Recommended book list for spiritual seekers

[BuddhaTree]

Thanks for the list!

I'm interested in knowing your opinion about this:

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi is a great book, but it was written by Munagala Venkataramiah (Sri Ramana Maharshi's disciple) hours after the dialogs took place. It's been heavily edited by him because he had to remember quite a lot of details. 

It's typically the book given to "noobs" on Advaita, because the real deal is on Sri Muruganar's works such as Guru Vachaka Kovai (very advanced) or even on The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi as you also point out. When a judge once went to take Ramana's testimony regarding some event that had happened on the ashram (I think it was about the ashram's land inheritance or something like that), an accompanying scribe also came with the judge and wrote what Ramana said down. 

When comparing the words the scribe wrote down (verbatim) to the words Munagala Venkataramiah wrote down, there are some obvious additions to the dialog by Munagala Venkataramiah. He basically colored a lot of the dialogs by his own interpretations and ideas. Self-inquiry is not even properly explained in this book (and it has over 700 pages!) So how can this be a good and recommended book?

Don't get me wrong, I really like this book, and it helps me get a feel for Ramana's dialogs and the ambiance in the ashram at the time, but there are better books about Ramana's teachings out there as far as I am concerned.

[winterknight]

2 hours ago, BuddhaTree said:

Thanks for the list!

I'm interested in knowing your opinion about this:

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi is a great book, but it was written by Munagala Venkataramiah (Sri Ramana Maharshi's disciple) hours after the dialogs took place. It's been heavily edited by him because he had to remember quite a lot of details. 

It's typically the book given to "noobs" on Advaita, because the real deal is on Sri Muruganar's works such as Guru Vachaka Kovai (very advanced) or even on The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi as you also point out. When a judge once went to take Ramana's testimony regarding some event that had happened on the ashram (I think it was about the ashram's land inheritance or something like that), an accompanying scribe also came with the judge and wrote what Ramana said down. 

When comparing the words the scribe wrote down (verbatim) to the words Munagala Venkataramiah wrote down, there are some obvious additions to the dialog by Munagala Venkataramiah. He basically colored a lot of the dialogs by his own interpretations and ideas. Self-inquiry is not even properly explained in this book (and it has over 700 pages!) So how can this be a good and recommended book?

Don't get me wrong, I really like this book, and it helps me get a feel for Ramana's dialogs and the ambiance in the ashram at the time, but there are better books about Ramana's teachings out there as far as I am concerned.

Well, from what I understand the transcriptions of the dialogues were examined and approved by Maharshi. From the intro: 

"The completed notes were often shown to the questioners for verification, but the whole had the seal of approval of Sri Bhagavan himself, as the records were always shown to him for his approval or the necessary alteration after they had been entered in the notebook."

The power of the Talks is that they literally reprogram your mind. It is not about any particular set of answers, but about the whole: Maharshi's way of approaching things, his general spirit and atmosphere, are captured better in the Talks than in anything else, even Maharshi's other works. Reading them orients the mind, even without it understanding quite why, towards Self.

[Jkris]

@BuddhaTree @BuddhaTree I agree with your views.The books were not authored by Sri Ramana Maharishi.Nor any one was allowed to take notes as and then when the QA session was happening.Not sure then tape recorder facilities were available then or the author was enlightened.

Again the translation from tamil to english too were the real meaning wasnt captured exactly what it was said.

Even the book Ulladhu Naarpadhu - 40 verses on reality tamil is difficult to understand (the original tamil verses) said by sri Ramana Maharishi with out commentries in tamil ???

 

[winterknight]

7 hours ago, Jkris said:

@BuddhaTree @BuddhaTree I agree with your views.The books were not authored by Sri Ramana Maharishi.Nor any one was allowed to take notes as and then when the QA session was happening.Not sure then tape recorder facilities were available then or the author was enlightened.

Again the translation from tamil to english too were the real meaning wasnt captured exactly what it was said.

Even the book Ulladhu Naarpadhu - 40 verses on reality tamil is difficult to understand (the original tamil verses) said by sri Ramana Maharishi with out commentries in tamil ???

Really, though, I've found the Talks to be very consistent and powerful, indeed, the single most transformative text by Maharshi, and the best overall reference as to his views. There is nothing in it I've found troubling or problematic, and I've read it several times.

[Truth Seekah]

@cetus56 @winterknight This book will blow your mind. Give it a shot. Namaste.

[BuddhaTree]

Have you read all the books you recommend? And why do you prefer the sanskrit translation of ribhu gita to the Tamil translation?

[winterknight]

5 hours ago, BuddhaTree said:

Have you read all the books you recommend? And why do you prefer the sanskrit translation of ribhu gita to the Tamil translation?

Yes, I've read all the books I recommend. I don't necessarily have an opinion about the Tamil translation of Ribhu Gita. I just read the Sanskrit translation and recommended it.

[ActualizedDavid]

Awesome ?