Experiences come and go. Consciousness remains the same.

 

"It came as a flash and disappeared as such. That which has a beginning must also end. Only when the ever-present consciousness is realized will it be permanent. Consciousness is indeed always with us. Everyone knows ‘I am!’ No one can deny his own being. The man in deep slumber is not aware; while awake he seems to be aware. But it is the same person. There is no change in the one who slept and the one who is now awake. In deep sleep he was not aware of his body; there was no body-consciousness. In the wakeful state he is aware of his body; there is body-consciousness. Therefore, the difference lies in the emergence of body-consciousness and not in any change in the Real Consciousness. The body and body-consciousness arise together and sink together. All this amounts to saying that there are no limitations in deep sleep, whereas there are limitations in the waking state. These limitations are the bondage; the feeling ‘The body is I’ is the error. This false sense of ‘I’ must go. The real ‘I’ is always there. It is here and now. It never appears anew and disappears again. That which is, must also persist forever. That which appears anew will also be lost." (Ramana Maharshi, Talks, 96).

The quote talks about how temporary experiences of consciousness are not the same as the true realization of our own being.

The quote says that sometimes we may have glimpses of apparent changes in consciousness or states of mind that come and go quickly. These are not lasting or satisfying, because anything that has a beginning also has an end. The only way to be truly free and happy is to recognize the consciousness that is always present and never changes. This is our real nature, our true 'I'.

The quote also compares the states of deep sleep and waking. In deep sleep, we are not aware of our body or anything else. In waking, we become aware of our body and the world. But this does not mean that our consciousness has changed. It is the same consciousness in both states. The difference is that in waking, we identify with the body and its limitations. This is the cause of our suffering and ignorance. We need to let go of this false sense of 'I' and realize the true 'I' that is always here and now. This 'I' does not come and go, it is eternal and infinite.