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Seeking out causes is a pastime of the mind. There is no duality of cause and effect. Everything is its own cause.
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes that the mind tends to seek explanations and reasons for events, asserting that everything has its own intrinsic cause.

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj points out that the human mind has a tendency to explore the relationships between causes and effects. However, he challenges the conventional understanding by stating that nothing exists independently as a result of an external cause; rather, every phenomenon is an expression of its own nature and essence, inherently self-causing.

Themes

CauseEffectPhilosophyMindSelf-Causation

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about personal responsibility and the nature of reality, this quote can highlight the concept of self-causing events.

More from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

All happiness comes from awareness. The more we are conscious the deeper the joy. Acceptance of pain, non-resistance, courage and endurance - these open deep and perennial sources of real happiness, true bliss.
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Even faith in God is only a stage on the way. Ultimately you abandon all, for you come to something so simple that there are no words to express it.
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Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care of itself. You do not tidy up a dark room. You open the windows first. Letting in the light makes everything easy. So, let us wait with improving others until we see ourselves as we are/ and have changed. There is no need to turn round and round in endless questioning; find yourself and everything will fall into its proper place.
Sri Nisargadatta MaharajRead
Watch your thoughts as you watch the street traffic. People come and go; you register without response. It may not be easy in the beginning, but with some practice you will find that your mind can function on many levels at the same time and you can be aware of them all.
Sri Nisargadatta MaharajRead
Learn to live without self concern. _x000D_ _x000D_ For this you must know your own true being as indomitable, fearless and ever victorious. _x000D_ _x000D_ Once you know with absolute certainty that nothing can trouble you but your own imagination, _x000D_ _x000D_ you come to disregard your desires and fears, concepts and ideas, and live by truth alone.
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Do not neglect this body. This is the house of God; take care of it, only in this body can God be realized.
Sri Nisargadatta MaharajRead

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