10. The Absolute Cannot be Remembered Because it Cannot be Forgotten


Maharaj: For those who have identification with the body, this knowledge has no meaning—it cannot act. Despite this fact, the visits these people make here will not be totally in vain; they will bear fruit at some future time. The effects of the visits will be like the aftermath of the rains: grass or plants will be seen coming out automatically, sprouting. 

Interpreter: Many people come here to have Maharaj’s last darshatt, to see him at least once during their lifetime; they don’t visit him for knowledge per se. He also said: “So long as I am visible, you can come and have a look.” 

Visitor: It is what we cannot see that is more important. 

M: When somebody puts a question, he does not know to whom I am talking. He thinks that I am talking to myself. When a question is there, the reply is spontaneously available. The origin of the “I”-consciousness being known, the reply comes spontaneously. I am experiencing the world, but for that have I made any efforts? My true state—that is, the Absolute state—cannot be remembered, because it can- not be forgotten. Without remembering that, and without putting in any efforts, the experience of the world happens. 

You have the memory of the knowledge of your birth; that is, somebody has sold you a bill of goods by informing you that you were born, and that memory stays very firm with you. Initially, you did not have this memory of birth, but your mother or your parent or somebody else rammed it down your throat. Subsequently, this concept was constantly reinforced with steady effort like driving a nail into the wall. As a result, that memory has become very strong with you; ultimately, this very concept is strangulating you. 

In the absence of the beingness, when you did not know about your existence, both the world and the joy of the Brahman were worthless to you. They acquired value only when you came to know that you existed. In fact, until then nothing was of any value to you. This memoiy “I am” is neither true nor false; it is without these two attributes. That memory of beingness only appears to exist. 

Without the knowledge of the body, that it exists and other bodies also exist, you will not feel better. In other words, you can entertain yourself only so long as you know you are identified with your body and consider other people also as bodies, not as knowledge. 1 Then only can you have entertainment in this world and pass time. Otherwise, how can you pass time? 

V: What do you mean by seeing everything as knowledge? 

M: When you no longer see the world as a collective of names and forms, as objects or bodies. Real understanding has no color and design. That is why, in so far as I am concerned, self-love does not exist. The love for existence does not exist. You may or may not believe this: the necessity to be, for existence, is non-existent. 

V: I can accept that. 

M: I am asking you, without body how to pass time? For a sage is that principle which is prior to body, timeless. How did he pass time? When the body was not there—that is, when the consciousness was not there—how many years passed by without knowledge of existence? It is a timeless state. When you witness, only then there is time. Time and consciousness appear together. Without consciousness there is no time, for consciousness is time. And there is no consciousness, prior to body. 

V: But then what was there? 

M: No, the question was how to pass time. Your question does not arise. 

Sometimes you like to ask a question but do not know what to ask; you don’t hit on the correct question, the only appropriate one. 

The questions come up in jerks. Like a cat, you know, it touches with its mouth the udders of the mother. 

V: We call it “bunting.” 

M: Then what is the knowledge of religion? How do you understand this? 

V: Time-suspension. 

M: Your eternal, true state is your religion, svarupa. The word means “your own, true state.” To remain in that is your svadharma, your own religion. All other things concern religions of others, not yours. For one who has no form, how can he behave in accordance with his religion? Svadharma means to abide in the beingness. 

In this world we refer to some entity as God. That God, is he having any behavior? Has he any tradition any rules and regulations? 

V: I think all those rules and regulations are just a product of man’s concept. The only validity I have ever seen in any religion is that for people who are obviously not interested in the highest teachings of truth, such as Maharaj’s, these rules for public morality might confer some sort of order so that behavior is conducted in an orderly manner. Then, society becomes more cohesive than it would otherwise be with everybody selfishly going for what he wants—although that is what usually happens anyway. I suppose, ideally, it creates a platform of stability so that we may truly hear what Maharaj has to say to us. Other than that, I don’t know... 

M: For eternal peace you must dwell in yourself, know how this touch of “I am” has appeared. All other knowledge is of no use in this connection. 

V: Certainly, organizing a religion is of no use. 

M: When you listen to these talks for yourself, will you have any advantage? 

V: It depends on what you mean by “self.” 

Well, the answer will have to be “no,” because this self is to be undone, forgotten. To the true Self nothing can be added anyhow, so where could there be any benefits to it? 

M: You feel like listening to the talks presented, although there is no advantage to it. Right? 

V: That is putting it in absolute terms. I am listening because I have a lot to learn. We all want the state Maharaj enjoys. So in that sense, his talks are of great benefit. 

M: I am trying to tell you: Give up all this trash, whatever you are studying in the name of religion, in the name of spirituality. Understand only one thing: That godly principle is there, that “I-am-ness” or consciousness that is the god- liest of principles. It is there only so long as the vital breath or life force is there. This vital breath has five aspects and is called panchaprana. 3 It is the motive force for all activities. When the five-aspected vital force is there, then only this quality of beingness is there, which is called guna. This beingness at present is your nature—you are that only. So worship that principle. That quality, the touch of “I-am- ness” or consciousness, is something like the sweetness o the sugar cane. 

The sugar cane is there, the inside fibrous material is there, the juice is there, and the sweetness is the ultimate. Similarly in this case, the final thing is that quality or the touch of beingness—that is the Ishwara principle. You are that, abide in it and worship that only. Then only will you reach and abide in the eternal peace, and not by discussing any other precepts regarding spirituality. 

A person got a baby; the baby was delivered to the mother. Unfortunately, the vital breath had left the body; the child was dead, and the body was disposed of. The question now is: What exactly did leave the body? The vital breath. But suppose the vital breath were there; then that touch of “I-am-ness” would have been present in the child; and that consciousness would have been there. The parents would have fondled that body, a live‘baby. But since the vital breath was gone, that life is gone, the beingness is no more there. And therefore it is just a dead body. 

Where there is vital breath, the knowledge “I am” is present. There being no vital breath, the knowledge of “I-am- ness is absent. Take full advantage of the naturally available capital with you—that is, your life force and the knowledge “I am”; they always go hand in hand. Right now, exploit it to the utmost. All worldly activities are going on only because of the knowledge “I am” together with that motive force which is the life force, the vital breath. And that is not something apart from you; you are that only. Investigate and study this exclusively. 

Praneshwar means “the god of the vital breath.” Now this breath or life force and the knowledge, that quality of beingness both together are “myself.” Fortunately, you have both these aspects together with you. You are that only. Therefore, abide in that, worship that only. 


now? [laughter] 


Patanjali Yoga for twenty years] In your study of yoga over the past twenty years, what identity have you found, what image have you formed about yourself? What is your true nature, have you come upon that? What do you earn your living by? 

YFo Interior decorator. Furniture design. 

M. With all your study of yoga, Patanjali, and sutra for 

twenty years, have you achieved whatever you set out to achieve? 

Vs I am enjoying permanent happiness, twenty-four hours, non-stop, since twenty long years. 

M: For what purpose have you come here? 

V: Just to hear. ..[inaudible ]...for telling you of my experience. 

M: Those names that you mentioned, I have heard of them; 

I have not made a study of them, and they are only names to me. 

You may have come having heard there is a jnani here. But I am telling you, I have no knowledge of any ancient texts, or anything. The only thing I know is this consciousness, this beingness, the knowledge that I am there. And I know how and why or in what circumstances it has come, and the value of that consciousness. That is all. 

I started from the fact that I had no knowledge of the birth and how I got this body and the consciousness. I was surprised that this body and the consciousness should ha\e come suddenly without my knowledge, without my permission. So whatever my thought and my knowledge, it started from there, inquiry started from that point. But Patanjali and pranayama and kundalini, all these are only names to me; I have never practiced anything of that sort. 

Vs I also feel it is not necessary. This Patanjali system I also tried, studying it from 1973 to 1976 without the help of any books or anything. I was trying to achieve mental concentration, since I felt most miserable; physically and mentally I was so disturbed that I wanted peace more than anything else. So that was my training. To achieve mental concentration, I went through a lot of trouble...went into seclusion, in one room, where I sat for about one and a half months. 

Ms How am I concerned with your whole history? It is nobody’s business. 

With all your study for twenty years, and having reached such a high standard, there was no need for you to come here. 

V: Maybe I’ll come once or twice, that is all—three times, maximum, that is enough. 

M: Everybody is equal here. We are not concerned with the knowledge that you have acquired. 

V: This is my existence. 

Interpreter: Maharaj is speaking for himself. The other day, you may remember, he was talking about the resolution of his original inquiry, when he reached the conclusion that whatever knowledge he had acquired was all ignorance; then he got the final satisfaction and peace. A man with a keen intellect who comes here, within a very short time— say 10, 15 minutes—should be able to arrive at the conclusion that all knowledge is ignorance and that the personality is a fraud. But you are not accepting Maharaj’s conclusion that all knowledge is ignorance. So Maharaj tells you to do a lot of meditation and find out: How did I get this first consciousness, this knowledge of existence? I did not ask for it, but suddenly, automatically, spontaneously, it has come about without my knowledge. How has it happened? Come to the solution of this mystery! 

V: Originally it is there, that is why it has come. 

M: When all the four Vedas ultimately came to the conclusion that it was beyond their power, what will your words achieve? 

V. Nobodys words can achieve...No word can achieve this thing. When the word stops, what state is there? 

M: If he thinks he is a jnani, he is wasting his time; only that person who thinks he has no knowledge should come here. But people like you who think they have knowledge, there is no use in your coming here; you are wasting your time. 

V: No, I don’t think I have knowledge. 

M: No use your coming here, you are wasting your time! 

V: I don’t think anything like that. If somebody thinks it is a problem...I don’t think... 

Is Please...we come here to listen to his words, and we don’t intend to make any comments that are irrelevant. Therefore, whatever he says and that is being translated...if you have a question on that... 

M: What happens to the people who come here? They come because they consider themselves ignorant and want knowledge. So when they listen, they get knowledge and ultimately they give, it up again as being unnecessary. But those who consider themselves to be a jnani , who consider that they have knowledge, they are wasting their time by coming here. For a person who is a jnani to come here...no jnani will come here. For coming here itself is an admission that he is not a jnani; therefore, it would be impossible for him to come here. Only someone who is in need of knowledge will come here. 

What is the extent of my knowledge? Nobody will ask: Bombay, where have you come from and give me any details of it. Nor would Bombay ask anyone: Where have you come from and what are your antecedents? That is the extent of my knowledge. Advaita means unicity. In that, how can there be two: one asking about another? 

I: Maharaj says his centre of seeing is no longer from the phenomenal; it lies in the Noumenon. But persons come here and to that extent we are phenomena. Therefore, in dealing with us he is forced to see and speak from the point of view of the phenomenon. Otherwise, as far as he is concerned, he is totally in the Noumenon. And so whatever happens in the phenomenal realm cannot and does not affect him. 

People call to invite him and he appreciates that, but he says: “What is the use? I don’t have an instrument with which to enjoy that hospitality or whatever is being offered. The instrument no longer functions. Anything considered eminently acceptable cannot be accepted because it has no effect on me since there is nothing with which I can enjoy it. But that is a position which I am unable to express, or is not to be expressed to others. All worldly wisdom and activities are directed toward acquiring worldly happiness. Whatever one sees, one gets interested in.” 

M: There is a couplet, which says that to anyone who is so interested in worldly activities and pleasures, how can unworldly wisdom even come near him? A person may read religious books and get interested in them, but for what purpose? Reading them gives him a sense of satisfaction, a feeling that he has done something worthwhile. He has done his duty as far as spiritual matters are concerned. That is all right so far as it goes. But what have you done to see your true nature? The five kinds of sensory perception, any- thing perceived by the senses, all that is only concerned with worldly pleasures. Sensory perception can give only pleasures of these five senses. There is no sixth kind of pleasure which sensory perception can give you. 

One who has not realized the nature of the five elements and the five senses of perception will get himself involved and remain involved. But the one who has seen their nature and the way they work, will remain aloof and apart from them. I repeat: What is this state, before this knowledge I am” came upon me? When the knowledge “I am came, the one who is satisfied with that will reach the state where he considers himself God and Brahman. But he does not go beyond it or prior to it. 

In the ultimate state lies the prior state; that is, the state before this knowledge “I am” ever dawned on me—the highest state, the best state, the original state. Consider the concept that the five elements and the three gunas are the lotus with these leaves, the little petals. When you remove its petals, then what remains? The Marathi word for lotus is kamala, and the last two syllables "mala” means impurity. So you remove the impurity and then what remains? Unless there is impurity, how can you see the purity? In pure purity, you will not see either purity or anything. Only through the impurity, can you perceive purity...then you see both impurity and purity. Seeing against the backdrop of purity...So here again is a further description of the one who has reached the delivered state. 

When everything has been given up, and nothing creates attachment any longer, neither knowledge nor worldly pleasures, then one is in the state of deliverance. So that is as being the emperor of that original state. There is no attachment for that which is born, not even for that consciousness which is there. When all impurity of any kind, everything, has disappeared, then the original state is reached. 

Consciousness cannot exist without the body, which is the result of procreation. So ultimately, is this consciousness itself not based upon impurity? 

Earlier I had asked, if anyone comes here who considers himself to be a jnani, we will ask him, What is your age? He is bound to say so many years. Now that calculation, is it not based on the start of that impurity? Or, rather, from the day of the manifestation of that impurity? He who still carries the concept of his physical age cannot be a jnani. 

Here is another example of non-attachment. A close relative and associate of mine died recently. Does that personality who is now considered dead have any use for me, do I have any use for him, does he have any use for himself? Whatever people may say about death, what has happened? Consider exactly what has happened and, therefore, don’t be attached to him. This is an example of pure knowledge. That is, will the person who has gone, or whatever has gone, have any memory of myself? Then what is the point of my keeping memories of him, of that which has gone? There is nothing in the field of ignorance which can be pointed to as a comparison for the original state of fullness and wholeness, that which is. I repeat: Just imagine that state. 

V: It is impossible to imagine. Any way in which we could imagine it, would belittle us. 

M: It would still be a concept. 

I: Maharaj is asking Mr. P. to show his proficiency with words, to explain what is inexplainable. [laughter] 

M: This disease which the doctors say has visited me, is it not clear that that on which this disease has come is purely a phenomenal object; it is only on a phenomenal object that this can come. What is this particular disease going to do that would otherwise not happen? That which was given the designation and name of birth will come to an end. This is the only thing that could happen—with or without the disease. So what has this disease achieved by itself? 

You might observe vastly different reactions from different individuals. One may be flabbergasted, downcast and horrified. Another may take it as a sign of the coming final ecstasy—that which will help to remove the burden of what is called “birth.” Is it then not something to be very happy about? The actual pronouncement of the disease has achieved one thing: that knowledge which was very clearly understood had remained in the background and the phenomenal object was in the foreground. Now with this pronouncement, the phenomenal object has practically disappeared; this mere speck of consciousness is the only thing that remains, and is to go. 

Who is to suffer the normal progress of this dreaded disease? Or what is to suffer? And what is its result? The result will be that that which was given the designation or name of 

is the normal process of fear? Any event that causes fear, if one succumbs to it, the fear envelops you. But if you do not accept it—the event as something to be feared, and you look it squarely in the face—then what happens is that the fear-causing event remains at a distance. 

My teaching is very simple. There are two things to be understood. One is something I can see about myself, which is time-bound, proceeding from a particular point to a particular point. Beyond the latter point, whatever was perceptible will become imperceptible. The second is that my original state, which was imperceptible, remains. So these two states are merely to be understood; there is nothing else to be done. 

Now I have a question: Through homeopathy, can you know the life force? 

V: No, you cannot know the life force. The whole assumption by which one is able to get people well—and your experience proves it every day—is that a homeopathic remedy in and of itself cannot cure disease. We believe that what we do is just stimulate the life force to do a better job, or redirect what happens to it and by making a slight change, in the same way a catalyst does in a chemical reaction, you are able to heal where nothing else would work. 

M: When you don’t know that life force, how can you make any changes in it? 

V: Well, we can observe it. With the machines we use, that is how we observe it. That is how we believe we have made a great advance on the traditional ways of prescribing homeopathic remedies, which are much more hit-and-miss and time-consuming in finding out what will work. But when Maharaj asks me, do I know the life force, I only feel it working in my own body in still veiy unrefined ways; that is all I can say. So it is not the sort of intimate, profound insight that he would have into its workings. 

M: You cannot clearly know the quality of the consciousness or the type of consciousness. 

V: Machines will never tell us that. 

M. In Hindustani music there are various ragas; the experts know the differences between these ragas and can teach accordingly. Similarly, the changes in this consciousness, 

the types or quality of consciousness, can they be detected and explained? 

V: No, I don’t believe they can. Bodily changes, yes. 

M: Changes in the body substance, that you can detect, but not in the consciousness. 

M: You cannot get lasting satisfaction from reading books. So you must try to know the seed of this knowingness, its very quality. Only then can you have this eternal peace or lasting satisfaction. But once you understand that, then what happens is of no further use, because there is no expe- riencer of all that anymore. 

V: What is of no use? 

M: That satisfaction, or that eternal peace, is of no use, because there is no experiencer of it. That is my state. Consciousness is the product of this body substance. So when you transcend it, then it is of no use to that ultimate principle. I call a siddha one who has attained the ultimate. In that ultimate state, the devotee and God, the maya (the primary illusion) and the Brahman, all these concepts cease to exist. And there is no beneficiary or experiencer of all that, because he is without the concept “I am.” He does not know “I am,” he does not know that he exists in that state. That knowingness is completely obliterated. The experiencing state begins only with the aid of knowingness. But knowingness is the product of this objective world, this objective matter, this food body. Through it that sattva advaita, atomic consciousness, is understood. Then it is seen to fall into the category of illusion. It is ultimately nonexistent, and thereafter twin categories such as god-devotee, maya-bralvnan, all these concepts—this entire world of duality—cease to exist. This love of beingness is there in all living creatures: the beingness is loved, that self itself is loved. But the love of beingness, where is the origin of that? The origin lies in that atomic consciousness. This known, only then can you transcend it. 

People are talking about this devotee and relative of mine, one Mr. H., who recently passed away. H. represented the pulsation of something named H. So what happened to that pulsation, as he is no more there? That principle for the entity of which this pulsation manifested itself, has vanished. People have tried to explain it by saying that H. has gone to heaven, he will again be incarnated, and so on. Now, what is that thing that is responsible for the incarnation? There must be something, mustn’t there, because of which the pulsations happen? The pulsation itself is the life force, but then we identify that as some individual. 

This primary concept is the knowledge “I am.” It is the mother of all other concepts. When this concept is there, then so many other concepts also appear. Now whatever religions there are, they are only full of concepts. Somebody likes a particular concept and passes it on to his disciples, and he gets a following. But with that, they cannot get eternal peace or satisfaction. In order to get that satisfaction, you must find the source of this primary concept “I am.” And once you know that, you can transcend it. Then you do not have anything to tell the world, because the world wants only fragmentary modifications. They want activities. So this knowledge will remain only with yourself, and there will not be any customers for it. 

Pulsation means movement; movement means air, the vital breath. Outside the body it is called air, within the body it is called the vital force. One who knows that state prior to the pulsation, he is the sage. When people come to me, I only tell them that you can meditate on Brahma, Krishna and all this, but instead of doing that, you should give attention to the knowledge “I am,” and meditate on that by itself. Knowledge is to be got hold of by knowledge only. This will produce the seed which, through this process of meditation, slowly grows into a big tree and that itself will give you all the knowledge. It will not be necessary for you to ask anyone what is what. 

These two entities are available to you, the vital force and the knowledge “I am,” the consciousness. They appear without any effort; they are there. Now, in order to be one with Ishwara, to understand the non-duality, you must wor- ship the vital force. Then that knowledge, which is in seed form, slowly grows. And the seeker becomes full of knowledge; in the process he transcends that, and the ultimate state is achieved. 

V: What do you mean by “full of knowledge”? 

M: It is the conviction about your true Self, intense and direct abidance in the Self. 


July 13, 1980 
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