Stay Quiet: Thought-Free

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

October 15, 1980

In this process (watching the mind) you, as an individual, are not left at all. Try to understand that "I Am" is a product of the sattwa guna, food essence product. The friction is the fight between that quiet witness and the world. The fight began when the words began emanating from the consciousness. Words have come out of you and you embrace those words; you become the champion of the meaning of those words which have come out of you. 

You have a mountain of concepts and words. To get rid of these you use other concepts. When you throw out all the concepts, including your primary concept, then whatever is, is. Stay put in quietude.

.......

Q.These days, when thoughts come, I just turn away, I feel I stop them now.

M. If you can do this it is all right, but if they are flowing, let them flow.

Q. Not being involved in your thoughts - is that enough?

M. Yes, that is the only thing, and whatever has to happen will happen; the very doing you have given up.

So it is no more necessary to try to change yourself, to try to do better things?

When you don't hand onto thoughts, you are no more a person.

It makes me a little scared. Everything can happen - I can do crazy things.

This is a common stage, all people go through this. Fear is a quality of mind and mind does not want to lose itself. Recite the "nama-mantra", hang onto the mantra, because this is a stage where the mind is losing all support, therefore you give it the support of the mantra.

The things that I don't like in myself, they derive from a thought as well, so I can let go of them also?

Yes. Don't say myself, that is also a thought.

So in the end it is as simple as that: it's just getting rid of thoughts - it's true.

It is not a small achievement. You may feel that you are thought-free but at some stage thoughts will pounce on you suddenly. Many so-called sages, although they attained that thought-free state, still had their fall.