The Daily Niz (NO DISCUSSION)

[enigma]

Aug 17, 2014 21:12:27 GMT -5 laughter said:

seeker: The witnessing -- is it not my real nature?

Niz: For witnessing, there must be something else to witness. We are still in duality!

seeker: What about witnessing the witness? Awareness of awareness?

Niz: Putting words together will not take you far. Go within and discover what you are not. Nothing else matters.

(para's 40-43 of dialog 10 of "I AM THAT", "Witnessing")

I'll be danged. Andrew attended a Niz Satsang!

[laughter]

Special administrative note: material that is evidently Niz-channeled will not be subject to the No Discussion / Discussion division.

[justlikeyou]

Maharaj: In this spiritual hierarchy, from the grossest to the, subtlest, you are the subtlest. How can this be realized? The very base is that you don't know you are, and suddenly the feeling of "I Amness" appears. The moment it appears you see space, mental space; that subtle, sky like space, stabilize you there. You are that.

When you are able to stabilize in that state, you are the space only. When this space-like identity "I Am" disappears, the space also will disappear, there is no space. When that space-like "I Am" goes into oblivion, that is the eternal state, nirguna, no form, no beingness.

Actually, what did happen there? This message "I Am" was no message. Dealing with this aspect, I cannot talk much because there is no scope to put it into words.

Questioner: Does Maharaj go into samadhi?

M. I am stabilized in the Highest. There is no going into samadhi, or coming down from samadhi; that is over.

Q. Should we continue our meditation?

M. It doesn't mean this is an excuse for you to give up meditation, you must persist in meditation until you come to a stage when you feel there is no meditation. When the purpose of meditation is gained it will drop off naturally.

Q Which is the way to the Supreme state?

M. There is no question of going into that state. You are the Supreme state, but whatever ignorance you have will drop off. - I've been advised by doctors not to talk, therefore I am not talking.

Q. Is there a desire not to die and lose your body?

M. The sage is not concerned with that.

Q. Is there a desire of the body, not of the Self?

M: You may say something like that; this is the administrative action of that beingness.

It is a very complicated riddle. You have to discard whatever you know, whatever you have read, and have a firm conviction about That about which nobody knows anything. You can't get any information about That, and about That you must have firm conviction. How difficult it is.

Most people reach that state which is, but nobody reaches that state which is not. It is very rarely that one can reach that state. It transcends all knowledge.

Most essential is that knowledge "I Am." Claim it, appropriate it as your own. If that is not there, nothing is. Knowledge of all the stages will be obtained only with the aid of this knowledge "I Am."

From the Absolute no-knowing state, spontaneously, this consciousness "I Am" has appeared -there is no reason, no cause. Spontaneously it has come, (along) with the waking state, deep sleep, the five elemental play, three Gunas, and Prakriti* and Purusha*. Then it embraces the body as its self and therefore identifies as a male or a female. This "I Amness" has its own love to be: it wants to remain, to perpetuate itself, but it is not eternal.

This passing show may be likened to the following situation: suppose I was well all along, then suddenly I was sick and the doctor gave me medicine. After three days my fever was gone. So this stage of fever for three days is the "I Am" consciousness. Exactly like that -a passing show, a time-bound state.

This principle loves to be, and one must not belittle it - it is a very Godly principle. This "I Amness" contains the entire cosmos. It is said that all this is unreal. When is it certified as unreal? Only when one understands this temporary phase.

And in the process of understanding one is in the Absolute and from there recognizes this as a temporary, unreal state. In my present state I am not able to talk much. The difficulty is that you have been accepting this as real and I have to disprove this and a lot of talking is to be done by me, which I am not in a position to do now. So, you go now, do bhajans.

* Male and female aspects of cosmic consciousness. Nisargadatta May 10, 1980 recorded in “Consciousness and the Absolute”

[justlikeyou]

Visitor: "I have worked hard and I now consider myself a very successful man. I would be a hypocrite
if I did not admit that I have a considerable amount of satisfaction and, yes, a certain amount of
pride too in my achievement. Would that be wrong?"

One evening a foreign visitor addressed Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj with these words. He was in
his mid forties — smug, self-confident and a bit aggressive. Conversation then proceeded along the
following lines:

Maharaj: Before we consider what is 'right' and what is 'wrong', please tell me who is asking
this question.

Visitor: (A bit startled) Why, 'me', of course.

M: And who is that?

V: Me. This 'me', who is sitting in front of you.

M: And you think that that is you?

V: You see me. I see myself. Where is the doubt?

M: You mean this object that is before me? What is your earliest recollection of this object that
you think you are. Think as far back as you can.

V: (After a minute or two) The earliest recollection would perhaps be of being caressed and
cuddled by my mother.

M: You mean, as a tiny infant. Would you say that the successful man of today is the same
helpless infant, or is it someone else?

V: It is undoubtedly the same.

M: Good. Now, if you think further back, would you agree that this infant, which you can
recollect, is the same baby that was born to your mother, that was once too helpless even to realize
what was happening when its little body was going through its natural physical functions, and could
only cry when it was hungry or in pain?

V: Yes, I was that baby.

M: And before the baby acquired its body and was delivered what were you?

V: I don't understand.

M: You do understand. Think. What happened in your mother's womb? What was developing
into a body with bones, blood, marrow, muscles etc., over a period of nine months? Was it not a
male sperm cell that combined with ovum in the female womb thus beginning a new life and, in the
process, going through numerous hazards? Who guarded this new life during this period of hazards?
Is it not that very infinitesimally tiny sperm cell which is now so proud of his achievements? And who asked particularly for you? Your mother? Your father? Did they particularly want you for a
son? Did you have anything to do with being born to these particular parents?

V: I am afraid, I really haven't thought along these lines.

M: Exactly. Do think along these lines. Then perhaps you will have some idea of your true
identity. Thereafter, consider if you could possibly be proud of what you have 'achieved'.

V: I think, I begin to understand what you are driving at.

M: If you go deeper into the matter, you will realize that the source of the body—the male
sperm and the female ovum— is in itself the essence of food consumed by the parents; that the
physical form is made of, and fed by, the five elements constituting the food; and also that quite
often the body of one creature does become the food for another creature.

V: But, surely, I, as such, must be something other than this food-body.

M: Indeed you are, but not some 'thing'. Find out what it is that gives sentience to a sentient
being, that without which you would not even know that you exist, let alone the world outside. And
finally, go deeper yet and examine if this beingness, this consciousness itself is not time-bound.

V: I shall certainly go into the various questions you have raised, although I must confess that I
have never explored these areas before, and I feel almost giddy in my ignorance of the new spheres
you have opened up before me. I will come and see you again, sir.

M: You are always welcome.

[justlikeyou]

"The entire cosmos in its vibrant, stirring movement is represented by the consciousness, and the whole universe is the body of the consciousness. It dwells in the core of all beings as the knowledge “I Am”, the love ‘to be’. By continually witnessing the consciousness, or the sense of being, one’s mind, which assesses and differentiates persons observed as males and females, gradually removes itself from the focus of attention, leaving the consciousness in its innate glory. Such a state can only be attained if one totally accepts with full conviction and faith the knowledge “I Am” as oneself, and firmly believes “I am that by which I know I am”. Thus a true devotee, by abiding in the knowledge “I Am” transcends the experience of death and attains immortality. But as long as the mind remains unconquered, the experience of death is inevitable."

[justlikeyou]

Niz: "Whenever there is a sense of individuality, personality, or a separateness, you have so many wants. You want to see a movie, you want to hear music, you want to play, you want to have sex, you want to eat fancy foods, you want to consume intoxicant, but when that sense of separateness is not there, when you are one with the totality, these things are not desired. And spirituality or what you call "religion" is mainly to understand this: that you don't require anything, you are a part of the totality, or reality. When you grasp that, you don't have any of these needs. But so long as you are separate from things, you need everything." (from The Ultimate Medicine)

[justlikeyou]

"To rise in consciousness from one dimension to another, you need help. The help may not always be in the shape of a human person, it may be a subtle presence, or a spark of intuition, but help must come. The inner Self is watching and waiting for the son to return to his father. At the right time he arranges everything affectionately and effectively. Where a messenger is needed, or a guide, he sends the Guru to do the needful"

[laughter]

(Paragraphs 36-39, from Chapter 13 of "I AM THAT", "The Supreme, the Mind and the Body")


Q: The jnani -- is he the witness or the Supreme?

Niz: He is the Supreme, of course, but he can also be viewed as the universal witness.

Q: But he remains a person?

Niz: When you believe yourself to be a person, you see persons everywhere. In reality there are no persons, only threads of memories and habits. At the moment of realisation the person ceases.

Identity remains, but identity is not a person, it is inherent in the reality itself. The person has no being in itself; it is a reflection in the mind of the witness, the 'I am', which again is a mode of being.

[laughter]

(Paragraphs 19-28, from Chapter 10 of "I AM THAT", "Witnessing")


Q: What does it mean to know myself? By knowing myself what exactly do I come to know?

Niz: All that you are not.

Q: And not what I am?

Niz: What you are, you already are. By knowing what you are not, you are free of it and remain in your own natural state. It all happens quite spontaneously and effortlessly.

Q: And what do I discover?

Niz: You discover that there is nothing to discover. You are what you are and that is all.

Q: I do not understand!

Niz: It is your fixed idea that you must be something or other, that blinds you.

Q: How can I get rid of this idea?

Niz: If you trust me, believe when I tell you that you are the pure awareness that illuminates consciousness and its infinite content. Realise this and live accordingly. If you do not believe me, then go within, enquiring ‘What am I’? or, focus your mind on ‘I am’, which is pure and simple being.

[justlikeyou]

"There is a state before this knowledge ‘I am’ comes upon you. If you are satisfied with ‘I am’ then you will reach the state where you consider yourself God and Brahman. But you will not go beyond it or prior to it. In the ultimate state lies the prior state. The prior state is the highest, best and original state. It is the state before this knowledge ‘I am’ ever dawned on you."

[laughter]

Q: But what can I do here and now?

M: You can be aware of your being -- here and now.

Q: That is all?

M: That is all. There is nothing more to it.

(para 23, dialog 30 of "I AM THAT", "You are Free NOW")

[laughter]

(From Chapter 7 of "I AM THAT", "The Mind" para's 6-15)


Q: Surely, you see the actual world as it surrounds you. You seem to behave quite normally!

M: That is how it appears to you. What in your case occupies the entire field of consciousness, is a mere speck in mine. The world lasts, but for a moment. It is your memory that makes you think that the world continues. Myself, I don't live by memory. I see the world as it is, a momentary appearance in consciousness.

Q: In your consciousness?

M: All idea of ‘me’ and ‘mine’, even of ‘I am’ is in consciousness.

Q: Is then your ‘absolute being’ (paramakash) un-consciousness?

M: The idea of un-consciousness exists in consciousness only.

Q: Then, how do you know you are in the supreme state?

M: Because I am in it. It is the only natural state.

Q: Can you describe it?

M: Only by negation, as uncaused, independent, unrelated, undivided, uncomposed, unshakable, unquestionable, unreachable by effort. Every positive definition is from memory and, therefore, inapplicable. And yet my state is supremely actual and, therefore, possible, realisable, attainable.

[andrew]

''This primary concept, ‘I amness’ is dishonest, because it is still a concept only. Finally one has to transcend that also and be in the ‘nirvikalpa’ state, which means the concept-free state. Then you have no concept at all, not even of ‘I am’. In that state one does not know that one is. This state is known as ‘Parabrahman’: ‘Brahman’ transcended. ‘Brahman’ is manifest; ‘Parabrahman’ is beyond that, prior to that; the Absolute.''

From ''Experience of Nothingness''

[laughter]

Jan 21, 2013 13:14:02 GMT -5 laughter said:

seeker: If I start the practice of dismissing everything as a dream, where will it lead me?

Niz: Wherever it leads you, it will be a dream. The very idea of going beyond the dream is illusory. Why go anywhere? Just realize that you are dreaming a dream you call the world, and stop looking for ways out. The dream is not your problem. Your problem is that you like one part of your dream and not another. Love all or none of it, and stop complaining. When you have seen the dream as a dream, you have done all that needs to be done.

(para 52, dialog 29 of "I AM THAT", "Living is Life's Only Purpose")

(and the four paragraphs that follow are)

seeker: Is dreaming caused by thinking?

Niz: Everything is a play of ideas. In the state free from ideation (nirvikalpa samadhi) nothing is perceived. The root idea is: 'I am'. It shatters the state of pure consciousness and is followed by the innumerable sensations and perceptions, feeling and ideas which in their totality constitute God and His world. The 'I am' remains as the witness, but it is by the will of God that everything happens.

seeker: Why not by my will?

Niz: Again you have split yourself -- into God and witness. Both are one.

[andrew]

''Once you reject what you are not, whatever finally remains, the leftover, is yourself – your true nature. Presently, whatever you know is ‘I am’, this ‘I am’ is the product of the five elements. Out of the elements comes the food body and because of the food body, that ‘I amness’ is sustained. And you are also not that ‘I am’. ‘I am’ is the taste, the fragrance of this food body. The ultimate ‘you’ has no fragrance, no taste, no touch of ‘I amness’.''

From 'Experience of Nothingness'