The orthodox pundit seeing Sage Sankara will see differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sankara.+

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of rituals  and sacrifices. The more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. The Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced.  The orthodox pundit seeing Sage Sankara will see differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sankara.  Each one of them interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge.

The orthodox see Sage Sankara as the founder of their religion and also as the Jagad guru of the  Advaitic orthodox sect.  A man of truth sees Sage Sankara not as a guru but as a Gnani. Orthodoxy believes in their experience of birth, life, death, and rebirth and the world as reality. Whereas Gnani sees the world is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.  Thus Gnani sees no second thing other than consciousness. The one who treads the path of wisdom gains the knowledge of reality beyond form, time, and space. A  Gnani has delved into and transcended consciously all identification with the experience form, time, and space. 

Similarly, orthodoxy has to be bifurcated from philosophy. To know the Advaitic philosophy of Sage  Sankara one has to be free from all superstitions and dogmas and orthodoxy and scriptural knowledge.  The seeker has to be more rational and scientific in his attitude.   

Sage Sankara said: ~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness. 

Philosophy does not begin with the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Lots of Advaitin scholars will teach that all is yourself, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. Rational proof is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana.  Theirs is mere dogma, parrotism, and repetition of what they read in scripture.  Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved. 

Sage Sankara’s whole teaching can be summed up into one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman. He says that the Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Bliss are Real. The universe is not real. He says that Brahma and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances. 

Sage Sankara:~"Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage  Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad) 

Sage Sankara: ~  The Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life, and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. ( Chap.3.4.50; Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras) 

Genuine philosophy must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world and the Nirguna Brahman is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion. 

The main hurdle in his way of thinking is the fact that Sage Sankara did not claim to be an original thinker at all, and his philosophy took the form of commentaries on the generality of the scriptures, particularly the Upanishads and the Gita. Sage  Sankara was an independent thinker. His philosophy has not been taken seriously by many in India, because, most of the followers of Sage  Sankara are religious orthodox.

It is that philosophy in India was for centuries more an exposition of the ancient classics than the independent thought of individual thinkers as in ancient Greece or modern Europe and America. 

Sage Sankara, and  Sage Gaudapada, are independent thinkers, other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic wisdom is real wisdom. The dualistic wisdom cannot escape the charge of dogmatism. 

Intelligence and thought, do not apply to Advaitism, intelligence and thought are based on the false self (waking entity) within the false experience (waking).   The whole Advaitic philosophy is an attempt to transcend the limitations of intelligence and thought. 

The two points of view A Gnani is not cut off from the experience of practical life within the practical world because Advaitic truth is neither realism nor idealism; it is beyond both these. 

Sage Sankara said:~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness. 

Sage Sankara endeavored toward establishing the Vedic religion and overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism has reappeared in the Advaita of Sage Sankara. His inability to revive the Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignore that in dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real.+

The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. That means the dream entity, people within the dream and the dream world becomeS unreal. In the same way, the waking entity and people within the waking experience and the waking world become unreal when wisdom dawns. 

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignores that in the dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real. 

From the standpoint of the waking entity, the universe is a reality from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. When wisdom dawns then one realizes the whole universe is consciousness. The dualistic view is possible only in ignorance. 

At the dawn of Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, there is only the non-dualistic view in the midst of duality because the whole universe is consciousness. Thus all the contents of the universe are also consciousness.  Form, time, and space are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. If the form, time, and space are consciousness then the experience of birth, life, and death is also consciousness.    

Advaitic Sage and Maya or illusion  

VlSHNUVARDHANA, the King of the Hoysalas, was a Vaishnavite and was greatly incensed at the doctrine taught by Advaitic Sage that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Advaitic Sage to his palace. That holy man went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world was an illusion. The king had arranged to let loose an infuriated elephant against Advaitic Sage. The beast rushed at Advaitic Sage who took to a precipitate flight to save himself.

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the elephant is only an illusion?'

'Oh, king,' said  Advaitic Sage in the course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.’ 

Similarly, we are unaware of the fact that we are within the illusion because we exist within the waking world.  The waking experience itself is an illusion.  Due to ignorance of the Soul, the Self, the illusion is experienced as reality. 

All our love and concern for humanity is a reality within the illusion.:~Santthosh Kumaar   

Jesus meant knowledge of the Spirit, the God (pearls) or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana should not be shared with ignorant people (pigs).+

God is not physical but God is Spirit.  God means the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God.  There is only one consciousness because  Soul, the Spirit is second to none. 

Do not hold any book as an authority. Until you mentally transcend the universe into the Spirit by perfect understanding and assimilation of 'what is what', it is impossible to realize the Spirit or God is hidden by ignorance.

Until you unlearn whatever you have learned it is impossible to realize God in truth.

In spirituality, the Spirit is God in truth. You must take the ultimate truth as God in truth. First, the seeker has to realize what God is supposed to be in truth. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. God in truth pervades everything and everywhere in the universe in which we exist.

Thus, everything is God because the whole universe is created out of God or Spirit or consciousness). If you know the ‘Self’ as the Soul then the Soul, the Self is free from the cage of the dualistic illusion or Maya.

That is why Jesus said: ~ Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

Spirituality is nothing to do with religion. Spirituality is based on the Spirit, the real God whereas religion is based on the false self within the false experience.

Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship God must worship God in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24)”,

The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the innermost Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there is.

No religious God can exist, apart from the Spirit (consciousness) because the Spirit itself is God. 

Remember:~

If God is the formless Spirit, then how does man know God created the world? There is no proof. If man had seen God creating the world, he could admit it, but how could he have seen God before he came into existence? (i.e. were created).

The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the innermost Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there is. 

 The Spirit is present in the form of consciousness. Everything is consciousness. All the moments are within the dualistic illusion. Whatever happens within the dualistic illusion is bound to be an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, consciousness alone is real and all else is merely an illusion.

“Spirit is my father and I and my father are one.”

If the Spirit is the father the son is bound to be the Spirit. The Spirit, the beloved alone is real and all else is merely an illusion. 

There is no God in the dualistic illusion because the dualistic illusion is created out of God, which is present in the form of the Spirit or the consciousness.  Thus, God alone is real.

Spirit is prior to Love. Love implies duality. The love hides God. When love disappears God appears.  Find the Self and Love the Self and rest in God, which is the Spirit.

Consciousness is the only reality in which the universe exists, to which the universe belongs; from which the universe has emerged, which is the cause of the universe and which itself is uncaused.  Thus, the universe is nothing but consciousness. 

The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, Not in a mansion of wood and stone.  Split a piece of wood and God is there, Lift a stone and you will find God." (Gospel of Thomas) 

God is not physical. God is the Spirit. God is the Self.  God is birthless and deathless because God is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Birth, life, and death happen within the illusory world, which is created out of Christ, which is present in the form of the Spirit. 

Jesus said:~ "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all." (Gospel of Thomas 2)

Jesus said: ~ ”Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. (THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS- Saying 5)

The Soul is the Self, the Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the root element of the universe. From consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into consciousness, the universe is dissolved.  Consciousness is the parent of all that is there.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Thus, everything is God in truth nothing but God in truth. 

Gospel Thomas logian 22:~ Jesus saw infants being suckled.  He said to his disciples, “These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom.”

They said to him, “Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?”

Jesus's version of Advaita: Jesus said to them:   “When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside  and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female is female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye,  and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom.”

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ When one realizes mind (matter) and Soul (spirit), the  Self is one in essence then there is no place for duality. Without the duality, the universe ceases to exist as a reality. Without the universe, your existence within the universe is merely an illusion because there is scope for two because everything is created out of single stuff.   That single stuff is the  Spirit. The Spirit or consciousness

What is the use of arguing with religious believers?  They think of what they know as the ultimate truth.

Those who indulge in a perverted argument on their own standpoint and opinion are not seeking the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.  They just want to exhibit their accumulated knowledge accumulated from here and there.  They think what they know is the ultimate truth.

They think whatever they propagate is the ultimate truth. The question never occurs to them, “Is what I know is really the truth?

That is why Jesus said: ~ Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6) 

~ Jesus meant knowledge of the Spirit, the God (pearls) or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana should not be shared with ignorant people (pigs).

Spirituality is nothing to do with religion. Spirituality is based on the Spirit, the real God whereas religion is based on the false self within the false experience. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Brahman or the Soul, the Self.+

The Soul, the Self has to be free from experiencing the duality as reality.  To overcome the duality, the waking entity has to know it itself is not the Self but the Self is the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.  

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary to realize ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ to reject the untruth by accepting the truth. 

There is no form, time, and space in the realm of Reality: Time and space are only limited to the physical realm.

Sage Sankara said:-  Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Brahman or the Soul, the Self. 

If one gets knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake will vanish. Even so, if he gets knowledge of Brahman, the illusion of the body and the world will vanish.

The snake is only an idea: it disappears on inquiry but deeper self-search reveals the fact that the rope is also an idea and its reality will be exposed when wisdom dawns. There is neither snake nor the rope in reality because, from the ultimate standpoint, the duality is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Consciousness is the root element of the universe. From consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into consciousness, the universe is dissolved.   Consciousness is the parent of all that is there is.  Consciousness is the only the reality, and the universe to but an illusory manifestation

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it. It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of Maya.

First, the seeker must inquire into the nature of the three states to realize the three states are one in essence.  One has to observe everything in the three states because all three states are one in essence and that essence is consciousness (Soul or Atman) Atman is Brahman. The seeker should not shut his eyes to the nature of the three states, because they are a mere mirage created out of consciousness.

The waking entity innately believes in the reality of the waking world (I). This is because of ignorance.  

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the waking experience is also as false as the dream. The seeker should not believe in the Soul, without verification. He may have a belief, but he should show that it is true.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana clears all doubts.  Certainty, nothing can be hidden and can be got only from soul-centric reasoning, not from yoga.

The seeker has to take the world as it is, and inquiry is the beginning of the pursuit of truth. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the end of ignorance. 

Every man thinks that he has no doubts, but without examining himself whether he has doubts or not and if any conflicting ideas exist he must (which is inevitable with the sense of duality) he must get over them.

Without soul-centric reasoning, direct cognition is impossible. The Advaitic sages too got at it through soul-centric Reasoning. The seeker of truth has to only rely on soul-centric Reasoning.

The one, who starts an exposition by bringing in Gods, is trying to force on others something which he believes to be real, something he has simply assumed. The seeker of truth must stick to the soul-centric reason, not the fallacy of egocentric authoritarianism.

One comes to the conviction, on the strength of deeper self-search:- that the world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

The individual experience of birth, life, death and the world are a reality within the waking experience but the waking experience itself is merely an illusion from the standpoint of the formless witness of the three states. 

The formless witness is Soul or consciousness. And  Soul or consciousness is the Self and it is not an individual.  Holding the self as an individual is a cause of experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

The delusion that the world is endowed only with parlance, practical truth goes when one gets the direct realization of consciousness, which is the Self and ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the universe or waking does not enjoy any reality.  Consciousness alone is the ultimate truth and the perceived world is only a dependent, reality.

The perception of the world as just an appearance, like the mirage of water appearing to give an impression of water, yet known to be just an appearance, ends when the ignorance comes to an end and the Gnani no longer has the egocentric worldview because he has the soul-centric worldview. 

A Gnani uses the egocentric worldview for the practical purpose in practical life but he is fully conscious of the fact that the experience of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.  

As flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their names and forms, so a Gnani, freed from name and form, attains the Gnana or non-dual wisdom.

Self–knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana brings unity in diversity in perfect understanding of the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth in the midst of diversity and conscious total merger of matter in the spirit.  

All names and forms within the waking experience lose their sense of reality the same way the dream experience loses its sense of reality when waking takes place.  

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana gives us the knowledge to inform us of the true nature of the ego, universe, and ultimate truth. All these three are connected in such a way that the knowledge of one without the other is incomplete.  

Gaining this comprehensive knowledge constitutes liberation, from experiencing duality (universe) as reality.

The witness is, different from the witnessed that consciousness is distinguished as not being the same; from the lifeless universe, which is in the form of the mind.   The lifeless universe has no real existence without consciousness.  Consciousness gives sentient to the insentient universe, which is in the form of the mind(I).  The universe exists as a reality from the standpoint of the matter as the Self.:~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Both sides of experiences have to be inquired into--the duality (waking or dream or universe) and Non-duality (deep sleep).+

Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is only is the true knowledge,  not the absence of the duality.  Self -Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana cannot destroy the world, but it eliminates ignorance and exposes the unreal nature of the mind, or the universe.  

Man cannot live without the physical world; it is the basis of his life, so it must be the starting point of his inquiry. Things, not imaginations, must be the seeker's material.

The one who knows ultimate truth or Brahman knows the world because uses his soul-centric reason.

One who loses touch with the external world and gives himself over to his thoughts alone takes his illusions to be reality and he remains to exhibit his perverted intellectualism, never reaches the ultimate end of understanding. Perverted intellectuality is nothing but an egoic exhibition.

Both sides of experiences have to be inquired into--the duality (waking or dream or universe) and Non-duality (deep sleep).  If one wants to find the truth of his true existence, he must know, the knowledge of both matter and Spirit.

People avoid inquiry into the world, hence cannot find the truth. If one thinks he does not see the world by shutting his eyes and omitting it from his thought, he is still ignorant and not a Gnani.

If there is nothing to be seen, if merely the absence of the external world from cognition gave the ultimate truth or Brahman, then every living creature would attain Gnana or wisdom, because it loses the world in deep sleep.

The seeker must begin Inquiry with duality, i.e. with the universe to inquire into. It will end with unity. People try to avoid this duality by ignoring the world. Hence,  they get a false unity based on the ego (waking entity). All the theories based on waking entity (ego) is mere hallucination based on the imagination.

There is a need to indulge in deeper self-search in order to explore the causes, characteristics, and nature of the universe.  There is no need to go running to the mountain or a monastery or lead a religious regulated life in order to get ultimate truth or Brahman.

There is no running away from the soul, is present in the form of consciousness. The soul is the innermost self. The soul is the only reality. Hence running away from the world is not only illogical but also foolishness because without consciousness the world ceases to exist.  Thus,  it is necessary to know the universe as a whole,  in order to understand the whole universe is non-dual consciousness. 

Gnana cannot come if the world confronts one is left out. The whole universe must be included in the inquiry. Only when all is known can all be known to be but ideation. Hence yogis blotting all out in Samadhi cannot lead to Gnana. And yogic Samadhi is not wisdom. And it is foolish to accept the thoughtlessness is Gnana,  because, deep sleep is the state of thoughtlessness, but it is not considered as Gnana or the nondualistic or Advaitic wisdom.

The ‘I’-thought, the ego, belongs to the duality as does the universe thought. Intellectuals may get the knowledge that the witness is separate from witnessed, but they will never know the ultimate truth or  Brahman without inquiring into the universe because they are giving up the universe, and hence cannot discover their unity with the universe. The Gnani regards everything in the universe as consciousness; the intellectuals reject the universe because intellectuals base themselves on individuality. 

Individuality is the greatest hindrance in pursuit of truth because they base themselves on ‘I’ as a witness, which is not a witness,  but ‘I’ is merely an object to the formless witness

The Soul or consciousness cannot be known in the sense in which one knows objects of thought. It can be known only to the extent to which he knows them, he can only think of the knower when he is in the presence of the known, i.e. the objects, for the latter make him aware that a knower must exist. Thus duality makes him think of the knower, but it cannot make him know the knower. The knower is known in the world of duality only by implication, as he cannot think without him. The knower is a concept, and cannot be known in itself.

The Soul or consciousness is known only in the negative way. One cannot make it an object of knowledge. One can know that he cannot have an idea of an object unless he posits a knower unless the knower is implied already. The Formless witness itself is Gnana, that is, it knows everything else.

The Self is known only when one sees something else, for that other thing reminds him of it. The self is unknowable as an object. Knowing the ultimate truth means knowing that consciousness exists. The world knows implies duality, something known; on the other hand, Gnana does imply an object. 

Consciousness knows the ego as an object. The knowing powers, the formless witness, the knower can have no statement made about it, other than that its existence cannot be negated. The ultimate truth which one can know is that consciousness is not something to be known.

There is no need to run from pillar to post, one ashram to another ashram, and one guru to another guru's order to acquire nondual wisdom. The seeker of truth has to strive to understand the nature of the mind or the universe and thus conquer it by knowledge.

Without inquiry into the nature of the universe or waking and its nature i.e. the matter, there can be no such thing as Gnana. Religion, yoga, the concept of God is unimportant in pursuit of truth. The scriptures are not at all necessary in pursuit of truth, but one can quote the citation of the scriptures which indicate the ultimate truth after deeper verification.  

The intellectual will not find the truth because his understanding based on individuality and individuality is not truth on the ultimate standpoint because the self is not an individual because it is formless and it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states. Most of the intellectual says “I know” and does not explain how he knows consciousness is the ultimate truth. But his egocentricity makes him more and more egoic and he indulges in perverse argument, which is not needed in pursuit of truth.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Truth is one and the path is one.+

Truth is one and the path is one. The ultimate truth or Brahman dwells within the three states like fragrance in the flower; Musk lies within the Musk-deer yet seeks it afar." 

Until one traces the truth within the three states the illusion of birth, life, death, and the world is experienced as reality.  

Truth is one

Soul is one

Self is one

Brahman is one

God is one.

Truth, Soul, Self, Brahman, and God in truth are one and the Same.

Normally people will not understand what I am driving at because they are seeking something which they can enjoy.

People's ambition is to acquire wealth and enjoy practical life within the practical world. They are looking for an advantage in the world, to take care of their daily life.  Thus to get what they want in spiritual life they indulge in numerous paths of dogmas and rituals prescribed by the Gurudom expecting their daily life goes on comfortably. 

 The so-called gurus and yogis focus their ambition on acquiring wealth by making the mass more and more dogma oriented.  No one inquires why they are in this hell. This begging to god and guru goes on and on. If their wish is fulfilled they indulge more and more if the wish is not fulfilled they indulge again and again because of fear of getting cursed by god.   Thus in order to get rid of this path of begging one has to know the truth of his true existence.  

   
That is why Swami Vivekananda:~ The masses in India cry to sixty million gods and still die like dogs. Where are these gods?

 Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million gods, and still die like dogs. Where are these gods? ... The gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my soul. You are infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because you are an infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda  (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

The knowledge of both matter (mind or universe) and spirit (Soul or consciousness) is True knowledge. 

All the attributes are merely an illusion. It is the Self that is in illusion and it is the self that has to get free from the bondage of the illusion. The illusion is present in the form of the mind. The mind is in the form of the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.  The individual experiences of birth, life, death and the world are within the waking experience.  The dream is a parallel waking experience and waking is a parallel dream.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the Self is neither the waking entity nor the Self is the dream entity but the Self is the formless Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states in succession.  This truth has to be mentally grasped and assimilated to realize the Soul, the Self is nothing to do with the three states. From the standpoint of the formless Soul, the Self, the three states are merely an illusion.

The practical life within the practical world, which is present as the waking experience, is merely an illusion. 

If the waking experience is merely an illusion then the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion.   

If the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is merely an illusion, it means the form; time, and space are merely an illusion.  

If form, time, and space are mere illusion, it means the past, present, and future is mere illusion. 

Thus it is necessary for the seeker to realize the fact that form, time, and space are one in essence, in order to realize the three states are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. 

Thus, all the diversity is created out of consciousness. Thus no second thing exists other than consciousness.  Seeker of truth has to constantly reflect on the subject in order to get a firm conviction of the truth.  

The seeker has to reflect on the same truth again and again until it becomes reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what.:~Santthosh Kumaar