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Nisargadatta Maharaj

Mumbai shopkeeper (1897–1981) whose directness and unflinching non-dual teaching, collected in I Am That, reshaped the Advaita tradition in the West.

advaita vedantamodern non dual

Nisargadatta lived an ordinary life in Mumbai — married, children, a small shop selling bidis — while teaching whoever came to his upstairs room. His method was simple: turn attention toward the sense “I am” and investigate it until what it refers to reveals itself.

i-am-that, a compilation of his dialogues with visitors, became one of the essential non-dual texts of the 20th century. His directness is legendary:

“You must begin by disbelieving everything you take for granted, especially about yourself.”

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