Importance of reading for someone on the Path of Self Discovery

In a retreat people meditate up to 17 hours a day, living on very little food, especially meditating from midnight to morning 6...in such an environment one can make the mind very subtle...that's the kind of hard work one needs to put...but hard work alone is not enough...when sitting with closed eyes one needs to have the right attitude of and right way of observation...thats why there are people meditating since 30 years and still stuck in negativities while there are 30 year old practitioners who are glowing with compassion and love.
It is in that context one needs to read books in trying to understand the right way to observe the self...also meditation has to become ones first nature not second nature, i.e. to say one needs to internalise the attitude of looking not just while sitting but at all times, and in that regard again one needs to understand how to look, what is attention and what is awareness and what is this ever changing reality we experience in waking state and dream state.

While Osho might still be after 35 years of his death one of the best-selling authors in India and across the world the 2 authors not to be missed by any serious meditator are

• J Krishnamurthy
• Nisargadatta Maharaj

But for advance practitioners the study of the teachings of Buddha is indispensable. After all Buddha was the most intelligent spiritual teacher ever...that is the very definition of Buddha, he and his teachings can never be surpassed unless of course the arrival of the next Buddha.