Dear A,

Excellent quote from Sri Ramana Maharshi–and much to unpack here. Sri Ramana replies:

Yes. All bad qualities centre round the ego. When the ego is gone
Realisation results by itself. There are neither good nor bad qualities
in the Self. The Self is free from all qualities. Qualities pertain to
the mind only. It is beyond quality. 

1. The Self has NO objective qualities. It’s not visible, sensible, conceptualizable, etc. Since it has no objective qualities, the Self isn’t, in itself, a form. Because it isn’t, in itself, a form, it cannot be limited.

2. Objective qualities are simply concepts, and concepts are nothing but mind.

3. Therefore, the first teaching says: “Transcend all thought or conception.” (The first teaching, not the last teaching.)

Reading on:

If there is unity, there will also be duality. The numeral one gives rise to other numbers. The truth is neither one nor two. IT is as it is.

4. Yes, the question here is about countability. The Self is certainly “not three or more.” But then it’s also commonly said that it’s “not two” (advaita). Yes, but can it then be countable as one? No–for without two, how could there be one? And without one, how could there be two? Could the Self, then, be said to be zero? Not if zero is a number. The Self is uncountable. It is. It is as It is.

5. NB: If there isn’t one, then there also aren’t many (e.g., many sights). There’s only the uncountable Self. 

Warmly,

Andrew