An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your original nature, abiding naturally, the Oneness, the Nothingness, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Here, there is nothing that is believed, so there is no one here who wants you to believe anything, either. Here, the invitation is to be free of all that you have been programmed, conditioned, acculturated, and domesticated to believe so that you can be free, period.
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“You can only know your self by being yourself without any attempt at self-definition and self-description. Once you have understood that you are nothing perceivable or conceivable, that whatever appears in the field of consciousness cannot be your self, you will apply yourself to the eradication of all self identification, as the only way that can take you to a deeper realization of your self. You literally progress by rejection—a veritable rocket. To know that you are neither in the body nor in the mind, though aware of both, is already self-knowledge.”– Nisargadatta Maharaj
Pointers to Your Own True Nature are designed to eradicate the false. The false is unreal – and will easily dissolve with investigation. The Real can never be dissolved or eradicated.
The Advaitin Teachings offer You the message that:
- You are not the body.
- You are not the mind.
- You are not the personality.
- You were not born.
- You will not die.
- You cannot be defined and described.
- You are nothing perceivable or conceivable.
Can you see that the Advaitin message removes concepts since Who You Are cannot be defined or described ?
Can you see that the Advaitin message adds nothing, but removes everything?
The cult of society offers You the message that:
- You are the body.
- You are the mind.
- You are the personality.
- You were born.
- You will die.
- You can be defined and described.
- You are perceivable or conceivable.
Can you see that the cult of society’s message adds concepts that attempt to describe Who You Are?
Can you see that the cult of society’s message adds many concepts, but removes nothing?
The seeker, especially in the beginning stages, may find the radicalism of the Advaitin pointers difficult to metabolize. For this reason, the seeker often unconsciously ignores the pointers and allows some cherished or much loved concepts, beliefs or identifications to remain intact. However, for the pointers to have their effect, they must be rigorously and systematically applied. Clinging to any concept, thought or identification creates the abyss of separation.
“See that you are not what you believe yourself to be. Fight with all the strength at your disposal against the idea that you are nameable and describable. You are not. Refuse to think of this or that. There is no other way out of misery, which you have created for yourself through blind acceptance without investigation. Suffering is a call for inquiry, all pain needs investigation. Don’t be lazy to think.” – Nisargadatta Maharaj
See the insistence of the pointers offered by Maharaj. To break free of your programming and conditioning is no easy matter. You have assumed that what you parents and what your society has told you is true. Perhaps you even think of yourself as a critical thinker – yet, the message offered here is that you have made assumptions about yourself without looking into the matter. You have accepted “facts” about yourself through hearsay. You may have to swallow the bitter pill that you are a sheep, guilty of “blind acceptance without investigation”. This is not a pill that is easy to take.
However, once the understanding dawns that your suffering is because of your false beliefs, ideas and assumptions, you may be open to rejecting them and allowing them to dissolve. Remember though, it is not possible to be selective. This is an all or nothing game.
For example, perhaps you believe that you accept the pointer that you are not the mind, yet cling to occasional random thoughts that take your fancy. Step outside of the whole mess. Observe the mind with silent detachment and you will see the thoughts as they are produced: happy, sad, judgmental, compassionate, insightful, neurotic, naive …every flavor and color of thought will be produced. Observe them all without attachment. That is the way to be free of the assumption that you are the mind. Let go of the self-indulgent idea that the thoughts are particular and personal. Let them spew forth without paying them attention. Eventually, you will not even notice them, yet you will find yourself functioning easily and effortlessly.
This rejection of the false requires vigilance and attention to detail. Remember,
“The way to truth lies through the destruction of the false. To destroy the false, you must question your most inveterate beliefs. .” – Nisargadatta Maharaj
To be continued.
Please enter the silence of contemplation.
(For extending teaching on the Advaitan Understanding – and removal of the false that obscures Your Real Nature, see the links on the right hand side of this blog.)
Comments / clarifications may be sent to louise.advaita@gmail.com
