Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Volume 14 Article 10

2001 The aS ge of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West Thomas A. Forsthoefel

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Recommended Citation Forsthoefel, Thomas A. (2001) "The aS ge of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 14, Article 10. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1253

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The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the Westl

Professor Thomas A. Forsthoefel Mercyhurst College

WILHELM Halbfass's seminal study of appeal among thinkers and spiritUal adepts the concept of experience in Indian religions in the West. Indeed, such 'meeting at the illuminates the philosophical ambiguities of heart' in interfaith dialogue promises the term and its recent appropriations by communion even in the face of unresolved some neo-Advaitins. to serve apologetic theoretical dilemmas. 2 ends. . Anantanand Rambachand's own The life and work of Ramana (1879- study of the process of liberation in Advaita 1950), though understudied, are important Vedanta also critically reviews these for a number of reasons, not the least of apologetic strategies, arguing that in which is the fact that together they represent privileging anubhava, they undervalue or a version of Advaita abstracted from misrepresent the im;ortance given to sruti in traditional monastic structures, thus Sankara's Advaita. In this article, I hope to sidestepping, at least initially, issues of extend the work of these two scholars, this institutional authority and traditional time reviewing the unusually strong appeal legitimization.4 Ramana's self­ of a modern adept of Advaita, Ramana understanding and the understanding of his Maharsi, to Western scholars and spiritual disciples emphasize his transformative figures. I shall argue that Ramana's own, experience of nonduality - at the age of 16, deeply inward or internal epistemology of then cultivated over many years in religious experience accounts for much of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu - as the source this appeal to Westerners, for it promises a of his authority. For example, Olivier kind of 'knowing beyond knowledge,' an Lacombe, the great French Indologist, once internally accessed saving experience which asked Ramana if his teaching followed that transcends all cultural forms, including of Sankara's. Ramana, who rarely referred scripture. The goal and method of this to himself in the first person, replied, inward quest proves eminently attractive to "Bhagavan's teaching is an expression of his Western scholars and devotees operating own experience and realization. Others find with constructive agenda in inter-faith that it tallies with Sankara's."s With this dialogue and cross cultural studies. statement Ramana at once distances himself Moreover, the epistemological framework of from Sankara and establishes his authority internalism, largely dominant in the West on personal experience. No lineage renders since Descartes, also contributes to the his teaching authoritative, but his own appeal of Ramana in the West. Western experience does. This theme is often thinkers and spiritual figures, self­ repeated by his disciples, no more I consciously or un-self-consciously operating enthusiastically than by D.M. Sastri, "His out of the introspective turn of Descartes, Experience was prior to and superior to any will find the methodology and promise of scriptures.,,6 T.M.P. Mahadevan nuances Ramana's 'inward quest' compelling. this view in his introduction to Ramana's Finally, the outstanding spiritual qualities Vicarasangraham; this short guide is manifested by Ramana also contribute to his fundamentally based on Ramana's "plenary

Hindu-Christian Studies Bulletin 14 (200 1) 31-36

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experience," and aU references to scriptures hyperbole ("In India he is the whitest spot in or sages "are offered only as confirmations a white space," etc.), Jung writes that of the truth discovered by Bhagavan himself Ramana "is genuine and, in addition to that, in his own experience.,,7 Though statements something quite phenomenal.,,9 Jung's such as these underestimate the role of enthusiasm for Ramana's spirituality is culture in religious experience, they are consistent with his own intellectual agenda indicative of the tendency to view Ramana's which includes his version of the perennial experience as transcending all social and philosophy. Although his take on Ramana cultural constructs. Ramana's life and favors the perennial view that a single teaching thus represents a particularly unified experience is at the core of modem form of spirituality whose appeal in mysticisms across cultures, Jung part lies in the promise of an immediate nevertheless tends to a cultural dualism, experience of the divine, uninflected by importing romantic notions of the 'spiritual' cultural forms, and available to all, East as contrasted with the 'materialist' regardless of culture or society. West. According to him, Ramana's example While there is much to examine in the is an important resource for the West, life and thought of Ramana, I shall focus increasingly threatened by a lack of here on the reaction to Ramana from the consciousness in a culture of commercialism circle of Western scholars and religious and technology. 10 Indian saints such as figures who have encountered him. So far, Ramana and Ramakrishna are modem no exposes, no Karma Colas, no prophets recalling to the West ''the demand deconstructions of his life have appeared in of the soul."l! Zimmer's student, Joseph print. Instead, of the many sincere or Campbell also appeals to the perennial fraudulent gurus that have captured the philosophy in evaluating Ramana and attention of devotees and scholars in recent Ramakrishna; sages such as these "have years, Ramana's life and teaching seems to renewed the ineffable message perennially, have struck many scholars and religious in variable terms, which philosophers figures with a similar reaction: this person is classify and adhikarins transcend.,,12 genuine, an admittedly elusive quality to While it is perhaps no surprise that determine in someone, but a quality which Jung and Campbell, both advocates of the must be considered in reviewing the perennial philosophy, were impressed by conditions and effects of religious Ramana, a more recent tribute is: no less experience. Of course the fact that many than the late Agehananda Bharati, who, it is devotees and some scholars have taken clear from his writings, suffered fools Ramana to be genuine does not necessarily poorly, also agreed that "Ramana Maharsi mean that he was. Still, their reaction is was a mystic of the first order.,,13 Bharati's .1 intriguing and invites a review. Light at the Centre is a conceptually astute I A brief survey of some recent and not­ analysis of 'mysticism'- which carefully I,!i'i so-recent responses to Ramana's life and assesses the conditions leading to and work highlights the unusually positive following from what he calls the "zero reaction to Ramana on the part of Western experience" or "consummative experience." scholars and religious figures. Klaus While disputing the contention of disciples Klostermaier, for example, considers him to that Ramana was in perpetual samadhi, be "among the greatest and deepest spiritual Bharati accepted as genuine Ramana's influences coming from India in recent claims to non-dual realization; despite years," and notes that even after his death questions concerning the social the ashram in which he lived "is somehow circumstances of Ramana's spiritual career, charged with spiritual power, emanating Bharati neverthele~s affirms that, "Ramana from him."s Heinrich Zimmer wrote a study was an exceptional mystic.,,14 And while on Ramana in 1944 which included a Ramana has always drawn the positive foreword by C.G. Jung; pared of painful attention of Indian scholars,15 leading

http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol14/iss1/10 2 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1253 Forsthoefel: The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West 33

Western spiritual figures drawn to him of it. In any case, these assessments and include the late Thomas Merton (1915- positive valorizations are also seen in the 1968), Bede Griffiths (1907-1993), and reflections of Bede Griffiths and Dom Henri Dom Henri Le Saux (1910-1973). Le Saux, both of whom increasingly adopted Merton's attraction to Ramana is Advaita paradigms to inform their own difficult to assess. Only indirect references spiritual experience. Griffiths writes that to Ramana are found in his Asian Journal, "Perhaps the most remarkable example of though the editors offer considerable advaitic experience is that of Ramana interesting and useful annotations. Still, the Maharsi.,,19 He considered Ramana's fact that Merton mentions locations transformative experience to be "authentic associated with Ramana and the name of mystical experience, that is, an experience of Mouni Sadhu, an early Western disciple of the Absolute.,,2o Using the idiom of Advaita, Ramana, suggests that he had more than a Ramana, according to Griffiths, was a superficial knowledge of Ramana's career jivanmukta. Griffiths then engages in a and impact. Elsewhere, however, Merton comparative analysis of Ramana's mystical spells out his assessment of Ramana's theology, offering parallels, as Merton, to teaching, "It is a teaching which recalls various Western apophatic theologies, Eckhart and Tauler, but according to the including Dionysius, Eckhardt, Ruysbroeck, Maharsi absolute philosophical monism is and John of the Cross. beyond doubt. His teaching follows in the Comparisons of such mystical pure tradition of Advaita Vedanta. What is theologies may yield considerable fruit important to us above all is the authenticity when carefully unpacked, but Griffiths does of the natural contemplative experience of not engage in such systematic analysis. Still, this contemporary 'Desert Father' .,,16 what seems evident in each of the figures Merton's interest in Ramana seems to mentioned so far is that a first or second follow on his growing interest in Eastern hand acquaintance of Ramana's life or work versions of non-dualism which served to seems to provoke a visceral reaction nourish and to complement his long­ concerning his authenticity. This is no more standing interest in Christian apophatic so than in the writings of Dom Henri Le traditions. His journal is rich with references Saux [AbhisiktanandaJ. ill his writings, to Sankara and the important Advaitin Abhisiktananda makes noteworthy manual, Vivekacudamani, a text which references to Ramana, all of which affirm Ramana himself valued, so much so that he the compelling power of Ramana's life and translated it into Tamil. 17 ill addition to these experience. Concerning the effect of academic references to non-dualism, Ramana's presence at the ashram, he writes, Merton's journal records a particularly vivid "Above all there was the presence - that of 'peak' experience, a moving account of his the Sage who had lived in this very place for visit to the sleeping Buddha at Polonnaruwa; so many long years, that of the mystery by though it is difficult to ascertain precisely which he had been dazzled and which had what happened here, his journal suggests been so powerfully radiated by him. It was a that the event was an epiphany which could presence which overarched and enfolded be construed in terms of non-dualism, everything, and seemed to penetrate to the though Merton himself uses Buddhist core of one's being, causing one to be terminology of sunyata to capture its recollected at the centre of the self, and essence.18 drawing one irresistibly within.,,21 Bharati's and Merton's assessment of Other writers have testified to the Ramana insist on the authority and extraordinary life and example of Ramana, authenticity of direct non-dual experience; often in same florid style which we saw in perhaps Merton's own experience at Jung and Le Saux. Paul Brunton, for Polonnaruwa, strangely antedating his death example, met Ramana in his travels, and by only a few days, served as confirmation writes, "It is impossible to be in frequent

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contact with him without becoming lit up, as theological outcomes. Ramana's unique it were, from a ray from his spiritual orb.'.22 experience and subsequent teaching has But the language of these thinkers - provided an important resource for students surprising for its emotional force - invites and scholars interested in studies of scrutiny and reflection. A more sober, but 'mysticism', metaphysics, and interfaith nonetheless positive assessment of dialogue. These efforts, with differing Ramana's life and example is found in degrees of hermeneutical self-awareness and Francis X. Clooney's recent book, Hindu success, become part of the process of Wisdom/or All God's Children, "People like deepening inter-cultural, inter-faith Ramana testify to the continuing power of understanding as they themselves become the non-dualist conviction that there is only objects of reflection and analysis. one true self.',23 In addition to these Reflections on these efforts, as' well as favorable estimations, Ramana's life and further reflection on the life and thought of thought have impacted contemporary wisdom figures such as Ramana, Western gurus as well.24 consciously probe what Halbfass called the What is the meaning of such positive 'unfulfilled promise' of East-West dialogue. evaluations, one that is seen in devotees and Second, the tum to experience in the scholars alike? The key of course is West since the Enlightenment also reveals experience, especially the promise of 'pure an epistemological shift to internalism, a experience' and its privileged method of method of knowing which emphasizes access. Although Ramana's experience was internal states, self-awareness, and a cultivated in some isolation in privileged access on part of the knower. Tiruvannamalai, his account of what he took Such a method can be implicated in to be a direct, immediate experience of programs of 'religious knowing', and realization nevertheless accords well with thinkers such as William Alston and Alvin historical and philosophical developments Plailtinga have made effective critiques and that emerged in Europe since the contributions to such programs. But the Enlightenment. There are two legacies of internalist epistemological 'zeitgeist' in the I" these developments. We know that West also accords well with the deeply Enlightenment critiques of dogmatism and inward, internal epistemology of religious metaphysical speculation led apologists to experience of Ramana. And, if most of us emphasize feeling or experience as the are, as" a colleague once said, 'un-self­ essential element in religion. Beginning with conscious internalists', then the subset of Schlieirmacher and continuing with William those interested in religious knowing will

! i James, Rudolf Otto, and Mircea Eliade, the find strong appeal in internalist category of 'experience' has been a epistemologies of religious experience. dominant starting point in the modem Moreover, while Rambachand is quite Western scholarship in the study of religion. correct in emphasizing the 'external' , This conceptual backdrop partially explains elements in Sankara's epistemology of the appeal of Ramana to the West. The religious experience (above all, sruti), there report and example of so-called 'pure is little doubt of the strong internalism of experience', uninflected by cultural patterns, Ramana, who repeatedly called his listeners remains for many a compelling source of to 'dive within' to experience their true inquiry, and not merely for abstract nature, their original state (sahaja sthiti). intellectual satisfaction. The thinkers 'Self-inquiry', promoted by the penetrating reviewed here in various ways have shown question, 'Who am I?', stimulates the deep sympathies for projects of cross­ 'inward quest' which in eventuates in Self­ cultural understanding, engaging in more or realization. In advancing this program of less rigorous philosophical scrutiny of things religious knowing - a knowing beyond Eastern. The operating expectation in these knowledge - Ramana at the same time studies are constructive philosophical and profoundly relativized or modified

http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol14/iss1/10 4 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1253 Forsthoefel: The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West The Sage of Pure Experience: The Appeal of Ramana Maharsi in the West 35

traditional Hindu categories or practices, the Source of Knowledge in Sankara result being a construction of Advaita (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, universal not only in theory but in practice. 1991). Finally, the appeal of Ramana must 4. I say 'initially," since issues of control also be located in the quality of human and authority of the ashram periodically surfaced in the years following his death. presence which he embodied. Western 5. Arthur Osborne ed., The Teachings ofSri Christian thinkers and adepts working at the Ramana Maharshi, 6th ed. interface of Hindu-Christian studies have an (Tiruvannamalai, India: Sri important resource in their faith tradition - Ramanasramam, 1993), 9; a Western the so-called 'fruits of the Spirit' - in the edition of the same text has recently been rapprochement of religions. Witnessing published by Samuel Weiser, Inc. (York extraordinary examples of these fruits - Beach, Maine: 1996). kindness, patience, self-control, compassion, 6. D.M. Sastri, preface, The Maharshi's joy, love, peace, goodness, gentleness, Way: A Translation and a Commentary 25 on Upadesa Saram (Tiruvannamalai: Sri trustfulness - in persons of any faith Ramanasraman), i. tradition naturally arouses wonder, 7. T.M.P. Mahadevan, preface, Self­ admiration, and gratitude for such Enquiry (Vicharasangraham) of outstanding human presence. While Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi theologians and philosophers will continue, (Tiruvannamalai: Sri Ramanasramam), quite properly, to reflect upon Christian and iv. non-Christian metaphysical claims and 8. Klostermaier, A Survey of Hinduism theorize over the plurality of religions, (Albany: State University of New York), witnessing the extraordinary spiritual fruit of 395-396. great saints is a 'happy provocation', i.e., it 9. Heinrich Zimmer, Der Weg zum Selbst: Lehreund Leben des Indischen Heiligen pulls us close to the heart of another - and to Shri Ramana Maharshi aus the heart of another's tradition - resolving, Tiruvannamalai, edited, with a foreword, for a time, philosophical differences into a by C.G. Jung (Zurich: Rascher Verlag, communion of affect and will. Outstanding 1944). Zimmer's book includes a human qualities inspire precisely because of biography and German translations of their universality. That these 'fruits' have a Ramana's Ullatu Narpatu and satsang divine source· in the Christian tradition conversations. Jung's quote above is strongly suggests that meeting 'at the heart' reprinted as the foreword to The Spiritual will not only will inform our efforts in Teaching of Ramana Maharshi, interfaith dialogue but even be a necessary Shambala Dragon Editions (Boston and requisite to it. London: Shambala, 1988), ix. 10. Jung, foreword, The Spiritual Teaching ofRaman a Maharshi, x-xi. 11. Ibid., x. Notes 12. Joseph Campbell, "Appendix A: The Six Systems," in Heinrich Zimmer, Philosophies of India, ed. Joseph 1. I wish to thank two anonymous Campbell, Bollingen Series no. 26 (New reviewers, whose instructive comments York: Pantheon Books, 1951), 614. have sharpened the focus of this article. Interestingly, Campbell's comment is the Additionally, I would like to thank Frank 'last word' (i.e., last sentence) in Clooney, S.J., for his constructive Zimmer's book. suggestions on the penultimate draft of 13. Bharati, The Light at the Centre, 29. this article. 14. Ibid., 89. 2. Wilhelm Halbfass, India and Europe: An 15. For example, T.M.P. Mahadevan, the Essay in Philosophical Understanding late chair of the Radhakrishnan Institute (Albany: SUNY Press, 1988), ch. 21. for the Advanced Study of Philosophy at 3. Anantanand Rambachan, Accomplishing the University of Madras, who translated the Accomplished: The Vedas as a a number of small texts by Ramana, and

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Arvind Shanna, The Experiential Klostermaier cites excerpts from these Dimension of Advaita Vedanta (Delhi: passages as a side-bar titled, "Thomas Motilal Banarsidass, 1993). Merton's Enlightenment" in his recent 16. Thomas Merton, review of Arthur book, Buddhism: A Short Introduction Osborne, ed., The Collected Works of (Oxford: One World, 1999), 186. Ramana Maharshi (London: Rider and 19. Bede Griffiths, Christ in India: Essays Company, 1959) in Collectanea Towards a Hindu Christian Dialogue Cistersciensia, vol. 27 (1965): no. 1, 79- (Springfield, IL: Templegate, 1984),205. 80; "C'est une doctrine qui rappelle 20. Ibid., 206. Eckhart et Tauler, mais chez Ie Maharshi 21. Abhisiktananda, Guru and Disciple Ie monisme philosophique absolu ne fait (Delhi: ISPCK), 2. pas de doute. Sa doctrine est dans la plus 22. Paul Brunton, A Search in Secret India pure tradition de I' Advaita Vedantiste. (York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser, Ce qui nous importe surtout a nous c'est 1970; reprint, 1994), no page given l'authenticite de l'experience (Brunton's prose comment under a photo contemplative naturelle chez ce "Pere du of Ramana). Desert" contemporain." English 23. Francis X. Clooney, Hindu Wisdom for translation above is mine. All God's Children (Orbis: Maryknoll, 17. I am currently preparing an article for NY, 1998),32. publication, "Mystic as Translator: 24. Flood, Introduction to Hinduism, 271. Ramana's Vivekacudamani," based on See also Andrew Rawlinson, The Book of paper I delivered at the 12th International Enlightened Masters: Western Teachers Congress of Vedanta held at Miami in Eastern Traditions (Chicago and University of Ohio, September 13-17th, LaSalle, IL: Open Court, 1997),489. 2000. 25. Galatians 5.22. 18. Merton, Asian Journal, 233-236.

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http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol14/iss1/10 6 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1253