The Upanishad says: the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

Innumerable people all over the world have been killed and being killed in the name of religion and God. This is because people are not aware of the ultimate truth of their true existence. People take their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth without verifying the validity of their beliefs. 

Does God exists or not is the question that succeeds not only dividing people but creates a tug of war within every individual thinker.  Ironically, if one believes in the concept of God then nothing else matters and if one is an atheist, too nothing else matters. 

Those who have implicit faith in God bow their heads in submission to what they call divine will. They believe the world is testing ground and sorrows must be borne with patience in order to prove their love to God. 

On the other hand, the Atheist claims the whole world is random creation arising, so to speak from chemical gravy that is accidental.  Both these arguments are based on the ‘false self’ (ego) within the false experience (waking).

On the base of the Soul, the Self, the waking experience itself is merely an illusion.  The man and his experience of the world are a reality within the waking experience.  The waking experience is a mere dream witnessed by the Soul. 

Thus, all the physical-based theories are mere imagination based on the false self within the false experience. The formless substance and witness of the false experience, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is real and eternal.

God is not physical. God is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is the cause of the world and the Spirit itself is uncaused.

From the standpoint of the Spirit, the form, time, space, and name are merely an illusion. The spirit alone is real and all else is an illusion.  In reality, the spirit (God) matter (the world in which we exist) are one.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the Self.   In reality, there are no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the Self.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.

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 innermost self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

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

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

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness (Spirit) which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness. 

Lord Krishna says Ch ~V: ~ “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.

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 Sage Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

Religion, religious Gods' rituals, and the sacrifices deal with lower knowledge. The sages of truth ignored religion, religious Gods, rituals and the sacrifices and went in search of the truth of their true existence. 

The religion, religious Gods rituals, and the sacrifices are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of ignorance which is the cause of experiencing the birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.  Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the dualistic illusion (form, time and space) on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their inherited beliefs in their religion wage war and violence against humanity in the name of protecting their God and belief system.   

Those who blindly accept the religion and its God as truth are like the blind led by the blind.

Even the Upanishads confirm: ~ It is impossible to find and realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space via religion, rituals and scriptural study.

Upanishad says:  the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana and they also indicate that personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it.

The religion, individualized God and scriptures are greatest obstacles for self-realization.  the religion and its religious idea of Gods are based on false Self (ego).  The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis, and reasoning, and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sage Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) ~ one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance, and witness of the universe, which is in the form of the mind(I).  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara says: ~The scriptures, consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble.+

Ashtavakra: ~ “My child you may speak upon various scriptures or hear the sermons on the scriptures. But you cannot establish in the ‘Self’ unless you forget all. 16-1 – p49 

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.

Different gurus and teachers are pointing out the Advaitic truth from different standpoints. All such an understanding of Advaita is on the dualistic perspective accumulated from here and there. Such knowledge based on the dualistic perspective will not lead the seeker to the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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

Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the innermost 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. 

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ VC 59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures, consisting of many words are a dense forest 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?

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make his discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ V C~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.

One who has not rectified his reasoning base from the ‘I’(form) base to Soul(formless) base,  and the one who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive, cannot acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

It is no use the seeker should spend a lifetime in search of the truth they are seeking for. The truth is already declared by Sage Sankara 1200 years back then why are you searching for the truth. Sage Sakara’s declaration Atman is Brahman.~ the world is an illusion Brahman alone is real, is the Advaitic truth, rational truth, scientific truth, and the ultimate truth.

It is time now to realize and have the firm conviction of Sage Sakara’s declaration Atman is Brahman.~ the world is an illusion Brahman alone is real as the finality. There is nothing to contradict Sage Sakara’s declaration because there is only Oneness.

Remember:~

There is no need to search for the Guru the Soul, the  Self itself is the Guru.

Many Gurus describe perfection is the awakening to Reality ~the realization that pure Consciousness alone is, that the perpetually fluctuating and evanescent contents of the mind derive from it. This awakening effectively happens in an instant. But for the lightning flash to take place, resulting in a firm and unshakable certitude, long labor is necessary, which they seem to underestimate. “Truth is formless is their answer.

Many Guru's teaching seems essentially negative, potent but bitter medicine for those imprisoned by institutional cults. They break the disciple bonds but then lead him to a vast desert where he abandons him.

The ultimate state of consciousness they e describes is that of the traditional sage or fully enlightened being, but they do not show us the process leading to the realization of this state. They describe marvelously the goal but do not indicate the steps to be taken: their recurring phrases "unified consciousness" and "let go" and "'love alone" are not a roadmap.

Most of the Gurus and Yogis s approach was more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the 'I', they take it as real. All their teachings of Advaita are based on the dualistic perspective. Such teaching will not yield the truth of the whole.

There is no need to wander in search of truth from one mountain to another, one guru to another, one ashram to another, and remain away from home in ashrams the whole life to get Self-realization.

The guidance comes from any form when the seeker is ready and receptive to take the mental (inner) journey. 

People who are stuck accepting the ‘Self’ as the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ are eaten only the half-cooked food and they are satisfied with half-baked knowledge. And they will not be able to grasp digest the fullness of consciousness because their conviction about it is deep-rooted. Thus, they remain in ignorance thinking they know everything without fully knowing ‘what is what’.

Self~ knowledge is available to serious and sincere seekers on FB. The seeker can avail of it in his spare time in the comfort of home or workplace in fact anywhere in his spare time attending to his practical life within the practical world. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

From the Vedic perspective:~ Yogis and Gurus are not Gods.+

From the Vedic perspective:~ Yogis and Gurus are not Gods. 

This idea of worshiping gurus is not a Vedic idea but adopted from Jainism and Buddhism. 

Veda declares: ~ Worshiping human bodies 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.

When there is a clear idea of what is supposed to be God then why worship what is not God in truth. 

 Yajurveda – 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.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the  Self.

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)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

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

When Upanishad itself declares: ~   Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad). 

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other besides it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage  Sankara is impersonal.

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  (God)."

So, it clearly indicates that God is formless thus there is no scope for a form-based God. The religion and its ideas of Gods, and its theories of karma, heaven, hell, papa, Punya, rebirth, and reincarnation are based on the false self (ego), within the false experience (waking). Therefore, they are meant for lower mindsets, they are of no use for those who are seeking higher truth as indicated in the scriptures.  

Vedas bars human worship: ~

"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 Prakriti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the Prakriti, 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 Gurus and Yogis (human form)   in place of 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.

Why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis when Vedas bar human worships then why worship  Gurus and yogis in place of the Atman, the real God. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The Religion gives satisfaction to the ignorant populace, but the Advaitic wisdom is for the whole humanity to free them from ignorance.+

Religion gives satisfaction to the ignorant populace,  but the Advaitic wisdom is for the whole of humanity to free them from ignorance. 

When one knows the truth then he knows that the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, is everything that exists." A child learns to count, by seeing and counting material objects. When the child is mature it says directly "one plus one equals two." without having to count tangible objects.

One must distinguish between pantheism and Advaita. Pantheism means all ~ God. It is quite different from the Advaitic truth. What does God mean? If it means something different from the Soul, the innermost Self, then there are two beings.

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 the 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 Krishna calls it "the supreme secret." Krishna points out that yoga must-see "Brahman in action."

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

Lord Krishna says Ch. V:~ “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.

Gita Chap.VII. Verse 4: ~"Earth etc" Thus he begins his analysis with the world, with the solid earth, not with remote Atman. In all these things earth, water, etc. I am the finality." "Vasudeva sees the All." But to know this they must be examined and studied. There is a wide gulf between the yogi's "I do not care to know about the world" and the Gnani's "Nothing remains to be known for him."

Page 329:~ "Objection" and "Answer" explain why the Pundits do not know the true meaning of our Sastras.

Scriptures deal only with the Objects, the Seen, not with the Seer. If one starts with the idea that Samsara (universe) exists, he can never see Atman because Samsara is an illusion and only ignorant people read it as a reality. Hence in Vivekachoodamani, V.63 says ~ -"Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know 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.

The purpose of the whole Gita is to point out that nobody is able to live without action, even though seemingly inactive, that even the Gnani must work and not keep idle, and that the only difference between his action and the ignorant man's is that the latter works for his own Self-interest or for that of a section connected with him whereas former works for the welfare of all, the world at large, for all beings without egoism because he regards them as one. Gita lays down principles applicable not only to battlefields but to daily life. Lord Krishna wants to correct the wrong idea that the Gnani spends his life sitting in meditation as a sanyasi.

Religion is not final. It only gives satisfaction to the populace. The Self - knowledge is for the whole of humanity to free them from experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as reality.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara says:~ Orthodoxy, which deals with rituals are addressed to an ignorant populace.+

Sage Sankara says The scriptures dealing with rituals are addressed to an ignorant person.

The Brahma Sutras together with Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain higher Vedanta. They are intended for duffers.

Sage Sankara's commentary on Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on a religio-mystic one, with an appeal to Vedas as a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage Sankara explains in Mandukya that those who study the Sutras are religious minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God.

Sage Sankara says: Keep the scriptures for children but throw them on the fire for wise seekers.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie; nevertheless, you will find Sage Sri, Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion and dogmatism, but in the commentary Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that many Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, but a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

The causality and creation, but these are for religious people only.  Religion is only for those who are unable to understand the truth beyond form, time, and space. Religion is not final. It only gives satisfaction to the populace. The Self - knowledge is for the whole of humanity to free them from experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

People of small intelligence follow religion and believe that the world was created by God. But how do they know that He did so? When a pot is created, one can see both pot and its maker, but not in the case of the world.

This is the following prescription prescribed by orthodoxy in the name of Sage  Sankara.  The orthodoxy has listed down in 5 verses, 40 steps of Sadhanas (discipline) to be followed to achieve the (only meaningful) goal of human life Moksha, liberation.  Use it every day as contemplative prayer.

1. Study the scriptures (Vedas) daily

2. Perform diligently the duties (sva dharma) ordered by the scriptures

3. Dedicate all the actions thus performed (as above) to Ishvara (IshvarArpanna Buddhi)

4. Gradually give up the performance of Selfish actions

5. Filter sinful/adharmic likes and dislikes

6. Recognize the inherent defects of material pursuits

7. Seek moksha with the consistent endeavor

8. Get out from the bondage of activity (specified to the ones which end up entangling us)

9. Seek  the companionship with men of wisdom

10. Be established in firm devotion to Ishvara and perform Upasana

11. Gain mind control, sense control, withdrawal, forbearance, faith, and focus

12. Give up karma and Upasana when are not required any longer for spiritual growth

13. Seek Knowledge from a satguru

14. Serve his lotus feet

15. Ask for Brahma Vidya

16. Listen in-depth, to the Upanishadic declarations

17. Analyze the meanings of Upanishadic commandments

18. Perform such analyses by sticking to scriptures

19. Get away from the logic-based system (logic is good when it corroborates scripture, in the sense, don't try to substitute it)

20. Dwell upon the discriminative rationale of Shruti (basically, develop Viveka)

21. Constantly remain steeped in the fact that you are Brahman

22. Renounce pride/vanity/arrogance

23. Give up the delusionary misconception- "I am the body"

24. Do not argue with wise men

25. Consider hunger as a disease

26. Treat hunger, the disease, by taking bhiksha food

27. Beg no delicious food

28. Live contentedly with whatever comes your way as prasadam

29. Endure all pains of opposites- heat/cold, likes/dislikes, pleasure/pain. 

30. Avoid wasteful talk

31. Be indifferent and avoid groupism

32. Don't get attached to either someone's love or criticism

33. In solitude also, live joyously

34. Quieten your mind in Ishvara

35. Realize and see the Self in everything, everywhere

36. Recognize the universe as a finite projection of the Self

37. Destroy the effects of deeds done in earlier lives (sanchit karma) through the strength of knowledge

38. Through wisdom, become detached from AgAmi karma (give up doership/enjoyership)

39. Experience and exhaust the prarabdh, fruits of past actions

40. Thereafter, live eternally as Brahman

Remember:~

Sage  Sankara Says,   that, orthodoxy is meant for ignorant people.

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

~ This shows he was wearing the religious robe only for the sake of bread."

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp the God beyond the form, time, and space.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from a 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 Orthodox texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sage Sri, Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

That is why Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the 'Self' has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the Self with the body is a confusing one for the other and is, therefore,  an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage  Sankara:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for Self) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction, and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are,  therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person.-Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sri, Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, a person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is Avidya, an error that can be removed by vidya. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality, drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the Self which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman.-Adhyasa Bhashya

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 true Self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no physical body, no ego, no universe, no religion, and no conceptual God. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  All accumulated knowledge is of no use to realize the Advaitic truth beyond the form, time, and space.

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta to realize the Advaitic truth beyond form, time, and space. Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the innermost Self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

There is no need to buy the books of  Sage Sankara to acquire Self-knowledge. A perfect understanding of what is what' is needed. Nothing else is needed 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 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 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.

Fortunate is the one who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy.  When wisdom dawns, The universe one uses to think as reality becomes an illusion.  

All conceptual divisions were invented by Gurus of the east and west by their excessive analysis.  is never-ending? they create more confusion and explain their own way.

Fortunate is the seeker who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which they all arise. 

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion.  Self-discovery is the only way, towards 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 said:~Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way. (1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25

The citations from scriptures are not 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. 

That is why Sage Sankara himself says: ~ VC 59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures, consisting of many words are a dense forest 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?

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make his discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ V C~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.

Sage Sankara says:~  The scriptures dealing with rituals are addressed to an ignorant person.

The Brahma Sutras together with Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain higher Vedanta. They are intended for duffers.

Sage Sankara's commentary on Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on a religio-mystic one, with an appeal to Vedas as a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage  Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage  Sankara explains in Mandukya that those who study the Sutras are religious minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God.

Sage Sankara says: Keep the scriptures for children but throw them on the fire for wise seekers.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie; nevertheless, you will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion and dogmatism, but in the commentary Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that many Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, but a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

The causality and creation, but these are for religious people only.  Religion is only for those who are unable to understand the truth beyond form, time, and space. Religion is not final. It only gives satisfaction to the populace. The Self -knowledge is for the whole of humanity to free them from experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

People of small intelligence follow religion and believe that the world was created by God. But how do they know that He did so? When a pot is created, one can see both pot and its maker, but not in the case of the world.

He who has not rectified his reasoning  base from the ‘I’(form) base to Soul(formless) base  and one  who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dualistic or Advaitic  truth,  and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive , cannot acquire Self-Knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits.+

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp the God beyond the form, time, and space.

That is why Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the 'Self' has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the  Self with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for Self) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction, and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are, therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person.-Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sri, Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, a person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower ; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is Avidya, an error that can be removed by Vidya. ~~

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality, drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the Self which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman.-Adhyasa Bhashya

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 true Self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no physical body, no ego, no universe, no religion, and no conceptual God. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar