Greetings​ ​to​ ​One​ ​and​ ​All!

From Ron, originally his comment on “True Security“:

I​ ​offer​ ​this​ ​gift​ ​for​ ​your​ ​delight.

It​ ​is​ ​a​ ​compilation​ ​of​ ​quotes​ ​from​ ​chapter​ ​24​ ​of​ ​I​ ​Am​ ​That​ ​by​ ​Nisargadatta​ ​Maharaj.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​typical​ ​of​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​book.

Perhaps​ ​some​ ​of​ ​it​ ​will​ ​speak​ ​to​ ​you​ ​as​ ​it​ ​does​ ​to​ ​me.

May​ ​Peace​ ​and​ ​Peace​ ​and​ ​Peace​ ​be everywhere.

Chapter​ ​24​ ​​ ​​ ​God​ ​Is​ ​the​ ​All-Doer,​ ​the​ ​Jnani​ ​a​ ​Non-doer​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​

What​ ​Is​ ​the​ ​Path​ ​of​ ​Return?​ ​

Q:​ ​What​ ​we​ ​call​ ​the​ ​will​ ​of​ ​God​ ​is​ ​not​ ​a​ ​capricious​ ​whim​ ​of​ ​a​ ​playful​ ​deity,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​expression​ ​of​ ​an​ ​absolute​ ​necessity​ ​to​ ​grow​ ​in​ ​love​ ​and​ ​wisdom​ ​and​ ​power,​ ​to​ ​actualize​ ​the​ ​infinite​ ​potentials​ ​of​ ​life​ ​and​ ​consciousness.

M:​ ​All​ ​you​ ​say​ ​is​ ​right​ ​for​ ​the​ ​outgoing​ ​path​ ​(pravritti).​ ​For​ ​the​ ​path​ ​of​ ​return​ ​(nivritti)​ ​naughting​ ​oneself​ ​is​ ​necessary.​ ​My​ ​stand​ ​I​ ​take​ ​where​ ​nothing​ ​(paramakash)​ ​is;​ ​words​ ​do​ ​not​ ​reach​ ​there,​ ​nor​ ​thoughts.​ ​To​ ​the​ ​mind​ ​it​ ​is​ ​all​ ​darkness​ ​and​ ​silence…Free​ ​from​ ​memory​ ​and​ ​expectation,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​fresh,​ ​innocent​ ​and​ ​wholehearted.​ ​​ ​​ ​85-6

There​ ​Is​ ​Only​ ​One​ ​Self​ ​

There​ ​is​ ​only​ ​one​ ​Self,​ ​the​ ​Supreme​ ​Reality,​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​personal​ ​and​ ​the​ ​impersonal​ ​are​ ​one.​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​86

What​ ​Is​ ​the​ ​Purpose​ ​of​ ​Creation?

It​ ​is​ ​in​ ​the​ ​nature​ ​of​ ​desire​ ​to​ ​prompt​ ​the​ ​mind​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​world​ ​for​ ​its​ ​fulfillment…The​ ​very​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​creation​ ​is​ ​the​ ​fulfillment​ ​of​ ​desire.​ ​​ ​The​ ​desire​ ​may​ ​be​ ​noble,​ ​or​ ​ignoble,​ ​space​ ​(akash)​ ​is​ ​neutral​ ​-​ ​one​ ​can​ ​fill​ ​it​ ​with​ ​what​ ​one​ ​likes:​ ​You​ ​must​ ​be​ ​very​ ​careful​ ​as​ ​to​ ​what​ ​you​ ​desire.​ ​And​ ​as​ ​to​ ​the​ ​people​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​help,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​in​ ​their​ ​respective​ ​worlds​ ​for​ ​the​ ​sake​ ​of​ ​their​ ​desires;​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​way​ ​of​ ​helping​ ​them​ ​except​ ​through​ ​their​ ​desires.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​teach​ ​them​ ​to​ ​have​ ​right​ ​desires​ ​so​ ​that​ ​they​ ​may​ ​rise​ ​above​ ​them​ ​and​ ​be​ ​free​ ​of​ ​the​ ​urge​ ​to​ ​create​ ​and​ ​re-create​ ​worlds​ ​of​ ​desires,​ ​abodes​ ​of​ ​pain​ ​and​ ​pleasure.​ ​​ ​​ ​87

The​ ​Eternal​ ​Witness​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Transient​ ​

The​ ​jnani​ ​sees​ ​no​ ​difference​ ​between​ ​God​ ​and​ ​nature.​ ​Both​ ​God​ ​and​ ​the​ ​jnani​ ​know​ ​themselves​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​immovable​ ​center​ ​of​ ​the​ ​movable,​ ​the​ ​eternal​ ​witness​ ​of​ ​the​ ​transient.​ ​The​ ​center​ ​is​ ​a​ ​point​ ​of​ ​void​ ​and​ ​the​ ​witness​ ​a​ ​point​ ​of​ ​pure​ ​awareness.​ ​​ ​​ ​87

Is​ ​God​ ​A​ ​Person?

As​ ​long​ ​as​ ​you​ ​think​ ​yourself​ ​a​ ​person,​ ​God​ ​too​ ​is​ ​a​ ​person.​ ​When​ ​you​ ​are​ ​all,​ ​you​ ​see​ ​God​ ​as​ ​all.​ ​​ ​​ ​88

Can​ ​I​ ​Change​ ​Facts​ ​by​ ​Changing​ ​Attitude?

The​ ​attitude​ ​is​ ​the​ ​fact.​ ​​ ​​ ​88

The​ ​Play​ ​of​ ​Gunas

It​ ​is​ ​all​ ​the​ ​play​ ​of​ ​gunas​ ​(qualities​ ​of​ ​cosmic​ ​matter).​ ​When​ ​I​ ​identify​ ​myself​ ​with​ ​them,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​their​ ​slave.​ ​When​ ​I​ ​stand​ ​apart,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​their​ ​master.​ ​​ ​​ ​88

How​ ​Can​ ​I​ ​Experience​ ​the​ ​Real?

Unmanifested,​ ​manifested,​ ​individuality,​ ​personality​ ​(nirguna,​ ​saguna,​ ​vyakta,​ ​vyakti);​ ​all​ ​these​ ​are​ ​mere​ ​words,​ ​points​ ​of​ ​view,​ ​mental​ ​attitudes.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​no​ ​reality​ ​in​ ​them.​ ​The​ ​real​ ​is​ ​experienced​ ​in​ ​silence.​ ​​ ​​ ​89

What​ ​Is​ ​Good​ ​for​ ​Others?

When​ ​you​ ​deceive​ ​yourself​ ​that​ ​you​ ​work​ ​for​ ​the​ ​good​ ​of​ ​all,​ ​it​ ​makes​ ​matters​ ​worse,​ ​for​ ​you​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​guided​ ​by​ ​your​ ​own​ ​ideas​ ​of​ ​what​ ​is​ ​good​ ​for​ ​others.​ ​A​ ​man​ ​who​ ​claims​ ​to​ ​know​ ​what​ ​is​ ​good​ ​for​ ​others,​ ​is​ ​dangerous.​ ​​ ​​ ​89-90

How​ ​Then​ ​Is​ ​One​ ​to​ ​Work?

Neither​ ​for​ ​yourself​ ​nor​ ​for​ ​others,​ ​but​ ​for​ ​the​ ​work’s​ ​own​ ​sake.​ ​A​ ​thing​ ​worth​ ​doing​ ​is​ ​its​ ​own​ ​purpose​ ​and​ ​meaning.​ ​Make​ ​nothing​ ​a​ ​means​ ​to​ ​something​ ​else…You​ ​are​ ​using​ ​things​ ​and​ ​people​ ​for​ ​purposes​ ​alien​ ​to​ ​them,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​play​ ​havoc​ ​with​ ​the​ ​world​ ​and​ ​yourself.​ ​​ ​​ ​90

How​ ​Can​ ​I​ ​Experience​ ​Pure​ ​Being?​ ​

When​ ​your​ ​attention​ ​is​ ​off​ ​a​ ​thing​ ​and​ ​not​ ​yet​ ​fixed​ ​on​ ​another,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​interval​ ​you​ ​are​ ​pure​ ​being.​ ​When​ ​through​ ​the​ ​practice​ ​of​ ​discrimination​ ​(viveka)​ ​and​ ​detachment​ ​(vairagya),​ ​you​ ​lose​ ​sight​ ​of​ ​sensory​ ​and​ ​mental​ ​states,​ ​pure​ ​being​ ​emerges​ ​as​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​state.​ ​​ ​90

How​ ​Does​ ​One​ ​Bring​ ​an​ ​End​ ​to​ ​This​ ​Sense​ ​of​ ​Separateness?​ ​

By​ ​focusing​ ​the​ ​mind​ ​on​ ​‘I​ ​am’,​ ​on​ ​the​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​being,​ ​‘I​ ​am​ ​so-and-so’​ ​dissolves;​ ​‘I​ ​am​ ​witness​ ​only’​ ​remains​ ​and​ ​that​ ​too​ ​submerges​ ​in​ ​‘I​ ​am​ ​all’.​ ​Then​ ​the​ ​all​ ​becomes​ ​the​ ​One​ ​and​ ​the​ ​One​ ​-​ ​yourself,​ ​not​ ​to​ ​be​ ​separate​ ​from​ ​me.​ ​​ ​​ ​90

Am​ ​I​ ​Not​ ​Separate​ ​From​ ​You?​ ​

You​ ​speak​ ​of​ ​my​ ​experience​ ​as​ ​different​ ​from​ ​your​ ​experience,​ ​because​ ​you​ ​believe​ ​we​ ​are​ ​separate.​ ​But​ ​we​ ​are​ ​not.​ ​On​ ​a​ ​deeper​ ​level​ ​my​ ​experience​ ​is​ ​your​ ​experience.​ ​Dive​ ​deep​ ​within​ ​yourself…Go​ ​in​ ​the​ ​direction​ ​of​ ​‘I​ ​am’.​ ​​ ​​ ​90

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Holger Hubbs

By Holger Hubbs

Greetings from California. Please don't hesitate to email me at Holger@NonDualSharing.com regarding this and that. GardenOfFriends.com, BasicWisdoms.com, NonDualSharing.com, nondual.community...

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