Seeing and Understanding

[Guest guest]

Dear Stephen

 

Nisargadatta's statement

that understanding is something

to be given up

is initially quite puzzling,

therefore

I have collected together

some texts where he

discusses the subject of

Understanding.

 

The most profound words are perhaps:

 

" that understanding becomes

the knower of consciousness "

 

" Understanding is at the level of consciousness,

and consciousness is illusory "

 

For your enjoyment.

 

At your service,

 

John

 

 

Nisargadatta:

 

Never think 'I have understood everything correctly'.

That is a mistake.

 

When a clear understanding takes place

of the nature and function of consciousness,

that understanding no longer needs consciousness,

because that understanding becomes

the knower of consciousness.

 

Understanding is that the body is the essence of food

and consciousness is the nature of the essence of food,

and that you have no authority or control

over your own existence,

being able to do nothing by your own efforts.

 

So long as one is identified with the essence

of the five elements

it is impossible to understand,

because that which is trying to understand

is a pseudo-entity.

 

You are hanging on to an entity

that is trying to understand.

You are carrying on a lot of activities

because of certain concepts you entertain,

to satisfy the concepts that have arisen

spontaneously in you.

All this will go on so long as this

conscious presence is available,

and all this merely to satisfy the concept " I Am " ,

and you, the Absolute, are not the primary concept " I Am " .

 

The biggest drawback to understanding

is the concept that I am an entity,

and secondly, that any concept I have is the truth.

 

The feeling of having understood

is likely to lead one into a sense of illusion,

because the individual thinks he has found something

to impart to others, but there is no individual.

 

Understanding can be of no use to you,

because it is at the level of consciousness,

and consciousness is illusory.

 

Do not try to understand.

Enough if you do not misunderstand.

 

The correct understanding will be

when you realize that whatever

you have understood so far,

is invalid.

 

In Jnana-yoga all that is understood is made unreal.

 

Understanding is a stage.

You must go beyond this understanding stage,

to a stage beyond,

you must come to a state of " I have not understood anything " .

Come to the conclusion that the various stages

from childhood up to old age.....whatever you have understood

and got stabilized as your identity.....has proved false.

Similarly, whatever you have tried to understand

during your spiritual, search will prove false.

Therefore nothing is to be understood.

 

The ultimate point of view is

that there is nothing to understand,

so when we try to understand,

we are only indulging in acrobatics of the mind.

 

You have not understood until

you have solved the riddle

of the one who thinks he has understood.