Nisargadatta Maharaj - intuitive understanding.

                                 

My present outlook is without limitation, total freedom.

Ultimately one must go beyond knowledge, but the knowledge must come, and knowledge can

come by constant meditation. By meditating, the knowledge "I Am" gradually settles down and

merges with universal knowledge, and thereby becomes totally free, like the sky, or space.

Those who come here with the idea of getting knowledge, even spiritual knowledge, come here

as individuals aspiring to get something; that is the real difficulty. The seeker must disappear.

When you know your real nature the knowledge "I Am" remains, but that knowledge is

unlimited. It is not possible for you to acquire knowledge, you are knowledge. You are what you are seeking.Your true being exists prior to the arising of any concept. Can you, as an object, understand

something that existed prior to the arising of a concept? In the absence of consciousness is there anyproof of the existence of anything? Consciousness itself is mind, is thought, is all phenomena, all

manifestation. Apprehending this is being dead to "I am the body" while alive. This kind of

knowledge comes only in a rare case, and is a very elusive kind of knowledge where no effort is

necessary; in fact, effort itself is a hindrance. It is intuitive understanding.

Questioner: 

Then should all spiritual disciplines be dropped?

Maharaj: 

At the highest level this is so; at the earlier levels you have to do your homework.

Those who are able intuitively to grasp this lose their interest in worldly affairs. Having lost it,

what will they get? Whatever they have lost, they will have lost as an ordinary person, but what

they get in return will be fit for a King. Those who have comprehended and who have reached a

certain stage will not ask for anything, but everything will come to them spontaneously. There will

be no wish for it; nevertheless, it will be there.

This does not happen for an individual — it happens for the universal manifestation, or for the

one who has become one with his true nature. For the jnani, only witnessing is taking place.