Saturday, September 6, 2014

Nisargadatta Maharaj - I Am Unborn


From the book: I Am Unborn


4. This ‘I am’ business

5th December 1979

Maharaj: There is a customer for everything,
but what is the cause of your
beingness being the customer?
The primary concept is the ‘I am’, out of it are created all other concepts.
You have come from the primary concept, so long as you have the need to be,
you have this prolific wonderful world and all the Gods are available.
The distinction between the world and Brahman has come
because you want to sustain your beingness, the ‘I am’,
the manifest world is made important by you because you want to be.
But when the need for beingness is not felt, like in sleep or in short,
when consciousness is not conscious, there is no need.
When consciousness is there, it will always need consciousness
when consciousness is not there, where is the need for anything at all?
Of what use is the availability of the world? The world and its lord are only
a nuisance in my state. The need to be is bondage, no needs no bondage.
I will not be stupid and ask how I am in the absence of consciousness.
There can be no talk about the state prior to consciousness.
In the realm of consciousness are the experiences and all the talk.
The one, who has recognized, understood and transcended oneself
can talk, otherwise, one is caught in the pincer movement of Maya;
you are caught by your own tentacles (identification with body-pincer). Because of
your own deception, you ask questions, you are caught and enmeshed in
more and more concepts.
Information about myself in the absence of consciousness, nobody can tell me.
I also don’t need it, since that is so; you are non-plussed by me.
I have full knowledge prior to beingness, which is eternal. In the waking state
there is struggle and fatigue, in deep sleep there is relaxation, it is a cycle.
What is the purpose?

Visitor: To maintain consciousness. What is beyond it?

M: Whatever without it (consciousness) is perfect. Only that is, nothing else.
My body is universal, not individualistic. What is this ‘I am’ business?
Understand it and be apart from it, transcend it. Just be.

V: Where has maharaj’s ego gone?

M: It is not individualistic, it is manifestable, but when it is manifest,
it is no more an individual suffering.

V: what is the use of self-realization?

M: Nishkam(stable) Parabramhan .When you are hit by pain, the doctor gives you an ointment. Who is the customer? Pain is the customer, not you.

V: does the pain go?

M: It is just an event happening, understand it and go through it.
The ‘I’consciousness is pain as well as happiness.
You wake up happy in the morning, as the day goes by there is unhappiness.
Without ‘I’ consciousness can you understand anything?
The ‘I’ consciousness is unhappiness therefore you seek happiness.
That which you do with effort is unhappiness.
Even now, I am speaking from deep sleep, so it is coming from sleep.
I have enjoyed it, so I speak. Sleep is darkness, complete –
that is ignorance. In darkness, ignorance I speak. Knowledge from ignorance is
ignorance. This knowledge is an illusion. A child born of ignorance says I am Brahman.

V: Who is doing this?

M: That is the trap of your mind. If you do not experience your mind, you
are liberated. Why do you call anything logical? Waking and sleep states
are your experience. You don’t accept what I say, because in doing so you
are nothing. In reality nothing can be given and taken, call it logic,
experience. Take it as you like, here acceptance and rejection are transcended.
Parents have given you a name; apart from that can you give me your name
or identification? The Atman is formless, names and forms are of the body.
Consciousness is also an illusion, non-personal, non-verbal. The moment
you do not recognize mind and body you feel no pinch, can you say the sky
is diseased? Food contains both the useful and the waste, so what is good
or what is bad is relative. Flowers are eventually dirt
but while buying they cost fifty rupees. I don’t discuss Brahman or Maya;
I tell you my story which is your story as well. With Atmajnan
(Self-knowledge) the ‘I’ consciousness is not there.
Then I don’t worry about God or illusion.
The ‘I am’ is the starting point of both misery and happiness. 




download books HERE

No comments:

Post a Comment