Each experience shows its own hollowness

One must be free to do as one pleases and should not be served by others.

‘No want’ is the greatest bliss.

It can be realized only by experience.

~ Sri Raman Maharishi

Acharya Prashant: Like the entire path of Jnana Yoga, here again, you have to proceed via the negativa. You have to understand that when Raman Maharshi is using the word ‘experience,’ he is using it to negate something, rather he is using it to negate experience itself.

He’s saying, “One must be free to do as one pleases and should not be served by others. ‘No want’ is the greatest bliss. It can be realized only by experience.”

Our experiences are all contingent on wants first of all. And secondly, our experiences, our wants, are all contingent on others. Our experiences are all desire led, and all our desires pertain to others. We seek happiness in others.

What is Maharshi saying then?

He is saying, “You have had umpteen experiences, innumerable experiences so far. And all of them relate to your wants, and all your wants relate to others and the world. What have your experiences given you so far? Look at them carefully.”

This is the process of negation, Neti-neti (Neither this nor that).