Ramesh Balsekar
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Ramesh S. Balsekar is a disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master. From early childhood, Balsekar was drawn to Advaita, a nondual teaching, particularly the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Wei Wu Wei. He has written 20 books, was president of the Bank of India, and receives guests daily in his home near Mumbai.
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[edit] 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 an illusion. All that happens is caused by this one source, and the actual identity of this source is pure Consciousness, 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 ultimately has no meaning — it merely happens.
The following quotations are from Balsekar's books:
- "The final truth, as Ramana Maharishi 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)
[edit] Criticism
There has also been some controversy over Balsekar's tacit claim that he is a teacher in the lineage of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj - Nisargadatta appointed no successor before he died. While he reportedly did tell Balsekar to teach, he also reportedly told other of his students to teach as well, including several of his western students including Alexander Smit, Bob Adamson, and Jean Dunn. More recently, Timothy Conway, a follower of Sri Nisargadatta, and author of Women of Power and Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time, has sharply criticized Balsekar's teaching and claims about behavior.[1]
[edit] 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: The Ashtavakra Gita Dialogue (1989), ISBN 0-929448-11-1
[edit] External links
- Ramesh Balsekar's web site
- Ramesh S. Balsekar - another website
- Advaita Masters: Ramesh Balsekar
- Free Videos
- Web site of Wayne Liquorman, a Balsekar disciple
- Sarlo's Guru Rating site, provides both favorable and critical information
- REAL ADVAITA, PSEUDO-ADVAITA, AND RAMESH BALSEKAR AT KOVALAM 2004
[edit] References
- ^ Inner Quest, http://www.inner-quest.org/Real_Advaita.htm
