Here are the 15 Greatest Life Lessons from Ramana Maharishi

1. Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.

2. Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.

3. You can only stop the flow of thoughts by refusing to have any interest in it.

4. There is neither Past nor Future. There is only the Present.

5. Let what comes come. Let what goes go. Find out what remains.

6. All that is required to realise the Self is to “Be Still.

7. The only useful purpose of the present birth is to turn within and realize the Self.

8. The greatest error of a man is to think that he is weak by nature, evil by nature. Every man is divine and strong in his real nature. What are weak and evil are his habits, his desires and thoughts, but not himself

9. One of two things must be done. Either surrender because you admit your inability and require a higher power to help you, or investigate the cause of misery by going to the source and merging into the Self. Either way you will be free from misery. God never forsakes one who has surrendered.

10. Whatever draws the mind outward is unspiritual and whatever draws the mind inward is spiritual

11. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent. (Please don’t misunderstand this quote. What it means is “accept the present moment as it is” and then do the effort for change, if required, without any mental resistance. The foundation for change need to be acceptance of this moment than the resistance of this moment)

12. Wanting to reform the world without discovering one’s true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.

13. Your duty is to be and not to be this or that. ‘I am that I am’ sums up the whole truth. The method is summed up in the words ‘Be still’. What does stillness mean? It means destroy yourself. Because any form or shape is the cause for trouble. Give up the notion that ‘I am so and so’. All that is required to realize the Self is to be still. What can be easier than that?

14. If the mind falls asleep, awaken it. Then if it starts wandering, make it quiet. If you reach the state where there is neither sleep nor movement of mind, stay still in that, the natural (real) state.

15. Become conscious of being conscious. Say or think “I am”, and add nothing to it. Be aware of the stillness that follows the “I am”. Sense your presence, the naked unveiled, unclothed beingness. It is untouched by young or old, rich or poor, good or bad, or any other attributes. It is the spacious womb of all creation, all form