Scriptures mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of the Ultimate Truth or Brahman.+

Swami Vivekananda:~ Vedanta does not believe in the book. It denies the authority of any book over any other book. It denies emphatically any one book contains all the truths about God, Soul, the ultimate reality.

Those of you who have read Upanishads remember that again and again, “Not by reading books can we realize the Self”

Second, it finds veneration for some particular person still more difficult to uphold. Those of you who are a student of Vedanta – Vedanta is always meant Upanishads- know that this is the only religion that does not cling to any person.

Not one man or woman has become object worship among the Vedantins. 

You see how very little room there is Vedanta for any man to stand ahead of us and for us to worship him. Vedanta does not give you that. No book, no man to worship nothing.  

A still greater difficulty is about God. if you want to be democratic in this country.   It is a democratic God that Vedanta teaches.  ~ (Is Vedanta in future religion? BY Swami Vivekananda –lecture – San Francisco on April 8, 1900)

Scriptures mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of the 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.

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

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

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

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.  Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures to acquire non-dual wisdom.  That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sri, Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and scriptures.

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

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

That is why Sage Sankara said: ~ Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way. (1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25

Even Upanishads clearly declare: ~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remember:~

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

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

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

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

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

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

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

It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again till it becomes reality.+

Swami Vivekananda: ~Jñāna Yoga is divided into three parts. First: hearing the truth--that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Maya. Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view. Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal. 

It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’. People need reading and hearing the words of wisdom to think reason and reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end. 

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ through deeper thinking and reasoning helps to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Where there is ‘I’ then there is the mind.

Where there is mind then there is ignorance.

Where there is ignorance then there is duality.

Where there is duality then there is an illusion.

Where there is an illusion then there is form, time, and space.   

Where there is,  form, time and space there is the world in which you exist.

Remember:~

Where there is no ‘I’ then there is no mind.

Where there is no mind then there is no ignorance.

Where there is no ignorance then there is no duality.

Where there is no duality then there is no illusion.

Where there is an illusion then there is form, time, and space. 

Where there is form, time and space then there is no world in which you exist.

 The mind, ignorance, duality, illusion, form, time and space, the world in which you exist are present only when ‘I’ is present.

The mind, ignorance, duality, illusion, form, time and space, the world in which you exist are absent when the ‘I’ is absent.

Where there is no there is no world in which you exist then the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness alone exists.  When the Soul alone remains in its own awareness is called Self-awareness.  

The Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman.  The Soul is in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self -evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the Soul because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. The Soul is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs.   The Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness (spirit), is the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Brahman is God in truth. 

Remember:~ 

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

Many Gurus describes to 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 in order 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 teachings seem essentially negative, potent but bitter medicine for those imprisoned by institutional cults. They break the disciple's bonds but then lead him to a vast desert where they abandon him.

The ‘I’ is blocking your realization of truth. The ‘I-centric' teachings have to be discarded in order to realize the Advaitic reality.

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

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole.

Where there is ‘I’ there is ignorance.

Where there is ignorance there is separation.

Where there is a separation there is duality.

Where there is duality there is an illusion.

Where there is illusion there is mind.

Where there is mind there is the universe.

Where there is universe there is waking or dream.

Where there is universe there is waking or dream there is form, time, and space.

Remember:~

Where there is no ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Where there is no ignorance there is no separation.

Where there is no separation there is no duality.

Where there is no duality there is no illusion.

Where there is no illusion there is no mind.

Where there is no mind there is no universe.

Where there is no universe there is no waking or dream.

Where there is no waking or dream there is no form, time, and space

When there are no divisions of the form, time, and space, there is the Advaitic reality.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what leads to the realization of Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Without knowing ‘what mind is in actuality how you can know the consciousness? Playing with words is not spirituality. Consciousness is the cause of the mind and it itself is uncaused.

Preaching teaching is not wisdom. only through perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what leads to the realization of the truth, which is hidden within the form, time, and space and it is without the form, time, and space.

The consciousness is not an object but it’s the subject. Knowledge of both object and subject is ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

It is for the seeker to go on his own and remove all the obstacles, which is blocking the realization of the truth.+

It is for the seeker to go on his own and remove all the obstacles, which is blocking the realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space

The greatest hindrance is mixing religion, God, scriptures, and yogic theories. Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal God, and religious code of conduct keep one permanently in the grip of the dualistic illusion.

Embark on the journey of the truth; it frees the Soul from the illusion of form, time, and space.

When you finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Self-inquiry is to realize the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘self is the ‘I-LESS Soul’, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Remember: ~

You are not the ‘Self.

You are bound by form, time, and space.

 You are bound by the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

 You are never free because the world in which you exist is the product of ignorance. 

It is not you who is in ignorance but it is the Soul, which is in ignorance of its own true nature. When the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance and remains in its own awareness the world in which you exist becomes one with Soul-awareness. 

When ignorance vanishes through wisdom then the world in which you exist never again prevails as a reality.  

The world in which you exist is created out of single clay. That single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  The Soul is the Self. The Soul is not ‘I’. The Soul is the witness of the ‘I’ which appears and disappears.

The Soul is the only permanent thing and the ‘I’ is merely an illusion. If you do not understand this truth you will never be able to cross the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion.

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. 

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, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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 as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such mindsets. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth. 

Advaita is the true nature of existence.  The ‘I’ hides the Advaitic reality. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of consciousness, which is Advaita. Consciousness is Advaita because it is second to none. 

 The world in which you exist is the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness, which is Advaita.   The Advaita (non-duality) is real and eternal the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion. 

Holding ‘I’ as the ‘Self’ is the cause of ignorance. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion. Stop identifying the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’. Till you identify the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ the Soul will remain in the cage of ignorance. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but ‘I’ is the dualistic illusion.+

The ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but ‘I’ is the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the world in which you exist. The world in which you exist appears as waking experience (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (Nonduality). 

Realizing the ‘Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul is real freedom from experiencing the dualistic illusion (the world in which we exist) as a reality.

Thoughtless awareness comes only when there is oneness in awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion exists as a reality until ignorance is there. Ignorance will vanish only when the non-dualistic 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 consciousness.   Thus, realizing consciousness alone is real and all the three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness leads to nondual Self-awareness.  

Remember:~ 

The mind is the product of ignorance. Without ignorance, the mind ceases to exist as the mind.

The mind is present in the form of ‘I’. Thus mind (I) itself is ignorance. Till the mind is there the universe is there. Until the universe is there the waking experience is there.

Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, it is possible to get rid of ignorance and realize the fact that the form, time, and space are one in essence. That essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the ‘Self’, the mind (I) is merely an illusion. Thus, a perfect understanding and firm conviction are required to know ‘what is what” in order to realize ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ (illusion).

All accumulated bookish knowledge is only intellectual wealth. Intellectual wealth is mental garbage.

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.

When you finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you, your experience birth, life, death, and world mere an illusion created out of the consciousness, the consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in 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.

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 created out of the consciousness. Without or without waking, consciousness will prevail as consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

There are three kinds of aspirants.+

Sage  Sankara said:~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

 There are three kinds of aspirants:  ~ 

1. The ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices follow a religion.

2. Middling intellect who desire peace and well-being follow the yogic path or meditation.

3. The most advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth follows the Atmic path. The Atmic path with its emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom is meant for those who wish to go beyond the form, time, and space.

Only through deeper self-search beginners and intermediates gradually become aware ‘what is what’. Only after they have realized the fact that the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness,  they are ready for the inner journey towards reality, which is beyond the form, time, and space. 

Upanishad says: ~ “They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

If you are seeking truth you have to realize the  ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Sage Sankara says the world is an illusion; it includes birth, life, and death, which happens within the world.  Thus, the seeker's main aim is to mentally trace the formless substance of the illusion, which is also the witness of the illusion

Sage Sankara, 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.

Thus, it proves that religion is not the means to ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Because Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is universal knowledge meant for humanity. Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana does not belong to any religion. 

Lecture consisting of a shower of ornamental words, the skill in expounding the accumulated bookish knowledge, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but it is not Gnana or wisdom.

The accumulated scriptural and bookish knowledge is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

To get rid of ignorance, the only remedy is the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. There is no need to study the scriptures in order to get rid of ignorance. The scriptures itself declare this valuable truth. 

Without direct realization, one cannot be liberated from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

From the standpoint of the Soul, the ‘Self’: ~ There is nothing to accept, Nothing to reject.+

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is not teaching or philosophy but Advaita is the universal wisdom. Advaitic wisdom is neither a teaching nor a theory but it is mere guidance to those who are seriously seeking the ultimate truth or Brahman. Grasp the ultimate truth anytime, any age, if the seeker has the spiritual maturity and capacity to grasp it. 

Advaitic wisdom is pure spirituality. Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with religion and yoga.

Hindu religious literature is full of such aphorisms as ' there is no higher deity than the Guru; the Guru is the ultimate Truth and Deity. God and Avatars (incarnations) are secondary to the Guru in importance; there is no higher refuge, no higher target, no higher destination than the Guru; the Guru is God Himself; God and the Guru are one; he who makes a distinction between the Guru and God is ignorant and stupid; and scores of similar others. They abound both in Sanskrit and in modern Indian languages.

All Guru-oriented paths and practices belong to religion and yoga. Do not be a slave of the Gurus' ornamental words if you do you will be caught up in a hallucination.  Do not waste time with those who propagate half-baked knowledge.

All those whose intelligence has been stolen by hallucinations follow the Gurus and their teaching.

The Orthodox people are more enslaved than others because they live in ‘Self’-imposed prison. A householder may have a little freedom, but the Gurus, Yogis Saints are more stuck with their own idea of truth than others. Orthodoxies are just blind followers of tradition. They cannot move freely, they cannot sit freely, they cannot live freely.

Many people pretend they are ‘Self’-realized just by being Orthodox one cannot get Gnana. Yogi practices Samadhi he will not get rid of the ignorance. Everyone has their own idea of Gnana.

Remember:~ 

The most important thing is that neither society nor politics nor any religion has anything to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. ‘Self’ –Knowledge helps the seeker transcend emotion, transcending form, time, and space. Perhaps this is why the Atmic path, has not had much impact.

The path of wisdom is the inner (mental) journey. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana and wisdom are one and the same thing. 

Without an intense urge, it is difficult to tread this path. Self-realization is not experienced because the ‘Self’ is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul, the  ‘Self’ cannot be experienced because it is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is prior to any experience. The experience is possible only in dualistic illusion. The world in which you exist is the dualistic illusion. 

Consciousness is the cause of the dualistic illusion or Maya and it itself is uncaused. Consciousness is the only real thing within the dualistic illusion. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Advaitic truth is not for synthesis – it is an uncontradictable truth and it is the ultimate truth. The Advaitic truth is just as it is, without any artifice or coloring.

The knower of Advaitic truth is not concerned about the listener, he does not care whether his listener will understand or not. The pure expression of truth comes from the source of his existence.

From  the standpoint of the Soul, the ‘Self’: ~

There is nothing to accept,

Nothing to reject,

Nothing to hold on to,

Nothing to let go of,

Nothing to grasp,

Nothing to spurn,

Nothing to embrace,

Nothing to relinquish,

Nothing to dissolve

Because the Soul is free from the illusory form, time, and space. Only within the dualistic illusion, the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is caught up in the illusory experience of the form, time, and space. This is the truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Advaitic Wisdom liberates the Soul, the 'Self' from the cage of the illusory form, time and space.+

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

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

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

Advaitic Wisdom liberates the Soul, the ‘Self’  from the cage of the illusory form, time, and space. Advaitic truth is the truth of the whole, not the part.

In reality, there is nothing that exists other than consciousness. Only in ignorance, there is diversity. All three states are the product of ignorance. In the state of ignorance, one thinks of his body as the body, the ego as the ego the world in which he exists as the world.

In ignorance, one has the urge to search for the truth of his true existence. When the waking entity (you) indulges in deeper self-search and becomes aware of the fact that the ‘Self’  is neither the waking entity nor the  ‘Self’  is a dream entity, but the  ‘Self’  is the formless substance and witness of the three states. That formless substance and witness are one, in essence, and that essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus,  consciousness alone is real and all the three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Therefore, there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

The waking is created out of consciousness.

The dream is created out of consciousness

In deep sleep,  consciousness is free of the waking or dream

The three states cease to exist without consciousness. When there is no ignorance, then there is neither waking nor dream nor deep sleep, the Advaita is the very nature of consciousness.

The waking experience is the state of ignorance because it is the product of ignorance. We are discussing consciousness within the waking experience because we are unaware of the fact that the waking experience itself’ an illusion. :~Santthosh Kumaar