Scripture mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the Self -realization.+

Scriptures 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 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 the form, time,  and space.

The ultimate truth has to be realized first then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. I do not require any scriptures.

 I quote Scriptural citation and also the citation of the sages of truth only after verification of reality and proved the truth, to point out that the scriptures teach the same thing. If one quotes them before having demonstrated truth, then it is scholasticism.

Scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

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 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 the scriptures.

The seeker should not bother about finding the meaning of what is written in the scriptures.  The scripters are not necessary to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The scriptures are meant for the ignorant populace. Scriptures have no value for the seeker of truth.

That is why 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

Even Upanishads clearly declare: ~

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~ The Soul cannot be realized through hearing a scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.

Katha Upanishad 1:3:6:~ “Through the knowledge of the Soul, God, one is pure and clean constantly.” Neither by reading the book nor by taking a bath at the holy place has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant Soul-Consciousness is real purity.

Kena Upanishad 2:4:~   When it is known through every state of cognition, it is rightly known, for (by such knowledge) one attains life eternal. Through one's own 'Self' one gains power and through wisdom, one gains immortality.

Kena Upanishad 2:5:~ If here one knows it, then there is the truth, and if here one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.”

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~ “The weak and timid cannot realize the Self. Self-Realization is not possible through intellect or hearing spiritual discourse.."

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~ The Soul cannot be realized by the weak and timid.

Sage Sankara says ~   VC~ 56. Neither by Yoga nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means.

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for Liberation.

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 that 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?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

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.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

Until one knows the truth of his true existence, whatever he knows about God is mere belief. Belief is individual whereas the ultimate truth is universal every belief system has its own idea of God thus there is no universality in the belief system.

All these experiences as the father, son, Guru, and pupil were one and the same consciousness appearing differently. All these distinctions disappear when one realizes the ultimate truth.

Remember:~

Sage Sankara strongly advocated the study of Upanishads, and at the same time cautioned that the study of Upanishads alone would not lead to moksha. In matters such as spiritual attainment, one’s own realization was the sole authority and it cannot be disputed

Sage Sankara also said the study of Upanishad was neither indispensable nor a necessary prerequisite for attaining the human goal, the moksha.

Sage Sankara pointed out; that even those who were outside the Upanishad fold were as eligible to moksha as those within the fold were. He declared that all beings are Brahman, and therefore the question of discrimination did not arise. All that one was required to do was to get rid of ignorance (Avidya or duality).:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ There is no other remedy for it than the realization that all this that we see is unreal.+

A  Gnani who has realized the world in which he exists as the consciousness. What is there to meditate or not to meditate, what to speak or not to speak, what to do or not to do? 

Those who give up the highest and purest Brahmic consciousness live in vain and though human, are like beasts. Having turned the visible into the invisible, one should realize everything to be consciousness itself. 

A  Gnani always dwells in nondual awareness in the midst of duality. The ever-existent Soul or the consciousness shining within the three states can be realized only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  

The Self indeed is this Soul which is present in the form of consciousness, not the phenomenal universe which is present in the form of the mind.

A  Gnani who has realized everything as consciousness. A  Gnani always dwells in nondual awareness in the midst of duality. 

Sage Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman — that thou art."

Sage Sankara, is one of the greatest thinkers of all time. This world owes him a deep debt of gratitude. He not only consolidated the classical values of life but also spiritual wisdom. Unfortunately, few philosophers in the world are as misunderstood and misinterpreted as Sage Sri, Sankara. Ironically, most of the harm came from his admirers and followers of the Advaitic sect because they propagated rituals as a means to attain lower knowledge which is meant for those who believed in the physical existence (universe or waking)  as reality. 

The famous peace invocation of Isa Upanishad says: ~

Om Purna- madah, purna-midam purnat-purnam-udacyate Purnaysa purna-madaya purna-meva-vasisyate

This means ~ All this is full /from fullness, fullness comes when fullness is taken from fullness/ fullness still remains.

 This belief is all-comprehensive and all-absorbing. There is nothing that is not God.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings. 

Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

Avadhuta, the one who has cast off all concerns and obligations, like the Self, is the typical teacher of wisdom. He does that in a highly unconventional manner. He has no use for social etiquette; he has risen above worldly concerns. He is not bound by sanyasi dharma either. He roams the earth freely like a child, like an intoxicated or like one possessed. He is the embodiment of detachment and spiritual wisdom.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ Truly dualism is the root of suffering. There is no other remedy for it than the realization that all this that we see is unreal and that the Self is the one stainless reality, consisting of consciousness. 2:16

The Self is pure awareness though through ignorance Self is imagined itself to have additional attributes. By continually reflecting like this, the 'Self' dwelling place is unimagined. 2:17

For the Self,  there is neither bondage nor liberation. The illusion has lost its basis and ceased. Truly all this exists in the Self, though ultimately it does not even exist in the Self.  2:18

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 (Soul).  

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

Remember:

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.

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 human thought.

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.

After verifying through deeper inquiry if one finds the world is the reality within the illusion then he cannot again say the world is not an illusion.

If one is frightened to accept the world is an illusion (waking) then he is unfit to acquire ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Those who are stuck with the reality of the world are stuck with the reality of the individual experiences of birth, life, and death, which take place within the unreal world. Thus the pursuit of truth is for those who have the courage to accept reality as it is, that is the reality without form, time, and space.

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 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 the 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.

Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads to Self-awareness. By holding onto theories one remains in the realm of duality. 

You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper Self-search. Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of duality. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the Soul is awakened in the midst of duality.+

Humanity has to awaken to the reality of its true existence by realizing the world in which humanity exists is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana frees the Soul, the innermost Self from the cage of the dualistic illusion.

Sage Sankara says ~ VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

People dwelling in ignorance, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round by various blind beliefs and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ "The Vedas teach that the Soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukthi - freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from death and misery."

The truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to grasp because of ignorance. You have to only realize the world in which you exist is created out of single clay. And that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you and your body and the world in which you exist are nothing but consciousness because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’. 

People need to read and hear the words of wisdom to think reason and reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end. 

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘’what is untruth?’. It takes time for the Soul, the innermost Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.  

The false is experienced as reality due to ignorance. Only through getting rid of the ignorance through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana the Soul, the innermost 'Self' becomes free from experiencing the illusory duality as reality. 

One who holds the Soul as the true Self is entitled to liberation. Such a one has to reflect the nature of the mind.  

Where there is neither seeker nor goal, understand that this is the nature of the Soul, the innermost Self which is liberation. 

When wisdom dawns then the illusory duality disappears and the fallacy of the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is exposed.  

When the illusory reality of practical life dries up, the Soul is released from the false bondage, and that which has no birth is freed from the illusory experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. 

Through the power of discrimination, the Soul mentally detaches itself from experiencing the illusory three states as reality, and the identification as being limited to the experience of the birth, life, death, and the world, are all destroyed the Soul rests in its own formless nondual true nature.  

The sense of duality is broken, the Soul, the Self, rests in the solitude of its own true nature. Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana,  the Soul is awakened in the midst of duality and realizes the duality is a mere mirage created out of itself and there is no second thing that exists other than itself. 

The curtain of duality is lifted,  non-distinction has broken distinctions, and the division of form, time, and space has disappeared. 

You are the waking entity (the ego). You perceive the world within the waking experience.  The waking experience is a state of ignorance.  Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the waking experience as a reality.  The waking experience is a dualistic illusion.  The dualistic illusion hides truth beyond form, time, and space.  

Upanishad says: ~ "He who thinks he knows, does not know."

This means that to know anything implies a second, an object of knowledge, hence dualistic truth that is not Advaitic wisdom or Gnana. Gnana is the knowledge of the Soul, the innermost Self. Just saying ‘I AM THIS’ or ‘I AM THAT’ is not wisdom.  

A  Gnani is fully aware the Self is the fullness of the consciousness.  The consciousness is not limited to the waking experience alone because it pervades all three states.  The one which is aware of the coming and going of the three states is not you but the Soul, the  Self. 

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the three states are merely an illusion.  The illusion is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.   

Realizing the Self is not you but the Self is the Soul is Self-realization.  Self-realization is truth realization. Truth realization is God-realization.

The world in which we exist does not disappear for the Gnani, he sees other men as before, and he knows they need instruction: the world with people are seen, but its unreal nature is understood.

People who believe the yogi has bodily marks will be sitting on certain yogic postures or the meditation or not eating food for many years he has done penance in the Himalayas and he has done nationwide parikrama does not prove that he is a Gnani. The yogis do not attach sufficient importance to the truth that the body and the world are only an illusion created out of consciousness. The consciousness alone is real and all else is merely an illusion.

Whoever praises a Yogi, Gurus, or Swami is thinking of the man's body and therefore,  takes the body for reality.

Q:- What is this body?

A: - The body is only an illusion.

Q: - What is this world?

A: - The world is an illusion

Thus, the body and the world are merely an illusion, then one has to realize what the reality is.  The one who praises a yogi, guru, or swami has never understood the truth but merely believed in the reality of what he saw. 

Remember:~

Some Gurus say by dropping the body and mind you get enlightenment but without knowing what this body and mind are supposed to be in actuality it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion, which is present in the form of the ‘I’.

People only imagine that way by dropping the body and the mind they get enlightenment. Imagination is not the truth. It is impossible to drop the body alone because the body and the world have appeared together and they disappear together.

Only by getting rid of the whole dualistic illusion the reality hidden by the dualistic illusion will be revealed. Only when the ignorance vanishes then only the dualistic illusion vanishes. Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the ignorance vanishes.

From the dualistic perspective, people see the world in which they exist as a reality. They see their body as the body, their ego as the ego, and the world in which they exist as the world whereas a Gnani sees everything from the non-dualistic perspective.

Remember:~

A Gnani sees his body as the consciousness, his ego as consciousness, and the world in which he exists as the consciousness. 

For a Gnani, whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced is nothing but consciousness. There is unity in diversity in Gnani understanding whereas the ignorant people see only diversity and separation.

In Advaitic Self-awareness, the ego is not considered as ego, even though ego is present, the body is not considered as body even though body is present, the world which confronts him is not considered as the world even though the world is present, the duality ceases even though the duality is present, because of wisdom everything is considered as consciousness. Thus, there is conscious oneness.

Only in ignorance, the world in which we exist is an illusion created out of the Soul, the  Self.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, experiences the birth, life, death and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing exists other than the Soul or consciousness. Thus, all the egocentric (religious) adulteration has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Thus, it is necessary to learn to view and judge the worldview from the non-dualistic perspective, in order to realize that form, time and space are one in essence. There is nothing to realize other than realizing the consciousness is everything. Consciousness is second to none.

Remember:~

When everything is nothing but consciousness then what remains, is not consciousness.

Without knowing ‘what is this mind in actuality it is impossible to realize the truth hidden by the mind. People are stuck thinking the mind is within their body and theorize and write books speculating and creating their own theories.

A deeper self-search reveals the fact that the ‘I’ is present in the form of mind. And the mind is in the form of the universe. And the universe appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

Self-realization is necessary to realize the mind, which is present in the form of the universe is merely an illusion. 

The mind cannot be destroyed because it is merely an illusion. When Advaitic wisdom dawns the unreal nature of the mind is exposed, the same way the unreal nature of the dream was exposed when the waking takes place.

I am highlighting all the obstacles in the inner journey and how to overcome these obstacles. All accumulated knowledge is of no use in the Atmic path.

It is for every seeker, who is on the Atmic path to realize himself “What is the truth? “and “What is untruth?” to assimilate the Self–Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. My postings are only signposts. The seeker's needs to reflect constantly on the subject until the cobwebs of his doubts and confusion get cleared.

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the innermost Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A Gnani perceives the Absolute, the All, within himself.+

Avadhuta Gita describes Sage (Gnani) as:~

Having renounced all, he moves about naked. He perceives the Absolute, the All, within himself.

The Avadhuta never knows any mantra in Vedic meter or any Tantra. Ashtavakra Gita similarly describes him:

The sage sees no difference between happiness and misery, Man and woman, Adversity and success.  Everything is seen to be the same. 

The sage is not conflicted By states of stillness and thought.  His mind is empty.  His home is the Absolute. 

Knowing for certain that all is Self, The sage has no trace of thoughts 
Such as “I am this” or “I am not that.” 

 The sage who finds stillness is neither distracted nor focused.  He knows neither pleasure nor pain.  Ignorance dispelled, He is free of knowing. 

How can one know the true Gnani?

Santthosh Kumaar:~  It is impossible unless one has sharp grasping power. He does not want any external marks to identify him, i.e. separate him from others.

The word “mark” means sitting in ashrams, wearing religious robes, sitting in Samadhi, performing miracles, etc. He lives a normal householder’s life. Only people can recognize a Gnani with his Gnana, not by his appearance.

The difference between the worldly enjoyments of the Gnani and the ordinary man is the latter is unhappy if his desire or habitual wants are denied satisfaction, whereas Gnani does not become miserable when pleasures to which he is habituated do not come. For the Soul, the innermost self, in which he knowingly believes, is the only thing that does not change, whereas the ordinary man lives in the ever-changing world.

The Gnani who enters deep sleep will not feel he is entering anything different or new. He knows the whole waking experience is an illusion and sleep is merely the disappearance of the illusion. Where has it gone? Only back into the Soul, the Self. Nothing is lost. Thus, using the dream illustration, the cities and ocean of his dream, when they disappear, are still not other than consciousness (Soul) and so the latter is unchanged by such disappearance. Similarly,  the Gnani does not lose his Gnana because he loses consciousness of the illusory waking experience in sleep.

 If one thinks he ought to retain gnanic consciousness in deep sleep, then he is in error, for who is to be conscious? The one which is conscious of the coming and going of the three states is not the waking entity (you) but the Soul, the Self.  

The Soul is the witness of the coming and going of the three states. The Soul also is the substance of the three states. And the Soul also is the source of the three states.  In reality,  the substance and witness and the source are one, in essence.  That essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Remember:~

R.K- Q: How can one recognize the true Gnani? Santthosh Kumaar:~ It is impossible unless one has sharp grasping power. He does not want any external marks to identify him, i.e. separate him from others. Even friends and family members of a Gnani will not know him as the Gnani. Due to ignorance, people will not be able to recognize a Gnani. Outwardly the Gnani behaves as an ordinary person behaves. A Gnani talks and jokes like others, but he is not understood as he really is. People may regard him as an exceptional person, but only a few can recognize him as a Gnani Nirakara:~ One can recognize a Gnani only by his Gnana. Wherever Gnani is present, Gnana comes out like a spring. Manduka Upanishads: ~ Even the Gods cannot find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him. Yogis, religious gurus, swamis, sadhus, priests, mythological storytellers, Fakirs, monks, and intellectuals are not Gnanis. Sage Sri, Sankara clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539). The word “mark” means sitting in ashrams, wearing religious robes, sitting in Samadhi, performing miracles, etc. He lives a normal householder’s life. Only people can recognize a Gnani with his Gnana, not by his appearance. Gnani is nothing to do with religion and yoga, philosophies or religious Gods, or religious rituals because they all belong to the dualistic illusion (universe). Sage Sankara himself said: ~ A Gnani "bears no outward mark of a holy man" Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad) So, Sage Sankara wore a Guru's robe only for the sake of the ignorant. So he was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sankara is a Brahma Gnani. Thus, it proves that the religious gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people. Thus it proves that Sage Sankara meant, taking sanyasa and wearing the religious robes to earn bread. Sanyasa is not a qualification to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana A Gnani sees the reality hidden by ignorance as it is in the midst of diversity (universe). Thus, the above passage proves that all those who were the sanyasin robes are wearing them for the sake of bread belong to the religion; they are nothing to do with the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

For a Gnani: ~Where is the body, where is the mind, where is the world.+

For a Gnani: ~

Where is the body, where is the mind, where is the world; the void; or despair in the true Self, which is the taintless Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. They are or have become consciousness. 

One thinks there is a mind when he has thoughts, but when thoughts are not considered different from the consciousness, which is the true Self, then where is the division into, waking, dream and deep sleep, etc.

Void implies duality: the universe may not exist, but the thought of the second is there. If one knows there is a Void (emptiness/nothingness), then there is something there to be known and know. They are or have become consciousness. 

What are the scriptures, what is Self-knowledge, what is the mind without the objects, what is contentment, and where is desirelessness for the formless Soul, the  Self, which is ever devoid of the sense of duality? 

What is knowledge? What is ignorance? What is the ego? What is duality? What is the mind? What is bondage? What is liberation? What is definableness to the formless Soul, the  Self, which is in the form of consciousness? 

All these appearances are an illusion, which comes and go; hence meaningless to the formless Soul, the Self. 

Egocentric knowledge is not the ultimate knowledge because ego-based knowledge is dualistic knowledge based on the object (body) as the subject. But in non-dualistic Knowledge whatever seems to exist also is consciousness; therefore, there is no scope for the existence of the second thing. 

What are the past karmas? What is liberation –in this life? and What is that liberation at death? for the birth- less Soul, which is ever nondual.

The nearest state to understand the Soul by itself is to eliminate mentally waking and dream as in deep sleep. Once this is grasped one has to understand everything is consciousness, which is the real Self. 

What is the doer or the enjoyer? What is the cessation of thoughts or arising of thoughts? What are immediate perceptions and their result to, the formless Soul, which is ever impersonal? 

A Gnani is the one who is never afraid of thinking and knowing all his individual experiences and the world to be consciousness. 

What is the world and what is meant by the aspirant for liberation; what is contemplative and what is the man of knowledge; what is the Self is and what liberated Self to the formless Soul, which is the non-dual essence. 

Remember:~

When we analyze the dream experience, we find the dream entity, a dream world with all people in it appeared as a whole, and the dream reality lasted until the waking experience appeared. When one tries to know the truth of his true existence in the waking through inquiry, analysis, and reasoning, one becomes aware of the fact that the Self is not physical, but it is a formless Soul, which is in the form of consciousness which is the essence of the three states from which the three states are made. Thus, the illusions of the three states are made of one single substance, which is consciousness. 

By realizing the formless substance, which is consciousness as the Self, the ignorance vanishes and one becomes aware of the fact that the three states are an illusion from the standpoint of the formless substance, which is also the witness of the three states. 

The Gnani does not belong to the religious or yogic Sanyasa Ashram. He is above all stages. He is "One above all ashrams."  Both Gnani and the ignorant see the multiplicity, but Gnani does not take the differences which he sees as being real. That is the difference between them. The Gnani sees the unity behind the differences.

A true Gnani can never renounce anything. It is impossible. He has only renounced ignorance.  Gnanis are one in billions for they have ignored the opinions of whole peoples in their independent search for truth and questioned all beliefs, all scriptures, and all authorities until they could be proved to be true. 

Even the arguments that religions have been followed since time immemorial make no difference to them because if people have believed a false thing over millions of years, the length of time does not prove it true.

The Gnanis position is that if enjoyment comes, he accepts it; if it does not, he is silent. Even when he is taking pleasures, however, he is not deluded by them and he regards them as a game he is playing for he knows their unreality: he does not take them seriously because he is fully aware of the fact that he and his experience of the pleasure and pain within the waking experience,  is as real as a dream. 

The one that witnesses the three states is not him, but the Soul.  The clouds do not affect the sky, although they appear to; so the pleasures and pain do not change the Gnani.

Remember:~

The Gnani will follow whatever occupation he wishes according to circumstances. There are no prohibitions for him. He may be a farmer or a billionaire

A  Gnani does not perform miracles to attract attention to the truth because they know such a miracle performed in the unreal world is bound to be a falsehood.  They know the whole universe in which they exist is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

A Gnani has his realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman even whilst in the midst of the waking experience. No separation of one from the other is necessary for him, nor indeed is it possible.

The one who wears the religious robe and symbol is not A Gnani.  One who has embarrassed sanyasa is not a Gnani. A Gnani remains as a householder and will go on with his usual avocation, plus these differences he will guide those with whom he comes in contact.

A Gnani guides all the seekers to the very end of their thinking; otherwise, they stop halfway and wrongly have an “I know” attitude.  This “I know” attitude is most dangerous and will not allow the seeker to reach the ultimate end of understanding.

When a man meets with doubt or confusion on his quest, he then needs guidance.  A Gnani clears all cobwebs of doubts and confusion without posing as a guru. A Gnani helps the seeker to know in which direction to turn.  

A  Gnani points out the pitfalls and when a seeker has made an error and he makes him aware of the error and points it out to him.

There is no such thing as personal salvation. Such an idea of salvation is imagination based on a dualistic perspective. 

Those who talk of finding moksha from religious rituals and yogic practices harbor the false notion that the individual ego is real and who are deceiving themselves.

The Gnani will guide the seeker, but it is absolutely necessary for the seeker to do his homework constantly over the guidance and master them by his own use of reason.:~Santthosh Kumaar