Sri Ramana on Book Knowledge with comments from Dr. Harsh K. Luthar
“You may go on reading any number of books on Vedanta. They can only tell you ‘Realize the Self’. The Self cannot be found in books. You have to find it for yourself in yourself.” Sri Ramana Maharshi
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Comments by Dr. Harsh K. Luthar
Bhagavan Ramana is emphasizing that once an aspirant grasps the essential teaching of Self-Inquiry, that should be the main focus and not acquiring more book or intellectual knowledge.
Intellectual knowledge may be helpful up to a point in clarifying ones path by discriminating between what is important and what is not.
The intellect is indeed a powerful instrument with its ability of reasoning and logic which helps us function in the world. The intellect also is to be used to decide what is real and what is transient.
Once we have the conviction that what is truly real and stable is the underlying Reality of the Self behind the ever changing phenomena, then finding the Heart of this Reality and realizing it becomes the primary focus.
Self-Inquiry that aims at fullness of Self-Realization involves bringing the full power of attention to its source, from where the mind emerges. It is not an intellectual but an intense cognitive process. As one practices it, one grasps it more and more.
Luthar.com 
What Beloved Ramana is sharing here is important … as always and is being well supported and truthfully shared by Harsh.
Concepts can be learned. We can only learn the false. They are pointers that only find their true value through Self-inquiry.
Book knowledge is also likely to be ‘co-opted’ by the intellect. In other words, one may ‘think’ that they know conceptually, yet until the Heart is directly realized through Self-inquiry, it only adds up to more reading and learning.
Thank you for these pointers, Beloved Harsh, and for sharing.
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To ‘find’ the self, I think it’s a good start to start recognizing what is NOT the self and discarding it…..:-)
This anger- can’t be me…… this craving- can’t be me……. this fearful one-……… And when all is exposed and discarded, what remains of me……. (is THEE!!!) ❤
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