The Dissolution of Self: A Dialog on Advaita Vedanta with Nisargadatta Maharaj

the following is an excerpt from a dialogue between a seeker and Nisargadatta Maharaj, a prominent Advaita Vedanta teacher, exploring the nature of Self, reality, and the fear that arises when deeply held concepts disintegrate. The exchange highlights the core tenets of Advaita-the non-dualistic philosophy that emphasizes the ultimate reality as the singular, undifferentiated consciousness.

The Experience of Emptiness

The dialogue begins with a seeker describing a profound experience of emptiness. “I found I didn’t have any form, anything. Just pure space that changes all the time.” This feeling of formlessness is a common experience on the path to self-realization.the seeker further notes the shifting nature of perception, especially when contemplating Maharaj himself. “When I think of Maharaj,sometimes I see him as myself,sometimes I see him as nothing.The person that I see in front of me changes all the time. There is nothing I can point at and say, ‘That is he.’ It is frightening, and the fear has been growing.”

The Self is All That is Observed

Maharaj responds directly, affirming the seeker’s experience: “What you have said is quite appropriate, quite correct. Whatever you observe is nothing else but your Self only. Get rid of the body image as yourself. Whatever you have seen is your Self.” This emphasizes a central tenet of Advaita Vedanta: the apparent separation between the observer and the observed is an illusion. Everything experienced-including the perceived external world and individuals like Maharaj-is ultimately a manifestation of the Self (Atman),which is identical to the ultimate reality (brahman).

The Space Beyond Concepts

The seeker elaborates on the process of conceptualization and the subsequent experience of emptiness, stating, “Often the concepts, the ideas that are in the books, or that are discussed here, come to my mind, or his image comes to my mind. Immediately after, not before, the feeling comes that there is nothing there, that what I’m hearing is not what it is, but it’s only after thinking of him that I feel this space.” This highlights that the “space” isn’t *created* by thinking of Maharaj,but *revealed* when the conceptual framework around him dissolves.

Maharaj then poses a pivotal question: “Who realizes that nothing is, that everything is gone? And when everything is gone, what remains?” The seeker’s response, “That’s what is frightening,” reveals the core of the anxiety-the fear of losing the familiar sense of self and the world.

You Are The Real

Maharaj’s answer offers solace and a profound truth: “When everything goes, you are the real.” This isn’t merely a comforting statement; it’s the essence of Advaita Vedanta. The “Real” is the unchanging, eternal reality that underlies all phenomena.It’s not *something* we become, but rather what we already are, obscured by our identification with the transient.

The Habit of Identification

The seeker acknowledges the intellectual understanding of this truth but struggles with its practical application: “As a concept I understand that. For a second I realize, and then I go back to the unreal. I attach myself to my family, my wife, my children. It’s a habit.” This illustrates the power of ingrained patterns and the difficulty of breaking free from identification with the ego.

Maharaj explains the struggle: “You are so used to the support of concepts that when your concepts leave you, although it is your true state, you get frightened and try to cling to them again. That is the meeting point of that immanent principle and the Eternal, the borderland.” He further clarifies how the intellect interprets this experience: “Why is the intellect puzzled then? That beingness which you are experiencing is melting away.when that concept of ‘I Am’ goes,intellect also goes. So the intellect gets that frightening experience of ‘I Am going.'”

Overcoming the Fear of Dissolution

The seeker asks, “How to overcome the fright?” Maharaj’s answer is deceptively simple: “Just watch that moment.” This is an invitation to mindful awareness-to observe the fear without identifying with it, allowing it to arise and pass without resistance.

He continues, emphasizing the illusory nature of the “I Am”: “One who feels ‘I am dying’ is not a Jnani. Your true state is beyond the primary concept of ‘I Am.’ Consciousness is the primary concept, but this ‘I Amness’ or consciousness is the product of the food body. You, the Absolute, are not that.” This distinguishes between the conditioned sense of self (“I Am”) and the ultimate reality, which is not limited by bodily existence or mental constructs.

Maharaj draws a parallel to the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita,stating that Krishna didn’t advocate retreat from life,but rather skillful action from a place of understanding. “Death comes to the quality of ‘I Amness,’ which is a product of the food. but the Absolute prevails always. this is the Ultimate knowlege. This knowledge was expounded by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield… Once you understand this ultimate knowledge, then do what you like… carry out your worldly life with full enthusiasm… but understand that your true identity is beyond this quality of ‘I Amness.'”

Bliss Beyond Death

Concluding, Maharaj offers a final outlook: “For a Jnani the moment of so-called death is the most blissful, because he is going to the very source of bliss. Eternity is bliss, the very ocean of nectar, immortal.” This contrasts sharply with the common fear of death, revealing it as a liberation for one who has realized their true nature.

This article was excerpted from Seeds of Consciousness: The Wisdom of Sri nisargadatta Maharaj by Nisargadatta Maharaj. Reprinted with permission of Grove Press, Inc. Copyright 1982 by Imogene Dunn.