In Silence Occurs the Death of the Mind

Q&A with Sirshree

Self Enquiry : With Understanding

Q: What is Self-Enquiry?

Sirshree : This path (self enquiry with understanding) is that of raising doubt over the mind questioning the mind itself – the very mind that raises doubts over the whole world : Who made the world? When? Where will I go when I die? Why was I born? What is the purpose? etc. But who is asking these questions? When we start asking this, the mind starts falling for the first time.

Q: Why does the mind fall on self-enquiry?

Sirshree : Let us say that the mind is asking a question : “What will happen when I die?”. At that moment, if you ask : “Who is it that will die?”, then the mind is forced to go within. Within lies absolute silence (moun). In that silence, the death of the mind occurs momentarily. Going within, you find out for the first time that there is nothing that can be called as the mind.

Q : What did you say Sirshree – that there is no mind?

Sirshree : Yes. This is what is illusion. Mind is just a bundle of thoughts. Thoughts come together and get imprinted on our memory because of which we presume the existence of the mind. All these thoughts are like waves on the sea. When the waves sink into the sea, then the sea is tranquil. The same way when thoughts sink into that absolute silence – sink into the Self – then the death of the mind happens.