What is self-enquiry?

Question: What is self-enquiry!?
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Self Enquiry/Inquiry means asking yourself the question "Who am I" without giving an answer immediatly from mind, but actually looking deeper within, until the true respond to that question comes, this can take years or lifetimes, sometimes just an instant!.!.!.!.

Ramana Maharshi (M:) and Questioner (D:)

D: How is one to enquire: "Who am I!?"

M: Actions such as 'going' and 'coming' belong only to the body!. And so, when one says "I went, I came", it amounts to saying that the body is "I"!. But, can the body be said to be the consciousness "I", since the body was not before it was born, is made up of the five elements, is non-existent in the state of deep sleep, and becomes a corpse when dead!? Can this body which is inert like a log of wood be said to shine as "I" "I"!?

Therefore, the "I" consciousness which at first arises in respect of the body is referred to variously as self-conceit (tarbodham), egoity (ahankara), nescience (avidya), maya, impurity (mala), and individual soul (jiva)!. Can we remain without enquiring into this!? Is it not for our redemption through enquiry that all the scriptures declare that the destruction of "self-conceit" is release (mukti)!?

Therefore, making the corpse-body remain as a corpse, and not even uttering the word "I", one should enquire keenly thus: "Now, what is it that rises as 'I'"!. Then, there would shine in the Heart a kind of wordless illumination of the form 'I' 'I'!. That is, there would shine of its own accord the pure consciousness which is unlimited and one, the limited and the many thoughts having disappeared!.

If one remains quiescent without abandoning that (experience), the egoity, the individual sense, of the form 'I am the body' will be totally destroyed, and at the end the final thought, viz!. the 'I'-form also will be quenched like the fire that burns camphor*!. The great sages and scriptures declare that this alone is release!.

* i!.e!., without leaving any sediment!.

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D: When one enquires into the root of 'self conceit' which is of the form 'I', all sorts of different thoughts without number seem to rise; and not any separate 'I' thought!.

M: Whether the nominative case, which is the first case, appears or not, the sentences in which the other cases appear have as their basis the first case; similarly, all the thoughts that appear in the heart have as their basis the egoity which is the first mental mode 'I', the cognition of the form 'I am the body'; thus, it is the rise of egoity that is the cause and source of the rise of all other thoughts; therefore, if the self-conceit of the form of egoity which is the root of the illusory tree of samsara (bondage consisting of transmigration) is destroyed, all other thoughts will perish completely like an uprooted tree!.

Whatever thoughts arise as obstacles to one's sadhana (spiritual discipline) - the mind should not be allowed to go in their direction, but should be made to rest in one's self which is the Atman; one should remain as witness to whatever happens, adopting the attitude 'Let whatever strange things happen, happen; let us see!' This should be one's practice!. In other words, one should not identify oneself with appearances; one should never relinquish one's self!.

This is the proper means for destruction of the mind (manonasa) which is of the nature of seeing the body as self, and which is the cause of all the aforesaid obstacles!. This method which easily destroys egoity deserves to be called devotion (bhakti), meditation (dhyana), concentration (yoga), and knowledge (jnana)!. Because God remains of the nature of the Self, shining as 'I' in the heart, because the scriptures declare that thought itself is bondage, the best discipline is to stay quiescent without ever forgetting Him (God, the Self), after resolving in Him the mind which is of the form of the 'I'-thought, no matter by what means!. This is the conclusive teaching of the Scriptures!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There is not anything to say that certainly I or many others could add to the essence of Ramana Maharshi's words above!. Those words are pretty much all anyone might ever need!.

Maybe just a few clarifications would help anyway!.

There are a couple of ways to understand the self when first looking into self enquiry!. A commonly understood way of speaking might be "I have some understanding of myself" The Advaita Vedanta understanding of Self relates to the unconditioned existence as quoted above from Ramana Maharshi!. The two meanings begin as almost exactly the opposite as a starting point to get the difference!. Occasionally the tow are referred to as small self and larger or big self or true self or the like!. The meaning is clear from the context when these 2 possibilities are understood!. Maybe you already knew that, so kindly forgive any presumptuousness here!.

also, self inquiry is not psychological investigation, because the psychology of a person is more often concerned with the small self or the conditioned self!. Strictly psychological investigation would be about the content of the personality but not the actual lived being-ness that is just barely 'behind' that personality!. No matter how a personality is known or thought to be known in it's conditioning, the true self is unconditioned!. Psychology is about the map or the words and concepts we all use to stand in for what we are as the actual territory of life itself!. One can work to understand psychology without investigating true self - but occasionally the psychological investigation can trigger an investigation of self inquiry!. Working on psychology has been referred to as rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship!. The source of suffering likely will not abate!.

Self enquiry as the looking through one's personality and ego consciousness and into the ground of being that we all share is common to many non-dual traditions!. A little about the Buddhist tradition could include the idea that it is the method to come home to true self!. This quote from the Zen Mountain Monastery about the practice of meditation that reveals true self:

"Zazen, the formal practice of seated meditation, is the cornerstone of Zen training!. Za means “sitting!.” Zen— which derives from the Sanskrit “dhyana”—means meditation!. In its beginning stages, zazen is a practice of concentration, with a focus on following or counting the breath!. But more than just meditation, zazen is a powerful tool of self-inquiry, boundless in its scope and ability to reveal the true basis of reality!. Through zazen, we realize the unity of the self with the ten thousand things, which has the potential to transform our lives and those of others!."

Thank you for this great question and I wish I was better up to the task of an answer!. I hope others will add more here!.Www@QuestionHome@Com