Nisargadatta

From NonSpiritual

Real Name	Maruti Shivrampant Kambli
Alternative Names	Nisargadatta Maharaj
Date of Birth	April 17 1897
Date of Death	September 8 1981
Spiritual Tradition	Advaita
Methods	Meditation, Grace of the Guru
Headquarters	Bombay, India
Website	http://www.nisargadatta.in
Teacher	Siddharameshwar
Region	India
Language	Marathi

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Teachings 2.1 Quotes 3 Influence and Followers 3.1 Famous Followers 4 Controversies and Criticism 5 Organizations and Websites 6 Works 7 Further Reading and Links 7.1 Articles 8 Notes

Introduction

An Indian spiritual teacher, teaching mostly through discourses, Nisargadatta Maharaj is one of the most well-regarded of Indian spiritual teachers in the non-dualist traditions.

In 1973, the publication of his most famous and widely-translated book, I Am That, an English translation of his talks in Marathi by Maurice Frydman, brought him worldwide recognition and followers.

Teachings

• Pure intent will find its path and a Guru will appear when needed
• The real world is a dream, to awaken is to be enlightened
• Reincarnation and rebirth, Karma

Quotes

From I am That:

To know the self as the only reality and all else as temporal and transient is freedom, peace and joy.

Do not bother about anything you want, or think, or do, just stay put in the thought and feeling, ‘I am’, focusing ‘I am’ firmly in your mind.

The light by which you see the world, which is God is the tiny little spark: ‘I am’, apparently so small and yet the first and the last in every act of knowing and loving.

All is secondary to the tiny little thing which is the ‘I am’. Without the ‘I am’ there is nothing.

‘I am’ itself is God, ...

At the root of everything is the feeling ‘I am’. The state of mind ‘there is a world’ is secondary, for to be, I do not need the world, the world needs me.

The sense ‘I am’ is a manifestation of a deeper cause, which you may call self, God, Reality or by any other name. The ‘I am’ is in the world but it is the key which can open the door out of the world.

There is no ‘I’ apart from the body or the world. The three appear and disappear together.

Influence and Followers

Though only a few collections of his talks have been published, he has tremendous influence in modern spiritual seekers. He is widely considered to be the most direct and uncompromising non-dualist teacher since Ramana Maharishi.

Famous Followers

• Ramesh Balsekar, himself a spiritual teacher based in Bombay, India.
• Timothy Conway, himself a spiritual teacher

Controversies and Criticism

• As in Advaita, regarded the real world as a dream.
• Taught an extreme form of narcissism in which "I" am everything.
• Believed in reincarnation and Karma.
• Accepted veneration and worship.
• Tried to undertake a journey to the Himalayas to meditate there in solitude, but turned back after realizing the futility of any circumstantial changes.

Organizations and Websites

• http://www.nisargadatta.in
• http://nisargadatta.co.cc/

Works

• 'Adhyatma Dnyanacha Yogeshwar' (Vol I & II) written by Nisargadatta Maharaj. 130 talks of Siddharameshwar Maharaj (Marathi), November, 1961 and July, 1962.
• Master of Self Realization, An English translation of 'Adhyatma Dnyanacha Yogeshwar' written by Nisargadatta Maharaj, a collection of 130 Talks by Siddharameshwar Maharaj, which also includes a newly revised edition of "Master Key to Self-Realization" which was written by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj himself.
• Atmagyana and Paramatmayoga, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Marathi [27] [28].
• Self Knowledge and Self Realization, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Edited by Jean Dunn, 1963.
• I Am That, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta, Transcribed and edited by Maurice Frydman. Chetana Publishing, Bombay[29], 1973. ISBN 0893860220.
• The Nectar of the Lord's Feet: Final Teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj: Discourses January-November 1980. Edited by Robert Powell. 1990.ISBN 1852300116.
• Nectar of Immortality, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj Discourses on the Eternal, Edited by Robert Powell. 1987. ISBN 8120817338.
• Seeds of Consciousness: The Wisdom of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Edited by Jean Dunn. (Talks recorded, 1979-1980). Chetana Publishing, Bombay 1990. ISBN 0893860255.
• Beyond Freedom: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, S.K. Mullarpattan, Ed..
• Consciousness and the Absolute, The Final Talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Edited by Jean Dunn. (Talks recorded, 1981). 1994. ISBN 0893860417.
• The Wisdom of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Blue Dove Press, 1995.
• Prior to Consciousness, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Edited by Jean Dunn. (Talks recorded,1980-1981). Chetana Publishing 1999. ISBN 0-89386-024-7.
• The Ultimate Medicine: Dialogues with a Realized Master, Edited by Robert Powell. 1994. ISBN 1556436335.
• I Am Unborn: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj by Pradeep Apte & Vijayendra Deshpande.
• The Experience of Nothingness, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj's Talks on Realizing the Infinite. Edited by Robert Powell. 1996. ISBN 1884997147.
• The Wisdom-Teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj, A Visual Journey (Talks recorded,1977-1979). Edited by Matthew Greenblatt. InnerDirections Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1878019201.
• Gleanings From Nisargadatta, Mark West, Australia, Beyond Description Publishing, 2006.
• The Nisargadatta Gita. Pradeep Apte, India, Lulu.com 2008
• I AM (The complete 'I am' quotes of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj),Pradeep Apte,India,Lulu.com 2008

Further Reading and Links

Articles

• Wikipedia article on Nisargadatta Maharaj

Notes