Visitor: Peace is extolled more than anything else. How shall we attain it?

Ramana: It is your very nature. Forgetfulness never overtakes the Self. The Self is now confounded with non-self and that makes you speak of forgetfulness of the Self or Peace. Oblivion will never rear up its head if this confusion is put an end to.

Visitor: How is that done?

Ramana: Enquiry into the Self. One-pointedness means cessation of mental activities. Forgetfulness must be for the self— well, of what?—
of the Self? Are there then two selvs? Practice removes the samskaras (innate tendencies).

Visitor: But samskaras are infinite and eternal— from beginningless time.

Ramana: This itself is a samskara. Give up that idea and all samskaras will disappear at once. That is visranti (repose), santi (peace). Peace is ever present. But you hold it down and rise over it and thus disturb it. Then you say, "I want Peace."

Visitor: Will Peace be gradual?

Ramana: Yes. "Make the mind gradually still" (sanaih sanaih uparamet)
says the Bhagavad Gita [VI.25]

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8th February, 1938

Three ladies are on a short visit here, Mrs. Hearst from New Zealand,
Mrs. Craig and Mrs. Allison from London.

One asked: What is the best way to work for world peace?

Ramana: What is the world? What is peace and who is the worker?
The world is not in your sleep and forms a projection of your mind
in your jagrat [waking state]. It is therefore an idea and nothing else.
Peace is the absence of disturbance. The disturbance is due to the
arising thoughts in the individual, who is only the ego rising up
from Pure Consciousness.

To bring about peace means to be free from thoughts and to abide
as Pure Consciousness. If one remains at peace oneself, there is only
peace everywhere.

Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)
Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi,
Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai,
South India, 1968, pp. 252-253, 428

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Visitors: We are pacifists. We want to bring about Peace:

Ramana: Peace is always present.
Get rid of the disturbances to Peace.
This Peace is the Self.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, (1955), p. 611

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