The World is Illusion

Ramana Maharshi taught that the world appears real only because of the 'I' thought. When the 'I' thought is destroyed, the world is seen to be an illusion, and only the Self remains.

Ramana Maharshi taught that the world appears real only because of the "I" thought. When one identifies with the body and mind, the world appears real. But when the "I" thought is destroyed through self-inquiry, the world is seen to be an illusion, and only the Self remains.

This does not mean that the world does not exist, but that it exists only in relation to the "I" thought. When the "I" thought is destroyed, the world merges into the Self, just as a dream merges into the dreamer upon waking.

The goal of self-inquiry is to realize that the world is not separate from the Self, but is the Self itself. When one realizes the Self, one realizes that everything is the Self, and there is nothing apart from the Self.