| I AM THAT |
| Universal Love Do not pretend that you love others as yourself. Unless you have realized them as one with yourself, you cannot love them. Don't pretend to be what you are not, don't refuse to be what you are. Your love of others is the result of self-knowledge, not its cause. Without self-realization, no virtue is geniune. When you know beyond all doubting that the same life flows through all that is and you arethat life, you will love all naturally and sponataneously. When you realize the dept and fullness of your love of yourself, you know thatevery living being and the entire universe are included in your affection. But when you look at anything as separate from you, you cannot love it for you are afraid of it. Alienation causes fear and fear deepens alienation. It is a vicious circle. Only self-realization can break it. Go for it resolutely. ** Q: Must I not renounce every thing first, and live a homeless life? M: You cannot renounce. You may leave your home and give trouble to your family, but attachments are in the mind and will not leave you until you know your mind in and out. First thing first - know yourself, all else will come with it. Q: But you already told me that I am the Supreme Reality. Is it not self-knowledge? M: Of course you are the Supreme Reality! But what of it? Every grain of sand is God; to know it is important, but that is only the beginning. Q: Well, you told me that I am the Supreme Reality, I believe you. What next is there for me to do? M: I told you already. Discover all you are not. Body, feelings, thoughts, ideas, time, space, being and not-being, this or that ? nothing concrete or abstract you can point out to is you. A mere verbal statement will not do ? you may repeat a formula endlessly without any result whatsoever. You must watch your self continuously ? particularly your mind ? moment by moment, missing nothing. This witnessing is essential for the separation of the self from the not- self. Q: The witnessing ? is it not my real nature? M: For witnessing, there must be something else to witness. We are still in duality! - Nisargadatta Maharaj "I am That" Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Published by Acorn Press |
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