The Ultimate Understanding

by Ramesh S. Balsekar

The Ultimate Understanding, is, according to Ramesh himself, “a book containing the full essentials of the philosophy of Advaita, or Non-duality (Unicity). It is perhaps the most explicitly expressed book on this complex subject. What is the ultimate understanding? That there is no one to understand anything.”Recognized as one of the foremost contemporary sages, married and father of three, and a banker who retired from the top of his profession, Ramesh could be considered a householder Guru. In his latest book, Ramesh shares openly, poignantly, and with stunning humility, how a sage lives his life. Backed by the total conviction of the final understanding of a true Master, and at the same time presented from the perspective of "life as we know it", this treasure of Advaita is unrivalled in its unique conceptual expression of the highest Truth, delivered with fundamental wisdom, simplicity, and clarity – and with Ramesh’s widely-loved gaiety and humor. Ramesh elaborates his own concepts with those of his Guru, Nisargadatta Maharaj, the Buddha, Ramana Maharshi, selected Hindu scriptures, several Taoist Masters and Wei Wu Wei, all serving as pointers to the Truth, to the ultimate understanding. While the book is a compilation of such classic themes as the nature of the phenomenal manifestation including the human being, the concept of space-time, temporality and Intemporality, the Guru, free will and non-volitional living, enlightenment and Self-realization, the Impersonal Energy – the Source, Noumenon or God, and conclusively, ‘Consciousness is all there is’, Ramesh explicitly summarizes that ultimately what he is talking about is "the most important thing in your peace and harmony in your life.”A rare gift to anyone and everyone seeking insight into how life happens, The Ultimate Understanding is perhaps the pinnacle of Ramesh’s writing. The Ultimate Understanding,heralds the total message he has to convey. What else remains can only be the final understanding, the final Truth, the silence of Unicity.

290 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Ramesh S. Balsekar was 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 wrote more than 20 books, was president of the Bank of India, and received guests daily in his home in Mumbai until shortly before his death.

Balsekar taught 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.

Reviews

[Murali · Rating 1 out of 5]

A pompous and over-rated teacher.