Ramana Maharshi Says Link Between The Subject And Object In Every Experience Is Consciousness

16th May, 1936

Mr. C. relates how the reading of Patanjali Sutras in 1926 had greatly impressed him. The first few sutras had convinced him of the truth of the teaching, but unfortunately there was no one to give him proper guidance till he met Sri Bhagavan early in 1936.

Bh. Patanjali’s first sutras are indeed the climax of all systems of yoga. All yogas aim at the cessation of the vritti (modification of the mind). This can be brought about in the variety of ways mentioned in the scriptures through mind control,which frees consciousness from all thoughts and keeps it pure. Effort is necessary. In fact effort is itself yoga.

C. There seems to be nothing but awareness, for to know anything there must be knowledge – we cannot get over that.

Bh. Certainly. Subjective knowledge – knowledge knowing itself is jnana. It is then the subject as the knower, the object as the known and the knowledge which connects them.

C. This last is not clear to me in this case.

Bh. Why so? Knowledge is the light which links the seer to the seen. Suppose you go in search of a book in a library in pitch darkness. Can you find it without light, although you, the subject, and the book, the object, are both present? Light has to be present to unite you. This link between the subject and the object in every experience is chit, consciousness. It is both the substratum as well as the witness of the experience, the seer of Patanjali.

Source: GURU RAMANA MEMORIES AND NOTES By S. S. COHEN