Ramana Maharshi states that only the Self, the pure consciousness, is real. Everything else – the perceived world of objects and phenomena, and the sense of 'I' as a separate individual (the ego) – are merely appearances, like a dream or a mirage. These false perceptions are the root of all suffering because they obscure your true nature as the boundless Self.

Within the Advaita Vedanta tradition, to which Ramana Maharshi's teachings strongly align, this concept is central. The world is considered 'mithya' – not absolutely unreal like a square circle, but not absolutely real either; it has a dependent reality, appearing only when the Self is mistaken for the ego. The ego, the 'I-thought,' is the primary illusion that binds you to this phenomenal world and its attendant pains and pleasures. Liberation, or Moksha, is not achieved by changing the world or eradicating the ego through effort, but by realizing the Self directly. The method prescribed is 'Atma Vichara' or self-inquiry, famously encapsulated by the question 'Who am I?' This inquiry aims to trace the ego back to its source in the Self, thereby dissolving the illusion.

In your life: When faced with distress, instead of focusing on external circumstances or the 'other,' turn your attention inward and ask, 'Who is experiencing this suffering?' This simple inquiry can begin to unravel the ego's grip and reveal the unchanging Self beneath.