"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

Thursday, March 12, 2015

World: An Appearance In Consciousness

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
January 10, 1981

Everything takes place in consciousness. I have long ago given up my independent identity, there is no question of an independent identity, everything is an appearance in consciousness only. As in any piece of cloth the main element is the thread, so in any appearance the essence is the consciousness. This must be deeply apperceived and this cannot happen as long as there is identification with the body. As long as identification is there you will think of benefiting only this pseudo-personality.

the whole universe is alive as long as you have this consciousness, once gone from you, nothing is there. Understand, there is a difference between someone who speaks from book learning and someone who speaks from experience. A jnani identifies with the universal consciousness and so there is a perfect adaptation to everything and every place. Only witnessing is taking place. This psychosomatic apparatus is there both for the jnani and the ignorant, but the ignorant one who identifies with the body, is happy or unhappy, as the situation changes. The jnani only witnesses, he is not individually concerned with what happens.

I repeat again and again, please listen; understand what it is because of which we feel alive, understand the nature of it, understand the taste of it, then the body identification will go. This Atman Prem (Self Love), this beingness, has come about with no effort on your part. What is its nature, its taste, what is it? That you must find out. Fix your identity firmly in this beingness, do not give it limbs, shape or form, for once you give it form you have limited it.

Understand this energy which is behind the entire manifestation of the universe.
(To be continued)

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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