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

amness’ emerged. Consciousness, beingness, sense of being, ‘I
amness’, all are the same in you, prior to emanation of any words.
328
This is a subtle point, so try to understand it clearly. When I say ‘I
was not’ prior to conception, then what I actually mean is that I
was not like this present ‘I am’. But that ‘I’ which could discern
this must be there to judge the absence of the present ‘I am’.
329
Shall we call the knowledge ‘I am’ the guru? But even that
knowledge you are not! Knowledge ‘I am’ means consciousness,
God, ‘Ishwara’, guru etc. but you the Absolute are not that.
330
This is to be understood and realized that the ‘I am’ is even before
the arising of any words and questions in me. People always want
a name or concept to indicate the state of ‘I am’ prior to words.
When this is done by giving it a name, like for example Brahman,
they feel satisfied.
331
Beingness can act in the world only with the aid of the body. This
body is the quintessence of the five elements, and the quintessence
of the body-essence is the knowledge ‘I am’. The presiding
principle of the whole functioning is the knowledge ‘I am’. This
knowledge ‘I am’ has to be correctly understood.