Understanding Is Of No Use

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

December 13, 1980

Sitting here and listening to Maharaj is pure joy. Even though it appears to be in duality, it strikes something deep inside.

So long as there is that sense of duality amongst you what you hear cannot reach the target. Understand what I am saying. Once I am conscious of myself I know I exist, and I love this beingness; I do not want this beingness to depart from me and it is this that makes me strive all the day till sleep overcomes me, in order to keep this love of beingness satisfied. 

Then the Guru tells me the true state of affairs, that this consciousness which I love so much is only an illusion. It is the basic cause of all unhappiness and my true state is before this consiousness arose. That is beyond all concepts and any name given is a concept. 

Understand it thoroughly, intuitively, beyond words, but also understand that that understanding can be of no use to you, because it is at the level of consciousness, and consciousness is illusory.

What is being recorded and transcribed here will be of unimaginable value in course of time when the basis of understanding will be broadened and people will want to know what the state of affairs is. At that time, when this is exposed on a wider scale, there will be wonderment. These words will be few, but those who at a certain time will be proud of their own achievements, when they hear these few words their own knowledge will evaporate so suddenly they will be wonderstruck.