Guest guest Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 A few Excerpts from Consciousness and the Absolute The Final Talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj © 1994, The Acorn Press -- May 14, 1980 Maharaj: Doctors have diagnosed that this body has cancer. Would anyone else be as joyful as I am, with such a serious diagnosis? The world is your direct experience, your own observation. All that is happening is happening at this level, but I am not at this level. I have dissociated myself from Sattva Guna, being ness. The Ultimate state in spirituality is that state where no needs are felt at any time, where nothing is useful for anything. That state is called Nirvana, Nirguna, that which is the Eternal and Ultimate Truth. The essence and sum total of this whole talk is called Sat-guru Parabrahman, that state in which there are no requirements. After the dissolution of the universe, when no further vestige of creation was apparent, what remained is my perfect state. All through the creation and dissolution of the universe, I remain ever untouched. I have not expounded this part: my state never felt the creation and dissolution of the universe. I am the principle which survives all the creations, all the dissolutions. This is my state, and yours, too, but you don't realize it because you are embracing your beingness. Realizing it is only possible when one get support from invincible faith, from that eternal Sat-guru Parabrahman. This state, this Parabrahman principle, is eternal and is also the Sat-guru. It is the eternal property of any devotee of a Guru. -- July 29, 1980 Questioner: Why did this consciousness arise? Maharaj: You are both the question and the answer. All your questions come from your identification with the body. How can any questions relating to that which was prior to the body and consciousness be answered? There are yogis who have sat in meditation for many, many years seeking answers to this question, but even they haven't understood it. And yet you are complaining. Q: It is a great mystery. M: It's a mystery only to the ignorant. To the one not identified with the body, it is no longer a mystery. Q: Maharaj cannot convey it to us? M: I keep telling you but you don't listen. Q: Does Maharaj see us as individuals? M: There are no individuals; there are only food bodies with the knowledge " I Am " . There is no difference between an ant, a human being, and Isvara; they are of the same quality. The body of an ant is small, an elephant's is large. The strength is different, because of size, but the life-force is the same. For knowledge the body is necessary. Q: How did Maharaj get the name Nisargadatta? M: At one time I was composing poems. Poems used to flow out of me and, in this flow, I just added Nisargadatta. I was reveling in composing poems until my Guru cautioned me, " You are enjoying composing these poems too much; give them up! " What was he driving at? His objective was for my to merge in the Absolute state instead of reveling in my beingness. This was the way I realized knowledge, not through mental manipulation. My Guru said, " This is so, " and for me, it was finished! If you continue in the realm of intellect you will become entangled and lost in more and more concepts. Consciousness is time flowing continuously. But I, the Absolute, will not have its company eternally because consciousness is time bound. When this beingness goes, the Absolute will not know " I Am " . Appearance and disappearance, birth and death, these are the qualities of beingness; they are not you qualities. You have urinated and odor is coming from that -- are you that odor? Q: No, I am not. M: You require no more sadhana.. For you, the words of the Guru are final. -- October 5, 1980 Maharaj: I have no individuality. I have assumed no pose as a person. Whatever happens in the manifest consciousness happens. People identify me with their concepts and they do what their concepts tell them. It is consciousness which is manifest, nothing else. Who is talking, who is walking, who is sitting? These are the expressions of that chemical " I Am " . Are you that chemical? You talk about heaven and hell, this Mahatma or that one, but how about you? Who are you? In meditation, one sees a lot of visions. They are in the chemical, the realm of your consciousness, are they not? All these things are connected only to that birth-chemical. You are not this chemical " I Am " ! Spiritual knowledge should not be studied; it is knowledge derived from listening. When the listener hears it, and accepts it, something clicks in him. This " I Amness " is otherness; it is an expression of duality. -- November 8, 1980 Questioner: Why is it that we naturally seem to think of ourselves as separate individuals? Maharaj: Your thoughts about individuality are really not you own thoughts; they are all collective thoughts; they are all collective thoughts. You think that you are the one who has the thoughts; in fact thoughts arise in consciousness. As our spiritual knowledge grows, our identification with an individual body-mind diminishes, and our consciousness expands into universal consciousness. The life force continues to act, but its thought and actions are no longer limited to an individual. They become the total manifestation. It is like the action of the wind -- the wind doesn't blow for any particular individual, but for the total manifestation. Q: As an individual can we go back to the source? M: Not as an individual; the knowledge " I Am " must go back to its own source. Now, consciousness has identified with a form. Later, it understands that it is not that form and goes further. In a few cases it may reach the space, and very often, there it stops. In a very few cases, it reaches its real source, beyond all conditioning. It is difficult to give up that inclination of identifying the body as the self. I am not talking to an individual, I am talking to the consciousness. It is consciousness which must seek its source. Out of that no-being state comes the beingness. It comes as quietly as twilight, with just a feel of " I Am " and then suddenly the space is there. In the space, movement starts with the air, the fire, the water, and the earth. All these five elements are you only. Out of your consciousness all this has happened. There is no individual. There is only you, the total functioning is you, the consciousness is you. You are the consciousness, all the titles of the Gods are you names, but by clinging to the body you hand yourself over to time and death -- you are imposing it on yourself. I am the total universe. When I am the total universe I am in need of nothing because I am everything. But I cramped myself into a small thing, a body; I made myself a fragment and became needful. I need so many things as a body. In the absence of a body, do you, and did you, exist? Are you, and were you, there or not? Attain that state which is and was prior to the body. Your true nature is open and free, but you cover it up, you give it various designs. -- More here: http://www.prahlad.org/gallery/consciousness_absolute.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 A wonderful read... thanks Billym. Nisargadatta , Billym <wmorgan@n...> wrote: > A few Excerpts from > Consciousness and the Absolute > > The Final Talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj © 1994, The Acorn Press > - ------------- > > May 14, 1980 > > Maharaj: Doctors have diagnosed that this body has cancer. Would anyone else be as joyful as I am, with such a serious diagnosis? The > world is your direct experience, your own observation. All that is happening is happening at this level, but I am not at this level. I > have dissociated myself from Sattva Guna, being ness. > > The Ultimate state in spirituality is that state where no needs are felt at any time, where nothing is useful for anything. That state > is called Nirvana, Nirguna, that which is the Eternal and Ultimate Truth. The essence and sum total of this whole talk is called > Sat-guru Parabrahman, that state in which there are no requirements. > > After the dissolution of the universe, when no further vestige of creation was apparent, what remained is my perfect state. All > through the creation and dissolution of the universe, I remain ever untouched. I have not expounded this part: my state never felt the > creation and dissolution of the universe. I am the principle which survives all the creations, all the dissolutions. This is my state, > and yours, too, but you don't realize it because you are embracing your beingness. Realizing it is only possible when one get support > from invincible faith, from that eternal Sat-guru Parabrahman. This state, this Parabrahman principle, is eternal and is also the > Sat-guru. It is the eternal property of any devotee of a Guru. > > > -- ------------ > > July 29, 1980 > > Questioner: Why did this consciousness arise? > > Maharaj: You are both the question and the answer. All your questions come from your identification with the body. How can any > questions relating to that which was prior to the body and consciousness be answered? There are yogis who have sat in meditation for > many, many years seeking answers to this question, but even they haven't understood it. And yet you are complaining. > > Q: It is a great mystery. > > M: It's a mystery only to the ignorant. To the one not identified with the body, it is no longer a mystery. > > Q: Maharaj cannot convey it to us? > > M: I keep telling you but you don't listen. > > Q: Does Maharaj see us as individuals? > > M: There are no individuals; there are only food bodies with the knowledge " I Am " . There is no difference between an ant, a human > being, and Isvara; they are of the same quality. The body of an ant is small, an elephant's is large. The strength is different, > because of size, but the life-force is the same. For knowledge the body is necessary. > > Q: How did Maharaj get the name Nisargadatta? > > M: At one time I was composing poems. Poems used to flow out of me and, in this flow, I just added Nisargadatta. I was reveling in > composing poems until my Guru cautioned me, " You are enjoying composing these poems too much; give them up! " > > What was he driving at? His objective was for my to merge in the Absolute state instead of reveling in my beingness. > > This was the way I realized knowledge, not through mental manipulation. My Guru said, " This is so, " and for me, it was finished! If > you continue in the realm of intellect you will become entangled and lost in more and more concepts. > > Consciousness is time flowing continuously. But I, the Absolute, will not have its company eternally because consciousness is time > bound. When this beingness goes, the Absolute will not know " I Am " . Appearance and disappearance, birth and death, these are the > qualities of beingness; they are not you qualities. You have urinated and odor is coming from that -- are you that odor? > > Q: No, I am not. > > M: You require no more sadhana.. For you, the words of the Guru are final. > > > -- ------------ > > October 5, 1980 > > Maharaj: I have no individuality. I have assumed no pose as a person. Whatever happens in the manifest consciousness happens. > > People identify me with their concepts and they do what their concepts tell them. It is consciousness which is manifest, nothing else. > Who is talking, who is walking, who is sitting? These are the expressions of that chemical " I Am " . Are you that chemical? You talk > about heaven and hell, this Mahatma or that one, but how about you? Who are you? > > In meditation, one sees a lot of visions. They are in the chemical, the realm of your consciousness, are they not? All these things > are connected only to that birth-chemical. You are not this chemical " I Am " ! > > Spiritual knowledge should not be studied; it is knowledge derived from listening. When the listener hears it, and accepts it, > something clicks in him. > > This " I Amness " is otherness; it is an expression of duality. > > > -- ------------ > > November 8, 1980 > > Questioner: Why is it that we naturally seem to think of ourselves as separate individuals? > > Maharaj: Your thoughts about individuality are really not you own thoughts; they are all collective thoughts; they are all collective > thoughts. You think that you are the one who has the thoughts; in fact thoughts arise in consciousness. > > As our spiritual knowledge grows, our identification with an individual body-mind diminishes, and our consciousness expands into > universal consciousness. The life force continues to act, but its thought and actions are no longer limited to an individual. They > become the total manifestation. It is like the action of the wind -- the wind doesn't blow for any particular individual, but for the > total manifestation. > > Q: As an individual can we go back to the source? > > M: Not as an individual; the knowledge " I Am " must go back to its own source. > > Now, consciousness has identified with a form. Later, it understands that it is not that form and goes further. In a few cases it may > reach the space, and very often, there it stops. In a very few cases, it reaches its real source, beyond all conditioning. > > It is difficult to give up that inclination of identifying the body as the self. I am not talking to an individual, I am talking to > the consciousness. It is consciousness which must seek its source. > > Out of that no-being state comes the beingness. It comes as quietly as twilight, with just a feel of " I Am " and then suddenly the > space is there. In the space, movement starts with the air, the fire, the water, and the earth. All these five elements are you only. > Out of your consciousness all this has happened. There is no individual. There is only you, the total functioning is you, the > consciousness is you. > > You are the consciousness, all the titles of the Gods are you names, but by clinging to the body you hand yourself over to time and > death -- you are imposing it on yourself. > > I am the total universe. When I am the total universe I am in need of nothing because I am everything. But I cramped myself into a > small thing, a body; I made myself a fragment and became needful. I need so many things as a body. > > In the absence of a body, do you, and did you, exist? Are you, and were you, there or not? Attain that state which is and was prior to > the body. Your true nature is open and free, but you cover it up, you give it various designs. > -- ------------ > > More here: > http://www.prahlad.org/gallery/consciousness_absolute.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 A wonderful read... thanks Billym. Nisargadatta , Billym <wmorgan@n...> wrote: > A few Excerpts from > Consciousness and the Absolute > > The Final Talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj © 1994, The Acorn Press > - ------------- > > May 14, 1980 > > Maharaj: Doctors have diagnosed that this body has cancer. Would anyone else be as joyful as I am, with such a serious diagnosis? The > world is your direct experience, your own observation. All that is happening is happening at this level, but I am not at this level. I > have dissociated myself from Sattva Guna, being ness. > > The Ultimate state in spirituality is that state where no needs are felt at any time, where nothing is useful for anything. That state > is called Nirvana, Nirguna, that which is the Eternal and Ultimate Truth. The essence and sum total of this whole talk is called > Sat-guru Parabrahman, that state in which there are no requirements. > > After the dissolution of the universe, when no further vestige of creation was apparent, what remained is my perfect state. All > through the creation and dissolution of the universe, I remain ever untouched. I have not expounded this part: my state never felt the > creation and dissolution of the universe. I am the principle which survives all the creations, all the dissolutions. This is my state, > and yours, too, but you don't realize it because you are embracing your beingness. Realizing it is only possible when one get support > from invincible faith, from that eternal Sat-guru Parabrahman. This state, this Parabrahman principle, is eternal and is also the > Sat-guru. It is the eternal property of any devotee of a Guru. > > > -- ------------ > > July 29, 1980 > > Questioner: Why did this consciousness arise? > > Maharaj: You are both the question and the answer. All your questions come from your identification with the body. How can any > questions relating to that which was prior to the body and consciousness be answered? There are yogis who have sat in meditation for > many, many years seeking answers to this question, but even they haven't understood it. And yet you are complaining. > > Q: It is a great mystery. > > M: It's a mystery only to the ignorant. To the one not identified with the body, it is no longer a mystery. > > Q: Maharaj cannot convey it to us? > > M: I keep telling you but you don't listen. > > Q: Does Maharaj see us as individuals? > > M: There are no individuals; there are only food bodies with the knowledge " I Am " . There is no difference between an ant, a human > being, and Isvara; they are of the same quality. The body of an ant is small, an elephant's is large. The strength is different, > because of size, but the life-force is the same. For knowledge the body is necessary. > > Q: How did Maharaj get the name Nisargadatta? > > M: At one time I was composing poems. Poems used to flow out of me and, in this flow, I just added Nisargadatta. I was reveling in > composing poems until my Guru cautioned me, " You are enjoying composing these poems too much; give them up! " > > What was he driving at? His objective was for my to merge in the Absolute state instead of reveling in my beingness. > > This was the way I realized knowledge, not through mental manipulation. My Guru said, " This is so, " and for me, it was finished! If > you continue in the realm of intellect you will become entangled and lost in more and more concepts. > > Consciousness is time flowing continuously. But I, the Absolute, will not have its company eternally because consciousness is time > bound. When this beingness goes, the Absolute will not know " I Am " . Appearance and disappearance, birth and death, these are the > qualities of beingness; they are not you qualities. You have urinated and odor is coming from that -- are you that odor? > > Q: No, I am not. > > M: You require no more sadhana.. For you, the words of the Guru are final. > > > -- ------------ > > October 5, 1980 > > Maharaj: I have no individuality. I have assumed no pose as a person. Whatever happens in the manifest consciousness happens. > > People identify me with their concepts and they do what their concepts tell them. It is consciousness which is manifest, nothing else. > Who is talking, who is walking, who is sitting? These are the expressions of that chemical " I Am " . Are you that chemical? You talk > about heaven and hell, this Mahatma or that one, but how about you? Who are you? > > In meditation, one sees a lot of visions. They are in the chemical, the realm of your consciousness, are they not? All these things > are connected only to that birth-chemical. You are not this chemical " I Am " ! > > Spiritual knowledge should not be studied; it is knowledge derived from listening. When the listener hears it, and accepts it, > something clicks in him. > > This " I Amness " is otherness; it is an expression of duality. > > > -- ------------ > > November 8, 1980 > > Questioner: Why is it that we naturally seem to think of ourselves as separate individuals? > > Maharaj: Your thoughts about individuality are really not you own thoughts; they are all collective thoughts; they are all collective > thoughts. You think that you are the one who has the thoughts; in fact thoughts arise in consciousness. > > As our spiritual knowledge grows, our identification with an individual body-mind diminishes, and our consciousness expands into > universal consciousness. The life force continues to act, but its thought and actions are no longer limited to an individual. They > become the total manifestation. It is like the action of the wind -- the wind doesn't blow for any particular individual, but for the > total manifestation. > > Q: As an individual can we go back to the source? > > M: Not as an individual; the knowledge " I Am " must go back to its own source. > > Now, consciousness has identified with a form. Later, it understands that it is not that form and goes further. In a few cases it may > reach the space, and very often, there it stops. In a very few cases, it reaches its real source, beyond all conditioning. > > It is difficult to give up that inclination of identifying the body as the self. I am not talking to an individual, I am talking to > the consciousness. It is consciousness which must seek its source. > > Out of that no-being state comes the beingness. It comes as quietly as twilight, with just a feel of " I Am " and then suddenly the > space is there. In the space, movement starts with the air, the fire, the water, and the earth. All these five elements are you only. > Out of your consciousness all this has happened. There is no individual. There is only you, the total functioning is you, the > consciousness is you. > > You are the consciousness, all the titles of the Gods are you names, but by clinging to the body you hand yourself over to time and > death -- you are imposing it on yourself. > > I am the total universe. When I am the total universe I am in need of nothing because I am everything. But I cramped myself into a > small thing, a body; I made myself a fragment and became needful. I need so many things as a body. > > In the absence of a body, do you, and did you, exist? Are you, and were you, there or not? Attain that state which is and was prior to > the body. Your true nature is open and free, but you cover it up, you give it various designs. > -- ------------ > > More here: > http://www.prahlad.org/gallery/consciousness_absolute.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 That's funny, I wonder why that came through twice. I must have been extra appreciative. Toby Nisargadatta , " Toby " <toby.wilson@t...> wrote: > A wonderful read... thanks Billym. > > Nisargadatta , Billym <wmorgan@n...> wrote: > > A few Excerpts from > > Consciousness and the Absolute > > > > The Final Talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj © 1994, The Acorn Press > > -------------------------------- -- > ------------- > > > > May 14, 1980 > > > > Maharaj: Doctors have diagnosed that this body has cancer. Would > anyone else be as joyful as I am, with such a serious diagnosis? The > > world is your direct experience, your own observation. All that is > happening is happening at this level, but I am not at this level. I > > have dissociated myself from Sattva Guna, being ness. > > > > The Ultimate state in spirituality is that state where no needs are > felt at any time, where nothing is useful for anything. That state > > is called Nirvana, Nirguna, that which is the Eternal and Ultimate > Truth. The essence and sum total of this whole talk is called > > Sat-guru Parabrahman, that state in which there are no requirements. > > > > After the dissolution of the universe, when no further vestige of > creation was apparent, what remained is my perfect state. All > > through the creation and dissolution of the universe, I remain ever > untouched. I have not expounded this part: my state never felt the > > creation and dissolution of the universe. I am the principle which > survives all the creations, all the dissolutions. This is my state, > > and yours, too, but you don't realize it because you are embracing > your beingness. Realizing it is only possible when one get support > > from invincible faith, from that eternal Sat-guru Parabrahman. This > state, this Parabrahman principle, is eternal and is also the > > Sat-guru. It is the eternal property of any devotee of a Guru. > > > > > > -- > ------------ > > > > July 29, 1980 > > > > Questioner: Why did this consciousness arise? > > > > Maharaj: You are both the question and the answer. All your > questions come from your identification with the body. How can any > > questions relating to that which was prior to the body and > consciousness be answered? There are yogis who have sat in meditation > for > > many, many years seeking answers to this question, but even they > haven't understood it. And yet you are complaining. > > > > Q: It is a great mystery. > > > > M: It's a mystery only to the ignorant. To the one not identified > with the body, it is no longer a mystery. > > > > Q: Maharaj cannot convey it to us? > > > > M: I keep telling you but you don't listen. > > > > Q: Does Maharaj see us as individuals? > > > > M: There are no individuals; there are only food bodies with the > knowledge " I Am " . There is no difference between an ant, a human > > being, and Isvara; they are of the same quality. The body of an ant > is small, an elephant's is large. The strength is different, > > because of size, but the life-force is the same. For knowledge the > body is necessary. > > > > Q: How did Maharaj get the name Nisargadatta? > > > > M: At one time I was composing poems. Poems used to flow out of me > and, in this flow, I just added Nisargadatta. I was reveling in > > composing poems until my Guru cautioned me, " You are enjoying > composing these poems too much; give them up! " > > > > What was he driving at? His objective was for my to merge in the > Absolute state instead of reveling in my beingness. > > > > This was the way I realized knowledge, not through mental > manipulation. My Guru said, " This is so, " and for me, it was > finished! If > > you continue in the realm of intellect you will become entangled > and lost in more and more concepts. > > > > Consciousness is time flowing continuously. But I, the Absolute, > will not have its company eternally because consciousness is time > > bound. When this beingness goes, the Absolute will not know " I Am " . > Appearance and disappearance, birth and death, these are the > > qualities of beingness; they are not you qualities. You have > urinated and odor is coming from that -- are you that odor? > > > > Q: No, I am not. > > > > M: You require no more sadhana.. For you, the words of the Guru are > final. > > > > > > -- > ------------ > > > > October 5, 1980 > > > > Maharaj: I have no individuality. I have assumed no pose as a > person. Whatever happens in the manifest consciousness happens. > > > > People identify me with their concepts and they do what their > concepts tell them. It is consciousness which is manifest, nothing > else. > > Who is talking, who is walking, who is sitting? These are the > expressions of that chemical " I Am " . Are you that chemical? You talk > > about heaven and hell, this Mahatma or that one, but how about you? > Who are you? > > > > In meditation, one sees a lot of visions. They are in the chemical, > the realm of your consciousness, are they not? All these things > > are connected only to that birth-chemical. You are not this > chemical " I Am " ! > > > > Spiritual knowledge should not be studied; it is knowledge derived > from listening. When the listener hears it, and accepts it, > > something clicks in him. > > > > This " I Amness " is otherness; it is an expression of duality. > > > > > > -- > ------------ > > > > November 8, 1980 > > > > Questioner: Why is it that we naturally seem to think of ourselves > as separate individuals? > > > > Maharaj: Your thoughts about individuality are really not you own > thoughts; they are all collective thoughts; they are all collective > > thoughts. You think that you are the one who has the thoughts; in > fact thoughts arise in consciousness. > > > > As our spiritual knowledge grows, our identification with an > individual body-mind diminishes, and our consciousness expands into > > universal consciousness. The life force continues to act, but its > thought and actions are no longer limited to an individual. They > > become the total manifestation. It is like the action of the wind -- > the wind doesn't blow for any particular individual, but for the > > total manifestation. > > > > Q: As an individual can we go back to the source? > > > > M: Not as an individual; the knowledge " I Am " must go back to its > own source. > > > > Now, consciousness has identified with a form. Later, it > understands that it is not that form and goes further. In a few cases > it may > > reach the space, and very often, there it stops. In a very few > cases, it reaches its real source, beyond all conditioning. > > > > It is difficult to give up that inclination of identifying the body > as the self. I am not talking to an individual, I am talking to > > the consciousness. It is consciousness which must seek its source. > > > > Out of that no-being state comes the beingness. It comes as quietly > as twilight, with just a feel of " I Am " and then suddenly the > > space is there. In the space, movement starts with the air, the > fire, the water, and the earth. All these five elements are you only. > > Out of your consciousness all this has happened. There is no > individual. There is only you, the total functioning is you, the > > consciousness is you. > > > > You are the consciousness, all the titles of the Gods are you > names, but by clinging to the body you hand yourself over to time and > > death -- you are imposing it on yourself. > > > > I am the total universe. When I am the total universe I am in need > of nothing because I am everything. But I cramped myself into a > > small thing, a body; I made myself a fragment and became needful. I > need so many things as a body. > > > > In the absence of a body, do you, and did you, exist? Are you, and > were you, there or not? Attain that state which is and was prior to > > the body. Your true nature is open and free, but you cover it up, > you give it various designs. > > -- > ------------ > > > > More here: > > http://www.prahlad.org/gallery/consciousness_absolute.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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