Recognizing a Jnani

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Q: What are the signs to recognize a jnani?

M: To think that one is a jnani, knowledgeable, or full of wisdom, is folly. Once one presumes that he is full of wisdom he wants a social recognition, he wants a status: that is the folly.

Who is a jnani? The jnani himself does not know he is and who is to recognize whom? Out of no-action, spontaneously, millions of creations are happening every moment and there is so much of chaos. Will a jnani allow such a thing to happen?

The jnani understands that out of ignorance has come knowledge and in the process everything is happening. But since the basis is ignorance he does not interfere, because he himself doesn't know he is. The jnani cannot focus his attention because he has no attention.

Translator: What Maharaj calls the Knower, the Absolute, gives no attention to anything. Witnessing happens, he does not witness. He is beyond that attribute, attention. And you, consciousness, cannot give attention to that. It cannot be known.

Q: Can Maharaj witness his deep sleep state?

M: Oh yes, I witness my deep sleep very nicely.

Q: There was this experience, everything - body and mind - was there, and at the same time, nothing.

M: That is an experience still. The experiencer is different from the experience. Experiences you can describe in thousands of ways, but the experiencer you cannot describe.

Translator: Maharaj says he cannot describe the Absolute, only what appears can he speak about. It cannot be said, "He knows." It is there; it's not a question of knowing.

M: Waking and sleep don't know what was prior to them. Consciousness doesn't know that state, when it was not there. The Absolute knows, but it doesn't belong to the known.

Unknowingly the knowing has started, spontaneously. Once the knowing disappears, then there is nothing. Knowing gives rise to the five elements. When the knowing disappears, you remain. So long as the knowing is there make use of it and inquire. I am stung by a scorpion, what is the stinging? The stinging is this "I Amness." Because you cannot tolerate the sting of "I Amness" you are running from place to place. To nullify the poison of that sting, watch the "I Amness", observe your knowingness. The effect of that sting is the waking state, sleep state, hunger, thirst, etc. Catch hold of that sting, the knowingness.

Q: Is bondage necessary to become free?

M: First you understand what the bondage is. Track yourself down continuously for twenty-four hours. Once you realize "I cannot be a body or a mind," then naturally, you are there.

After all this talk, do you find any necessity for the sound of words? For any talk? Is there any necessity for words? For true spirituality, is there really any need for words?

Q: No.