Talk 126

4th January, 1936
Talk 126.

Dr. Syed again asked: "Should anyone desirous of spiritual progress take to action or renunciation (pravritti-marga or nivritti-marga)?"

Maharshi: Do you go out of the Self? What is meant by giving up?

An American Engineer asked about sat-sanga (association with sages).

Maharshi: Sat ^[?] is within us.
D.: In the book "Who am I??" you have said the Heart is the seat of the mind. Is it so?

Maharshi: The mind is Atman.
D.: Is it Atman itself or its projection?

Maharshi: The same.
D.: The Westerners look on the mind as the highest principle, whereas the Easterners think the contrary - why?

Maharshi: Where psychology ends, there philosophy begins. This is experience; the mind is born; we see it; even without the mind we exist. There is everyone's experience to prove it.
D.: In deep sleep I do not seem to exist.

Maharshi: You say so when awake. It is the mind which speaks now. You exist in deep sleep beyond mind.
D.: Western philosophy admits the Higher Self as influencing the mind.

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