The presentation of Ramana Maharshi’s teaching in *Be As You Are* places it squarely within the Advaita Vedānta current, yet shows how his emphasis on Self‑enquiry gives that tradition a particularly direct and practical expression. The non‑dual vision of the identity of Ātman and Brahman is fully affirmed, but instead of leaning on scriptural exegesis or elaborate philosophical systems, the teaching is distilled into the simple turning of attention toward the “I”-sense itself. This inward movement—asking “Who am I?” and tracing the ego back to its source—is treated as the living core of jñāna‑yoga rather than as one method among many. In that sense, the book portrays Ramana as both continuous with classical Advaita and at the same time unusually uncompromising in his insistence on immediacy over gradual, stage‑based paths.

At the same time, the compilation shows Ramana’s teaching as universal in scope, not confined to any sectarian identity. Devotional paths are acknowledged as valid, and surrender to God or Guru is repeatedly interpreted as converging with Self‑enquiry when it culminates in the dissolution of the ego. Yogic disciplines such as meditation, prāṇāyāma, and other auxiliary practices are treated as potentially helpful supports, especially for quieting the mind, yet they are consistently subordinated to the central enquiry into the “I.” This pattern recurs whenever other methods are raised: they are not rejected outright, but they are gently redirected toward the fundamental investigation of the one who practises.

The book also notes resonances with non‑Indian and non‑Advaitic currents, while keeping Ramana’s own language and framework clearly Advaitic. Parallels are drawn with strands of Buddhism and Sufism that emphasize inner realization and the unreality of the ego, and Ramana is shown as recognizing that saints in various traditions may have realized the same Reality under different names. Yet the terminology of the Self and the stress on abiding as pure awareness remain the defining features of his expression. Rather than constructing a grand synthesis of religions, the teaching is presented as a kind of touchstone: wherever the ego is relinquished and one abides as the ever‑present awareness, there the essence of his path is found.

Across these comparisons, *Be As You Are* repeatedly underscores one distinctive feature: the radical inwardness and simplicity of Self‑enquiry as the primary means of liberation. Other traditions and methods may involve ritual, moral disciplines, devotional practices, or intricate metaphysical schemes, and these are granted a relative place and value. Yet the book lets Ramana’s own replies demonstrate that, for those ready to hear it, the most direct way is simply to attend to the source of the “I”-thought until only the Self remains. In this way his teaching is portrayed as both deeply rooted in a venerable non‑dual lineage and at the same time stripped to an essence that can speak to seekers from any background.