it is not the individual that has consciousness

Understand that it is not the individual that has consciousness;

it is the consciousness which assumes innumerable forms.

That something which is born or

which will die is purely imaginary.

It is the child of a barren woman.

In the absence of this basic concept ‘I am’,

there is no thought, there is no consciousness.

Any embodied person with the knowledge ‘I am’

carries on his activities in the world with the name only.

That inner core, the ‘I am’ has no shackles.

Once it is understood th

Understand that it is not the individual that has consciousness;

it is the consciousness which assumes innumerable forms.

That something which is born or

which will die is purely imaginary.

It is the child of a barren woman.

In the absence of this basic concept ‘I am’,

there is no thought, there is no consciousness.

Any embodied person with the knowledge ‘I am’

carries on his activities in the world with the name only.

That inner core, the ‘I am’ has no shackles.

Once it is understood that I am that ‘I am’ only,

and not this shackled form, then no liberation is called for,

that itself is liberation...

~Nisargadatta