Hi there everyone, we’re persevering with with the educating of Nisargadatta Maharaj from the e-book I AM THAT.
The questioner in dialog with Maharaj needs to grasp the character of actuality. And the reason being that his ideas are troubling him. So he conceptualizes the phenomenon (what he observes inside himself) in that he thinks of actuality as being the physique and the SELF with obstructing ideas in-between.
He calls these ideas psychological mud and an obstruction to realizing actuality. In different phrases, he’s troubled by his thoughts, which is stressed. You already know, in each day dwelling, we don’t hassle with these philosophical questions, but, deep down, they kind the core of our psychological agitation.
This unending try to grasp actuality is nothing however a ploy to flee the unpleasantness of the considering thoughts. The considering thoughts is all the time agitated and stressed. It’s the core of the ego.
Each non secular grasp has claimed that actuality is to not be discovered. It’s now. And when you’re current, you may “see” it. Adi Shankaracharya has clearly talked about in his teachings that you simply’re not the ideas. You’re the one consciousness during which ideas manifest. You’re the presence that illuminates now.
It is just the resistance to the current second that creates struggling. Why? As a result of struggling is identification with the considering thoughts that frequently strives to change into one thing higher than what it’s now. The considering thoughts strengthens and reinforces the phantasm of the separate self.
That’s the reason you are feeling nice in meditation. In meditation, you repeatedly prepare the thoughts to return to the current second. Nevertheless, once you’re out of meditation and get on with the routine, the considering thoughts once more turns into dominant.
The considering thoughts questions, “Why am I not in peace after I observe meditation day by day for one hour?” It occurs when the conclusion of the current second or now could be incomplete. Till the thoughts appears to be like for prescriptions, strategies, and strategies to change into calm, it’s simply diverting consideration from the current second’s actuality.
Maharaj can sense the psychological state of the questioner. He understands the place the questions come from. The questions are coming from the ego that wishes certainty and safety. Maybe, the questioner thinks that by eradicating the considering, he can arrive on the infinite bliss of the SELF. However you see, that may be simply one other want – a fabrication of the thoughts to achieve and maintain onto a state.
That is the rationale why non secular lecturers by no means reply questions straight. They intentionally confuse the seekers. Confusion is on the helm of non secular understanding. You see, all of those teachings might be defined in a single sentence, “You’re God or Brahman.” That’s it. There’s nothing extra to it.
However do you actually perceive what it means? No, you don’t. It’s since you’re conditioning is so intense that your thoughts will revolt towards such an thought. It is going to discover the concept preposterous. Solely once you’re confused will your consideration shift to the supply of confusion, and it’s there you’ll get the solutions.
Understanding the questioner’s intent, Maharaj provides a conceptual rationalization of actuality. He says that there’s nothing particular concerning the current second, but it surely has a novel high quality that makes it stand aside from the previous or future.
For instance, the stroke of a clock-hand. Each stroke that occurs within the now is illuminated. It has a unique high quality. The previous stroke or the one to come back is simply a recall from reminiscence and lacks liveliness. You possibly can expertise this for your self. Stand in entrance of the clock and watch the second needle.
You’ll discover that each time the needle is witnessed within the now, it has what Maharaj calls the “stamp of actuality.” Though it’s an identical to the earlier strokes, there’s a newness within the current second. Why so? As a result of the now is graced by the witnessing presence.
Chances are you’ll be questioning how can the phrase “second” imply the current? A second implies time, and actuality can’t be in time as a result of every part in time is transient. You see, the time period “current second” is simply an expression the non secular teachings use to specific now. The now is timeless. It’s free from considering, which operates solely within the useless previous or an imaginary future.
"A factor focussed within the now could be with me, for I'm ever current; It's my very own actuality that I impart to the current occasion." - Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Maharaj needs to deliver the questioner’s consideration to the second’s actuality. However even he is aware of it’s past him to do this. Being in presence can not occur by way of the person’s effort. Presence implies the absence of the person. A stressed thoughts clouded by afflicting ideas can not witness the bliss of presence.
Isn’t it ironic that the thoughts, which itself is the supply of all confusion, seeks a treatment to finish the confusion? The issue is that in identification with the considering thoughts, we begin believing our ideas to be the one actuality.
Struggling occurs when our consciousness strikes with the considering in horizontal time. The struggling will increase progressively with time, with one thought following one other and creating a sequence of considering that’s known as considering in horizontal time.
The fact is “seen” when the chain of horizontal considering breaks and brings our consciousness to the current second. This second or now is free from a person seeing something. When this occurs, the topic (mind-body complicated) perceiving the objects additionally turns into an object within the impersonal consciousness of being or I AM.