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Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
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I Am Not the Body: Discovering the Truth Beyond Bondage Paperback – December 8, 2020
by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (Author), Nic Higham (Editor), Pradeep Apte (Foreword)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 173 ratings
4.3 on Goodreads
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Key Spiritual Teachings From Unpublished Discourses
“This well-structured book outlines the fundamental teachings of Sri Nisargadatta and will undoubtedly be a significant addition to the Nisargadatta canon. This work is based on tape recordings of discourses captured and translated by Sri Mohan Gaitonde, one of Sri Nisargadatta’s translators. Once the idea ‘I am not the body’ settles in, which is in fact the reality, the ‘Unborn’ is all that remains. Sri Nisargadatta has said, ‘You are Unborn, you were Unborn, and you shall remain Unborn’.”
- Pradeep Apte, author of ‘The Nisargadatta Gita’ and ‘The Unborn Nisargadatta’
“Thank you for the great book. You have justified my giving you permission. All lovers of Maharaj will enjoy reading it.”
- Mohan Gaitonde, Nisargadatta Maharaj's translator
In this book of key spiritual teachings from unpublished discourses, the great Advaita Master, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, teaches us that we are not limited to the body. Because of our mistaken body identity, we feel separate from what we truly are. Our self-identification with the body and mind subjects us to endless cycles of pleasure and pain, desire and fear, which cause us to search beyond ourselves for that which we believe we lack.
According to Sri Nisargadatta, all conditions, all names and appearances, emerge from ignorance and imagination, from the mind’s assumptions—assumptions due to not enquiring and therefore not appreciating the nature of reality. When we realise that we are not limited to the body, we find that we are already free, needing no liberation. We discover that we are not only free, but infinite and boundless.
This ‘I am-ness’ is the substance of our entire world. All that we know owes its birth to consciousness and it is the portal to the Absolute. When we are no longer a slave of body-consciousness, we realise ourselves as Universal Consciousness, Pure Awareness. Our preoccupation with the known ceases, and we find the natural state, Nisarga, was present all along. We are this stateless state, and the universe is our ecstatic outpouring.
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj met his guru, Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, at the age of 34 in 1933. Three years later, Sri Nisargadatta realised himself as the Supreme Reality, the transcendental Self. Through earnestly heeding the words of his Guru, he discovered he was That which is unmanifest and eternal—beyond the bondage of name, form, shape, and size.
For many years, thousands of people came from all over India and the world to listen to Sri Nisargadatta’s teachings. His influence is still as powerful today as it was when he gave regular talks four decades ago. Undoubtedly one of the greatest spiritual teachers of all time, one can sense his depth of dedication to truth, rather than affluence, recognition, and agenda. His legendary plain-speaking way and heartfelt commitment to assisting those on the direct path will affect anyone serious about self-realisation and the transfiguration of consciousness.
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Print length
156 pages
Language
English
Publication date
December 8, 2020
Product details
Publisher : 978-1-8383049-0-4 (December 8, 2020)
Language : English
Paperback : 156 pages
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
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Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars One of NM’s finestReviewed in the United States on August 1, 2021
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This is one of the best books of Nisargadatta’s teachings that I have read to date (and I have read almost all of them). I personally think that the teachings presented here are far deeper than in “I am that,” which is relatively superficial and meant more for spiritual novices. Jean Dunn’s books and those of Mohan Gaitonde are far superior, IMHO, especially after having been initiated into the Inchegiri Navnath Sampradaya by NM’s deceased disciple, Ramakant M, and having over 35 years of meditation experience myself in addition to knowledge of Indian and Judeo-Christian scriptures. I firmly believe that this is the very deepest that one can possibly go in spirituality, beyond religion and beyond classical Yoga and associated Samadhi experiences. This is about the Supreme Absolute Reality, the substratum of all experiential states and states of consciousness, the formless, attribute-less, identity-less ground of all Being, described in the Ashtavakra Gita as the “unbounded Deep” or in the Bhagavad Gita as the “Unmanifested Eternal Existence.” I can also state unequivocally based on my own experience that It is beyond Nirvikalpa Samadhi and represents the permanent Sahaja Samadhi, the Stateless State, in which Nisargadatta was firmly established. The profound wisdom of NM shines in these teachings and can in an ineffable supraintellectual transmission take “you” back to your Original Place or True Identity.
36 people found this helpful
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R. Jerome
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Summary!!Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2022
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An excellent primer on thoughts and philosophy of Nisargadatta!! In Nic Higham has a beautiful summary of then key points as well. As someone on the path this book added some great insights into the meaning Awareness/Beingness!!
5 people found this helpful
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Jesse Ramos Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great bookReviewed in the United States on March 9, 2022
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A great read highly recommend for anyone wanting to truly understand who and what they really are. Full of great advice
3 people found this helpful
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Banner99
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and UnifyingReviewed in the United States on February 21, 2022
If you've been on the path for a while you'll find this knowledge clear and concise and ultimately full of Grace.
4 people found this helpful
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Adam C. Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars much appreciatedReviewed in the United States on September 25, 2021
I have appreciated the teachings of N.M. since my father introduced me to I AM THAT in college. Subsequently I read his Pointers and Nectar, but this work was great in that it included excerpts from the aforementioned texts plus blurbs from several others which I haven't read, so it is like a compendium of the nondual teachings. This is not a fault of the compiler but the translator should take especial precaution in rendering the teachings into English, as there is some confusion between ego-consciousness and awareness. When NM says consciousness is everything but ultimately you are not conscious, this can be misleading. He means that before the rise of the ego, or I-thought, the primordial I-I, existence itself, was, is, and always will be. Take note from the translation of RM's teachings, which I have found more clear.
14 people found this helpful
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Daniel S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear Unfoldment of the TeachingsReviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021
I Am Not the Body is a clear unfoldment of the teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj. Not only are the words penetrating and precise, they are also infused with deep presence and love. This book is a source of pure wisdom to which I refer again and again to inquire into truth through direct experience. Each reading is a profound meditation—a fresh invitation to explore the essence of what is. Most highly recommended.
10 people found this helpful
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Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2021
This was a really great read - it really captures the essence of Nisargadatta's teaching with great clarity!
Highly recommend for those who enjoy the teachings of Nisargadatta.
5 people found this helpful
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texasiguana
4.0 out of 5 stars Am IReviewed in the United States on February 7, 2022
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This is book that one cannot read once and truly judge! This is a book that one reads, then get familiar Sith term words in the glossary and re-reads! Lays down the book, meditates on the book's message. Continues seeking and then come back and again re-read the book! I'm only one the first reading! more to come.....
2 people found this helpful
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IB
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrible AuthorReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2022
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The author has ruined the brilliant knowledge in this book by frequent use of Sanskrit words. It's written for the English speaker, so why keep using foreign words? There is an appendix to explain their meaning which wouldn't be needed if the meaning was just used in the first place.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book full of inspiration and insightReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2021
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Excellent book for those seeking the truth of our being. The teachings are clear and provide an excellent tool for non dual seekers . Thank you Nic for your effort here.
3 people found this helpfulReport
suchitra
5.0 out of 5 stars Need to read 2 times to understand moreReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2021
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Very good book .
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Pushkar
3.0 out of 5 stars Concepts are great but complexReviewed in India on April 28, 2021
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There is too much use of commonly used words with very intricate meaning, like 'i-am-ness' 'consciousness' 'being' 'self'....which to a common person would mean one and same thing, but according to Nisargdatta Maharaj, they are different. Very well. I will suggest that read the appendix instead of the whole book, which captures all the concepts in the book quite clearly.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for sincere spiritual seekersReviewed in India on June 24, 2021
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Unequivocally I would say that this book will be of greatest help to transcend body and mind if read at slow pace in meditative state. It speaks in a few words what Sri Krishna spoke in 18 Volumes of Bhagawat Gita. It's a simple, straight and useful book for sincere seekers of Self, Brahma, Parambrahma and all other names that we attribute to God.
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