The universe in which you exist itself is an illusion.+

The universe in which you exist itself is an illusion.  You are not the Self. You are part and parcel of the illusion.  The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. 

The Soul is the witness of the illusion (the universe in which you exist).  The universe appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).  From the standpoint of the Soul, the three states are one in essence.  

The man is blind because he is part of the dualistic illusion. None can see the Soul, the  Self in the dualistic illusion. Very few will be able to grasp the truth beyond the form, time, and space, the rest are immersed in the illusory experience of the birth, life, death and the world.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world, is an illusion because the Soul is not an individual.    The birth, life, death and the world exist only in the domain of the form, time, and space.

The form, time and space are an illusion created out of single clay. That single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, it is very much necessary to realize the Self is not the ‘I’ but the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the ‘I’. 

The Soul is permanent and eternal truth or Brahman or God in truth.  The birth, life, death and the world are a reality within the waking experience but the waking experience is itself is the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion appears as ‘I’ and disappears as the Soul, the Self.

The Soul is unborn and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless and spaceless existence.

Those who think the birth, life, and death as a reality are unaware of the fact that their existence is a reality within the dualistic illusion. 

A person, who stamped his foot on the ground to refute to show the world, is real, ignores that in the dream he would do exactly the same ~ stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar  

A Gnani’s attention is fixed on the Soul.+

Just as rainwater falling on a mountain peak runs down the rocks in all directions, even so, is the dispersed who sees only the diversity and manyness of the world and does not grasp the Oneness of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  The nature of the Soul is the fullness of consciousness.

As pure water poured into pure water becomes one with it, so also the one who knows ‘Self is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness become one with the  Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness along with the world in which he existed.  

He who realizes Soul as the Self-liberated from the bonds of ignorance, he becomes free from experiencing the illusory form, time, and space as a reality.

A Gnani’s attention is fixed on the Soul. He is free of ignorance.  He is in solitude in the midst of the dualistic illusion. His quest is over.  He has reached the highest goal. 

When the Soul is mentally separated from the illusion by realizing the illusion too is nothing but consciousness then there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Chandogya Upanishad: ~   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.

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

A Gnani has turned away his attention from the world in which he exist and fixes his attention of the Soul alone enters the awareness of the Soul.+

A Gnani has turned away his attention from the world in which he exists and fixes his attention of the Soul alone enters the awareness of the Soul.

The yogis who think the practice of Yoga and meditation as final will not be able to enter self-awareness.  The intellectual who is busy with his intellectual speculation cannot attain self-awareness

The ego is the individual self. The ego is the false self within the dualistic illusion.  The ego is not the Soul, the universal Self.  The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in the dualistic illusion or Maya.

The Soul is light and the ‘I’ is the shade. 

The Soul is the subject and ‘I’ is an object.

The Soul is the seer and the ‘I’ is the Seen.

The Soul is the witness and the ‘I’ is the witnesses.

The Soul is real and ‘I’ is an illusion.

The Soul is wisdom and the ‘I’ is ignorance.

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

Till one holds the ‘I’-centric Gurus and their teaching as ultimate he will remain in the web of the ignorance.+

Some Gurus in the past glorified the ‘I’. People are stuck with the ‘I’ because they accepted their Gurus world is final and ultimate.  Till one holds the ‘I’ based Gurus and their teaching as ultimate he will remain in the web of ignorance.  There is no need to convince such a mindset.

Self-awareness is the highest.  Without knowing the ‘I’ is an illusion it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra)

The ‘I’ 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 ‘I’, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

Without realizing the ‘I’ is an illusion to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’, how is one to achieve freedom from the illusion by the mere utterance of the word ‘I am that’? ~ It would result merely in an effort of speech.

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

Without realizing the ‘I’ is an illusion you will never be able to unfold the truth hidden by the ‘I’.

Ignorance is the cause of the sense of separation of form, time, and space from another. The Self is not you. Your body is not the Self.  The Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The five elements are nothing to do with the Soul, the Self.

Realize the Soul, the Self as the witness.  The Soul, the witness is the subject. The ‘I’ is an object to the Soul, which is the subject.

The ‘I’ appears and disappears whereas the Soul the subject is permanent and eternal.

The nature of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is awareness.

Mentally separate the subject (Soul) from the object (‘I’) by realizing what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality. Without perfect understanding, you will not be able to get a firm conviction of ‘what is real and what is an illusion.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present only when the world is present. The world is present only when there is the waking experience.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the waking experience is not considered different from the world. The world is not considered different from the mind. The mind is not considered different from the’ I’. This truth has to be assimilated.

The ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. ‘I’ is not the subject. The ‘I’ is an object to the Soul, which is the formless, timeless, and spaceless subject.

If the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul then from the standpoint of the Soul, the  Self: ~

Where is the ‘I’?

Where is the ego?

Where is the body?

Where is the mind?

Where is the world in which you exist?

Where are the form, time, and space?

Where is the waking experience?

Where is the duality?

Where is void?

They are or have become one with the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the world in which you exist is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then three states, are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the form, time, and space are bound to be an illusion.

If I’ is an illusion then the individual experience of birth, life, death is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the words and thoughts are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the duality is bound to be an 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 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, 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 it 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 

The true nature of Moksha or freedom.+

How to attain Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  It is only those that seek the truth they alone take to the Atmic path.

Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find it, they will realize the world in which they exist is an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The knowledge of both matter and spirit is the Self- knowledge or Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana.   The world in which you exist is an illusion created out of the Soul, the Spirit, or the consciousness.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant for those who are seriously seeking the truth. Patience and humility are the main ingredients in the path of truth

The true nature of Moksha or freedom:~

The real Moksha or freedom is to realize the fact that ‘I’ consciousness is mere physical awareness. Physical awareness is present in form, time, and space. The form, time, and space are present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality)     Physical awareness is not Self-awareness. Self–awareness is when the formless Soul or consciousness remains aware of its own non-dual true nature.

Religious people think  Mukthi or liberation is attained if one goes to die in Kashi, some say Mukti is gotten after death. Some say it is achieved if they indulge in good karmas and rituals and dip in the holy river Ganga and so on.

Sage Sankara: ~   “VC ~ “Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us the knowledge of our own Self.  The firm conviction of the nature of the Self is seen to proceed from inquiry along the lines of the salutary advice of the wise. 

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.

Fortunate is the one who does not lose themselves in the orthodoxy. Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to and realizes the truth, which is hidden by the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion.

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

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ “One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. (Bhaja Govindam)

Thus, the path of wisdom is the only means. Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and the witness of the universe (mind).  By tracing the source of the mind or the universe, one will be able to realize the Brahman.

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ “Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only by means of inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia. 

Sage Sankara: -  Loud speech, a profusion of words, and possessing skilfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned.  They do not lead to liberation."

Due to the absence of proper guidance, many have been deluding and fallen prey to a false sense of Mukti and only a few will be able to cross the ocean of ignorance and realize what is this Mukthi or freedom supposed to be.

Real Moksha or  liberation is:~

Liberation: From the ignorance.

Liberation from ignorance means liberation from the ‘I’.

Liberation from the ‘I’ means liberation from the mind.

Liberation from mind means liberation from form, time, and space.

Liberation from form, time, and space means liberation from the universe

Liberation from the universe means liberation from the waking experience.

Liberation from the waking means liberation from the experience of birth, life, and death.

Liberation from the experience of birth, life, and death means liberation from the dualistic illusion.

Liberation from the dualistic illusion means liberation from falsehood.

Liberation from falsehood means establishing in the reality which is hidden by the ‘I’.

The Soul is hidden by the dualistic illusion.  As flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their names and forms, the Soul, the Self frees itself from the ‘I', which is the dualistic illusion, and attains freedom or Mukti from experiencing the dualistic illusion  (world) as a reality.

He who knows the truth of his true existence verily becomes one with it. He overcomes grief caused by experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. He is fully aware of the fact that the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. the Soul, the Self is immortal.

Having realized the Soul as the Self, the Gnani become satisfied with that Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Katha Upanishad says:~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Ch II-5 P-14)

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

Hold on to Sage Sankara’s yardstick and discriminate to realize the real which is hidden by unreal.+

If you are a seeker of truth then you must seek only truth nothing but the truth. You will be distracted and you will find no time for this search after the Advaitic Gnana or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana

People who have any other object in views such as name or fame or prosperity then the Atmic path is not for them. Such people are not attracted to the Atmic path and they are holy beggars ready with begging bowls begging to their belief of God to fulfill their desires and they are unaware of the fact that their God of belief is not God in truth.

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 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.

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)

All the God and Goddesses people worship are religious beliefs. Whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person within the dualistic illusion (world) is a falsehood.

Thus, whatever belongs to the falsehood has to be discarded in order to realize the truth which is hidden by the dualistic illusion.

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)

The starting point of your spiritual journey is discrimination between the real and unreal.

To discriminate you must know what is unreal to realize what is real. Without knowing what is unreal, you will not have a yardstick to discriminate.

There is no need to search for the truth because Sage Sankara has declared what is real and what is unreal 1400 years back.

Atman is Brahman ~ “The Soul is the ultimate truth

Jagan Mithya ~ “The world is unreal

Hold on to Sage Sankara’s yardstick, and discriminate to realize the real which is hidden by unreal. Mentally hold on to the real and drop the unreal to enter the awareness of the Soul in the midst of the unreality.

If you have the humility to accept the truth patience, sincerity, and seriousness in your quest for truth then you will be able to realize the truth, which is hidden by the unreal world in which you exist.

Your ‘I' know the attitude, your habitual argumentative attitude, your scriptural mastery, and your accumulated knowledge block you from acquiring Self.-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Tripura Rahasya: ~ Second-hand knowledge of the Self-gathered from books or Gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. Realize yourself, turning the mind inward. (18: 89)

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

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

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

People talk about experiencing the reality they are unaware of the fact that their own existence is a reality within the dualistic illusion.+

People talk about experiencing the reality they are unaware of the fact that their own existence is a reality within the dualistic illusion. Their individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world is a reality within the dualistic illusion. How can they experience the reality which is free from the illusory form, time, and space?

Experience implies duality. Without duality, there is no experience. The duality hides reality. Reality is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Self-realization is not an experience. Self-realization is realizing the ‘Self’ is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Sages of truth did not call it Self –experience but they called it  Self-realization.

Experiencing the ‘Self’ is the religious and yogic fable. Only in the religious and yogic path, do people talk about experiencing the ‘Self.

The Soul, the ‘Self’ cannot be experienced because the ‘Soul, the Self is prior to any experience. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is not an individual to experience because the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which you exist.

The world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul is the root element of the universe. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Soul, the universe comes into existence. In the Soul, the universe resides. And into the Soul, the universe dissolves. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the parent of all that is present as the universe. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

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).

Chandogya Upanishad: ~ sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ All this (universe) is verily Brahman (consciousness). 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.

Consciousness is the only reality in which the universe exists, to which the universe belongs; from which the universe has emerged, which is the cause of the universe and which itself is uncaused. Thus, the universe is nothing but consciousness.

Remember:~

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

Anubhav in the Advaitic contest is not an experience but it is the realization of the 'Self' hidden by the dualistic illusion (Maya or world). Remember the 'Self', not an individual but the Self is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. the experience is possible only in the domain of form, time, and space. In reality, the form, time, and space are one in essence.

Sage Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis (“Definition of one's own Self." Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works”

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

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

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

Sage Sankara: ~ 'Like a servant who carries a lamp in front of you to find your way, and you have found it, so becomes the Veda to that person. What is the Veda? ~ utterances of those who have known the Truth. Here is one who has known the Truth; why should he or she depend upon the Veda further? Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration. The Upanishad itself says that the 'words are only so much of distraction for such minds'

Upanishads:~ 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)

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

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

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

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

That is why Sage  Sankara says:~ V C:~65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

Sage Sankara says: ~ What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra).

The "Self" cannot be experienced because the experience is possible only in the realm of duality. There is neither experience nor experiencer in reality. In Self-awareness, the body, ego, and the world are not considered different from consciousness.

The experience and experiencer exist within the domain of form, time, and space. The form, time, and space are within the domain of the dualistic illusion.

To experiencer must have a form, without the form the experience is impossible? The experience is impossible without the form, time and space. The experiencer and the experience are one, in essence. The essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space. All the division in consciousness is merely an illusion. Thus, other than consciousness all else is merely an illusion. The illusion is also consciousness because it is created out of consciousness.:~Santthosh Kumaar