Nisargadatta on the difference between thoughts

There is indeed a great difference between thoughts and thoughts. Thoughts which form day-dreaming, or thoughts of regret about the events in the past, or thoughts of fear and worry and anticipation regarding the future are surely very much different from the thoughts which spring up spontaneously from the depth of one's psyche, what one might call thoughts that do not need any argument and interpretation by the mind. The former are to be ignored and avoided; the latter are incapable of being ignored or avoided, because they are essentially spontaneous and immediate and basically non-conceptual.

Maharaj then continued: The very first thought 'I am' is surely a thought, but one that does not need any argument or confirmation from the mind. Indeed, as the basis of all further thought, it is the pre-conceptual thought — very source of the mind.

Living according to indirect or mediate thought in a divided, dualistic mind is what most people do because they have identified themselves with a pseudo-entity that considers itself as the subject of all action.

But direct or absolute thought is the process by which the Absolute non-manifest manifests itself. Such thought is spontaneous and instantaneous and therefore, without the element of duration which is an aspect of the split mind. Whenever there is duration the thought must necessarily be an after-thought, in terpreted phenomenally and dualistically.

No spontaneous, non-dual, intuitive thought can arise unless the storm of conceptual thinking has subsided and the mind rests in a 'fasting' state; and such thought obviously cannot know bondage. Instantaneous, pure thought results in pure action without any tinge of bondage, because no entity is involved.

Maharaj concluded his reply by saying that most religions were originally based on direct pure thoughts. In course of time they degenerated into concepts. And on these concepts has been erected gradually an enorm ous am orphous structure, made enchanting enough to attract and mislead millions of people.

~Nisargadata from 'Pointers from Nisargadatta Maharaj' by Ramesh Balsekar