Meher Baba: ~ There is no higher or lower goal. There is only one goal, Self-Realization.+

Meher Baba: ~ "There is no higher or lower goal. There is only one goal, Self-Realization." 

Meher Baba: ~ When religion has become merely a matter of external rituals and ceremonies, it has become a cage for the Soul.

Meher Baba said: ~ God is your innermost Self. Do not search for God outside of you. Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and does everything. God is beyond us and is everything. God alone is and all else is an illusion. 

Meher Baba: ~ The scriptures are like rotten bones rotted and are as food for worms.  Theosophy and philosophy are like good bones rotted and are as food for vultures.

The writings of inspired poets are like fresh bones and are as food for dogs. 

The writings of spiritually advanced saints are like flesh and are as food for tigers.

The writings by living Perfect Masters are like the brain and are as food for men!

Good bones when rotted have some semblance of bone, but rotten bones when rotted are like filth.

 So, you may go through the scriptures superficially — only to drive away the barking dogs when necessary; for instance, when you are called upon to answer the queries of the priests and the Orthodox. (Lord Meher 15: 5267)

Meher Baba: ~ When the reality appears this ignorance which one thinks as reality becomes unreal. 

Meher Baba said: - To love God as he ought to be loved, we must live for God and die for God, knowing that the goal of life is to know God and find him as our own Self.

To realize God is to attain liberation from the bondage of illusion. 

Live only to find and realize your true identity with your Beloved God.

The energy which is expended in mere thinking, talking, or writing is like steam that escapes through the whistle of the railway engine …

That is why the sages have always insisted on practice rather than theory. This applies particularly to those who want to know and realize God.  

----

Santthosh Kumaar ~ It means one has to know and realize his innermost Self is God and identify it as his true identity to find liberation from the bondage of the illusion of birth, life, death, and the world (duality).   The goal of our life is to find and realize our identity with our beloved God, which is the  Self. 

The universe is verily the consciousness.+

The sky,  the star, planet, sun, the moon, the earth,  the mountain,  the ocean, and the person are all the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, but consciousness is not specifically any of these while simultaneously being all of these. Only when the Soul is hidden within the illusory form, time, and space the sky, the star, the planets,  the sun, the moon, the earth, the mountain, the ocean, and the persons are a reality.

The nature of the Soul is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. Thus, it is necessary to realize the sky, the star, planet, sun, the moon, the earth, the mountain, the ocean, and the persons are all created out of single stuff, which is consciousness.  Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

Thus,  God in truth alone is real, the sky, the star,  the planets, the sun, the moon, the earth, the mountain, the ocean, and the person are all merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Remember:~ 

The universe is present only in the waking experience. The waking experience is present only when the mind is present and the mind is present only when the ‘I’ is present.  The universe or the waking experience or the mind (I) are one and the same thing. This truth has to be assimilated first.

Mentally reduce the universe into the  waking experience and the waking as the  mind (I) and the mind as the consciousness by realizing the mind or the universe or the waking are nothing but merely an illusion created out of  consciousness

The universe is verily consciousness. Without realizing,  ‘What is the Mind?  it is impossible to get self- realization.  The universe is not different from the Mind because the universe is the mind itself.  The mind is not different from the Soul because the mind is the dualistic illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, the universe is nothing but consciousness. The universe is unreal because it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness.

It is impossible for any human being to challenge successfully the Advaitic position, as Sage Sankara says.

Sage Sankara asks his opponents "How do you know there are separate individual Souls? Have you seen the Soul of a man? You can only say that you have seen different bodies. To say more is to misuse language. Therefore,  I call you liars unless you give proof, which is impossible.

A man who describes Sage Sankara's wisdom as negative (because of his Neti, Neti) does not know that this is applied only to the world of the Seen, the critic ignorantly believes that it is also applied to the Seer. Vedanta never negates the Seer, only the seen. 

Remember: ~

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.

The universe is the product of ignorance. The ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

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. Until 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

First, know that Advaita is not a philosophy to argue.+

Krishna Chaitanya Q:~ Dear sir, how as per Advaita, you can explain the natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami, etc, fatal diseases, accidents, in which thousands of innocent, good people die or suffer? May you post an article explaining this one on Facebook?

A:~ Santthosh Kumaar: ~ First, know that Advaita is not a philosophy to argue. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the  Self. The Soul is the cause of the universe in which we exist, and it itself is uncaused. The whole universe is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. From the standpoint of the Soul or God, the universe is merely an illusion. 

Therefore, the natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami, etc, and fatal diseases, accidents, in which thousands of innocent, good people die or suffer, is within the dualistic illusion or Maya. 

Suppose, if you had asked me the same question in a dream, the dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place. Similarly, the waking becomes unreal the waking (universe) becomes unreal when wisdom dawns. Wisdom dawns when you realize the ‘Self’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is God, which pervades in everything and everywhere in the universe in which we exist. Thus, everything is the Soul, which is God. The nature of God is Advaita. 

If one says this universe is real then:~ 

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignore that in a dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real. 

Gnani and Illusion:~ 

A King who was greatly incensed at the wisdom taught by Gnani that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Gnani to his palace. That Gnani went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world is an illusion. 

The king had arranged to let loose a hungry lion against Gnani. The beast rushed at Gnani who took to a precipitate flight to save himself. 

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the lion is only an illusion?' 

'Oh, king,' said Gnani in the course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.’ 

Similarly, natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunami, etc, and fatal diseases, accidents, in which thousands of innocent, good people die or suffer, is within the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Knowledge of the single stuff is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

The universe is a reality from the dualistic perspective. on the nondualistic perspective, the universe is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form the consciousness. 

We all are searching truth within the dualistic illusion or Maya not being aware of the fact that the illusion is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, searching the truth in the illusion with the illusory Self, within the illusory experience, has to be an illusion. The illusion is created and sustained and finally dissolves as the Soul or the consciousness. There is no second thing other than consciousness. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. 

That is why one must realize the Soul is the real God. 

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 Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, 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 which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness. 

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

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~  God is Supreme Spirit. 

If God is the formless Spirit, then how does man know God created the world? There is no proof. If the man had seen God creating the world, he could admit it, but how could he have seen God before he came into existence? (i.e. were created). 

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 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." 

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

People who are saying ‘I Am GOD’ are hallucinating that they become God. First, you must know what is God. 

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 in truth) 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 the distinction of 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 or Godin truth." 

Thus, truth realization is Self-realization. Self-realization is God-realization. God-realization is real worship.  :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The study of the Vedas, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts can be called lower knowledge.+

Religious believers are sentimentally attached to their religion, religious ideas of God, scriptures, and religious code of conduct; they will not accept anything else as truth other than their accepted truth. There is no use in discussing such mindsets because nothing can be gained from such a discussion. 

Religious believers are unfit for the Atmic path unless they drop all their accumulated knowledge. 

All sect-based beliefs are dualistic and unphilosophical nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. In spirituality, the ultimate truth is God. Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox belief systems. 

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)

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

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.

All sect-based beliefs are dualistic and unphilosophical nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. In spirituality,  the ultimate truth is God. Thus, the Advaitic orthodoxy is a sect is nothing to do with the Advaitic wisdom of the 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 Aparo 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 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) 

Mundaka Upanishad:~  The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy, and all the arts can be called lower knowledge. The higher is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; the mind cannot grasp it. The deathless 'Self' has neither caste nor race, neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.

There is no need for a guru in the Atmic path. 

Swami Vivekananda said:~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.”

The scriptures are not needed in the pursuit of truth. Even the Upanishads and the Sages of truth declare the same. 

Katha Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. (Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad:~  This Atman cannot be attained through the study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70 Upanishads by Nikilanada)

The ultimate truth has to be ascertained without the scriptures by realizing the Self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity, but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

In the realm of the truth the form, time, and space are created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Realizing the single stuff as the ultimate truth is Self-realization or truth realization. To realize this truth, there is no need for scriptures. 

The ultimate truth has to be realized first, and then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. 

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. 

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

Sage Sankara: ~ Loud speech, profusions of words, and possessing skilfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned. They do not lead to Liberation."

Mundaka Upanishads:~  So-called spiritual pundits and learned are called children because a child takes whatever it thinks as truth. The question never occurs to children “Is what I have seen or thought really the truth?" (P.334 line 9)

The 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 the truth and ‘What is the untruth?'. When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time,  and space.

An adherent of the  Orthodox philosopher may say his philosophy teaches so and so", another man may object and say “No, his religious philosophy teaches such and such." Thus,  they may go on uttering contradictions in the name of philosophy. True philosophy deals only with the appeal to facts,  not theories. 

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them. 

How is one to know that the scriptures are true? The seeker has to look into the facts, for the proof of what has the worship of God done for the people! When a tsunami occurred in Japan God did not save the believers of Japan. Thus, God saves the one who prays such an argument is of no value in the pursuit of truth. 

People believe scripture is infallible but deeper Self-search reveals the fact that they are a mere book of words. The words are a mere expression of thoughts. Then it is impossible to see if the scripture-writers thoughts are founded in fact or not. 

The fallacy of Orthodoxy's appeal to scripture lies in the varying and conflicting interpretations of the same scripture that different men feel entitled to give or hold. 

The scriptures are for the ignorant masses, who wholly accept the practical life within the practical world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem. 

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them. 

Scriptural knowledge is conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. All these concepts are a  great obstacle in the pursuit of truth. Why should they create confusion and then explained it away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which they all arise.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman.+

The religious God is based on blind faith or blind belief. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the belief is often shown to be unreliable and false. The world itself is an illusion there is no use in having just a belief in the Soul, but one must realize the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the very basis of his existence. 

Religious people are unaware of the fact that their inherited religion is of superstition and dogmas based on imagination. They think whatever they have inherited from their forefathers as the ultimate truth.

After the  2nd century,  there were many adulteration and reforms in Indian societies and there were saints who formed their own religious sects and castes and codes of conduct, and many new belief systems were formed within India. Each sect has its own founder. Thus, the whole Indian society was divided into many sects and creeds creating separation in society. All these diverse groups of caste, sect, and creed together are called Hinduism. The Vedic religion or Santana Dharma does not exist today. The followers of Vedas today indulge in non-Vedic activities barred by Vedas in the name of Vedas.

The seeker of truth has to be free from all the baggage of religious superstition and dogmas.   The Orthodox people impose and brainwash their orthodox ideas on their children.  Orthodoxy is the  Self-imposed prison. 

Orthodox people are ignorant people. There is no truth in orthodoxy, which is based on the false self (ego or you) within the false experience (waking).   

Orthodox people without realizing the fact that, they are on the wrong path and they think they are on the right path to Moksha because it is written in their scriptures. All these dualistic scriptures and mythological stories are nothing but imagination.

How can you see and meet God without knowing what God is in actuality? By praying and meditating on God without knowing what God really is, leads to hallucination.    The world in which you exist hides God.

Religious Gods are not God in truth. One must know God in truth.

That is why 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 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.

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. 

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 nondual reality. (Chandogya Upanishad). 

No conceptual God can exist, apart from the Atman, which is present in the form of consciousness. Thus, the consciousness is God in truth.

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.

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.  

Ishopanishad: ~ “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."

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

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

Remember:~

Religion is nothing to do with Advaita. Advaitic sect belongs to religion. Advaita is pure spirituality. Advaitic sect is dualistic is nothing to do with the Advaitic truth which is hidden by the illusion.

Mixing religion and spirituality is like mixing oil and water.

Religion is regarded as sacred and real by the common people, by the wise as false, and by the political as useful.

The religion and its sects are based on form, time, and space whereas the Spirituality is based on the Atman the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Religions hold birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. From the ultimate standpoint, the world in which we exist is an illusion created out he the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

 The seeker must know the difference between religion and spirituality. Many people think the religion itself as spirituality.

Spirituality leads to discovering the truth which is hidden by the form, time, and space.

Advaita is universal. Advaita is not for sale. Do not buy Advaita from the spiritual supermarket. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the innermost Self.

The world in which you exist is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Knowledge of the single stuff is Advaitic wisdom.

Advaitic truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to realize because you have accumulated mental garbage from different sources in the name of Advaita. Until you discard all the accumulated knowledge you will never be able to realize the Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the 'Self' shines in its own awareness when wisdom dawns.

The Advaita is the Soul is the cause and the support of all that exists in the world in which we exist.

The Advaita is present in the form of consciousness. Advaita is the root element of the universe. From the Advaita, the universe comes into existence. In the Advaita, the universe resides. And into the Advaita, the universe is dissolved. The Advaita is the parent of all that is there is. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

All accumulated knowledge is of no use to realize the Advaitic truth beyond the form, time and the space.+

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. 

The religious and yogic path is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. The path of wisdom is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

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  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.

There is no need to buy 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 the Advaitic wisdom.  That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sri, Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and scriptures.

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by 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: ~ VC-65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

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