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A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
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that matters and not the complexion of the deed. The whole secret lies in whether we are attached to our actions or not. A person who spends his time in good deeds can be much more attached to them than the so-called bad man is to his. And it is the one who drops off all attachments first who will be Self-realized soonest.
Good and bad are found eventually to be only relative terms. Self-enquiry is found to be no more than the discarding of Vasanas. So long as one single Vasana remains, good or bad, so long must we remain unrealized.
This reminds me of an incident that happened at the time of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Bhagavan's arrival in Tiruvannamalai, when Bhagavan pointed out that it was a good thing to let the Vasanas to come out. It is useless to bottle them up and let them go on gathering strength inside. The consequence of doing which would prove fatal in the end.
One of the old disciples had been causing a lot of trouble and annoyance to people by constantly pushing himself forward as of more importance than the rest. Eventually the manager went to talk to Bhagavan privately and ask him what he should do about it. Bhagavan listened without a word and then when he had finished remarked, “Yes, it's his Vasanas, it's a good thing to let them come out.” And that was all. Excellent philosophy no doubt but not much consolation for the manager.
In Western books one reads of people who had flashes of illumination. One Dr. Bucke collected and published records of many such. But whereas the Realization of
