Q: How did ignorance (avidya] arise at all?

Sri Ramana Maharshi :
Ignorance never arose.
It has no real being.
That which is, is only vidya [knowledge].

Q: Why then do I not realize it?

Sri Ramana Maharshi :
Because of the samskaras.
However, find out who does not realize and what he does not realize. Then it will be clear that there is no avidya.

●●Q: So, it is wrong to begin with a goal, is it?

Sri Ramana Maharshi :
If there is a goal to be reached it cannot be permanent.
The goal must already be there.
We seek to reach the goal with the ego,
but the goal exists before the ego.

What is in the goal is even prior to our birth, that is, to the birth of the ego. Because we exist the ego appears to exist too.

If we look on the Self as the ego then we become the ego,
if as the mind we become the mind,
if as the body we become the body.

It is the thought which builds up sheaths in so many ways.
The shadow on the water is found to be shaking.

Can anyone stop the shaking of the shadow?
If it would cease to shake you would not notice the water but only the light.
Similarly take no notice of the ego and its activities,
but see only the light behind.

The ego is the thought I'. The trueI’ is the Self.

Q: If it is just a question of giving up ideas then it is only one step to realization.

Sri Ramana Maharshi :

Realization is already there.
The state free from thoughts is the only real state.
There is no such action as realization.

Is there anyone who is not realizing the Self ?
Does anyone deny his own existence?

Speaking of realization, it implies two selves

• the one to realize, the other to be realized.

What is not already realized is sought to be realized.
Once we admit our existence,
how is it that we do not know our Self ?

Q: Because of the thoughts,the mind.

Sri Ramana Maharshi :

Quite so.
It is the mind that veils our happiness.
How do we know that we exist ?
If you say because of the world around us,
then how do you know that you existed in deep sleep?

~ From Be as you are book