELF (Atman or Brahman).

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wow	1/3/2002
Reviewer: A reader from Long Beach, CA United States
To me, there is no question about Sri Ramana Maharshi. This collection of questions and answers is excellent. I highly recommend.

Excellent but not the best introduction to the teachings.	10/25/2001
Reviewer: A reader from sanbornville, nh USA
This book is excellent and I strongly recommend it. Why did he fail to satisfy some other readers ? I think it is not the best introduction to Ramana Maharshi`s teaching because of its thematic organizing of chapters. Very helpful for the persons familiar with the teachings, I think it loses for the others, the wonderful flow and naturalness that make you just fall in love with this extraordinary person and teachings. I would rather recommend as an introduction Arthur Osborne`s Teachings of Ramana Maharshi or his Path of Self-Knowledge. This takes nothing from this excellent book.

Excellent Introduction To Teaching Of Ramana Maharshi	5/3/2001
Reviewer: Peter from Berkeley, CA USA
Godman has done a great service for those who want an introduction to the (conceptual) teaching of Ramana Maharshi, one of the great Hindu mystics and teachers of the last century. Ramana's recorded teachings are mostly conversations with a variety of people, whom he addressed on numerous topics from different levels of awareness according to each one's ability and understanding. The conversations then, read chronologically, seem disorganized, confusing and even contradictory. Godman has defragmented them, as it were, putting together continuous dialogs on each of twenty-one topics. He arranges the topics in order of importance, giving the central and purest teaching first and the adaptations afterwards. The book is divided into six general sections on the nature and experience of the Self, the practice of self-enquiry that leads to this experience, the role of the guru, the place for meditation and yoga, levels or varieties of religious experience, and theoretical metaphysical concerns (creation, reincarnation, God, suffering, and karma). Each general section contains three to five subordinate topics treated in a unified conversation. Of particular value are Godman's one or two page introductions to each section and topic that read sequentially provide an excellent introduction to and summary of Raman's teaching. While the introduction and composite conversations are sometimes repetitious, Ramana's concepts are sufficiently obscure that repetition is a clarifying desideratum.