Consciousness and the Absolute - Introduction

[Guest guest]

The teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj have been published in several

books using the original question-and-answer format in which the

teachings were given. Maurice Frydman's translation of Maharaj's

talks, `I am that' and other collections which followed, including my

own, have served as guideposts to Maharaj's philosophy. Many people

from the West have come to follow his precepts through their reading

of these collections. Now, another in the golden link of guideposts

is presented here as `Consciousness and the Absolute " .

 

In this book you will find the last teachings of Sri Nisargadatta

Maharaj, the final dialogues he had with the people who had come from

all over the world to hear his words. These talks, coming during the

last days of his life, were the culmination of the rarest teachings

he had to give us; they were the summit of the heights of his wisdom.

 

The scene for these talks was the small upstairs room which he had

built some fifty years before, for his own meditation. So many

seekers had come to him for spiritual guidance over a span of forty

years! Now his talks were short, terse, during the pain-filled days

of the illness (cancer). It was abundantly clear that although the

body was in terrible pain, he knew he was not that body. We knew his

body was suffering because he told us; yet we never heard a moan or a

whimper form his lips. It was awe-inspiring simply to watch him.

 

Maurice Frydman described this great teacher as `warm-hearted,

tender, shrewdly humorous, absolutely fearless and true; inspiring,

guiding and supporting all who come to him'. Others have described

him as a tiger. He was what-ever was needed: kind, gentle, patient,

abrupt, abrasive, impatient. Moods passed over him like summer

breeze, barely touching him.

 

The force of his message resounds with his singleness of

purpose: " Give up all you have read and heard and just BE. You, as

the Absolute, are not this `I Amness', but presently you have to

abide in `I Amness'. He says it again and again. But the very

repetition of his teachings is meaningful, for we have built up a

hard shell around this pseudo-ego to protect it; therefore, constant

hammering is needed to break this shell. The repetition style of his

teachings is part of his wisdom and teaching skill.

 

He taught us to find out for ourselves, to ponder his words, and ask

ourselves, " Can this be true?' he said one must find out what the

body is, where it came from, study it with detachment, watch it

without judging. One soon sees that it is just like a robot which has

been programmed by others. We are to turn within to that which lets

us know that we are, to become one with that.

 

Abiding in the " I Am-ness " (or Consciousness, which is pure love),

that Consciousness itself will give us all the answer. At the present

time, Consciousness is what we are, not personal Consciousness, but

impersonal, universal Consciousness. In course of time, the

Consciousness will show us that we are not even this, but we are that

Eternal Absolute, unborn, undying.

All shadings of his singular wisdom are reflected during these last,

poignant conversations with those who were privileged to be in his

presence.

 

When you read his words, may you find in them his blessings.

Jean Dunn

 

 

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With Love,

Cyber Dervish

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