The Birth Principle

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

March 30, 1981

Q: How to establish oneself firmly in the awareness of I AM? Does one think 'I am, I am'?

M: Is it necessary to think that you are sitting here? You know that you are sitting here. However loudly and often I urge you not to think and act in terms of an entity, identified with a body, you keep on doing so. Whatever name and form there is belongs to that material, and that material is not you. Do you analyze the problem and with a firm conviction decide that you are not the material? When the material disintegrates, what does the name refer to? Does it have any significance? 

Only one in ten million goes to the crux of the matter, analyzes what it is, comes to a conclusion, and gets liberated, all by himself. The one who gets liberated is the consciousness, there is no entity.

The ultimate understanding is that which enables the understanding to take place and itself becomes so subtle, so fine, that it disappears. And when this consciousness arises again, then the samadhi is broken and this IAMness starts again.

The words come from consciousness, and the consciousness needs the strength of the body. The strength of the body is gradually weakening, and therefore the words do not come out as freely as I would like. Spending great energy, I repeat and repeat - but how many have understood? Basically the thing is so simple that I get frustrated when you keep on coming here, listen to what I say, and show no indication that the words have reached home.

What is the birth principle? You have understood or you have not understood. If you have understood, why do you keep coming? If you have not understood, why do you keep coming?

Q: Maharaj, I just like being here with you.

M: That is a different thing - but have you really imbibed what I want you to understand?