Atma Vichara

Atma vichara — self-inquiry, “Who am I?” — is the direct path of Advaita practice made canonical by Ramana Maharshi: turning attention back upon the “I”-thought until it dissolves in the Self.

Overview

Ramana’s teaching (from his own 1896 death-experience at Madurai): the “I”-thought is the root of all thoughts; pursued to its source, it vanishes, leaving the pure “I-I” — the Self; the method taught in his Forty Verses and the recorded dialogues (the day-by-day instruction in the Hall).

Philosophical Context

Advaita’s nididhyasana (contemplation) transformed into a single pointed inquiry; the relation to jnana-yoga (vichara as its essence — the Vivekachudamani’s “reflection on the Self” distilled); the comparison with other paths (bhakti’s surrender as vichara’s twin in Ramana’s own saying: “the door opened by inquiry is also opened by surrender”).

Practice

Attending to the sense “I” (not the verbal question but the attention itself), the non-pursuit of arising thoughts (returning to the source), and the Self’s recognition (the sahaja state as the practice’s fruit).

Verification notes

• The method is Ramana’s documented teaching (his written and recorded works).
• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).