- Ramesh Balsekar
Ramesh S. Balsekar (born May 29, 1917) is a disciple of the late Sri
Nisargadatta Maharaj , a renownedAdvaita master. From early childhood, Balsekar was drawn to Advaita, anondual teaching, particularly the teachings ofRamana Maharshi andWei Wu Wei . He has written more than 20 books, was president of theBank of India , and receives guests daily in his home inMumbai .Teachings
Baleskar teaches from the tradition of
Advaita Vedanta nondualism . His teaching begins with the idea of an ultimate Source,Brahman , from which creation arises. Once creation has arisen, the world and life operate mechanistically according to both Divine and natural laws. While people believe that they are actually doing things and making choices,free will is in fact anillusion . All that happens is caused by this one source, and the actual identity of this source is pureConsciousness , which is incapable of choosing or doing.This false identity which revolves around the idea that "I am the body" or "I am the doer" keeps one from seeing that one's actual identity is free Consciousness. Like other
Vedanta teachers, he says that while creation and creator appear to be different and separate, that they are actually two sides of the same coin.Balsekar teaches that life is a happening but there is no individual doer of life.
The following quotations are from Balsekar's books::"The final truth, as Ramana Maharshi and
Nisargadatta Maharaj and all the sages before them have clearly stated, is that there is neither creation nor destruction, neither birth nor death, neither destiny nor free will, neither any path nor any achievement. All there is is Consciousness.":"What is the significance of the statement 'No one can get enlightenment'? This is the very root of the teaching. It means that it's stupid for "any" so-called master to ask anyone to do anything to achieve or "get" enlightenment. The core of this simple statement means, according to my concept, that enlightenment is the "annihilation" of the "one" who "wants" enlightenment. If there is enlightenment - which can only "happen" because it is the will of God - then it means the "one" who had earlier wanted enlightenment has been annihilated. So no "one" can achieve enlightenment and therefore no "one" can enjoy enlightenment.":"The joke is even the surrendering is not in your control. Why? Because so long as there is an individual who says "I surrender" there is a surrenderer, an individual ego... What I'm saying is that even the "surrendering" is not in [your] hands."
:"("Who cares?", pp. 6 - 22)"
Books
*"The Ultimate Understanding " (2002), ISBN 1-84293-045-1
*"Who Cares?! The Unique Teaching of Ramesh S. Balsekar" (1999), ISBN 0-929448-18-9
*"Consciousness Speaks: Conversations with Ramesh S. Balsekar (1993), ISBN 0-929448-14-6
*"Duet of One: TheAshtavakra Gita Dialogue" (1989), ISBN 0-929448-11-1ee also
*
Nondualism
* Huang PoReferences
External links
* [http://www.rameshbalsekar.com/ Ramesh Balsekar's web site]
* [http://www.advaita.org/ Web site containing Audio and Video of Ramesh Balsekar]
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