The complete 'I am' quotes of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj Pradeep Apte

296
Here is an article before it came into existence, what was its name?
From non-being into the being state, how was it observed? You
just felt that touch. Before observing anything we feel the touch of
‘I am’. To realize that state prior to conception, that eternal state,
whatever that state is, to abide in that is the highest. Now, for your
sake, I attach a name to it, the ‘Parabrahman’ state – the Absolute.
297
A ‘jnani’ knows that he has realized when he recognizes his
knowingness, which is the sense of ‘I am’. Right here and now you
are in the realized state. But you try to judge it through desires and
mind-concepts, hence your inability to apperceive it and abide in it.
In the ‘jnani’ state, there is no need for anything, not even to know
oneself. You are attached to the body-senses; therefore even
though you may attain an age of hundred years, you still would
crave for more years.
298
On the state of ‘non-beingness’, the beingness appeared together
with manifestation, creating a feeling as if ‘I am’; who that is, is
not important, only ‘I am’ is important. The initial humming of the
beingness as ‘I am, I am’ is the duality. But who accepts the
duality? The ‘non-beingness’ accepts duality with the beingness.
The Absolute ‘non-being’ state, by assuming the being state,
becomes dual in manifestation.
299
First you have what is called ‘atma-bhava’ – that is the ‘I am’
sense. Later, this sense identifies with the form of a body, when it
is called ‘aham-akar’, the ‘I am’ form, this is ego. Ego is never a