Unless one realizes the Soul as the innermost Self as it really is, it is impossible to realize the Advaitic truth.+

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

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The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The egocentric interpretation is to apply it only to the waking experience. The soulcentric interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

The reason is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the universe (I), whereas the appeal to scriptural relations reaches only religious sects and castes. Sage Sankara knew that one day the world would throw up religion and scriptures and appeal to reason.

Let Advaitic wisdom annihilate ignorance and reveal Soul, the Self hidden by the ‘I’.

Let your ears become deaf to religious propagated myth.

Let your eyes become blind to illusion to realize the Soul, the ‘Self’ as it is.

Reasoning

The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The egocentric interpretation is to apply it only to the practical purpose (waking experience). The Soulcentric interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Reason as means to reality. (Chap.18 verse 37)

In chap. 10 of in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ I cannot save you, but I can give you Buddhi (reason). (chap. 10)

In chap. 10 of in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ "I have given you the most secret teaching, now reflect over it all" Krishna plainly says reflect, think. (Verse 63 of Chap. 18)

Mundaka Upanishad says: ~ Both states are harmful and take you away from the path of inquiry into truth. (Page 234)

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ It is not the absence of Buddhi (Reason) that can grasp Advaita but the man who possesses the highest intellect. Brains are necessary. Such a man, by merely hearing the truth mentioned will know it. (Page~ 224).

As we keep digging deeper and deeper, the truth will shine as pure awareness in the midst of the duality (waking). 

The Soul, the  Self is our ultimate teacher. It is only our inner teacher that will walk with us to the goal, for the Soul is the goal. From the ultimate standpoint, there is no teacher, there is no teaching and there is no student. Millions are searching for the truth, but one in a million will realize it. 

Unless one realizes the Soul as the Self as it really is,  it is impossible to realize the Advaitic truth. 

Remember:~

Different gurus and teachers are pointing out the understanding of the Advaitic truth from different standpoints. All such understanding of Advaita is on the dualistic perspective accumulated from here and there.

Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the  Self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a  perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

The citations from scriptures are not proofs.  The ultimate truth has to be proved without the scriptures.  The ultimate truth is the universal truth and it does not belong to any religion.  Religion causes diversity in unity, whereas, the ultimate truth brings unity in diversity. 

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘what is untruth?’.One has to make discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ VC: ~65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments. 

Blinded by the illusion very few grasp the nondualistic or Advaitic truth. Only a few escape from the web of illusion, and only a few will be able to acquire non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom.

The nonduality has to be grasped in the midst of the waking experience ( duality).  That is, being aware of the truth and untruth, reality and unreality. And able to establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the Soul, the innermost self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false self, and imagine nonduality and say nothing exists other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of the Soul (Spirit or consciousness).  

Everything arises from the Soul (Spirit or Consciousness) and subsides as the Soul. Thus, the whole diversity has no relevance, from the standpoint of the soul as the Soul, the Self.

Everything (universe or illusion or matter) is the consciousness (soul or spirit) realizing the three states are created out of consciousness (Soul or Spirit).

Awareness is the nature of the soul (spirit or consciousness) because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, the Self.   Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.:~Santthosh Kumaar