Who Am I? Excerpts from Ramana Maharshi’s ‘Nan Yar?’

1. Who am I?

I am not the gross body, which is made of the seven humours (dhatus).

I am not the five sense organs — hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell — that perceive sound, touch, colour, taste and odour.

I am not the five organs of action — speech, locomotion, grasping, excretion and procreation — that perform speaking, moving, grasping, excreting and enjoying.

I am not the five vital airs (prana and others) that carry out functions like in-breathing.

I am not the mind, which thinks.

I am not even nescience, which carries only the residual impressions of objects and contains neither objects nor activity.

2. If I am none of these, then who am I?

By negating all of the above as “not this, not this”,

that pure Awareness which alone remains — that I am.

3. What is the nature of Awareness?

The nature of Awareness is:

Existence – Consciousness – Bliss Absolute.