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No special efforts are required, no deliberate efforts are required. See, this body is called ‘man’, this body is called ‘woman’, do we say ‘I am man, I am man, I am man’? Your parents told you ‘this body is called man’, and you accepted it. You’re not making any sadhana to say ‘I am man, I am man’. Like that, the Master says ‘you are Brahman’, why don’t you accept that Brahman? Brahman means Ultimate Truth, Final Truth. Do your sadhana, no problem. Out of sadhana, what do we want to achieve? Why am I doing sadhana?

So all your actions are supposed to be spontaneous. And therefore I’m advising, meditation is most important. In the beginning you’ll find it difficult. Mind, ego, intellect are functioning elements. The moment Spirit clicked with the body, you say ‘I’. Along with ‘I’, the mind, ego, intellect, these functioning elements, appear. So many concepts appear upon your Presence. These are layers, various layers are there. Unless that body-based layer dissolves, you’re not able to identify yourself. Fire is there, but it is covered with ash. You have to remove the ash.

So like that, you have to convince yourself. See what is there. Just glimpses of ‘I’ is there. Who is watching the dream? Who is witnessing the thoughts? Now I am talking something, who is listening inside? Who is analyzing my words? It happens spontaneously within you. The body can’t do anything, this is a dead body. If there is no Presence, who will talk about this?

So unless body-based knowledge dissolves, you’re not able to identify yourself in a real sense. And therefore meditation is required. Through meditation, slowly, silently, and permanently, all concepts will be dissolved. Though you’re acting as a man or woman, male or female, you remain untouched with all this world. Do your job, do your duties, take care of your responsibilities. But while doing all these things, you remain unconcerned with all deeds, because you’re not the doer at all.

You’re talking ‘past karma’, ‘future karma’. What is ‘past karma’, ‘future karma’? Come out from all these illusory concepts. You can do it, it’s not impossible.

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Maharaj: Be normal. There are so many things around you. Whether to take the touch or not to take the touch is up to you. You are Master of your own. There are a lot of thoughts flowing inside, you’re watching all these thoughts. Thoughts which are useful, you can take, if they’re not useful, throw it out, neglect it. Not to respond to each and every thought. It’s the nature of the mind, the nature of the body, flowing thoughts. It’s the thoughtless stage. Where all thoughts end, there you are. Where everything ends, there you are. Where were all these thoughts prior to beingness? After leaving the body, will any thoughts be there? Any fighting is there? Any struggle is there? No struggle. Because directly or indirectly we’ve accepted ‘I am the body, somebody else’, ‘I’m doing this thing, I’m doing this’, ‘I’m a devotee’, ‘I’m a disciple’, ‘I’m a Master’, ‘I am Brahman’, and all these things. That ‘I am’ is supposed to be dissolved. That concept ‘I am’ appeared upon your Spontaneous, Invisible Presence. And Presence does not know ‘I am Presence’. It’s just space or sky, everywhere. The five elements are there, it does not know ‘I am the five elements’. Water does not know ‘I am water’, earth does not know ‘I am earth’, sky does not know ‘I am sky’. You are the Projector of the five elements. The moment the Spirit clicked with the body, the five elements are projected, the entire world is projected. You are the father of this world, or mother of this world. If there’s no Presence, who will talk about the world, who will talk about the concepts, who will talk about all this Gods and Goddesses? Even ‘Brahman’ is also a concept. Even meditation is also illusion.  But to remove one illusion, you have to take the help of another illusion. Because you forgot your identity, therefore meditation is required. You’re reminding through meditation, ‘you are Brahman, you are Brahman’.

Basically you are formless, there’s no shape. There’s no experience, no experiencer, no witness, no witnesser. All these concepts appear upon your Invisible Presence, where there is no pain and no pleasure. Because body-knowledge is not tolerable, therefore pain is there. This is a food-body. Prior to beingness and after leaving the body, there’s no pain and no pleasure. Is a dead body having any pleasure or pain? No. That means, you were not the body, you’re not the body, you’re not going to remain the body. Then who am I? It is called ‘Brahman’, ‘Atman’, ‘Paramatman’, ‘God’, ‘Master’, that you are, the Supernatural Power. These are the words.

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See, the entire world is projected out of your Presence. If there’s no Presence in the body, who will talk about the world? Who will talk about the God? Who will talk about the Master? Master is not separate from you! This body is not Master (Maharaj indicates his body). The Invisible Speaker within this body and the Invisible Speaker within that body are one and the same. It is Master, you are Master. What special kind of Realization do you want? What do you mean by Realization? It is Spontaneous Conviction.

Through so many words, spiritual words, I’m trying to invite the attention of the Invisible Listener within you that you are Ultimate Truth. What is the conclusion of all this spiritual knowledge? As I told you, except your Selfless Self there is no God, Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master. You’re not required to go to any Master, including myself. Stand on your own feet.

Master is shapeless, there’s no form, it is formless. It is invisible, it is unidentified, it is anonymous. With various words I’m trying to invite your attention that the Invisible Listener within you is Ultimate Truth. This is theory, but you must have practical knowledge. I’m not asking you to continuously say ‘Ram, Ram, Ram’, hours of reciting the Mantra. Try to have Conviction, accept the fact, the Reality within you. This body was a child, then it will become a young man, then it will become an old man. Is this your Reality?

Who is going and who is coming? Who is taking birth and who is dying? All these concepts are related to the body only. And as you know, you were not the body at all, you are not the body at all. How were you prior to beingness, and how will you be after leaving the body? Spiritual knowledge, spirituality – what is spiritual knowledge? Just to identify oneself in a real sense. Only reading so many books, listening from so many Masters, it is not enough. What were they giving as a message, that is most important. Therefore the indication of analyzing the words of the various Masters, defining the words of the spiritual Masters or spiritual knowledge, what they convey is most important.

There won’t be any criticism, this is not a debate, we’re not proving anything. But practical spirituality is most important. Practical spirituality means what? That knowledge, that Reality is supposed to be absorbed totally within you. At that moment you’ll forget the entire world, you’ll be untouched by the world. Though you are living in this world, you’re untouched with the world, you’re unconcerned with the world. All relations, all everything came along with the body only.

So everything will dissolve along with the body. That means everything came out of nothing, and everything dissolves within nothing. In between you feel that ‘I am something’. That ‘something’ is supposed to be dissolved.

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Maharaj: See, you’re holding the human body, and some invisible Presence is there. What is the necessity of identifying ourself? Because there are so many concepts wrapped up upon us, so many concepts are there. We’re under the pressure of so many concepts. And what do we want exactly, we’re not able to know.

We’re reading so many books, approaching so many Masters, but there’s no conclusion. What is the Reality? We’re in search of God, in search of so many Masters. But you’re ignoring your own Master within you.

See, the Invisible Presence within you is Ultimate Truth, Final Truth. It is called Master, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God. You’re not required to go anywhere. How are you prior to beingness? Not thinking ‘realization’, ‘enlightenment’ – these are the words. Prior to beingness are there any words like ‘realization’, ‘enlightenment’? Nothing is there. After leaving the body, what is ‘realization’, what is ‘enlightenment’? What is ‘knowledge’, what is ‘philosophy’, what is ‘spirituality’? Nothing is there. As I told you, everything came out of nothing and everything dissolves within nothing.

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Why to read so many books? Okay, you require so many books, but what they convey is most important. Only reading thousands of books is meaningless. Because you are the central point of this world. If for a moment the Presence is not there, what is the value ofthis body? And what is the value of the knowledge? Where was that knowledge prior to beingness? What is the use of that spiritual knowledge after leaving the body?

Thousands of questions are there. The answer is within you. There is only one answer: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman. They’re all concepts which appear upon your Presence. Even ‘I am Brahman’ is also a concept which appears upon your Presence. Presence does not know ‘I am Presence’.

And therefore, instead of studying spirituality, try to absorb what you’ve listened to. It’s the Listener’s story, the Listener’s Identity. Because this body is an opportunity for you. Don’t waste time. It is invaluable, your Presence is invaluable. Through the body you can identify ‘I’.

It’s a combination of Presence and the body. Presence touched with the body, and you say ‘I’. Just like a matchbox and stick. Fire is everywhere. The moment the matchbox and stick click each other, you see fire. Where will that fire go? Hell or heaven? The moment the Invisible Presence touches with the body you say ‘I’. Where was that ‘I’ prior to beingness?

So be practical. You’ve got a lot of theory. You’re not required to study any spiritual books. ‘The five elements are there’, ‘these bodies are there’, ‘four bodies are there’, why to use all this ‘four bodies’ and all these things? The ‘subtle body’, ‘this body’, ‘consciousness’, ‘unconsciousness’, ‘awareness’, this is only playing with the words. You’ll not get happiness out of that. It’s entertainment, momentary spiritual entertainment. What is the use of spiritual science?  It’s what it says, “You’re separate from all these five elements.” The moment your Presence appears, all this entire world is projected, including the five elements. You are the father of the five elements. Where was the sky prior to beingness?

I’m giving a simple example. In a dream you see everything, correct? You’re sleeping, you’re in deep sleep. You see the sky, you see the moon, you see the sun, you see the ocean, you see so many people. Until this day you might have seen thousands of dreams. What has happened to all those people you’ve seen in your dreams? How was that dream world projected? You’re there and there only. This is a long dream-world.

But what happens? A lot of desires are there. “I want this thing, that thing, that thing.” One devotee came to me talking about some thoughts, they mentioned facebook or something. The human being, in the beginning we’re not coming along with these pockets. After leaving the body, you’re not having any pockets. Why to fill the pockets in between?

That means, prior to beingness nothing was there. Now so much anxiety, now so much greed is there, “I want this, I want this, I want this”. Who wants all these things? For what? How long are you going to use all these things? Temporary reliefs. Money is there, sex is there, publicity is there, so many things are there, so many material causes are there.

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Maharaj: No form is there. Prior to beingness any form was there? We’re not knowing ‘Who am I?’ To say ‘I am’, some Presence is required. Where is that ‘I’ prior to beingness? That Conviction, I’m not just talking understanding, that Conviction is supposed to appear spontaneously. For which you have to undergo strictly meditation, it’s the only source. Not any exercise, no torturing of the body. You’re not required to go anywhere, to any temple. You’re not required to go to any Master also. Approach your own Master. You’re neglecting your own Master. You’re measuring yourself in body-form, that Master.

Knowledge is everywhere. That is called Realization. Because it is Unidentified, Invisible, Anonymous Identity. There’s no name. You can’t see, you’ll feel it. What you see is illusion, through which you see is Reality. The entire world is projected out of the Seer’s, the Invisible Seer within you. The entire world is projected out of the Invisible Seer within you.

You can’t guess. Mind, ego, intellect disappears. These are functioning elements, they’re not bad. If you use excessively, the mind, ego, intellect, it will be bad. We say that anything in excess will be poison.

So have all your responsibilities. Not to neglect you body, not to neglect your family. Do your job, do your duties. “Oh, I’m a spiritual man, how can I do those things?”, no. Because you’re Final Truth. Therefore Spontaneous Conviction is supposed to appear, with the result that you’ll remain unconcerned with the world, untouched with the world, untouched by all concepts. All desires will dissolve, no desires will be there.

Therefore spiritual courage is required to accept the Reality. The Reality is not separate from you. And therefore again I am repeating, meditation is the only source. With the intellect we can understand, it’s okay.

Why is knowledge required? Because we forgot our identity. What do you mean by knowledge? Just to identify oneself, a simple thing. After identifying ourself, the identifier disappears.

Through various words I am trying to convince the Invisible Listener within you, which is formless.

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Maharaj: What you have listened to, what you have read so far, you have to absorb it, you have to digest it, number one. Second thing, you must have the Conviction, ‘I was not the body, I am not the body, I’m not going to remain the body’. That Conviction is supposed to appear spontaneously. And how will it appear? After having continuous meditation.

Meditation is not only chanting the Mantra. The meaning of the Mantra – ‘I am Brahman, Brahman I am’ – that is the meaning of the Mantra. But through the Mantra you are hammering yourself. The Mantra is only the cause, you are the consequence. These are the words. It is having some tremendous power. These are not simple words, they have tremendous power. It is creating some vibrations. You’ll feel some changes within you. With full faith, with strong faith, you recite that Mantra, spontaneously you’ll feel something else. Slowly, silently, all this illusion and desire will be dissolved. There will be the spontaneous feeling that my Presence is everywhere and in everyone. In every being my Presence is there. Just like Lord Krishna says, (Maharaj quotes a scripture in hindi), my Presence is everywhere, in every being.

Have you read Gita? The Bhagavad-Gita? My Spontaneous, Invisible Presence is within every being. It is formless, it is shapeless. There is no specific identity, there is no individuality, therefore there is no duality. If at all you want to compare (yourself), compare just like sky or space. You’re beyond that.

Though you are holding this body, you remain separate from the body, untouched with the body, untouched with all these activities.

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Maharaj: ‘Shama’ means tolerance.  So all attributes…Forgive and forget, it appears. Previously, for small, small matters, you’re getting irritated. After having Realization, after having Spontaneous Conviction, nothing has happened, no irritation. Whatever happens, whatever small thing appears in your experience, you’ll be completely calm and quiet. Exceptional tolerance will be there, exceptional blissfulness is there. All desires will disappear. No desire, no mind, no ego, no intellect – it happens spontaneously, and it’s called Spontaneous Conviction.

You’ll become completely free. Even though you’re using this body, either male or female, you’ll remain unconcerned with the body-knowledge. You’re using the body as a temporary thing. Just like you’re using some thing, say, an instrument – like that. It happens spontaneously. That is the conviction, the Spontaneous Conviction. Understanding is quite… “Oh, I understand, I’m not the body”, it is not so easy. And for which, again I am repeating, meditation is the basic thing. You have to devote some time. Some time means at least one hour. If you consider 24 hours, at least one hour. What are you doing for one hour? Just to try to identify the Unidentified Identity within you. I was not the body, I am not the body, I’m not going to remain the body. That Reality will be absorbed totally within you.

So even though you’re living in this world as a male or female, you’re unconcerned with the body activities. It happens. Complete peacefulness will be there. And this is very simple. The Nama Mantra is playing a very, very good part. Through Nama Mantra you’re hammering yourself. Slowly, silently, and permanently, all these desires, all these expectations and needs, will be dissolved. You’ll be completely free, completely free, completely silent, silent, silent.

So understanding intellectually is not sufficient. Because everything is within you. Spirituality, Reality, is not separate from you. So far we’re measuring ourself in body-form, therefore we’re not able to identify ourself in a real sense. If we haven’t identified ourself in a real sense, whatever you’re doing, if you approach thousands of Masters, if you read thousands of books, it will not help you.

Some people come and say “50 years I’m doing spirituality”, “30 years I’m doing spirituality”, what are you doing? Subtle ego is there: “I’m doing something”.  You’re not the doer! There’s no deed! Nothing is there.

So, the first stage, body-identity is supposed to be dissolved totally, spontaneously. It happens. Nothing is impossible, you’re getting courage.

So, don’t play with the words, the spiritual words, we’re playing with the spiritual words: ‘Atman’, ‘Paramatman’, so many, so many, thousands of words. We’ve created language, we’ve given meaning to the language. Not to struggle with the language. Someone is saying “why this, why you”, these are the words! Just for conversation, just for sharing the Reality, knowledge.

See what was there prior to beingness. Any language was there? No ‘I’ was there, there was no ‘you’, no ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’, nothing was there. No concept of God, no Master, no disciple, no devotee, no deity. Nothing was there. After leaving the body, what remains? You’ve got a lot of knowledge, you’re master of knowledge, okay. Will that knowledge be helpful at the time of leaving the body? What is the use of that knowledge? What do you mean by knowledge? Just to identify oneself in a real sense. We’re identifying ourself in body-form and that is illusion, this is open fact.

So everything starts and ends within you. As I told you, everything came out of nothing and everything dissolves within nothing. Your Presence was there but not in any form. You’re formless Presence. After leaving the body your Presence will be there, but not in any form. Just like so many houses have collapsed, what is the fate of the sky, space? Sky is not dying, there’s no death, no birth.

So ‘death’ and ‘birth’ concepts are supposed to be dissolved. All desires will be dissolved. It happens! We’re having subtle, subtle desires. So instead of studying the spirituality, try to digest that spirituality within you. Spirituality is not separate from you. So far we’re measuring ourself in body-form, counting ourself in body-form, spirituality will be different. The moment spirituality is absorbed, at that stage there is no ‘I’, there is no ‘you’, ‘he’, ‘she’, nothing is there. No God is there, no Master is there, no disciple, no devotee, nothing is there! Therefore I’ve told you: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman.

All needs, requirements, desires came along with the body. Where were those desires prior to beingness? Everything dissolves along with the body. What remains? Nothing.

Q: Master, is it best to stop reading your book, or Nisargadatta’s books? Is it best to stop reading that at some point?

Maharaj: Not to stop reading! You read it! You can read books, but you’re reading your biography. When you’re reading certain books, suppose this a story given from birth to death, a biography, “Oh, it’s my biography! It is my story!” You read it in that way. Somebody wrote a biography on your life without your knowledge, when you come across with such a book, “Oh, it’s my biography!” Like that, when you’re reading any – Ramana Maharashi is there, Nisargadatta Maharaj is there, so many Masters are there. Their language is different, but what did they want to convey? So many spiritual books are there. Don’t “subtle body, this body, that body”, what to do with the bodies! Where are the bodies prior to beingness? “Four bodies are there, this body”, what to know, why to bother with these ‘bodies’!

See, the principle behind spiritual knowledge is that this body belongs to the five elements. You are the projector of these five elements. Where were these five elements prior to beingness?

Sky is there, earth is there, wind is there, sun and light is there. So all these five elements came along with the body. Where were the five elements prior to beingness? After leaving the body will you know any elements? Nothing will be there.

So all knowledge, whatever knowledge you have, will dissolve along with the body. So why to play with the words? All spiritual words are an indication inviting the attention of the Invisible Listener