"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Do Not Protect Fear: Let It Go!

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
October 4, 1980.

Q. Once and for all: if we take his (jnani's) words literally is that all that is necessary?

Yes. That is the one to be caught hold of, but what is the instrument with which you will catch hold of it? It is not the body, mind and intelligence.

Q. The will?

Any effort you make will land you in further trouble. Therefore it is for this knowledge that you exist - to accept this knowledge, not the pseudo-identity. Just keep what you have heard from me in mind as true, and then act in whatever way arises spontaneously. 

My Guru told me that I am timeless, spaceless, without attributes. Then I decided that if that is the case why should I have any more fear? Who is to have fear? Suppose you meet a tiger: the tiger is going to eat you in any case, therefore there is some chance that if you attack the tiger it may run away, so why not take that chance? Why not try and disidentify yourself from the body? Whatever unhappiness you have, whatever fear you have, is based entirely on identification with the body. Make an effort gradually to disidentify yourself from the body. 

It is a simple thing. Death is inevitable, so why don't you accept what the Guru has told you, that death is something which cannot affect That which you are. This identification with the body is time-bound; why not disassociate yourself now?

How many of you will remember and understand what I tell you? Whatever fear you have is based only on memory, concepts, and hearsay. So long as you cling to any concept or memory this fear will not leave you. Don't protect this fear - give it up, let it go. Can you do it? 

You have been accumulating what you have heard from me, but ultimately, whatever is accumulated has to be give up. It is to be understood, used, and then given up.

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सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad