The Experience of Nothingness

by Robert Powell (Editor)

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These are among the final talks that Nisargadatta gave in the last year of his life or so. In this powerful book of Q & A between teacher and seeker we have some extremely detailed and terse teachings on the Nature of Reality.

Nisargadatta's answers cut to the chase and go right to the Heart of the Absolute. One of the reasons for the sharpness of the teachings is because he is physically suffering due to throat cancer and nevertheless continues to teach throughout his illness (he continued to teach until hours before his physical death).

For those that don't know his work too well, what is considered his main work is 'I Am That', which is recommended to begin the study of his teachings, after 'I Am That' came a series of about 6 books, all within the last 2 years of his life. The post 'I Am That' books are all uncompromisingly direct and sharp. He speaks only from realization of the Unborn state and gives all his discources from there, making it tricky to understand for some. With the combination of being ill and with 42 years of teaching experience at this point, he keeps his talks very focused.

In this great work, we see his expertise in that he doesn't just point to the Absolute reality with a lot of poetic words, he also deconstructs your preciously held self. He tirelessly breaks down concepts and spiritual ideas we don't want to let go of. One can say in this work we are privledged to see very "advanced" teachings. Teachings that will appeal to seekers that can go beyond just pretty ideas of spirituality, bliss out states, any form of personal gain whatsoever (because you're understanding yourself as the Impersonal Reality). He even challenges one particular seeker in this book to leave spirituality because he knows that this particular seeker is caught up being a "spiritual seeker" and isn't ready to go beyond the body-mind sense, he fears death of the personality. No flowery, superficial hand holding here! The essence of his teachings is: understand your "I am-ness" or consciousness, go deeply into that and awake from your daydream as that body-mind entity you think you are and apperceive yourself as the Unborn.I felt deeply privledged to read this wonderful book.

"What do you understand by the word dream? Is not the dream something like a drama, a play?...To one who really understands what has been said here, a dream is no different from what is seen in the waking state: both are plays of consciousness... We call one thing the waking state, another thing the dream, but in essence both are events happening in the consciousness and essentially they are not different."

" When you are liberated from the body/mind sense, so that you are not the body mind, that itself is liberation."

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1981), a revered master of the Tantric Nath lineage, is an inspiring example of an ordinary family man who attained complete realization of the Infinite. His words carry a rare potency that can jolt the listener or reader into a profound sense of awareness, which at the same time signifies true freedom-the freedom from all fear and mental suffering.

In this volume, Nisargadatta clearly demonstrates that logic and spirituality do not necessarily stand in opposition to one another. In a chapter after which this book has been titled, Nisargadatta relentlessly pursues a logical argument with the visitor to its very end.

Even on the printed page, in this moving volume of talks edited by Robert Powell, Nisargadatta's words carry a special potency. They are the words of a compassionate wise man, speaking equally to the heart-oriented and the head-oriented person, to East and West.

About the Author:

Robbert powell earlier pursued a career as a science editor and writer but his leanings towards spirrtuality and his quest for self-discovery led him to study Zen and a number of spiritual masters including J. Krishnamurti. His own spiritual awakening coincided with his discovery of the teaching of Sri Nisargadatta.

Reviews:

"Dr. Powell is one of the best known Western writers on Advaita philosophy. He comments elegantly on the insights of Krishnamurti and sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, and explains his own insights on the nature of the unified state. You will find great gems in his books." - Deepak Chopra, author or Ageless Body,Timeless Mind and Quantum Healing

"An appealing book, filled with many interesting insights and observations; for example, the whole world exists WITHIN the eternal consciousness..." - Bodhi Tree Bookstore