Sage Sankara :~ The seeker has to arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason.+

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 a 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 the 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). 

Brihad Upanishads:~ To see Him whole mystics may have similar ideas of the "universe in a dew-drop," but Advaitic truth demands proof. (Page 78) 

Upanishad says: ~ Atman, the Self is known by Reason alone, by the sharpened and purified intellect. Yet still, people worship Yoga and mysticism as the sole means of attaining Atman. 

The universe in which you exist is an illusion and there is no substance in its reality. Self-knowledge or Brahma knowledge is the end of all egocentric knowledge. Egocentric knowledge is dualistic knowledge, whereas Self-knowledge is Soulcentric knowledge. 

Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox Advaita, which is dualistic. Orthodox Advaita is a sect, which blindly accepts and follows dogmas and superstitions. 

Sage Sankara says: ~ What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra).  

Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification.  

Sage Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture.  This may be because Sage Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus, in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter.  He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need for this idea of divine causality and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

Sage Sankara is the only sage who has final authority on the Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is rational truth and scientific truth without dogma. :~Santthosh Kumaar

In Spirituality, the ultimate truth is God in truth.+

In spirituality, the ultimate truth is God on truth. The Atman is the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth.

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

The Advaitic orthodoxy is not the means to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Advaitic orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant populace that is unfit to grasp the highest truth. The Advaitic orthodoxy is nothing to do with the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth.

All sect-based beliefs are dualistic and unphilosophical nothing to do with the ultimate Truth or Brahman. 

In spirituality, the ultimate truth is God but orthodoxy indulges in worshiping the belief as God. Thus, the Advaitic orthodoxy is a sect is nothing to do with the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara. Advaitic orthodox sect is meant for the ignorant populace.

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) Vivekachoodamani v 56, pg~25

Mundaka Upanishad condemns rituals. The Para or Higher knowledge is the knowledge of the Supreme Being while the Apara or Lower Knowledge is that of following sacrificial rites and ceremonies. (1/2/ 1 – 6)

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)

Lord Krishna confesses that the oldest wisdom of India (our true Advaita philosophy) has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify it today as they did then. It is not yoga but philosophic truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and leaders of mysticism or religion do not want to inquire into the 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 Lord Krishna calls it "the supreme secret." Lord 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.

Lord Krishna says:~“Those who know the Self in truth." The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God. ( Ch~ V)

Sage Sankara: ~ VC- 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 (verses-6)

The theosophist’s idea of the universe appearing and dissolving, days and nights of Brahma, entering into pralaya, etc. is intended for mediocre intellects, who cannot rise to the truth. It is a convenient fable representing the philosophic truth that the whole universe dissolves in your mind in deep sleep, thus entering pralaya, and rises again the next morning, i.e. it is all imagination, idea. The Brahman -God has nothing to do with it. 

Although Sage Sankara puts the mystic goal highest in his mystical books, he is careful to say that this goal leads to Brahman, not that it is Self- realization. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

There is a clear-cut idea in the scriptures, what's supposed to be God.+

First, one has to realize what God is supposed to be. Without knowing what God is in truth, truth-realization or God-realization is impossible. God is not different from Atman nor is Atman different from God.

The God in truth is only Atman, the Self. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

Holding the belief as God keeps the Soul, the Self permanently in ignorance. The ignorance keeps the Soul permanently in the prison of dualistic illusion. Illusion makes the Soul remain in the domain of form, time, and space. In the domain of form, time, and space the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is experienced as a reality.

If the seeker wants to realize the truth, then he has to discard all the religious beliefs and yogic practices, and scriptural studies. Nothing is needed in pursuit of truth other than an intense urge and receptivity to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~ VC -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 (verses-6)

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) Vivekachoodamani v 56, pg~25

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with religion and yoga. There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know the truth beyond the form, time, and space. Religion and yoga are meant for the first audience, to help lead their followers along the way. Sage  Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom, with its emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

First, you must know what God is supposed to be. There is a clear-cut idea in the scriptures, of what is supposed to be God. And what not to worship in place of God then why worship the belief of God, which is not God.

That is why Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

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

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

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

It is for every seeker who is seeking truth must first know what God is supposed to be in actuality according to Vedas and Upanishads and reject all non-Vedic Gods to realize the Atman is  God in truth.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter:~ “All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods. (7- Verse -20)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God in truth) is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself’.

Thus, it refers to a formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the innermost ‘Self’ within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false ‘Self’. Thus Atman or Soul, the ‘Self’ is God in truth.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshipped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains. There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

It indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false ‘Self’.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:~ "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

A great majority of Hindus are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth.

People, who worship the belief of God, are hallucinating that they become one with such God.

Vedas itself says: May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman? Thus, to know the real God Self-realization is necessary. Self-realization is God-realization. Self-realization itself is real worship. 

Remember:~

The Soul, the ‘Self is the Infinite God. 

The Soul is the Self. God is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. God is the fullness of the consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space. Therefore, there is nothing apart from it. 

God is Self-evident. God is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny God because God is the very essence of the one who denies it. God is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. God is within the universe in which you exist, the God is without the universe in which you exist.

Ishopanishad says: ~ “They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery." 

Vedas says: ~  ‘One should never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman. If one, worships any other God in place of Atman, 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."

All is consciousness. The whole universe is consciousness. From consciousness, the universe comes. When the universe disappears, the consciousness still remains without form, time, and space.

The consciousness, the God is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny God because God is the very essence of the one who denies God. God is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs.

All those whose intelligence has been stolen by ignorance believe in non-Vedic Gods.

The Vedas talk about Brahman (God) which refers to the ultimate truth or ultimate reality or Advaita. The consciousness is the Advaita or the ultimate truth, therefore, the consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Brahman is Advaita(nondual). 

So, it clearly indicates the so-called Gods worshipped in the temples today are not Vedic Gods. Vedas bars worshiping such Gods. 

Why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis when Vedas bar human worship because God cannot be seen directly by anyone. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Soul, the Self is eternal, impersonal awareness, one without the second.+

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.  Consciousness is the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth. Consciousness alone is real; the world is merely an illusion.  

The world in which we exist has no independent existence apart from t the consciousness.  The world in which we exist is not different from consciousness because the world is created out of consciousness.

The Soul, the  Self is eternal, impersonal awareness, one without the second.

The cause of all three states is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness itself is uncaused. The consciousness is Self ~luminous and all ~pervading. The consciousness dwells always in the three states as its formless clay and witness.

The Soul is revealed by the negative way, discriminative wisdom and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection. The one, who realizes the Soul is the true Self, becomes one with the immortal Self.

 When there is no ignorance, there is no day or night, neither being nor nonbeing; the pure consciousness alone exists. That immutable Reality is the meaning of "the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness (Spirit). From it has preceded the non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom.

No one can grasp Soul, which is in the form of consciousness as a separate entity apart from the world because it is the formless clay and the witness of the three states,    thus it cannot be grasped as above, across, or in the middle.

Its form is not an object of vision; no one beholds it with the eyes. They who, through Soulcentric intellect and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection, realizes the  Soul as the true Self becomes one with the immortal.

Ignorance is the cause of experiencing all sorrow and calamities as a reality. Thus, eradicating ignorance is necessary. And this is possible only through Self ~knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   

Thus, there is no other road to freedom other than Advaitic Gnana.  There is no other entrance other than Gnana.  The ignorance will vanish only when the Advaitic wisdom dawns. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ The fool tries to control the mind with the mind.+

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ The fool tries to control the mind with the mind - what folly! The wise one delights in the Self alone. There is no mind to master. 

Yogis say they control the mind. They think the mind is an organ within the body. Thus, yoga is limited to form, time,  and space, whereas the truth, is beyond form, time, and space. It is high time for them to realize the mind is not within the body, but their body and the world are within the mind.

Without knowing what is the mind it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory universe.

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

The one that becomes dual and nondual is consciousness. Thus, all three states are nothing but consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and all the three states are merely an illusion. When the conviction about the consciousness becomes firm, then it leads to Advaitic awareness in the midst of the duality.

Thus, it is necessary to have a perfect understanding of ‘what is ‘what’ to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Soul is the Self -evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs.+

The Soul is the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth.  The Soul is in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self -evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. 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, which is present in the form of consciousness (Spirit), is the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

The mind will not die because the mind is merely an illusion. When wisdom dawns the unreal nature of the mind is exposed. In the same way, the unreal nature of the dream was exposed when the waking takes place.

Without knowing ‘what is the mind? it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (Nonduality).

The one that becomes dual and nondual is consciousness. Thus, all three states are nothing but consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and all the three states are merely an illusion. When the conviction about consciousness becomes firm, then it leads to Advaitic awareness in the midst of the duality.

Thus, it is necessary to have a  perfect understanding of ‘what is ‘what’ to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. 

If the Self is not you then you and your experience of the world is bound to be an illusion.  That is why Self-realization is necessary to realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

Intellectual arguments will not lead to unfolds the mystery of the world in which you exist.  The truth is beyond the form, time, and space. You are part of the dualistic illusion. The ‘Self’ is nothing to do with you and your experience of the world.

The Seeker should no indulge in arguing on his own point of view because the argument is possible only in the domain of the form, time and space where the ‘Soul, the Self is ever formless, timeless,  and spaceless existence.

You and your experience of the world are within the illusion. Thus,  you and your world are nothing but an illusion. The illusion disappears when the ‘I’ disappears.  The ‘I’ disappears when ignorance vanishes. Ignorance vanishes when wisdom dawns.

Remember:~

The experience of birth, life, and death take place within the illusory world.  The desire to live and the fear of death are part of the illusory play of the Soul or the consciousness.  The Soul, the Self is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The one which is born, lives, and dies is you. You are not the Self. The Self is the Soul, which witnesses your birth, life, death, and the world. 

The experience of your birth, life, death, and the world are created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.   When you realize you and your world are created out of the same stuff, then there is unity in diversity because diversity ceases to be a reality. There is oneness. 

Thus, the knowledge of single stuff is the knowledge of the Soul, the Self. From the standpoint of the Soul,  there is no duality because there is only the Advaitic reality.  

The ignorant have the firm conviction that he is an individual apart from this world. The world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterward. Till this conviction is there he will remain ignorant of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The Soul, the Self is unborn. The Soul, the Self is nothing to do with you and your experience of your birth, life, death, and the world.   From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, your experience of your birth, life, death, and the world is non-existent as a reality.  

Thus, the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone is real and all else is merely an illusion. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The Soul, the Self is birthless and deathless because it is the ever nondual.+

 Discussion:~ 

Q:( Jane Rowley) ~ Some people believe that our 'lives' are scripted. What do you say to this?

A:- Santthosh Kumaar:~ Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not you. You are bound by birth life, death, and the world. The Soul is the Self. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Only ignorant people believe that their 'lives' are scripted because they have not investigated the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

If the Self is not the form (you), but the Self is formless then such theories hold no water. Thus, Self-realization is necessary to realize ‘what is truth and ‘what is untruth.

People think there is life after death.  The one which is born lives and dies is not the Self.  The one which born, lives, and dies in this world, is within the dualistic illusion therefore, whatever happens within the dualistic illusion is bound to be an illusion.

The Soul, the Self is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The birth, life, and death take place within the domain of form, time, and space. 

    

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the present experience of birth, life, death, and the world itself is an illusion.  Thus, the question of life after death is bound to be an illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar