Awakening, Enlightenment, and Self-realization are one and the same thing.+

Awakening, Enlightenment, and Self-realization are one and the same thing. knowing the Athma, the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Sage Sankara says only through direct knowledge of non-duality enlightenment can be achieved.

Self-realization could not be brought about merely by giving up the idea that there is an individual Self, which functions through the body. The 'Self' does not function through the body.

All the functions of the body take place within the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is not within the body, but the body and the world are within the mind.

Till one thinks the mind is within the body it is impossible to realize the ‘Self, which is beyond form, time, and space. The form, time, and space, together are the mind. Form, time, and space are present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).

Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

Realizing the ‘Self’ is not 'you' but the ‘Self is the 'Soul' is Self-realization. The existence of the world in which we exist is dependent on the ‘I’.

Without the ‘I’ the world, in which we exist cease to exist. The ‘I’ hides the truth.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

Remember this: Self-realization is to realize the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The ‘Self’ is not limited to the body because it is not within the body but it pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which we exist. Limiting the Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ to the physical body is an error because the Soul is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The ‘Self is not the body and the ‘Self’ is not within the body. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is nothing but the cause of the world in which we exist and it is uncaused.

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

The sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets shine because of the Soul or Spirit.

The Soul shines and all things else shine as a result. Everything in the universe reflects but that light of the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness.

Merely knowing the truth is not enough to escape from the tangle of illusion.

The mind is in the form of the universe. From the standpoint of the Soul the Self the universe is merely an illusion. The illusion arises from ignorance.

Enlightenment comes with detachment from the illusion by realizing the experience of form, time and space are one in essence.

Remember:~

Awakening is the Soul waking up from the sleep of ignorance, and remaining in its own awareness in the midst of diversity.

There is unity in diversity when the Soul remains in its own awareness.

Awakening is freedom from experiencing the illusion as a reality.

Awakening is Soulcentric Gnana.

Awakening happens when the Soul, the Self, witnesses the whole universe in which you exist from a non-dualistic or Advaitic perspective.

From the non-dualistic perspective, you and your experience of the universe are made of the same stuff. That stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, the Soul or the consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. And Brahman is God in truth.

Self-realization is God-realization.

Remember:~

Spiritual awakening happens when the seeker has a full and firm conviction of ‘the truth hidden by the 'I'. :

Your existence is a reality within the dualistic illusion. You and his experience of the world are created out of single stuff. That stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Knowledge of that single stuff is Self-knowledge.

The world in which we exist 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.

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.

When reality appears this ignorance which one thinks as reality becomes unreal.

We exist within the world which appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality). Thus, we have to realize what is it that appears as duality (waking or dream) disappears as nonduality (deep sleep).

The duality and nonduality are one in essence. That essence is the consciousness (Soul). Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal. And the world in which we exist is merely an illusion. Without consciousness, the world, in which we exist ceases to exist.

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

Spiritual awakening happens when the Soul, the 'Self’ remains in its own awareness. Spiritual Awakening does not involve losing your practical life within the practical world but only exposes the unreal nature of the world in which you exist.

There is no need to fear losing the world in which you exist. In “Self’-awareness the illusory bondage of form, time, and space becomes an illusion in the midst of the form, time, and space.

Nothing is lost. People think if they accept the world as an illusion they are going to lose (things, homes, jobs, careers, family, friends, etc.).

The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, the waking becomes unreal when wisdom dawns. Wisdom dawns, when the Soul. The Soul, the “Self’ remains in its own awareness.

Spiritual awakening happens when the seeker has a full and firm conviction of ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘what is ‘what is untruth?’. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaitic wisdom is potent but bitter medicine for those imprisoned by orthodox ideology.+

 

Sage Sankara is independent thinker other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic wisdom is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the universe. The dualistic philosophy cannot escape the charge of dogmatism.

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.

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 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.

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.

Sage Sankara was an independent thinker. Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India because most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodox.

The Advaitic orthodoxy is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Advaitic orthodoxy is the path of ignorance meant for the ignorant populace, which is incapable of grasping the truth hidden by the dualistic illusion (world).

Advaitic wisdom is potent but bitter medicine for those imprisoned by orthodox ideology.

The Vedas talk about Brahman which refers to the ultimate truth or ultimate reality. Consciousness is the ultimate truth, therefore, consciousness is Brahman and Brahman is God in truth.

Sage Sankara is Jagadguru for the ignorant populace and Brahma Gnani for the seeking world.

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox belief systems.

Sage Sankara is the only sage who has final authority on the Advaitic wisdom.

The Advaitic truth is rational truth and scientific truth without dogma.

Religion is nothing to do with Advaita. Advaitic sect belongs to religion. Advaita is pure spirituality.

The Advaitic orthodox sect is dualistic is nothing to do with the Advaitic truth which is hidden by ignorance.

Mixing religion and spirituality or Adythma is like mixing oil and water

Sage Sankara says Atman is Brahman and that Atman is God whereas the orthodox Advaitins believe and worship in non-Vedic Gods barred by Vedas.

The orthodox Advaitins consider, birth, life, death, rebirth, heaven, hell, sin, karma, and the world as a reality, whereas Sage Sankara declares the world in which we exist is merely an illusion. If the world is an illusion, then the birth, life, death, rebirth, heaven, hell, sin, karma, and the world, is bound to be an illusion.

Without Sage Sankara, there is no Advaita (non-duality). Since it was mixed up with orthodoxy there is a lot of confusion.

Sage Sankara’s quotes (selected verified) are quoted in my blogs and postings to show what Sage Sankara meant, and ‘what is blocking the seekers from realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman. There are so many non-dualistic masters of the east and also from the west who expound on Advaitic or non-dualistic knowledge, but none of them are helpful to reach the ultimate end.

As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the Self has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the Self with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.

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 ritual sacrifices, and the most advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, 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.

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

Sage Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never advised them to give up their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time, he showed just one step forward toward the truth.

Sage Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the mass, but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Sage Sankara says in the commentary in Vedanta, sutra that what is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Seekers of truth should not believe blindly in traditional orthodox Advaita without verifying all the facts from every angle. Orthodoxy has nothing to do with spirituality, which is based on the Soul or spirit. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar