Life is too short to waste. There is no use in studying the Veda and Upanishads they are mere interpretations of words. It is far better to devote our time we have, to truth rather than to the master the interpretations of texts.
The religious scholars are great parrots who go on quoting scriptures without verifying them deeply. However, they served a useful purpose by preserving these texts, handing them down by mouth from generation to generation, which is helpful only to preserve the customs and traditions of the religion.
The difference between nonduality and all the so-called philosophies is that the latter leave one with doubts or questions whereas the former fully clears them. Religion kills doubt by threats of hell while mysticism ignores them.
The populace which is incapable of thinking take the world to be real, miracles to have occurred, and scripture to be the truth; they are content to have judged without inquiry. Hence, they are also deluded.
Why worry about those who refute nonduality? What is nonduality to them? It is only an idea; they imagine nonduality in their own way. They can never grasp the actual nonduality. Therefore, any criticism made about non-dualistic truth is due to their ignorance and non-receptivity. Numerous books have been written about non-duality, which are mere philological quibbles, but entirely omit to deal with the question of the nondualistic truth in their writing.
Indian philosophy has been brought into a hopeless muddle because of those who start with dogmas which are imaginings.
There is also Davita (dualistic) and Vishita Advaita to refute the Advaitic claims. And spiritual Advaita is nothing to do with religious Advaita which is propagated by religious Advaitic Gurus, which is based on Brahma Sutras is meant for mediocre. Since all the western seekers are attracted to Advaita and they get involved in studying Vedas and Upanishads in order to gain Advaitic truth and waste their precious lifetime and effort which yields no fruits.
There is no use of quarreling whatsoever with religionists and dualist philosophers. They claim to have the highest truth trying to prove with Vedas and other scriptures.
When Upanishads says:~
Katha Upanishad:~ This Ataman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. (Ch-II -23-P-20)
Mundaka Upanishad:~ This Ataman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Ataman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada)
Sage Sankara said:~Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works, nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way.(1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25
The citations from scriptures are not proof. 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.
That is why Sage Sankara himself says: ~ VC-59- The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.
60. The Scriptures, consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.
61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?
It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures. There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is 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 come 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.
He who has not rectified his reasoning base from the ‘I’(form) base to soul (formless) base and one who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth, and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive, cannot acquire Self-Knowledge or brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Then what is the use of studying the Vedas and scriptures when the knowledge of Atman cannot be attained by studying or hearing them? Therefore, the seeker of truth has to drop all the scriptures in order to acquire self-knowledge.:~Santthosh Kumaar
