Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation.+

Most think Consciousness usually implies something, thoughts, or things, but it is the formless non-dual nature of the Ataman or the Soul. 

Consciousness exists with or without the matter because without consciousness the matter ceases to exist because the matter is created out of consciousness. It exists as matter in waking or dream. 

When wisdom dawns it is consciously aware of its formless non -dual true nature in the midst of matter, as in deep sleep.

The proof is the main thing in pursuit of truth, "How can God exists without man’s existence?” how can the world exist without man’s existence. Thus man has to exist first to say the god and world exist.  

Thus seeker has to verify his own existence to realize the fact that, all the three states are unreal, from the standpoint of the formless witness, which is the Soul, the Self. 

If anyone expounds knowledge free of cost by giving free lectures and distributing books and CDs it does not mean that he is expounding non-dualistic wisdom. Thus his noble actions are not a yardstick to decide what the truth is and what is untruth. 

Even christen missionaries all over the world distribute free literature, medicine, and food, but it is only a noble deed in the practical world, but they are not a qualification for acquiring Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  

  

Individual truth is not a universal truth.  An individual cannot claim that he has experienced the whole.  

There is no proof he has seen it because the whole is not an individual experience. The man and the world are within the whole.  Thus such claims of experiencing the self or Ataman is mere hallucination.

People think they took Diksha or initiation and they are practiced under some guru or yogi and they are experiencing the bliss and now they are capable of transforming that bliss to others and they start hallucinating that what they experienced as bliss is reality without realizing the fact that their own existence within the universe is merely an illusion because the universe is merely an illusion from an ultimate standpoint.  

It is very difficult for those who are caught up in the understanding based on the false self to realize the fact that, whatever they have experienced as bliss is mere hallucination because the ultimate truth or Brahman cannot be experienced because the self is not an individual because it is formless and it is not an entity or identity within the waking or dream.

How do the people who expound their knowledge know they have experienced the whole? Where is the proof they have seen it? When they say “I know from experience” they merely mean, “I think so.” If they experience bliss, they cannot be egoless, for who is having the joy? And if they retain the ego they cannot know the Universal Brahman, the whole. Thus their individual experience is not derived from Gnana or Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  

Without knowing the nature of the mind or universe world, it is impossible to know the ultimate truth. What is the use of trying to find one’s inner self before one understands the mind or universe?  Thus it is necessary to investigate the truth about the world, which confronts him to realize this world which confronts him as being consciousness.

That is why Sage Sankara says:~ VC-63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

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. 

Whatever has appeared (birth, life, death, and world) has appeared on its own and it disappears on its own.  

Whether a person takes it as reality or illusion it all depends on his mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced. The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. 

A Gnani viewing the universe (practical life within the practical world) different from the ignorant is viewing the same universe (practical life within the practical world). Each one of them interprets the universe he sees in terms of his existing knowledge.   

The Gnani sees his body, his ego, and his experience of the world as merely an illusion created out of consciousness whereas the ignorant sees his body as body, his ego as ego, and his experience of the world as world.  

Thus Experiencing the pain and pleasure within the illusion with the illusory self, within the illusory experience, has to be an illusion. The illusion is created and sustained and finally dissolves as consciousness, which is the Self.  Since there is no second thing other than the consciousness (soul); the consciousness itself is the ultimate truth or Brahman.   

The one who has realized this truth for him this illusion is passing show because he is fully aware of the fact that his body, his ego, and his experience of the world to be consciousness. Practical peoples approach is more practical, and they are stuck with the reality of the practical life within the practical world, they take it as real whereas for Gnani has the firm conviction that:- 

Formless soul or Consciousness is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

Everything is consciousness in the universe because the universe is made out of consciousness.   The universe ceases to exist without consciousness.  The seeker, seeking and his destination all are one in essence.

By becoming more and more intellectual one becomes more and more intoxicated with individuality. The intellectuality is limited to duality.  In the realm of truth, intellectuality is replaced by non-dual wisdom.  

There is nothing that exists other than formless non-dual existence. Therefore, there is no individual to become sane or insane. There is no second thing that exists, other than consciousness.  Everything is one, that is, unity in diversity. The curiosity, the urge cannot be imposed on others.  It has to sprout within. One need not become a guru because the guru is within guides every seeker.

 If one is aiming to be a master, Guru, or teacher, he will never reach his destination. One has to share his knowledge with the fellow seeker not to make them his followers but only direct them if they are interested to travel beyond form, time, and space.

It is foolish to impose our idea on others because everyone is not at the same level of understanding.  Everyone's inner work is on. When they are ripe enough they will understand, assimilate and realize on their own.  If they are ready and sharp enough they will grasp it instantly and they will reach their destination with lesser time and effort. Thus preaching, teaching is not wisdom, but by very careful reasoning, the seeker has to determine the nature of reality. Thinking in the right direction alone helps the seeker determine the nature of reality.

Sage Sankara's commentary:~ Page 489- "The knower of Brahman wears no signs.  Page 500 asks in effect "Tell us what you know, show it, and let us examine it under the mental microscope." It means we must bring notions and beliefs out of vagueness into clearness. It also criticizes the mystics who claim superior knowledge but who cannot communicate it for purposes of verification.

On page 482:- On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior.":~Santthosh Kumaar 

Non-dualistic Self-awareness is Brahmic bliss. In Self-awareness, there is neither enjoyer nor enjoyment, nor the world.+

The seeker of the truth has to be active to examine the world and discriminate. Hence non- dualistic self-awareness means knowing that form, time, and space are one in essence. That essence is consciousness.

The three states and the formless witness of the three states are one in essence.

The three states and their formless witness that Atman is present in the form of consciousness. The Atman is the Self.

Realizing Atman as self, the non-dualistic self-awareness arises in the midst of the duality. This is different from Patanjali Yogic Nirvikalpa samadhi, which is only a deep sleep.

The Yogis and Mystics want meditation, sitting still, etc. only because it gives them pleasure: the satisfaction is for their own selves only, which is something sought by the ego and cannot get non-dualistic self-awareness in consequence.

There is nothing to drive out. Even the yogi's ecstasies may be retained, provided one does not let himself be deceived about them and accept them like everything else, as part of Brahman.

The Yogi wants to do something, some action, even that of sitting still, to control this or concentrate on that. This means he is still attached to the body. He wants his body to be quiet. He is still thinking of an illusory body. He does not start with that the body and the world are but an illusion a. On the contrary, he takes them for reality.

To be desireless means to feel that he has everything in him; that there is nothing outside him; therefore, what has one to desire?

The populace misunderstands and thinks desirelessness means refraining from worldly pleasures. A Gnani has nothing to give up when all is Brahman.

Those who tell one that Brahman is unity, that he can get it only by intuition, that he should not reason, he should not question or argue or inquire, are deluding him. Verification must come by thought.

The world must be seen before one can know its true nature in Gnana. The yogi who shuts it out thereby deprives himself of the opportunity to achieve Gnana.

Sage Sankara: -VC-63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

Manduka Upanishad: - Those that want ultimate truth Brahman will not practice control of the mind. (p.231)

If a man gets Moksha after undergoing any discipline, his Moksha is only temporary: it will go again. Atman ( consciousness) cannot be got because it is already there. The witness(Atman) has never been in bondage because it is always apart from, untouched by witnessed (three states). This argument cannot be turned against A Gnani by yogis and religious believers, because they regard ignorance as an integral part of the soul to be got rid of by their practices, whereas a Gnani says the witness ( Atman) is ever pure, ever free from ignorance, being Knowledge itself, and that even all Gnana practice is within the realm of the witnessed (duality), never the witness (Atman).

People talk of liberation. They are forming an idea. The idea is duality. Many thinkers who are so confused as to be unable to separate the witness, talk of gaining liberation. But all such ideas are only within the duality (witnessed) which comes and goes, the witness (Atman) needs no liberation.

The final state is that God is Everything, the All, there is nothing but God, whereas to say "God is in me" is mysticism.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is a part of Vedas, Declares that: - Brahman is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

DVI" means two. DVI" connotes the dual existence and the non-dual. Which of these two is non-existence? People think that there is a God and that the jivas--souls-- like them form the second, other than them. There is no such duality at all.

The "Soul”, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the only reality and there is nothing other than this soul or consciousness, which is the Self.

From the standpoint of the Soul or consciousness, there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Because the whole universe, in which we all exist is created out of consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Hence, it is non-dual (non-duality). The Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth

Non-dualistic Self-awareness is Brahmic bliss. In Self-awareness, there is neither enjoyer nor enjoyment, nor the world.

Self-awareness is possible only in the midst of duality. The mystic reveals only in 'bliss' that is experienced i.e. that comes and goes, but he is not Non-dualistic Self-awareness.

The peace will be disturbed only if one recognizes a second. Hence, the mystic's peace is temporary: the only enduring peace belongs to the Gnani for it is non-dual.

Mystics claim that their ego disappears in the mystic experience: we say it is not so.

It is the ego that sees and enjoys the experience, otherwise, they would not say afterward "I had this great ecstasy, I felt such peace."

When the ultimate truth is rightly known and one attains eternal life thereby. Through Soul, the Self he gains strength and through its knowledge immortality.

Not by intellectual speculation but only by an awakening to the reality of his true existence he gets the soul-centric vision. Soul, the Self’s nature is like the state of deep sleep.

Religion, yoga, and intellectualism are not the means to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Getting rid of ignorance and trying to get Self-awareness through religion and yoga, is like a sleeping man trying to know what he is about, without waking up. As sleep is to waking, so is ordinary life to the state of realization. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Self-realization is not just a matter of literal or intellectual understanding but as something that has to be grasped and realized by the individual in his/her own personal realization.+

Self-realization is not just a matter of literal or intellectual understanding but as something that has to be grasped and realized by the individual in his/her own personal realization.

Without unfolding the mystery of the illusory universe in which the individual exists, the Self hidden by the illusory universe will not be revealed.

The Self is not an individual but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the cause of the illusory universe and it, itself is uncaused,

Remember the truth is not based on the individual but it is based on the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is universal. Consciousness pervades everywhere and in everything in the illusory universe.:

Yogic practices will not help in acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Yogic practices help only in repertory stages to be calm, to have patience and humility, and keep away unwanted thoughts. But yoga is no the means to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana because yoga is based on the chakras, which are within the body whereas the Soul, the innermost 'Self' has no chakras because it is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Sage Sri, 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) Vivekachoodamani v 56, pg. 25

The practice of yoga is not recommended to seekers by Sages of truth.

Sage Sankara in the commentary to "Brahma Sutras: ~ " "The highest beatitude is not to be attained by Yoga." (Sacred Books of East Series page 298 Vol.1.) he also says Samadhi is the same as sleep (p.312) ---This indicates that yoga is not the means to Self-realization. And yogic Samadhi is not Advaitic Self-awareness.

Sage Sankara says:~ Yoga is not the means of liberation (page 132-133 - Commentary on Brihadaranyakopanishad.

Yoga can yield only the duality, because everything that one can do or practice becomes a vanishing 'known.' It yields relative truth based on imagination, which is true from the physical viewpoint of view, not the non-dual truth, which is the ultimate reality.

The essence of Mundaka Upanishad:~ Do not be satisfied with rituals, yoga, etc. which are good in their own way but inquire. Into what? Brahman and Atman are things you can never see. So do not inquire into them. Inquire into the world around you, which you can see. Science tells you it is passing away every second. Everything is dying repeatedly. Where is it going? Thus you follow up your inquiry into what you can lay your hands on. How can you inquire into Atma which you cannot see? So first we deal with the known and seen, this inquiry leads up to the unknown in the end.

Belief in Yoga is a Self-mesmeric condition out of which it is extremely difficult to escape.

The yogis say only yoga alone leads to Self-realization.

The seeker has to investigate “Why Yoga is right and other paths can't give truth?" Or how is one to know that Yoga leads to final truth?"

Lord Krishna confesses that the oldest wisdom of India (Advaitic wisdom) has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify it today as they did then. It is not yoga but the philosophic truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and leaders of mysticism or religion do not want to inquire into truth and have no time for it. (Gita –Chap- IV-v.2)

In Gita Chap.IV where Lord Krishna says:- "This yoga has been lost for ages" the word yoga refers to Gnana yoga, not other yogas: the force of the word this is to point this out.

Lord Krishna describes some of the other yogas but devotes this chapter separately to Gnana yoga. So one sees even in those ancient days people did not care for Advaita; they wanted religion; hence Gnana got lost. That is why Krishna calls it "the supreme secret." Krishna points out that yoga must see "Brahman in action."

Gita Chap.IV: "He who achieves perfection in Yoga finds the Self in time." This means that after his yoga is finished, he begins the inquiry into ultimate truth, and in due course, this inquiry produces the realization of the universal spirit as the result.

It is important to remember that Moksha is not a result of yogic ritualistic practice. The seeker has to be equipped with requisite qualities such as patience, humility ability to focus one's concentration in an intense manner, an ability to discriminate between the Real and the non-Real, and an intense urge for liberation.

First realize the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Mentally hold on to the Soul and mentally reduce the world in which you exist as consciousness by realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but an illusion created out of the consciousness.

Swami Vivekananda: ~Jñāna Yoga is divided into three parts. First: hearing the truth--that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Maya. Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view. Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

or Brahmic truth will not find it through intellectualism.+

The truth is yourself is not the real Self. Yourself means the ego and the real Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Understanding reality without clarity is disastrous. The lethargic attitude makes one remain in ignorance without proper inquiry and a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’.

Until you know What ‘Self is in actuality all your accumulated knowledge is garbage of ignorance.

If you hold the Self within you then you are holding the ego as the Self.

The Soul, the Self is not within you because it pervades in everything and everywhere in the universe.

The Soul, the Self is hidden by the universe. When you finally realize the ‘‘Self’ ‘is not you but the ‘‘Self’’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC- All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of Maya.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC-63-"Without knowing and examining the universe, 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 says: ~ “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.

Sage Sankara says: - VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-Self.

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward ignorance will prevail as a reality. Till ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Remember:~

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 scripture's 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 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 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 the 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-writers thoughts are founded in fact 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.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Most of these bands of Gurus are half religious and half spiritual. They have not reached anywhere but they think they are Gnanis.+

Most of these bands of Gurus are half religious and half spiritual. They have not reached anywhere but they think they are Gnanis and propagate their cocktail teaching collected from different sources. They are just playing with the emotions of people.

A Gnani is not recognized by the people because he does not identify himself with religion nor he wears a religious robe.

Manduka Upanishads: - It is not possible to recognize who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.

Sage Sankara:~ Gnani wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior." When the knower of Brahman wears no signs -- it means he does not identify himself as a Guru or a teacher.

Sage Sankara says: - A Gnani~ “Sometimes he appears to be a fool, sometimes a wise man. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, sometimes feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him.

A Gnani never identifies himself as a swami, Guru, pundit, or yogi.

Remember:~

People see god only through their religious spectacle. They fail to recognize the truth hidden by their religion.

Religion is nothing to do with spirituality. If you mix religion and yoga with spirituality, you will never be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Those who are stuck with religion and yoga are not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Religion and yoga are based on the matter not on the Spirit therefore, they are useless in the pursuit of truth.

Yoga Vasistha:~ "Teachers, interpretations of sacred texts, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth which is revealed in the clear reflection of the heart, engendered from contact with the good."

All religions claim that their books are not man-made? Hindus claim that the Vedas are Aporsheya: not made by man but revealed by God himself; and Sanskrit is the divine language, not human.

All religions have the same type of claim. Muslims say the Koran has descended from God, and so with Jews and Christians.

Everybody is trying to claim that their religious book is a sacred book and nobody bothers to look at the real divine book.

This is what the real Veda, the real Koran, the real Bible is. This is the book, and all other books are man-made. Only this universe is the book that is authored by God, because, God is hidden by the universe.

The universe is the real Veda, the real Koran, the real Bible. The universe is the book, and all other books are man-made.

Only when you open the book of the universe the God hidden in the book will be revealed. When you finish reading the book of the universe then the universe will become an illusion and God alone prevails as the ultimate reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “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 detrimental to our spiritual progress.

You are also part of the divine book of the universe! And whatever you have seen, known, believed, and experienced as an individual is part of it.

As your inner conviction about the Soul grows you will be able to realize ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘what is the untruth?’

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

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is your ultimate teacher. It is the Soul, the inner teacher that will walk with you to the goal, for the Soul is the goal.:~Santthosh Kumaar