The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness.+

Happiness and suffering are a reality within the world. The world is a dualistic illusion.   The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the ‘I’.  The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Until the seeker becomes aware of the fact that the world in which he exists itself is an illusion he will not be aware of the truth hidden by the illusion.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC In the dream state, even though there is no contact with the outside world, the Soul alone projects the entire dream universe of enjoyer, enjoyment, etc. Similarly, the waking state is no different. All this world of pluralistic phenomena is illusory projection.

If one starts with the idea that the universe exists, he can never see the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, because Samsara (world) is an illusion and only ignorant people read it as a reality.

Sage Sankara says:~    V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

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 ‘Self’ is hidden by the world in which you exist. Without examining the world in which you exist, it is impossible to realize the ‘Self’. Thus, it is necessary to examine the world that confronts you first, in order to realize the ‘Self’, which is hidden by the world in which we exist. 

Sage Sankara says you must first know what is before you. If you cannot know that, what else can you know or understand? If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.

Sage Sankara says: ~ V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

Whatever the universe contains is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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 innermost 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 a snake nor the rope in reality because from the ultimate standpoint the duality is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the root element of the universe. From consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into the consciousness, the universe is dissolved.   Consciousness is the parent of all that is there. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.  Brahman is God in truth.

Consciousness is the only reality, and the universe too but an illusory manifestation. 

Sage Sankara said: ~A.A~ 88. When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman (consciousness), and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?

Sage Sankara says: ~ VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

The realization of ultimate truth or Brahman is possible only to the seeker who learns to view and judge the three states on the base of the Soul, the innermost Self.

The ‘Self’ is not within you. But the world in which you exist is within the Soul. Until you think the ‘Self is within your body, you will not be able to realize, the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The world in which you exist is a falsehood. Thus, you are the false Self within the falsehood. The falsehood appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).  Therefore, realize ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal’ in order to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

 

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’   helps to get rid of ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion (world) as a reality. 

The world in which we exist is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of the consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like the consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar