Ashtavakra Gita: ~Know the ‘Self’ to be “One” and in this way enter into the state of dissolution.+

Only your intense urge to know the truth will take you to the ultimate end, but your accumulated knowledge will block you from realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

It is impossible for the seeker to discard the ‘I’ because they are stuck up with the idea that ‘I’ itself is the “Self’.  In the past, some famous Gurus and their teachings glorified the ‘I’ people take it as a final and accepted it as the ultimate truth. Such acceptance without verifying the fact about the ‘I’, their journey is incomplete.  Blind acceptance and reverence to the guru will not help the seeker to get rid of the ignorance.

Firstly, doubt about this ‘I’, how it came into existence.   There are no other means to the final goal is the realization of the source of the ‘I’.  There is a need to understand, assimilate, and realize the nature of this ‘I’, which appears and disappears. 

It is erroneous to use the word ‘I’ for the “Self’, because ‘I’ represents the form, time, and space whereas the Soul, the innermost “Self’ is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. 

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “The permanent is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes.” (2.18)

To understand the false nature of the ‘I’, the “Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary. 

 The “Self’ is not ‘I’, but the “Self’ is the Soul which is the witness of the ‘I’. Holding the’ “Self’’ as the ‘I’ leads to hallucination based on the imagination.

Those who are stuck with the ‘I’ based teaching never be able to cross the domain of the form, time, and space.  

All the Gurus glorified the ‘I’. Thus, it becomes very difficult to discard the ‘I’. Those who have accepted the ‘I’ based teaching refuse to accept anything other than their accepted truth. Till you hold the ‘“Self’’ as the ‘I’, your knowledge remains skin deep.

The world in which you exist came into existence because of the ‘I’. The world, in which you exist ceases to exist without the ‘I’.

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought”.

The ‘I’ is what the seeker begins his investigation. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ will help the seeker to reach the Soul, which is the “Self’.

Sage Sankara: ~ "VC~ if the universe is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams. 

This universe is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  From the Soul, the universe appears and when the universe disappears from the consciousness, the consciousness still remains without any division of the form, time, and space.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe rises from the Soul, the innermost “Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the ‘Self’ to be “One” and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

To enable the seeker to steer clear of any possible doubt, the seeker should take the Atmic path.  The ‘I’ is the clue and study the nature of the ‘I’ and discover its source. 

The 'Self' is not within you but the ‘“Self’’ is hidden in the world in which you exist. The one which is born lives and dies is not the ‘“Self’’ because the ‘“Self’’ is the Soul, which is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is nothing to do with you the world in which you exist.  From the standpoint of the Soul, the “Self’, the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

The ‘“Self’’ is not within you because the 'Self' is not the body.   If the ‘“Self’’ is not you,   then why do you think the “Self’ is within you. Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you and the world are within the Soul the innermost “Self’.  a perfect understanding and assimilation lead to Self-realization.

Until you think he is an individual separate from this world you will remain in the realm of dualistic illusion.  The dualistic illusion is the product of ignorance.  When the Advaitic wisdom dawns, then the ignorance vanishes. When the ignorance vanishes, then the duality never remains as a reality.  

First, the seeker has to know ‘what is the subject’ and ‘what is the object’.  Deeper self-search reveals the fact that”:  the world in which we exist is an object to the formless subject. The formless subject is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Deeper verification reveals the fact that the object and the subject are one in essence. That essence is consciousness.  Thus, the object is only an illusion created out of the formless subject.  The subject alone is real exists eternal. 

Remember:~ 

The traditionally religious people are so entangled in orthodox religiosity; it is very difficult for them to free themselves from narrow-minded prejudices and dogmas and superstitions. These educated orthodox people are more ignorant than illiterate. They strongly stuck to their inherited orthodox baggage meant for the ignorant populace. Even though, their own sage has said that orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant populace they ignore and they are like the blind led by another blind follow the inherited blind belief.

Sage Sankara clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

But:~

Most Orthodox scriptural scholars are ignorant in the guise of Gnanis.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings. Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices.

However, the texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

Sage Sankara:~ Loud speech, a profusion of words, and possessing skilfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned. They do not lead to Liberation."

Mundaka Upanishads:~ So-called spiritual pundits and learned are called children because a child takes whatever it thinks as truth. The question never occurs to children “Is what I have seen or thought really the truth?" (P.334 line 9)

The scriptural mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is the truth?' and ‘what is the untruth?'. When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time, and space.

An adherent of the orthodox philosopher may say his philosophy teaches so and so", another man may object and say “No, his religious philosophy teaches such and such." Thus, they may go on uttering contradictions in the name of philosophy. True philosophy deals only with the appeal to facts, not theories.

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them.

How is one to know that the scriptures are true? The seeker has to look into the facts, for the proof of what has the worship of God done for the people! When a tsunami occurred in Japan God did not save the believers of Japan. Thus, God saves the one who prays such an argument is of no value in pursuit of truth.

People believe scripture is infallible, but deeper Self-search reveals the fact that they are a mere book of words. The words are a mere expression of thoughts. Then it is impossible to see if the scripture writer's thoughts are founded on facts or not.

The fallacy of orthodoxy’s appeal to scripture lies in the varying and conflicting interpretations of the same scripture that different men feel entitled to give or hold.

The scriptures are for the ignorant masses, who wholly accept the practical life within the practical world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem.

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them.

Scriptural knowledge is conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. All these concepts are a great obstacle in the pursuit of truth. Why should confusion be created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which they all arise.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar