Unless one realizes the Soul as the innermost Self as it really is, it is impossible to realize the Advaitic truth.+

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

***

The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The egocentric interpretation is to apply it only to the waking experience. The soulcentric interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

The reason is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the universe (I), whereas the appeal to scriptural relations reaches only religious sects and castes. Sage Sankara knew that one day the world would throw up religion and scriptures and appeal to reason.

Let Advaitic wisdom annihilate ignorance and reveal Soul, the Self hidden by the ‘I’.

Let your ears become deaf to religious propagated myth.

Let your eyes become blind to illusion to realize the Soul, the ‘Self’ as it is.

Reasoning

The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The egocentric interpretation is to apply it only to the practical purpose (waking experience). The Soulcentric interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Reason as means to reality. (Chap.18 verse 37)

In chap. 10 of in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ I cannot save you, but I can give you Buddhi (reason). (chap. 10)

In chap. 10 of in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ "I have given you the most secret teaching, now reflect over it all" Krishna plainly says reflect, think. (Verse 63 of Chap. 18)

Mundaka Upanishad says: ~ Both states are harmful and take you away from the path of inquiry into truth. (Page 234)

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ It is not the absence of Buddhi (Reason) that can grasp Advaita but the man who possesses the highest intellect. Brains are necessary. Such a man, by merely hearing the truth mentioned will know it. (Page~ 224).

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

The Soul, the  Self is our ultimate teacher. It is only our inner teacher that will walk with us to the goal, for the Soul is the goal. From the ultimate standpoint, there is no teacher, there is no teaching and there is no student. Millions are searching for the truth, but one in a million will realize it. 

Unless one realizes the Soul as the Self as it really is,  it is impossible to realize the Advaitic truth. 

Remember:~

Different gurus and teachers are pointing out the understanding of the Advaitic truth from different standpoints. All such understanding of Advaita is on the dualistic perspective accumulated from here and there.

Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the  Self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a  perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

The citations from scriptures are not proofs.  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. 

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is the 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 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. 

Blinded by the illusion very few grasp the nondualistic or Advaitic truth. Only a few escape from the web of illusion, and only a few will be able to acquire non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom.

The nonduality has to be grasped in the midst of the waking experience ( duality).  That is, being aware of the truth and untruth, reality and unreality. And able to establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the Soul, the innermost self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false self, and imagine nonduality and say nothing exists other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of the Soul (Spirit or consciousness).  

Everything arises from the Soul (Spirit or Consciousness) and subsides as the Soul. Thus, the whole diversity has no relevance, from the standpoint of the soul as the Soul, the Self.

Everything (universe or illusion or matter) is the consciousness (soul or spirit) realizing the three states are created out of consciousness (Soul or Spirit).

Awareness is the nature of the soul (spirit or consciousness) because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, the Self.   Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Silence is not keeping mum. By keeping mum the thought process will not stop.+

Q BV:~  I  have done countless hours of sitting in silence and being able to sit in silence and peace for many hours, but when I go into my workplace and deal with people who are with desire and ambitions, etc, I feel my old desire for security in money and to prove myself to them returning, so how to remove this?

Santthosh Kumaar:~ By sitting countless hours in silence and being able to sit in silence and peace for many hours, the ignorance will not vanish. Till the Soul, the  Self remains in ignorance of our individual experience of birth, life, and death, and the world prevails as a reality.  

The silence is not keeping mum. By keeping mum the thought process will not stop. Nondualistic silence is the nature of the Soul, the Self. Nondualistic silence is like a deep sleep state where the waking experience is absent. 

If the waking experience is absent then there is neither thinker nor thought nor the world. Nondualistic silence is possible only in Self-awareness. Self-awareness is possible only when wisdom dawns. Wisdom is possible only when the waking entity realizes it itself is not the Self, but the Self is the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.  

In reality, the witness and the witnessed are one in essence. Just because some guru or teacher said to observe silence it only means to imitate the Self, it does not lead one to Self-realization. Thus, to realize the Self, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnan is necessary.  

Sage Sankara in order to acquire self-knowledge. Perfect understanding of what is needed. Nothing else is a need other than realizing the fact that, the form, time, and space are one in essence and that essence is the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness in order to get nondualistic Self-awareness.  

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures in order to acquire non-dual wisdom. That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of god, and scriptures. 

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by religion. Self-discovery is the only way, toward the non-dualistic absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence. 

Sage Sankara 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 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. 

To realize the Advaitic Truth in a freer and fuller scope the seeker has to realize that form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. And the soul, the innermost self is present in the form of consciousness. 

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone. :~Santthosh Kumaar

The one who holds the Self as ‘I’ never will be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

What is ‘I’? How these three states are created? Who is its creator? Of what material are these three states made? This is the way of that inquiry, analysis, and reasoning on the true base. The consciousness or soul is neither the body, nor the matter, nor is consciousness an aggregate of the senses; consciousness is something different from these.

The self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the soul, which is the witness of the ‘I’.  Holding the Self as  ‘I lead to a hallucination based on the imagination.

Make sure the  Self is not  I’. If the  Self is not  ‘I’   then whatever you have seen, known, believed, and experienced as an individual is bound to be a falsehood.

If the Self is not the  ‘I’ then there is no other ‘I’, because the ‘I’ exist only in the domain of duality. The self is the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

The nature of the Soul is ‘I’-less. The ‘I’ is the illusory nature of the Soul, the Self. the ‘I’ appears and disappears.

Thus,  holding the  Self as ‘I’  and trying to assimilate Advaitic truth is,  trying to drain the ocean drop by drop.

What is this “I”? The ‘I’ is the mind. The body and the world together are the mind. If the mind is present, then only you and your experience of the world are present. If the mind is not there, then you and your experience of the world cease to exist.

The mind is present in the form of the universe’ the universe appears as a waking or dream(duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).

If the ‘I’ is an illusion,  then it is no use of inquiring ‘Who Am I?. Till one holds the ‘I’ as the self,  is caught up in the prison of duality.  

Sage Sankara:~  VC-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.

A deeper self-search reveals the fact that by inquiring - Who Am I?  wisdom will not dawn. Who Am I?- inquiry is only for beginners and it is inadequate and useless in the later stages.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~  VC~.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?

VC-  v6~ Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together.

The ‘WHO AM ‘I’?’ inquiry is good in the starting point of the pursuit of truth but in later stages, it created lots of confusion.  When the Self is genderless then it is not He/She. Therefore, using the word ‘I AM’ for the Self is erroneous.  

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the self is not the ‘I’, therefore ‘WHO AM I?-  inquiry will not help to unfold the truth beyond the form, time, and space. 

The one who holds the ‘I’ as self never will be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Thus, it is necessary to realize first the ‘I’ is not the self, but the soul, the formless witness of the ‘I’ is the self.

The ‘I’ based teaching and teachers are not a yardstick in the path of wisdom. ‘I’ based teaching will not lead the seeker to the ultimate end of his inner journey. 

Remember:~  

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

Until one gets convinced that the Self is not  ‘I’,  he will remain in ignorance of the Soul,  the Self. If the Self is formless, then the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is bound to be an illusion. Therefore, it is necessary to know and realize the fact that,  the self is not the form, but it is formless before indulging in the inner (mental) journey.

The inquiry is not the set of questions but clearing all the doubts and confusion through deeper reasoning on his own.   There is no scope for arguments,  in the pursuit of truth. 

The pursuit of truth is a personal journey that starts within the illusion (waking) and ends in realizing the truth. Thus, the arguments based on the false self will not lead one toward the non-dualistic goal. 

The seeker of truth has to share assimilation of knowledge and help and inspire the fellow seekers and divert their attention from outer to inwardness.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

   

The universe in which you exist hides the God.+

The universe in which you exist hides God. God is the Soul, the Self.  The Soul is present in the form of the Spirit.

The religious gods are man-made.  Every religion has its own idea of God.   He who thinks God is one and the Soul, the Self is another can never be able to understand, assimilate realize the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. 

 

God cannot be brought down to the domain of duality. There is only one being in reality and it is the Soul, the Self.  The soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in all three states. 

Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God.  When one realizes the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is the consciousness,  then he realizes there is no second thing that exists other than the consciousness. Thus, everything is consciousness. Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or  God in truth.

The Upanishads say in effect: ~If you believe that you are one and God is another you cannot understand Truth.

 No conceptual God can exist, apart from consciousness. People are not aware of the fact that there is no individual God that can exist, apart from the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the real Self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no physical body, no ego, no universe, no religion, and no conceptual God.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God,  there is no truth."

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks physical entity or ego as the Self, then there is a creator, but if one thinks of the Soul as the Self, then there is nothing that exists other than the consciousness, which is the Self.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things besides himself and postulate a God, the creator. The Body, the idea of the God and world rises and sets together from, and into, the soul or consciousness, the innermost self. If God is apart from the ‘Self ‘, then He would be Selfless, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material.  ( 14.27)

The Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24)”,

Mythreyi Upanishad 2:26 says: ~ All those who desire to have salvation without taking several births, should worship God in spirit and truth.  

In Vedas, God has been described as:~

 Yajur Veda – Chapter- 32: - God is  Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

The Vedas as a body of scripture contains many contradictions and they are fragmentary in nature. For Hindus, scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas are more attractive and appealing than the Vedas. And also the Gods and Goddesses they worship differ considerably from the Vedic ones. The collection of hymns called Vedas are written in praise of certain deities by poets over several centuries does not seem to have much significance for the Hindus

Yajur Veda says: ~

Translation 1

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc.)

They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc.) (Yajurveda 40:9)

Translation 2

"Deep into the shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent." (Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Griffith pg. 538)

Translation 3.

"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

So, Yajur Veda indicates that: ~

They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc (Yajurveda 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

Then why worship and glorify the non-~Vedic Gods  in place of  Vedic God when Veda bars such activities and it also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

He who knows the 'thoughts and words and the world in which he exists as the consciousness, is the knower of ultimate truth or Brahman.+

He who knows the 'thoughts and words and the world in which he exists as the consciousness,  is the knower of ultimate truth, who has realized the highest truth, has entered into the realm of consciousness, by burning away the accumulated egocentric dross, which was the cause of ignorance. Hence, he is free from experiencing the illusion or Maya as reality. In the realm of truth, consciousness has no seed of ignorance for illusion. 

For when dualistic illusion or Maya is superimposed on the Soul or consciousness has merged with the consciousness on the discrimination of the real and the unreal, it does not appear again as real to those discriminating people, just as before, from the impressions of the past persisting in the intellect. 

All the doubts and confusion exist when the reason is based on the ego (form). But when one the reason is based on the Soul (formless) as the Self,   all the doubts and confusion vanishes.

One cannot know the truth until one knows the stuff from which the mind (universe) is created. The goal of the pursuit of truth is to realize the fact that, the Soul, the Self is not physical, but it is unborn and eternal. 

When one puts aside the imagination and has the thinker~ what does he get with thinking ~he can get only thoughts. Meditation is only an effort; it is imagination, an idea; the Soul, the Self, remaining the same with or without ideas.

As a person perceiving the world, one is unaware of the fact that he and his experience of the world are within the object. He as a person is completely unaware of the fact that he is not the subject at all. 

The subject is formless, and it is apart from the three states. The subject is not an entity or identity within the three states. Therefore, judging the truth on the base of the object as self is erroneous. Such judgment leads to all sorts of speculation, doubts, and confusion.

When one is absorbed in thinking of anything, he is thinking within the object (mind) that which witnesses all these three states is within but always apart.

Remember:~

The truth seekers from different walks of life from all over the world are struggling to know the mystery of their own existence. Due to the inborn and inherited conditioning or samskara, it becomes difficult to grasp the truth, which is beyond form, time,  and space.   

Religious beliefs, social and cultural bondage, personal predilections, and phobias become a great obstacle to discovering the ultimate truth. However, an intense inner urge to know the ultimate truth will not be satisfied until the journey to the unknown is completed. The seeker has to cross many obstacles and barricades injected by religion and society and beliefs and behaviors.

The fact is something that has to be proved beyond all doubts and cannot be challenged. The truth cannot be found in an antique shop there is no use in trying one old idea to another it leads to the confusion. Nothing can be achieved or attained since the very base of seeking the truth is based on the false self (ego or the waking entity) and false experience (waking).  

The seeker has to learn to view and judge the three states from the standpoint of the Soul, and the Self.  Only when the seeker becomes soulcentric then the truth will start unfolding gradually according to the spiritual maturity of the seeker.

Remember:~

The existence of God or no God is only a belief. Belief is not the truth. The scientific theories and inventions have made the materialistic life easier and more comfortable for a  man to live in the practical world, however,  science failed to unfold the truth of the true existence. Since their invention is based on the false self (ego) and false experience (waking). 

The religions have created the imaginary belief of God and propagated the existence of such Gods.  Religion imposed people to blindly follow its scriptures without verification. Religion is based on blind belief. 

Every religion has its own beliefs and dogmas. Religion discourages people to verify whether it is based on truth or not. Scientific materialism and the religiously regulated life have resulted in restlessness.

People’s observation is based on the dualistic (matter or body or ego) perspective, whereas a Gnanis judgment is based on the nondualistic (soul or spirit or consciousness) perspective.  

There is neither the projection (the world in which we all exist), nor the projector exists as a reality, when the soul, the innermost 'Self' remains in its own awareness.  The Soul remains in its own awareness when wisdom dawns. 

The purpose of the spiritual pursuit is to realize the whole universe, in which we exist, is created out of single stuff. And that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self. From the standpoint of the Soul, and the Self, the three states are merely an illusion.  

Remember:~

Blinded by the dualistic illusion very few grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. Only a few escape from the web of illusion, and only a few will be able to acquire nondualistic or Advaitic wisdom.

The non-duality has to be grasped in the midst of the waking experience (duality or mind (universe).  That is, being aware of the truth and untruth, reality and unreality. And able to establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the Soul, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false self, imagine nonduality and say nothing exists other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of the Soul (Spirit or consciousness).  

Everything arises from the Soul (spirit or consciousness) and subsides as the Soul (Spirit or consciousness). Thus, the whole diversity has no relevance, from the standpoint of the Soul as the Self.

Everything (illusion or matter) is nothingness (spirit or consciousness) realizing the three states are created out of nothingness, which is the nature of the Soul. 

Nothingness is the nature of the Soul because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness.    Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Remember:~

God cannot be brought down to the domain of duality. There is only one being in reality, and it is the Soul, the Self.  The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in all three states. 

Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God.  When one realizes that form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is the consciousness,  then he realizes there is no second thing that exists other than the consciousness. Thus,  everything is consciousness. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth. And the ultimate truth is God. 

The form, time, and space are present when the ‘I’ is present.  The ‘I’ is present when the mind is present. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as the waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). 

If there is no ‘I’ then there is no mind. If there is no mind,  then there is no form, time, and space. If there is no form, time, and space,  then there is no universe. If there is no universe,  then there is neither the waking nor the dream. Thus, the ‘I’, the mind, the universe, and the waking or dream are one and the same thing. 

Thus, one has to analyze the three states to realize, what is it that appears as the waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).   In other words, ‘what is it,  that appears as the duality’ and disappears as nonduality when the self is neither the waking entity (you) nor the dream entity, but the self is the formless soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states. 

In the realm of truth, the three states are one in essence.  Thus, the three states are created out of single stuff. That single stuff the Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

Remember:~

Consciousness is self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness, because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is the Self. Consciousness is within, consciousness is without; consciousness is before, consciousness is behind; consciousness is on the right, consciousness is on the left; consciousness is above and consciousness below.  

Until one thinks of his body as body, ego as ego the universe as the universe he remains in ignorance because he is still in ignorance, and he is unaware of the fact that they too are consciousness.

Non-attachment to the three states is liberation. Attachment to the three states is bondage.  The Self alone exists, and all the three states are false and unreal.

The form, time, and space within the dream are falsehood when the waking takes place. Similarly, the form, time, and space of the waking are also falsehood when wisdom dawns. The wisdom dawns only when one realizes the Self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity. 

Remember:~

It is erroneous to judge and reason and conclude the ultimate truth on the base of the waking entity and the waking world because the waking experience itself is an illusion.

Suppose you were holding the same view in the dream, all your experiences and views are a reality within the dream. The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, waking becomes unreal when you become aware of the fact that, the Self is not an individual.  Thus, whatever individual experiences experienced within the waking are as unreal as the dream.

Until one thinks of the body as body and world as the world it is impossible to grasp nondualistic or Advaitic truth, because his views and judgments are based on the physical self with the physical existence.  

Individuality is a reality with the waking experience, but the waking experience itself is a falsehood. Thus, holding the view as an individual within the false experience is erroneous from the ultimate standpoint.  The waking is a  parallel dream and the dream is a parallel waking experience.

Perfect understanding removes all sorts of obstacles in the pursuit of truth.  Only through constant repetition of words in my posts will make one think differently,  but it also creates more doubts and confusion in his subconscious, and his inner urge to know the truth even more intense. And it also helps to overcome the inborn and inherited conditioning, which we have inherited from parental grooming and circumstances.:~Santthosh Kumaar        

When the Soul, the Self stabilizes in its own awareness, then it will transcend the illusory ‘I’+

Some Gurus say the ‘I’ without the body as the Self.  Deeper self-search reveals the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the Soul, the Self hidden by the  ‘I’.  The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is real and eternal.

Bhagavad Gita:~ brahmano hi pratisthaham Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (Gita 14.27)

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

The word ‘One’ is not understood anywhere except in the Advaitic path. ‘One’ always means two when analyzed. Hence, the Upanishads are careful to show they do not mean this monism, but "One without a Second” is the Advaita. No philosophers of the world have seen this point. Monism is really pseudo-monism that is the duality. 

In Self-awareness, ignorance vanishes, and the unreal nature of the form, time, and space are exposed. In Self-awareness (in the midst of duality),  the body is not considered as the body, the ego is not considered as the ego the world is not considered as the world, because everything is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness.  

A Gnani is one who has realized everything is consciousness (Brahman). There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.  

The Soul or Atman

As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, so, the Atman, being the consciousness itself, does not need another instrument to illumine itself. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva (human body) but the Supreme Soul. The tangible Universe is verily the Soul.

He is the knower of the Self to whom the ideas 'me' and 'mine' have become quite meaningless. The Self is always the same in all beings and free from old age, death, and fear. The Self is pure which is the soul and speech does not reach.

The pervading Self is the same in waking, dream, and deep sleep. One's actions come to an end when the Self is seen. There is no ignorance in Self, as it is the nature of eternal Knowledge. The Self should be regarded as Brahman. The intense desire for the realization of the Atman after renouncing all others is alone the means for the attainment of the Atman. 

The nature of the mind is impermanent because it appears and disappears.   The mind is present in the form of the universe.  The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality). 

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

Remember:~

All reality has its source in Brahman. All reality has its grounding sustenance in Brahman. It is in Brahman that all reality has its ultimate repose. Vedas specifically, is consciously and exclusively aiming toward this reality termed Brahman. 

When the Soul, the 'Self'  stabilizes in its own awareness,  then it will transcend the illusory ‘I’ and reveals its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature.

The seeker's aim is the search for the Ultimate Truth or Brahman, the search to find the non-dualistic truth that in actuality never was lost, only hidden.

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 Soul, the Self, which is hidden by illusion and its effects, is to be attained through Self-knowledge followed by reflection, and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

Therefore, the seekers of truth have to personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of the illusory experience of birth, life, death, and the world (duality).

Thus,  one has to know what is real by realizing our body and our experience of the world is merely an illusion created out of the Soul or consciousness. 

The Soul is the Self.  The nature of the Soul, the  Self is emptiness. And it is identified by different masters with different names, such as God or Brahman or Self or God in truth.

Remember:~

The Soul, the Self is beyond form, time, and space.  The Soul is present in the form of the spirit (consciousness). Form, time, and space are created out of single stuff.  And that single stuff is the Soul or the Spirit.  The knowledge of the single stuff is the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The  Formless Path is a path to realizing the fact that, the Self is not the form (mind) but the formless Soul.

Thus, Self-knowledge makes one realize the Soul or the Spirit alone is real and the form, time and space are merely an illusion.

The Soul (Spirit)   is self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proof. It is not possible to deny the Soul, because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. The Soul is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. 

The Soul is the Self.  The Soul is within, the Soul is without; the Soul is before, the Soul is behind; the Soul is on the right, the Soul is on the left; the Soul is above and the Soul is below.  

Until one thinks of his body as the body, ego as the ego the universe as the universe,  he remains in ignorance, because he is still in ignorance and he is unaware of the fact that,  they too are the Soul, which is present in the form of the Spirit. :~Santthosh Kumaar