Who am I?

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

“The mind will merge only by self-inquiry: ‘Who am I?’ The thought ‘Who am I?’ will destroy all other thoughts and finally kill itself.”

~Śrī Raman Maharshi

Questioner: In contrast to the above verse, in my daily life, when I feel jealous, it feels more intuitive to ask, “Why am I jealous?” and not, “Who is jealous?” Please, speak on Maharshi’s method of self-inquiry — ‘Who am I?’ because, at one place, he even goes on to say, “There is no such thing as the mind” and what I know of is just the mind.

Acharya Prashant: Self-inquiry is not merely a method. It is the foundation on which the entire edifice of not merely Vedanta but all spirituality stands. ‘Who am I?’ pertains to the infinite possibilities available to the ego, including the possibility for the infinite. When it is queried — ‘Who am I?’

Who am I at this juncture?

Who am I right now?

Not ‘Who am I?’ in general; not ‘Who am I?’ as a fixed concept; not ‘Who am I?’ as a label, name tag, or permanent identity. Who am I right now?