Nisargadatta Maharaj says Greatest Guru is Your Inner Self

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Questioner: On all sides I hear that freedom from desires and inclinations

is the first condition of self-realisation. But I find the condition

impossible of fulfilment. Ignorance of oneself causes desires and desires

perpetuate ignorance. A truly vicious circle!

 

Maharaj: There are no conditions to fulfil. There is nothing to be done,

nothing to be given up. Just look and remember, whatever you perceive is not

you, nor yours. It is there in the field of consciousness, but you are not

the field and its contents, nor even the knower of the field. It is your

idea that you have to do things that entangle you in the results of your

efforts -- the motive, the desire, the failure to achieve, the sense of

frustration -- all this holds you back. Simply look at whatever happens and

know that you are beyond it.

 

Q: Does it mean I should abstain from doing anything?

 

M: You cannot! What goes on must go on. If you stop suddenly, you will

crash.

 

Q: Has devotion (bhakti) any place in your teaching?

 

M: When you are not well, you go to a physician who tells you what is wrong

and what is the remedy. If you have confidence in him, it makes things

simple: you take the medicine, follow the diet restrictions and get well.

But if you do not trust him, you may still take a chance, or you may study

medicine yourself! In all cases it is your desire for recovery that moves

you, not the physician.

 

Without trust there is no peace. Somebody or other you always trust -- it

may be your mother, or your wife. Of all the people the knower of the self,

the liberated man, is the most trust-worthy. But merely to trust is not

enough. You must also desire. Without desire for freedom of what use is the

confidence that you can acquire freedom? Desire and confidence must go

together. The stronger your desire, the easier comes the help. The greatest

Guru is helpless as long as the disciple is not eager to learn. Eagerness

and earnestness are all-important. Confidence will come with experience. Be

devoted to your goal -- and devotion to him who can guide you will follow.

If your desire and confidence are strong, they will operate and take you to

your goal, for you will not cause delay by hesitation and compromise.

 

The greatest Guru is your inner self. Truly, he is the supreme teacher. He

alone can take you to your goal and he alone meets you at the end of the

road. Confide in him and you need no outer Guru. But again you must have the

strong desire to find him and do nothing that will create obstacles and

delays. And do not waste energy and time on regrets. Learn from your

mistakes and do not repeat them.

 

Q: What is wrong with the universe?

 

M: Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from

it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care of itself.

You do not tidy up a dark room. You open the windows first. Letting in the

light makes everything easy. So, let us wait with improving others until we

have seen ourselves as we are -- and have changed. There is no need to turn

round and round in endless questioning; find yourself and everything will

fall into its proper place.

 

Q: How can the universal be responsible for the particular?

 

M: All life on earth depends on the sun. Yet you cannot blame the sun for

all that happens, though it is the ultimate cause. Light causes the colour

of the flower, but it neither controls, nor is responsible for it directly.

It makes it possible, that is all.

 

Q: Yet, there is a body and you do take care of it.

 

M: The power that created the body takes care of it.

 

Source: I AM THAT Book By Nisargadatta Mahara

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/nisargadatta-maharaj-says-greates\

t-guru.html