Ramana Maharshi Says Both Bondage And Liberation Are False And Not Real

The attainment of the knowledge (Self-knowledge or atma-jnana), the knowledge that the knot or bondage is at all times non-existent and has never risen, is the
permanent disconnecting of the knot.

Let us explain this with a small story.

“Alas! I am imprisoned! I have been caught within this triangular room! How to free myself?” – thus was a man complaining and sobbing, standing in a corner where the ends of two walls joined. Groping on the two walls in front of him with his two hands, he was lamenting, “No doorway is available, nor even any kind of outlet for me to escape through ! How can I get out?”

Another man, a friend of his who was standing at a distance in the open, heard the lamenting, turned in that direction and noticed the state of his friend. There were only two walls in that open space. They were closing only two sides, one end of each of them meeting the other. The friend in the open quickly realized that the man, who was standing facing only the two walls in front of him, had concluded, due to the wrong notion that there was a third wall behind him, that he was imprisoned within a three walled room. So he asked, “Why are you lamenting, groping on the walls?” “I am searching for a way through which to escape from the prison of this triangular room, but I don’t find any way out !” replied the man.

The friend: “Well, why don’t you search for a way out on the third wall behind you !”

The man (turning behind and looking): “Ah, here there is no obstacle ! Let me run away through this way.” (So saying, he started to run away.)

The friend: “What ! Why do you run away? Is it necessary for you to do so? If you do not run away, will you remain in prison ?”

The man: “Oho! yes, yes ! I was not at all imprisoned ! How could I have been imprisoned when there was no wall at all behind me” It was merely my own delusion that I was imprisoned, was never imprisoned, nor am I’ now released ! So I do not even need to run away from near these walls where I am now ! The defect of my not looking behind was the reason for my so called bondage; and the turning of my attention behind is really the sadhana for my so-called liberation!

In reality, I am ever remaining as I am,without any imprisonment or release !”

Thus knowing the truth, he remained quiet.

The two walls in the story signify the second and third persons. The first person is the third wall said to be behind the man. There is no way at all to liberation by
means of second and third person attention. Only by the first person attention ‘Who am I?’ will the right knowledge be gained that the ego, the first person, is ever non-existent,and only when the first person is thus annihilated will the truth be realized that bondage and liberation are false.

Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART ONE The Jñana aspect of the teaching By Sri Sadhu Om