GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
I see that Being as a Reality before my very eyes! Why should I reason? I do actually see that the Absolute has become all Spiritual awakening necessary to see the Reality. things about us. It appears as the individual soul and the phenomenal world. One must have an awaken- ing of the spirit within to see the Reality. How long must one reason and discriminate, saying, "Not this, not this"? So long as one has not realized the Absolute Reality. It is not in mere words such as "I see that God has become everything"; mere saying is not enough. By the Lord's Grace the spirit must be quickened. Spiritual awakening is followed by Samadhi. In this state one forgets that one has a body; one loses all attachment to things of this world; one likes no other words than those relating to God; one is sorely troubled if called upon to listen to worldly matters. The spirit within being awakened, the next step is the realization of the Universal Spirit. It is the spirit that can realize the Spirit. After the discussion was over the Bhagavan said: I have observed that discrimination brings only intellectual apprehension of the Ab- solute, which is far from true realization. The latter can be acquired by meditation in solitude
372