Nisargadatta was a revered Advaitin of our time, spoken of in the same breath as Ramana Maharshi. Like Ramana, his words are lucid and intelligent, and their sincerity and authenticity cannot be doubted.
Here is a brief biography. His masterpiece was 'I Am That', and a comprehensive selection of excerpts can be found here. Note that the detailed table of contents makes this site a valuable resource for study.
Nisargadatta is yet another Advaitin authority who speaks in unmistakably idealistic language. That is, he repeats the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads that Brahman or Consciousness is the sole reality, and that enlightenment arises when this is deeply understood. One then speaks of 'realization', as this is more an illuminating experience than a matter of grasping merely conceptual knowledge. This realization of the sole reality of Consciousness is also called 'nonduality', and it is incompatible with the common dualistic worldview of subject and object, or consciousness and world of material objects. Nonduality arises in many mystical traditions. It is how reality manifests at a higher level of consciousness; also, it seems to be a precondition for such enlightenment.
In the following, I have collected some excerpts from the 'I Am That' website above in support of this view. The numbers in parentheses refer to the pages of the edition by Chetana, Bombay, 1992.
1. I AM NOT THE BODY-MIND
First, he starts out by saying that 'I am not this person, body-mind, or any thing.' The reason is that
'The perceived cannot be the perceiver. Whatever you see, hear or think of, remember - you are not what happens, you are he to whom it happens.' (519)
This may seem dualistic at first, with an apparent distinction between 'perceiver' and 'perceived', which is essentially the same as between subject and object, or consciousness and world. However, as we will see, the bulk of this text is clearly nondual, so we must interpret the words carefully. A short while later we read
'When you realize that the distinction between inner and outer is in the mind only, you are no longer afraid.' (464)
and also
'The observed, observation and observer are mental constructs. The Self alone is.' (219)
So what he means is that we must not identify with the illusions of body and mind, when mistakenly taken to be objects independent from consciousness. That is, when the mind thinks in terms of 'perceiver' and 'perceived', or 'observer' and 'observed', then it falsely assumes a distinction between the perceiving consciousness and the perceived body or mind. In this sense, both body and mind are considered as 'objects' (which is rather paradoxical in the case of mind). This is dualism and our normal state of delusion. From within this state, we should not identify with what appears as objective, namely, body and mind.
What remains if the dualistic illusion is dissolved? Only pure nondual consciousness, which is often called the Self in the Advaitin tradition. The phenomena of body, mind and world still appear, but they are no longer interpreted dualistically (i.e. objectively). We will say more about this later.
2. I AM NOT THE TRANSITORY
He then states a characteristically Advaitin idea, that the impermanence and discontinuity of the perceived world require a continuous and permanent reality in order to be apprehended, a 'changeless background':
'Changes are inevitable in the changeful, but you are not subject to them. You are the changeless background, against which changes are perceived.' (333)
and again
'You must realize yourself as the immovable behind and beyond the movable, the silent witness of all that happens.' (319)
This unchanging background is consciousness, the silent witness. Again, these statements should be understood as preliminary statements from a dualistic viewpoint. That is, when the passing spectacle of the 'world' is seen as real (i.e. objective), then the witness seems to exist as that unchanging reality which observes and 'knows' the changing world. There seems to be a necessary distinction between the two. Otherwise, what connects together the changing events? When we say that the world is changing, this implies some 'knower' who remains the same and can thus connect different events into a continuous process.
Again, it is important to realize that this is only from the point of view of duality, that is, the distinction between witness and changing world is presupposed. This is not hard to do, since it is our normal state and is so engrained in our minds that it is difficult for us to imagine reality in any other way. Thus, the argument serves to help the spiritual seeker realize that there is an unchanging inner consciousness, from within the standpoint of duality, by contrasting it with the changing world. This is a necessary first step towards realizing that there is ONLY the consciousness, and the apparent world is but an illusion. This comes later, as we will see.
3. THE TRUE AND FALSE 'I AM'
Now given this illusory duality, it is ironic that the witness then wishes to identify with what appears to be an objective mind and body. That is, the mind first creates the illusion of perceiver and perceived, and mind and body fall under the 'perceived', which means that they are thought of as objects and hence something other than the subject or witnessing consciousness. THEN, the mind wishes to 'reach out' and 'reunite' with the objective illusion, at least as far as body and mind are concerned. This is called 'identification', and its paradoxical nature arises from the fundamentally flawed assumptions of duality.
'A reflection of the watcher in the mind creates the sense of 'I' and the person acquires an apparently independent existence. In reality there is no person, only the watcher identifying himself with the 'I' and the 'mine'.' (343)
Yet it is not the 'I am' that is false but the 'I am' applied to the illusory objectification of body and mind. If 'I am' is applied only to the witness instead, then it must be true, as the witnessing consciousness cannot be denied. This is a form of spiritual practice much advocated by Ramana, but if pursued to the end, then the 'witness' itself disappears, since it is the counterpart to the object in the dualistic illusion. (Ramana compared this to using a stick to stir the fire. Eventually, the stick too is consumed.)
'It is not the 'I am' that is false, but what you take yourself to be. I can see, beyond the least shadow of doubt, that you are not what you believe yourself to be.' (458)'What is really your own, you are not conscious of. What you are conscious of is neither you nor yours. Yours is the power of perception, not what you perceive.' (445)
4. THE FALSE 'I AM' CREATES BONDAGE
Why should it matter if we identify with the illusions of body and mind? This gets to the heart of both Advaita and Buddhism. In the West, we tend to think that it doesn't matter what we think, that our thoughts are mere chalk on an internal blackboard. The East, on the other hand, has properly realized that we tend to become what we think. This is especially true in spiritual matters. Our view of reality has a profound effect on the state of our consciousness, particularly if our presuppositions become deeply rooted in the mind, so as to become reflexive and subconscious.
'It is the taking yourself to be what you are not that binds you.' (143)'The source of consciousness cannot be an object in consciousness. To know the source is to be the source. When you realize that you are not the person, but the pure and calm witness, and that fearless awareness is your very being, you are the being. It is the source, the inexhaustible Possibility.' (65)
It is only by realizing that we are the Infinite Consciousness or Brahman (or Buddha for that matter) that we overcome our bondage to the illusions of body, mind and world. This is the essential reason for pursuing nondual inquiry; it is not for the sake of 'armchair philosophy'.
This really makes a lot of sense, once we accept that thoughts can determine our state of consciousness. If we think we are something limited, then we effectively become something limited. If we realize our fundamental identity with the divine, then we become that divine. This is the highly plausible testimony of the sages, which we should at least consider as a 'working assumption'.
'Once you realize that bodily existence is but a state of mind, a movement in consciousness, that the ocean of consciousness is infinite and eternal, and that, when in touch with consciousness, you are the witness only, you will be able to withdraw beyond consciousness altogether.' (327)'Do realize that it is not you who moves from dream to dream, but the dreams flow before you, and you are the immutable witness. No happening affects your real being - that is the absolute truth.' (333)
Whereas the Semitic religions tend to stress our sinful nature, the Eastern religions tend to emphasize ignorance rather than guilt.
'To identify oneself with the particular is all the sin there is. The impersonal is real, the personal appears and disappears. 'I am' is the impersonal Being. 'I am this' is the person. The person is relative, and the pure Being fundamental.' (71)
5. THE WORLD IS A DREAM IN CONSCIOUSNESS
Finally, we arrive at the 'idealistic' aspect of Nisargadatta's teaching, that is, the view that the 'world' is an unreal illusion in consciousness, rather than a solid material entity existing distinct from consciousness (as it appears to common sense). This follows inevitably from what has been said so far.
5.1 External World is Unprovable
To begin with, he points out that such an external world is inherently unprovable.
'You know only what is in your consciousness. What you claim exists outside conscious experience is inferred.' (449)'You may postulate a world beyond the mind, but it will remain a concept, unproved and unprovable.' (533)
I certainly agree that a world 'outside' consciousness is utterly unprovable, since there is no way to get outside of consciousness. The vivid perceptions that we see could just be a dream or hallucination. We think that this world is real because of the vividness of the perceptions and because different people 'in the same place' see a similar 'world'. (To be 'in the same place' is to have similar perceptions.) This only shows that the dreams of different 'people' are vivid and coordinated with each other by the laws of physics. Indeed, it is 'unscientific' to postulate the existence of a world of matter 'outside' of consciousness, since science is supposed to limit itself to observations only, which are within consciousness.
5.2 Space and Time are Imagined
Still, some people may feel that this only shows that the external world cannot be proved, and this is different from disproving it. Thus, one may consider the question of whether the external world exists or not to be unanswerable. My view is that the very notions of space and time are derived from perception, that is, from within consciousness itself, so that applying them 'outside' of consciousness is invalid. In other words, there can be no outside to consciousness, because space itself is a notion derived from perceptual consciousness. But let us see what Nisargadatta says.
'The whole of it is [imagination]. Even space and time are imagined. All existence is imaginary.' (355)'It is you who are in movement and not time. Stop moving and time will cease. Past and future will merge in the eternal now.' (405)
'All depends on you. It is by your consent that the world exists. Withdraw your belief in its reality and it will dissolve like a dream. Time can bring down mountains; much more you, who are the timeless source of time. For without memory and expectation there can be no time.' (452)
What Nisargadatta says about time also applies to space. Clearly he thinks that they are produced by the mind; they are imagination only, as is the world. So, it does not make sense to speak of a reality outside of consciousness.
5.3 All Dualism is Imagined by the Mind
Both Advaita and Mahayana stress that all dualism, such as subject and object, seer and seen, self and world, and so on are imagined by the mind. They are a hallucination superposed on the reality of pure, undivided, nondual consciousness. In the case of Mahayana, this was discussed, for example, in Idealism in the Lankavatara
In 'I Am That' Nisargadatta says it this way:
'Look closely and you will see that the seer and the seen appear only when there is seeing. They are attributes of seeing. When you say 'I am seeing this', 'I am' and 'this' come with the seeing, not before. You cannot have an unseen 'this' nor an unseeing 'I am'. Knowing is a reflection of your true nature along with being and loving. The knower and the known are added by the mind. It is in the nature of the mind to create a subject-object duality, where there is none.' (404)'All thinking is in duality. In identity, no thought survives.' (335)
'In reality there is only perception. The perceiver and the perceived are conceptual, the fact of perceiving is actual. The Absolute is the birthplace of perceiving. It makes perception possible.' (340)
The idea that in nondual enlightenment there is no perceiver or perceived can also be found in the Heart Sutra, recited by Mahayana Buddhists every day. The sutra describes this is terms of 'emptiness', a characteristic Mahayana notion to which we will return shortly. (The language of this sutra may at first seem rather different from what we have been saying. But note, for example, that there is 'no consciousness' and 'no phenomenon', i.e. no perceiver or perceived.)
5.4 Matter is Imagined like a Movie
A common analogy, used also by Ramana, is to a movie projected on a screen. The world is like the movie, which we take to be real while engrossed as spectators, but which vanishes once it is over. In reality, the movie, viewer and screen are all within consciousness.
'You are the viewer, the light, the picture and the screen. Even the film of destiny (prarabdha) is self-selected and self-imposed.' (480)
So the material world is nothing but an illusion projected by the mind. This has implications for what we are pleased to call 'matter'.
'The totality of the perceived is what you call matter. The totality of all perceivers is what you call the universal mind. The identity of the two, manifesting itself as perceptibility and perceiving, harmony and intelligence, loveliness and loving, reasserts itself eternally.' (251)
And here is confirmation of what I said above, that the apparent reality of the 'external' world arises because our individual dreams are coordinated with each other.
'All the dreams are superimposed over a common world. To some extent, they shape and influence each other. The basic unity operates in spite of all.' (92)
5.5 Even the Witness is Illusory
As I said before, even the detached witness is only a stepping-stone to realization and enlightenment. It too is ultimately unreal, since it depends for its existence on taking the witnessed objective world as real.
'I am conscious and unconscious, both conscious and unconscious, neither conscious nor unconscious - to all this I am witness, but really there is no witness, because there is nothing to be a witness to. I am perfectly empty of all mental formations, void of mind, yet fully aware. This I try to express by saying that I am beyond the mind.' (328)
Those who think that Advaita consists merely of rejecting the body, mind and world as 'not me' do not realize that this is only the first stage.
' 'Nothing is me' is the first step. 'Everything is me' is the next. Both hang on the idea 'There is a world'. When this too is given up, you remain what you are - the non-dual Self. You are it here and now, but your vision is obstructed by your false ideas about your self.' (518)
5.6 The World is the Reflection of the Ego
Really, the appearance of an 'external world' is but the mirror reflection of our ego, our sense of self as a distinct entity.
'As you think yourself to be, so you think the world to be. If you imagine yourself as separate from the world, the world will appear as separate from you and you will experience desire and fear. I do not see the world as separate from me and so there is nothing for me to desire or fear.' (123)
5.7 The Solution is to Calm the Mind
If the mind is the source of the problem, then pacifying the mind is the obvious solution.
'The world appears to you so overwhelmingly real because you think of it all the time; cease thinking of it and it will dissolve into thin mist.' (505)
But this cessation of thought does not mean that we are reduced to a vegetable state. Rather, is simply means ceasing to be fooled by the illusion.
'To know the picture as the play of light on the screen, gives freedom from the idea that the picture is real.' (388)
5.8 Similar to Emptiness of Mahayana Buddhism
When the world is reduced to illusion, one can speak of it as 'empty' or 'non-existent'. Indeed, 'emptiness' is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism, which has led to much confusion. See Mahayana Idea of Emptiness.
Nisargadatta expresses a similar idea.
'The pure mind sees things as they are - bubbles in consciousness. These bubbles are appearing, disappearing and reappearing - without having real being. Each bubble is a body and all these bodies are mine.' (138)
The image of bubbles also appears at the end of the Diamond Sutra, a key scripture of the Mahayana.
As with emptiness, the quiescence of the mind and dissolution of distinctions and discriminations leads to the state of consciousness called 'nonduality'.
'When you go beyond awareness, there is a state of non-duality, in which there is no cognition, only pure being, which may be as well called non-being, if by being you mean being something in particular.' (409)'Your true home is in nothingness, in emptiness of all content.' (487)
This is an important indication of a profound similarity of spiritual vision between Advaita and Mahayana.
5.9 All Distinctions are Dissolved
Nonduality means more than the dissolution of subject and object. Ultimately, it means the dissolution of all distinctions, which are seen to be but illusory facets of the same one consciousness. This may be even more difficult to understand than the illusory nature of subject and objects, since clearly the 'dream' seems to consist of a multiplicity of shapes and colors. But consider that they are all witnessed by the same 'seer', the same Self, and that furthermore they are not different from that Self. Is the seer or Self not a unity? Is there more than one 'I'? Evidently not, which means that logically the multiplicity must indeed be illusory in some sense. This requires a profound intuition into the nature of consciousness and illusion and cannot be understood as long as the discriminating mind is dominant. Indeed, it is the discriminating mind which creates the illusion of multiplicity, which is closely related to the illusion of materiality.
'In reality all is here and now and all is one. Multiplicity and diversity are in the mind only.' (115)'There is no 'my self' and 'his self'. There is the Self, the only Self of all. Misled by the diversity of names and shapes, minds and bodies, you imagine multiple selves. We both are the Self.' (137)
Even the distinction between different seers or conscious beings must ultimately be illusory, which to me is very difficult to grasp, although I admit that it must logically be true. This One Universal Consciousness is called Brahman by the Advaitins and Buddha Nature by Mahayana Buddhists.
'The one witness reflects itself in the countless bodies as 'I am'. As long as the bodies, however subtle, last, the 'I am' appears as many. Beyond the body there is only the One.' (157)'Delve deeply into the sense 'I am' and you will surely discover that the perceiving center is universal, as universal as the light that illumines the world. All that happens in the universe happens to you, the silent witness. On the other hand, whatever is done, is done by you, the universal and inexhaustible energy.' (519)
6. SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WORLD AS DREAM
6.1 Reality Shines Through
Finally, we may discuss the spiritual implications of nondual consciousness and the illusory nature of the world. As we have already seen, belief in the reality of ego and world blinds us to our true nature as Pure Consciousness. Enlightenment cannot happen until this true nature is realized. Indeed Enlightenment is essentially the realization of our true nature, which cannot arise as long as the discriminating mind is dominant, hypnotizing us into believing in its imaginations of ego and world. The illusion covers the truth. Abandoning our belief in the reality of the world allows the light of consciousness to shine and the truth to be revealed. In this light, the true nature of world as a dream becomes evident.
'Give up all and you gain all. Then life becomes what it was meant to be: pure radiation from an inexhaustible source. In that light the world appears dimly like a dream.' (257)'At the root of my being is pure awareness, a speck of intense light. This speck, by its very nature, radiates and creates pictures in space and events in time - effortlessly and spontaneously. As long as it is merely aware, there are no problems. But when the discriminative mind comes into being and creates distinctions, pleasure and pain arise. During sleep the mind is in abeyance and so are pain and pleasure. The process of creation continues, but no notice is taken. The mind is a form of consciousness, and consciousness is an aspect of life. Life creates everything, but the Supreme is beyond all.' (180-1)
6.2 Mind Creates Pleasure and Pain
Notice that pleasure and pain also arise due to the discriminations of the mind.
'The cause of suffering is in the identification of the perceiver with the perceived. Out of it desire is born, and with desire blind action, unmindful of results. Look around and you will see - suffering is a man-made thing.' (381)
And as I said already, we become slaves to those thoughts we believe in.
'This is the heart of the matter: As long as you believe that only the outer world is real, you remain its slave.' (424)
6.3 Mind Creates Illusion of a Doer
If there is no ego, no person, then there can be no 'doer'. This idea is important in the Bhagavad Gita, a key scripture of Hinduism.
'Nothing is done by me, everything just happens. I do not expect, I do not plan, I just watch events happening, knowing them to be unreal.' (191)'You are like the man in the cinema house, laughing and crying with the picture, though knowing fully well that he is all the time in his seat and the picture is but the play of light. It is enough to shift attention from the screen to oneself to break the spell.' (389)
'The deed is a fact, the doer a mere concept. Your very language shows that while the deed is certain, the doer is dubious; shifting responsibility is a game peculiarly human. Considering the endless list of factors required for anything to happen, one can only admit that everything is responsible for everything, however remote. Doership is a myth born from the illusion of 'me' and 'mine' '. (389)
'As long as you have the idea of influencing events, liberation is not for you: the very notion of doership, of being a cause, is bondage.' (298)
This has implications for free will which may be disturbing to some.
'In Hinduism, the very idea of free will is non-existent, so there is no word for it. Will is commitment, fixation, bondage.' (356)
6.4 Nondual Consciousness is Impartial
Nonduality is also profoundly 'democratic' in that the surface differences between people are seen to be illusory. Do not most conflicts between humans arise because we believe in these superficial differences?
'To me all [persons] are equal. Differences in appearance and expression are there, but they do not matter. Just as the shape of a gold ornament does not affect the gold, so does man's essence remain unaffected.' (301)
Again, not only are the apparent distinctions superficial, but the same Consciousness is at the core of each of us, so that there is really no difference at all between you and me, however paradoxical this may seem.
'My self and your self are one. I know it, but you don't. That is all the difference - and it cannot last.' (88)'I am the other person, the other person is myself; in name and shape we are different, but there is no separation. At the root of our being we are one.' (511)
'First know your own mind and you will find that the question of other minds does not arise at all, for there are no other people. You are the common factor, the only link between the minds. Being is consciousness. 'I am' applies to all.' (257)
'When you understand that names and shapes are hollow shells without any content whatsoever, and what is real is nameless and shapeless, pure energy of life and light of consciousness, you will be at peace - immersed in the deep silence of reality.' (37)
6.5 How to be Liberated from the Mind
How to become liberated from the tyranny of the mind? Many people think that this can only be achieved through arduous sacrifices and yoga, but Ramana and Nisargadatta both stress simple, quiet awareness. Then the mind will subside and the reality which is our true nature will shine by its own light.
'Liberation is a natural process and, in the long run, inevitable. But it is within your power to bring it into the now.' (474)'To know the source as source and appearance as appearance, and oneself as the source only is self-realization.' (395)
'Where is the need of changing anything? The mind is changing anyhow all the time. Look at your mind dispassionately; this is enough to calm it. When it is quiet, you can go beyond it. Do not keep it busy all the time. Stop it, and just be. If you give it rest, it will settle down and recover its purity and strength. Constant thinking makes it decay.' (311)
'No effort can take you there, only the clarity of understanding.' (520)
6.6 Quiet Awareness Better than Gurus
Hindus tend to put a lot of faith in gurus, but Nisargadatta (like Ramana) expresses a view closer to that of the Buddha, who warned us against blind faith in tradition and gurus. (However, the mere presence of a true jivanmukta or liberated person is another matter. As with Ramana, his presence can radiate a calm and a light which is conducive to intuition. My complaint is against gurus who try to control the minds of people in any way, however subtle. There should never be the tiniest trace of coercion in spiritual matters. Those gurus tend to be the ones who are not truly enlightened.)
'The self-styled gurus talk of ripeness and effort, of merits and achievements, of destiny and grace; all these are mere mental formations, projections of an addicted mind. Instead of helping, they obstruct.' (422)
Spiritual practice is reduced to merely remaining quiet and aware and allowing the mind to dissolve, so that the truth of our nature as Pure Consciousness can shine of its own light.
'Do nothing, just be. In being all happens naturally.' (227)'A quiet mind is all you need. All else will happen rightly, once your mind is quiet. As the sun on rising makes the world active, so does self-awareness affect changes in the mind. In the light of calm and steady self-awareness, inner energies wake up and work miracles without any effort on your part.' (311)
If there is any 'work', it is simply to diligently observe our mind and see the truth. This can be very difficult if we are addicted to spinning a cocoon of deceit about ourselves.
'Deepen and broaden your awareness of yourself and all the blessings will flow. You need not seek anything, all will come to you most naturally and effortlessly.' (261)'Whatever you may have to do, watch your mind. Also you must have moments of complete inner peace and quiet, when your mind is absolutely still. If you miss it, you miss the entire thing. If you do not, the silence of the mind will dissolve and absorb all else.' (215)
6.7 Value of Meditation
What about meditation and breathing exercises? They do have value as an aid to awareness.
'The value of regular meditation is that it takes you away from the humdrum of daily routine and reminds you that you are not what you believe yourself to be.' (492)'With deep and quiet breathing, vitality will improve, which will influence the brain and help the mind to grow pure and stable and fit for meditation. Without vitality, little can be done, hence the importance of its protection and increase. Posture and breathing are a part of yoga, for the body must be healthy and well under control, but too much concentration on the body defeats its own purpose, for it is the mind that is primary in the beginning. When the mind has been put to rest and disturbs no longer the inner space (chidakash), the body acquires a new meaning and its transformation becomes both necessary and possible.' (496-7)
6.8 Earnestness and Sincerity are Essential
However, there is one crucial pre-requisite: earnestness and sincerity.
'Earnestness, not perfection, is a precondition to self-realization. Virtues and powers come with realization, not before.' (434)'It is earnestness that is indispensable, the crucial factor. Sadhana is only a vessel and it must be filled to the brim with earnestness, which is but love in action. For nothing can be done without love.' (482-3)
Again, like the Buddha, Nisargadatta emphasizes the importance of striving for the truth, rather than blindly placing faith in a guru or priest.
'You must find your own way. Unless you find it yourself, it will not be your own way and will take you nowhere. Earnestly live your truth as you have found it, act on the little you have understood. It is earnestness that will take you through, not cleverness - your own or another's.' (499)'To find reality you must be real in the smallest daily action; there can be no deceit in the search for truth.' (515)
'Try. One step at a time is easy. Energy flows from earnestness.' (528)
7. CONCLUSIONS
We have seen that Nisargadatta, like other Advaitins such as Ramana and Shankara, believes that the apparent world is as insubstantial as a dream. It has no existence independent of consciousness but is only a dream or hallucination. Consciousness alone exists, which is the same as the Divine. Furthermore, it is the same Consciousness in all the apparently different beings.
The importance of realizing that the world is a dream is not for the sake of mere philosophical theorizing, but because the apparent reality of the world is actually the reflection of our tenacious clinging to the illusion of ego, to our belief in ourselves as independently existing beings. Such a delusion inhibits us from realizing our nature as Pure Consciousness, which is the very definition of liberation and enlightenment. Any discrimination of subject and object leads to a partiality which contradicts the fundamental unity of the nature of each of us as a mere manifestation of the Universal Consciousness.
'The problem is not the dream. Your problem is that you like one part of your dream and not another. Love all, or none of it, and stop complaining. When you have seen the dream as a dream, you have done all that needs be done.' (117)