Read, reason, reflect again and again the words of wisdom, until the Advaitic truth becomes firm in your subconscious.+

Read, reason, reflect again and again the words of wisdom,  until the Advaitic truth becomes firm in your subconscious.

Realize the ‘Self’ is not you, but the Soul is the Self. The Soul the ‘Self’, witnesses you and your experience of the world. 

Sage Sankara:~  VC~ 294 But the real  ‘Self’  witnesses the ego etc. and is always there, even in deep sleep. "It is Unborn, Eternal," as the Sruti itself says. It is the inmost Self, different from the (relative) truth and untruth.

Sage Sankara explains darkness and light are distinct from each other in their nature and in their functions. Darkness has no existence of its own; it is merely the absence of light, whereas, the light is positive and helps vision. Darkness and light can neither coexist nor share their functions or nature. Darkness is an error that can be removed.

The main purpose of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is to provide the Knowledge that will eliminate ignorance, which hides the reality of the true existence, which is without the form, time, and space. 

Ignorance is the cause of the superimposition of the dualistic illusion on the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The world in which we exist is not an intellectual construct but a superimposition of the dualistic illusion on the Soul, the Self.

Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the unreal nature of the world in which we exist is exposed.

It is only a matter of realization of truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Within the dualistic illusion we mistake one thing and its attributes for another; superimposing one level of reality over others. This we do every day because we see the world from a dualistic perspective.

Individual experiences in the world are based on a dualistic perspective. Individual experience of the world is the product of ignorance.  Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the world in which we exist as a reality.  

The world in which we exist is the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is superimposed on the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what' helps to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Remember:~ 

Make sure ‘what is this ‘I’, supposed to be in actuality.

The Self is not ‘I’.

The ‘I’ is not the Soul, the  Self.

The ‘I’ is the mind.

The mind is the universe.

The universe appears as waking or dream (duality).

The waking is a parallel dream

The dream is a parallel waking.

The ‘I’ appears and disappears.

Remember:~

      When ‘I’ appears then the mind appears. 

When ‘I’ disappears then the mind disappears. 

When the mind appears then the universe appears.

When the mind disappears then the universe disappears.

When the universe appears then the waking appears

When the universe disappears then the waking disappears.

Whatever prevails without the ‘I’ is the Soul, which is the cause of the ‘I’ and it itself is uncaused. The ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the  Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani)

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ “If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," if you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take 'I' as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such a mindset. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

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.

People refuse to accept anything other than their Gurus words. For them, their Gurus words are the ultimate truth. They do not accept anything else other than their accepted truth. There is no need to convince such a mindset.

Such a mindset is not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seekers of truth accept only the truth nothing but the uncontradictable truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara was criticized for his views on Maya (illusion) without understanding him.+

Sage Sankara was criticized for his views on Maya (illusion) without understanding him.

Sage  Sankara said: ~

(1) Brahman (Atman) is real

(2) The universe is unreal

(3) Brahman is the universe.

He did not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the ‘Self’ and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self. Hence, Maya or illusion and reality are one and the same.

The realists criticize the concept of illusion without understanding it. 

Sage Sankara said: ~

(1) Consciousness (Atman) is real

(2) The universe or mind is unreal

(3) Consciousness is the universe because the universe is an illusion created out of consciousness.

One need not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the Self (Atman or consciousness) and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self (consciousness). Hence, illusion and reality are one and the same because both are one in essence. Realizing the essence, which is consciousness as the innermost Self, is Self-Realization or Truth-Realization of God-Realization. 

Thus, Sage Sankara‘s declaration is the rational truth, scientific truth, and also the ultimate truth.

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.

Remember:~

In Self-awareness-- the witness and witnessed are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Thus, whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person is a reality within the waking experience (duality) but waking experience (duality) itself is merely an illusion.

The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the innermost Self. The Soul is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

What is not consciousness (formless) in the three states because the three states are created out of consciousness? The three states cease to exist without consciousness. The seeker, seeking and his destination all are one in essence.

There is only a need to realize the whole universe in which we exist is created out of the Soul or the consciousness. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the universe is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul the Self, no second thing exists other than consciousness. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman God in truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

People believe that a Guru or mystic or priest has got so many followers and therefore there must be some truth in their teaching.+

People believe that a Guru or mystic or priest has got so many followers and therefore there must be some truth in their teaching, which is a common fallacy accepted by the mass due to their inherited samskara or conditioning. It proves only an ignorant can find a number of greater ignorant to follow him.

The path of love and humanism is the religious path. The path of love and humanism is not the Atmic path. The path of love and humanism is very valuable in practical life in the dualistic world.    The path of love and humanism is not the Atmic path.  The Atma is God in truth, one without the second.  In reality, there is no second thing that exists other than Atma, which is  God in truth. 

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (10):~  Ignorant fools, regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest, do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed their reward on the heights of heaven, gained by good works, they enter again this world or a lower one.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ In this state a father is no father, a mother no mother, Gods no Gods, no Vedas. In this state, a thief is no thief, the killer of a noble Brahmana no killer, a monk no monk, a hermit no hermit. This form of his is untouched by good work and untouched by evil work, for he is then beyond all the woes of his intellect.  ~(4.3.22)

Many Gurus instead of encouraging seekers to seek the truth, they inject their own theories to keep them hallucinating of talking love and compassion, which belongs to the dualistic illusion.  It escapes the mechanism and makes the seeker hopeless, helpless, and lazy to seek the truth he is seeking for.

A Gnani uses love and compassion for the practical purpose but he is fully aware they are not of any use to realize the truth hidden by the dualistic illusion (universe).

Love and compassion are needed in practical life within the practical world.  However, from the ultimate standpoint, the practical life within the practical world is merely an illusion. In reality, there is only the Soul, the one without the Second.

The seeker of truth must know for his own information, the truth in God is not a religious God, which they believe and worship.  The beliefs propagated by the religion of their individualized God are superstitions. Such Gods have no place in truth.  

There is no need to condemn those who believe in and follow. Until ignorance, dominate them they will not buzz from their inherited belief.  Everyone is free to follow their chosen path, which makes them happy and gives them satisfaction.

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."

When Upanishads itself says they are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God (Atman) and those who worship things born of matter (illusion)  are sunk deeper in misery then why worship God in place of the real God, which is Atman.

The dualistic worship of personal “Gods” 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.

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

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)

How can you worship God? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshipped, whereas God is nondual. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as apart.

When Upanishads and Vedas declare that, “God is in the form of the Athma, and God is indeed Athma itself” then why accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman.

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

Vedas bars human worship: ~

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

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

The seeker of truth has to accept the truth as God and reject the untruth to realize other than the  Atman the real God alone is real and all else is an illusion created of the Atman, which is  God in truth. 

Atmic path is a very personal path. Without an intense urge, no one can tread this path. It cannot be forced on religious people. Moreover, religious people are not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Even Buddhism is mixed up with regional culture and traditions of the local religion, wherever it existed.+

So-called spiritual paths are useless unless it causes us to seek the truth of our true existence. All controversies about creation, the nature of the universe, evolution, the purpose of God, etc., are useless in the Atmic path.

Buddhism: ~ Buddhist teaching has itself become a kind of interactive and Self -evolving process, much like its idea of pratityasamutpada. However, the end goal is still Nirvana, which is an experience ultimately beyond all concepts and language, even beyond the Buddhist teachings. In the end, even the attachment to the Dharma, the Buddhist teaching, must be dropped like all other attachments. The tradition compares the teaching to a raft upon which one crosses a swift river to get to the other side; once one is on the far shore; there is no longer any need to carry the raft. The far shore is Nirvana, and it is also said that when one arrives, one can see quite clearly that there was never any river at all.

Bhagavan Buddha said: ~Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.

Even Buddhism is mixed up with regional culture and traditions of the local religion, wherever it existed. Thus, to get the full essence from Buddhism is very difficult.

Dalai Lama said:~ Buddhism need not to be the best religion though it is most scientific and religion and inquisitive. But Buddhism has no answer to certain questions like the existence of Atama (Soul) and rebirth. Dali Lama said that as an individual he believes in rebirth as he had come across a few cases of rebirth. Modern science, Dalai Lama hoped would unearth the mystery behind the rebirth. (In DH –dec-212009-Gulbarga).

Buddhism and its relationship with Science are like that of a water and wine, one cannot say there is no water in wine, but when you drink it, it would not be the water but wine... thus Einstein’s view is a water in wine because modern science does not believe in matter but in this religion everything is the matter only"

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting.

Dali Lama: ~ If the scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.

Thoughtless awareness comes only when there is oneness in awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion exists as a reality until the ignorance is there. Ignorance will vanish only when the nondualistic or Advaitic wisdom dawns. The wisdom dawns only when one becomes aware of the fact that the world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of single stuff that is the consciousness.

Thus, by realizing the consciousness alone is and all the three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness leads to nondual self-awareness.

Buddhist Sunyavada is incongruous because every thought has its opposite every word is tied to its coordinate for all thought and speech can only operate under such dualism. Hence, taking the most fundamental word, existence its implied opposite non-existence is also there, and vice versa. Therefore, the Sunya "non-entity" is meaningless without "entity". Both are there.

Buddhist Idealism speaks only of ideas.

What about the knower of these ideas?

Buddhist Nihilism does not ask, "What is meant by Nihilism?

It is a thought. There must be a thinker of this thought.

Bhagavan Buddha kept silent, refusing to answer questions on the ultimate. Therefore, he was the wisest man in refusing to commit himself.

Zen is quite OK in mentioning non-duality: it is the nearest to Advaita, but it is still inferior because:

(1) It fails to prove non-duality,

(2) It illogically gives ‘Koan’ exercises as a means of attaining that which is beyond attainment, because always here,

(3) It talks about insight or intuition to see Reality when sight involves a second thing, duality.

When you say "Nothing is" what is the meaning of "is"? "Sunya" is something which exists: you cannot prove that consciousness does not exist.

Zen Buddhism gives high importance to place meditation practice. The truth is that Zen advocates the necessity of meditation for those of its adherents who cannot grasp the absolute truth.

Zen Buddhism is also on this lower stage of Yoga because it depends on flashes of Intuition gained by meditation, not by reasoning.

Has the Void a meaning? If so then it is only your imagination.

Bhagavan Buddha gave up yoga after practicing it for six years. He saw it could not yield truth.

Bhagavan Buddha gave up his austerities of yoga as impossible and useless. (Page.70/71 "Buddhism in Translation” by Warren)

Bhagavan Buddha got enlightenment only after he gave up Yoga. Unless you exercise your Buddhi--reason--there is no chance of getting the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. Buddhism is based on form alone, and it does not include the time and space in its investigation.

Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality. Bhagavan Buddha pointed out the unreality of the world. He told people they were foolish to cling to it. But he stopped there. He came nearest to Advaita in speech but not to Advaita fully.

Zen Buddhism Satori is not Advaitic wisdom because it comes as flashes, it does not depend on seeing the world and does not depend upon mental sharpness so much as intuition.

Zen Buddhists are only mystics ~ they do not offer proof. How is their main method different from that of Christian mystics, Hindu mystics, all of whom do not seek to prove by reason, but by "I know," intuition? :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara: ~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman.+

Realize the ‘Self’ is not you but the Soul. This is the truth. Realizing the Soul is God, is your mission.  The Soul is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused.  

The universe is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul) 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)

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ The universe rises from the Soul, the Self like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

The world, in which you exist, is an illusion. The illusion is created out of the Soul, the innermost ‘Self.’ The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.  The one which exists with or without the illusion is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Consciousness alone is.

The Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is the ultimate truth, or Brahman or God there is nothing to renounce the seeker has to get rid of the ignorance. Ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

Bhagvad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

The seeker has to make sure what is this ‘I’ supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’ which comes and goes in order to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self. 

People think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal. 

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," If you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, You are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers. 

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’.  The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

This ignorance can be removed by acquiring Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.+

Ish Upanishad declares ~ “Those people who have neglected the attainment of ‘Self’-knowledge and have thus committed suicide. 

Those people who have neglected the attainment of ‘Self’-knowledge and have thus committed suicide, as it were, are doomed to enter those worlds after death. This is a condemnation of people who do not try to attain ‘Self’-knowledge.

We think of our practical life within the practical world as a reality but it is not so, because the world in which we exist is an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  The Soul is the subjective reality.  The world in which we exist is an object to the Soul, which is the formless subject.

That subjective experience need not be proved or disproved. However, all the confusion it created because of ignorance of the subject hidden by the object. This ignorance can be removed by Advaitic wisdom.

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

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, cannot be negated and that which is beyond contradiction.

The dualistic reality is limited to form, time and space.   From the standpoint of the Soul, the form, time, and space are one in essence.  

Until ignorance is there the form, time and space prevail as a reality.  Ignorance will prevail till you hold the “‘Self’’ as the ‘I’.  if there is no ‘I’  then there is only the Soul, the witness of the coming and going of the ‘I’.

You have got stuck up with the Gurus and their ‘I’ based teaching.  You will never be able to cross the prison of the ‘I’ because you are immersed in worshipping the Gurus instead of completing your journey. Such worship, devotion, and reverence to Gurus will never allow you to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.  

‘I’ is the cause of all contradiction whereas the truth you are seeking is beyond all contradictions. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is infinite.

 There are two dimensions of reality.  The dualistic and nondualistic reality, it does not mean they are two orders of reality. They are only two perspectives. Whatever that is there is real and is unaffected by our views.

Remember:~

 The dualistic reality is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is the non-dualistic reality. 

The Soul which is caught up in ignorance; encounters the dualistic illusion (form, time, and space). However, the Soul, in reality, is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.  

The Soul is infinite. The infinite ‘Self’, is perceived as limited to form, time and space.   The illusory form, time, and space are superimposed on the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  In reality, the form, time, and space are made of the same clay, which the consciousness.  Thus the consciousness alone is real and eternal and the form, time, and space are merely an illusion.

You are being an individual-in-the-world you are unaware of the fact that the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘‘Self’ is the Soul, which is the cause of the world in which you exist. Thus, the ‘‘Self’’ is not an individual because it is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. 

The Soul is originally a pure, transcendental consciousness is taken it is due to ignorance that hides the Soul, the ‘Self’ that the individual fails to see the nexus between the Soul and the world in which he exists.

That nexus indicates the oneness underlying the subject-object, inner-outer distinctions. All that is required is to remove the error and the Soul will shine on its own accord.

The water in the pond is clear and undisturbed. One can see the bottom of the pond through its still water. When, however, pebbles are thrown into the pond, the water in it is disturbed and the bottom of the pond becomes no longer visible. That bottom, however, is there all the time and it remains unchanged, no matter whether the surface water is disturbed or not. The water in the pond is the transactional world. The bottom of the pond is the transcendental reality. The disturbance created is ignorance.

Remember:~

The seeker has to mentally recognize subjective and objective reality.  The objective reality is merely an illusion from subjective reality.  The objective reality never exists from the standpoint of subjective reality. The subjective reality is the fullness of consciousness.  

Objective reality is merely an illusory division of form, time, and space created on subjective reality.

The objective reality is superimposition over the subjective reality.  The objective reality (world) seems as real, but it actually is unreal.

The superimposition of the illusory form, time, and space on the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the cause of ignorance. When the ignorance is removed through Advaitic wisdom than the illusory division form, time and space never again prevail as a reality same way as the dream never becomes a reality when the waking takes place.

The superimposition of the illusory form, time, and space become one with the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

By constantly repeating ‘I THAT”   ‘I AM THIS Who AM ‘I, without realizing what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality, the ignorance becomes more and more deep-rooted, Then it becomes impossible to come out of the prison the intoxication of the ‘I’.

The Soul is the not ‘I’, but the Soul is the witness of the ‘I’. The ‘I’, which appears and disappears is not permanent. The Soul, the Self is eternal. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana will dispel the clouds hiding the path to Liberation.+

Just the way Light destroys the Darkness. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana will dispel the clouds hiding the path to Liberation.

Humility, patience seriousness, sincerity, and an intense urge to realize the truth of his true existence will help the seeker to remove all the obstacles and show the path to liberation.

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is hidden by ignorance. Through Self-knowledge the ignorance vanishes. The Soul remains in its own awareness without ignorance. In self-awareness, the Soul shines as the fullness of consciousness, without the illusory division of form, time, and space.

The Soul, which is the fullness of the consciousness alone, is eternal. Self-knowledge removes ignorance. Self-knowledge removes the knowledge of the individual. Thus, the Soul loses the apparent hold of ignorance upon itself. And it frees itself from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality~ that is Liberation.

From the standpoint of the Soul, there is no such thing as internal or external.  Within the dualistic illusion, you create your own set of impressions and experiences and you accept the dualistic illusion as reality.

A personal realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space,   is independent and convincing evidence.

People’s individual experiences cannot be disputed, because the experience they went through was real to them; though that may not be real, from an absolute standpoint.

The seeker has to make a distinction between the dualistic perspective view and the non-dualistic perspective of the worldview to realize ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’.

From the dualistic perspective, the world in which we exist is a reality.

From the non-dualistic perspective, the world in which we exist is an illusion. 

Thus, it is necessary to realize on what standpoint the world in which we exist, is reality and on ‘what standpoint the world in which we exist is an illusion. 

Because you hold the Self’ as ‘I’ you are misled, All this because you are stuck up with some gurus and their teaching as ultimate. There is no Guru whose teaching takes you to realize the Advaitic truth expounded by Sage  Sankara.

Never use the word ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ for identifying the Soul, the  Self because the ‘I’ represents ignorance, illusion, physicality, and duality.

Bhagvad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

The seeker has to make sure what is this ‘I’ supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’ which comes and goes in order to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self.

People think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal.

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," If you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, You are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take 'I' as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such a mindset. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

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.

People refuse to accept anything other than their Gurus words. For them, their Gurus words are the ultimate truth. They do not accept anything else other than their accepted truth. There is no need to convince such a mindset.

Such a mindset is not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seekers of truth accept only the truth nothing but the uncontradictable truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar