Quotes from book
I Am That

Name: I Am That
Author: Nisargadatta Maharaj

I Am That is a compilation of talks on Shiva Advaita philosophy by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual teacher who lived in Mumbai. The English translation of the book from the original Marathi recordings was done by Maurice Frydman, edited by Sudhakar S. Dixit and first published in 1973 by Chetana Publications. The book was revised and reedited in July 1981. These publications led to the spread of Nisargadatta's teachings to the West, especially North America and Europe. Excerpts of the book were published in Yoga Journal in September 1981, the month Nisargadatta died at age 84.The book is considered the author's masterpiece and a spiritual classic by authors and teachers like Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and Adyashanti, who called the book a "standout" and "the clearest expression I've ever found." Dyer calls Nisargadatta his teacher, and cites the quotation, "Love says: 'I am everything'. Wisdom says: 'I am nothing'. Between the two my life flows." That quotation has also been cited by several other authors in diverse fields, from wellness to cooking. Joseph Goldstein visited Nisargadatta in January 1980 after reading the book, and after several meetings said, "The path that Nisargadatta revealed was not a search, but a find, not a struggle, but an abiding, not a cultivation, but something intrinsic to all".I Am That has been translated into several languages, including Dutch, Italian and Hebrew.

“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.”

Nisargadatta Maharaj book I Am That

I am
Variant: Love says 'I am everything.' Wisdom says 'I am nothing.' Between the two, my life flows.
Source: I Am That
Context: "I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, I become the very thing I look at, and experience the kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any name you like. Love says 'I am everything'. Wisdom says "I am nothing'. Between the two, my life flows. Since at any point of time and space I can be both the subject and the object of experience, I express it by saying that I am both, and neither, and beyond both."

“If you seek reality you must set yourself free of all backgrounds, of all cultures, of all patterns of thinking and feeling. Even the idea of being man or woman, or even human should be discarded. The ocean of life contains all, not only humans. So, first of all abandon all self-identification, stop thinking of yourself as such-and-such or so-and-so, this or that. Abandon all self-concern, worry not about your welfare, material or spiritual, abandon every desire, gross or subtle, stop thinking of achievement of any kind. You are complete here and now, you need absolutely nothing.”

Nisargadatta Maharaj book I Am That

Self-identification
Source: "I Am That." P.316

“(…) All those who proclaim their own greatness and uniqueness are not gnanis.”

Nisargadatta Maharaj book I Am That

(…) Proclaiming oneself to be an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipotent deity is a clear sign of ignorance."
Guru/Gnani
Source: I am That, P.193.