Nisargadatta Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta: There is no such thing as spirituality - January 17, 1981

 

Q: In consciousness is there doership and also witnessing?

M: Everything is in the realm of consciousness.

 

Q: Are all the actions in the world being done through

consciousness? The movement of the five elements also?

M: The sum total of the five elements is consciousness.

 

Q: Its beautiful to praise this consciousness by consciousness, no?

M: Oh, yes. Whatever you are, only you know. In the body is only

the knowledge, no person. For practical purposes you use various

names.

 

Q: In the body, why is this consciousness saying. “I†“you,†etc

M: Consciousness is one, but it manifests into many, so for practical

purposes you say “I†“you.â€, etc.

 

Q: My consciousness is due to this body, sustained by this body, not

other bodies.

M: In your consciousness all the bodies are there.

 

Q: Maharaj said that I am not in the body, that the body is in me.

M: If you are an author, a number of books are potentially in your

pen. Since when did you realize that you are?

 

Q: When the body and consciousness appeared.

M: The sun total of my spirituality now is nothing, even that word

“nothing†is not there, so there is no spirituality left. Suppose I do

not like my body, or even the vital breath, what can I do †" the body is

there, vital breath is there, and therefore this “ I Amness†is there.

They are functioning by themselves, why should I worry about it? It

is having its play, let it have it. So long as that knowingness, “I

Amnessâ€, is there that attraction will be there for others. The

knowingness is the outcome of the food body; when this body is

consumed, where is that “ I Amness� There is no such thing as

spirituality; what ever is, is only this worldly life, in the

five-elemental play. You are nothing better than vegetation. Just as

grass is growing, human beings are growing. Will anybody accept this?

Birth is a material aspect. If you are yourself alone, that state

will not be felt; but if there is a foreign element, only then the

suffering starts. On you, the original, this foreign element is

imposed, that is why it is suffering You will not enquire into what

you are. Because you are intellectuals, you will prepare delicacies

out of you intellect and you will go on eating that. Even in

spirituality you employ your intellect, you prepare so many delicacies

out of you concepts and you relish them.

 

Take a hint from what I have said. That you experience the world at

all is the result of somebody’s fun; now it has become the source of

misery.

 

Q: Is it possible to be in a wordless state?

M: Can you live without words? Words are very necessary.

 

Q: We are prisoners of our own concepts.

M: Just enquire into that birth principle. You are; because you are,

the father and mother are. It’s a simultaneous happening. Because of

their action you are, and {at the same time} you have parents. Without

their bodies. Ignore that action because of which you are; and then

try to recognize what the parents are. As a result of these two

presences, there is a third presence, “I Amâ€. Now will you clear out

those concepts of yours and parents?

 

From Consciousness and the Absolute...Editor Jean Dunn