Explorations into the Eternal: Forays into the Teaching of Nisargadatta Maharaj

by Ramesh S. Balsekar

In this volume, Ramesh Balsekar reaches beyond the communication of the past knowledge to a creative exploration of the teaching of his guru, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, inspired by the thirst of other seekers for enlightenment. In his contemplations upon the sentience of the human spirit, Balsekar has used Maharaj's wisdom as the touchstone for his own ventures into the realm of conscious and unconscious.

292 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

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

[Dean Paradiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and rather verbose read by RB, expounding on some of the teachings of Nisargadatta, but also other related teachers such as Krishnamurti, Buddha etc.
The philosophy in this book is in line with RB's thrust of 'nondoership', as being the cornerstone of his understanding. Although RB has a lot to say on this topic, and explains related concepts very eloquently and with lots of detail, I can't help feeling that he overcomplicates things as a whole. Nisargadatta's teachings were very compact, powerful and straightforward, and certainly didn't need the intellectual dazzling that RB dresses them up with. RB's teachings really are a different sort of fish in this regards, and may suit a certain type of intellectual seeker after a 'nondual' philosophy understanding.