Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality. Buddha pointed out unreality of world but he told people they were foolish to cling to it. +

Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality. Buddha pointed out the unreality of the world but 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.

Sage Sankara disagrees with Buddhists who say, there is nothing - a nonentity. Sage  Sankara believes there is some reality, even though things are not what they appear to be. If one knows the truth, he will know what to do to find inspiration for action.  The seeker of truth‘s subject is to know what is it that is Real.

Buddhism says: all things are illusory and nothing exists.  However, Advaita avers that it is not so.  It says that the universe,  of course, is illusory, but there is Brahman (consciousness), that exists forming the very substratum of all things (illusion or universe).

Only when we independently search for the truth without religion and its doctrine then we will be able to realize the truth beyond form, time, and space.

There is no need to study neither Advaita nor Vedas nor Buddhism to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. It is no use going roundabout way; trace the Brahman.

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

Advaita is the next step higher than Buddhism because it gives the missing reason, viz. unity, non-difference from others, and because it explains that it used the concept of removing the sufferings of others, of lifting them up to happiness, only as we use one thorn to pick out another, afterwards throw both away. Similarly, Advaita discards both concepts of misery and happiness in the ultimate standpoint of non-duality, which is indescribable.

Buddhists say that a thing exists only for a moment, and if that thing has still got some of the substance from which it was produced, how then can they deny that its cause is continuing in the effect; hence its existence is more than a moment. Vedanta is concerned with whether it is one and the same thing which has come into being or has it come out of nothing.

Even in 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.

Dalai Lama said:~  Buddhism need not 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). 

Remember:~ 

Critics say Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada borrowed their ideas from Buddhism. But in Manduka (page 281) these two declare they are not Buddhists, only a number of their ideas agree with those of Buddhism, whilst they point out their difference of view from Sunyavada Buddhists and Vijnanavadins. Thus, Sage Sankara, and Sage  Goudpada both agree and disagree with Buddhists.

Sunyavadins say there is nothing, neither matter nor mind: they are nihilists. How do they know the mind ceases to exist? Where is the proof? When you know everything is mind, both the changing forms and the underlying substances how can you posit its real change into nothingness? Mind, Brahman always remains really itself because of its nature. We see change every minute but by an inquiry into the nature of change and cause, we see that it is only when we imagine that there is cause and change.

The distinction between Sage Sankara's Advaita, and Vijnanavadin Buddhism is that the former is mentalism i.e. mind is the real, whereas the latter is idealism, i.e. ideas are real. We follow the former.

Buddhism did not graduate its teaching to suit people of varying grades; hence its failure to affect society in Asia.

Bhagavan Buddha's teachings that all life is misery belongs to the relative standpoint only. For you cannot form any idea of misery without contrasting it with its opposite, happiness. The two will always go together. Buddha taught the goal of cessation of misery, i.e. peace, but took care not to discuss the ultimate standpoint for then he would have had to go above the heads of the people and tell them that misery itself was only an idea, that peace even was an idea (for it contrasted with peacelessness). That the doctrine he gave out was a limited one, is evident because he inculcated compassion. Why should a Buddhist sage practice pity? There is no reason for it. Advaita is the next step higher than Buddhism because it gives the missing reason, viz. unity, non-difference from others, and because it explains that it used the concept of removing the sufferings of others, of lifting them up to happiness, only as we use one thorn to pick out another, afterwards throw both away. Similarly, Advaita discards both concepts of misery and happiness in the ultimate standpoint of non-duality, which is indescribable.

Buddhists say that a thing exists only for a moment, and if that thing has still got some of the substance from which it was produced how then can they deny that its cause is continuing in the effect; hence its existence is more than a moment. Vedanta is concerned with whether it is one and the same thing which has come into being or has it come out of nothing.

Even the Sunyavada ultimate of the "void" is really a breath, and therefore an imagination and not truth.

Bhagavan Buddha as a constructive worker committed an error in failing to give the masses a religion, something tangible they could grasp something materialistic, if symbolic that their limited intellect could take hold of, in addition to his ethics and philosophy.

Sage Sankara gave religion; such as rituals, worship, etc.--to the ignorant masses, as well as Advaitic wisdom to serious and sincere seekers who were receptive.  

Bhagavan Buddha gave as the central feature of his doctrine the great law of Karma in order to reiterate its ethical meaning. He did more good in this to uplift the people than the ritualists.

Zen has failed to influence the Japanese in practicing Zen, whether it is because Zen Buddhism has degenerated into religion instead of philosophy.

Tibetan and Chinese Buddhists who say that there are many Buddhas living in spirit bodies and helping our earth from the spiritual world are still in the sphere of religious illusion, not the ultimate truth. Their statements are wrong. Every sage realizes that the only way to help mankind is to come down amongst them, for which he must necessarily take on flesh-body. When people are suffering how can he relieve their suffering unless he appears amongst them? When people are suffering how can he feed them from an unseen world whether their struggle is for material bread or for spiritual truth? No! He must be here actually in the flesh. It is impossible to help them in any other way and all talk of Shiva living on Mount Kailas in spiritual body or Buddha in Nirmanakaya, invisible body belongs to the realm of delusion or Self-deception.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Unless you realize the Self as the Soul, you are all blinded by the dualistic illusion.+

When you realize the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then whatever is based on you bound to be an illusion created out of consciousness.  The world in which you exist is a reality on the base of the ego (you). 

The world in which you exist is an illusion on the base of the Soul, the  Self. Unless you realize the Self as the Soul, you are all blinded by the dualistic illusion.

If the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul is the Self then: ~    

Where are you?

Where is your ego?

Where is your body?

Where is the world in which you exist?

Where is the duality, where is void; or despair in taintless Soul, the   Self?

They are or have become one with consciousness. 

Everything is, created out of single stuff. And that single stuff is the consciousness then there is no room for any doubt and confusion. Knowledge of the single stuff is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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

The seeker has to get rid of the ignorance, which is present in the form of ‘I’, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.+

The ‘I’ is ignorance. Till one holds the ‘I’ as the Self, it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Thus,   the seeker has to get rid of the ignorance, which is present in the form of ‘I’, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

People who think, the “I” in everyone and everything is the Self, without realizing the ‘I’ is not the Self.

The ‘I’ is not within you, but you exist within the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the world in which you exist.

The ‘I’ disappears as deep sleep, so what is the use of being attached to it? It is impermanent and illusory because ‘I’ is physical awareness. Physical awareness is not Self-awareness. ‘I-less awareness is Self-awareness.

It is erroneous to identify the Soul the innermost Self as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul the innermost Self is not 'I' or I AM’. The Soul the innermost Self, is the witness of the 'I'.

To understand the false nature of the ‘I’, the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary.

The Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the Soul which is the witness of the ‘I’. Holding the ‘I as the 'Self' leads to hallucination based on the imagination.

Remember:~

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’- without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality? Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. If the ‘Self’ is not you then what is the use of you saying ‘I AM THIS ‘or 'I AM THAT' because you are the false self within the dualistic illusion.

When the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance the world in which you exist is merely an illusion. When the Soul remains in its own awareness, the world in which you exist becomes one with the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘I’ is there, then only the mind is present. If the mind is there, then only the universe is present. And the universe is present only when the waking or the dream is present.

One sees differences between things because of ignorance; all these differences would vanish when one gets wisdom and the various thoughts arise because one considers the ‘I’ as the Self.

Holding the ‘Self as ‘I’ blocks you from realizing the Self, which is free from the form, time, and space.

Remember:~

First, make sure the Self is not ‘I’. 

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

The ‘I’ is ignorance.

The ‘I’ is the duality.

The ‘I’ is form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is the universe.

The ‘I’ is waking.

The ‘I’ is the dream.

The ‘I’ is the illusion.

The ‘I’ is the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no duality.

Without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space.

Without the ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there is no waking.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dream.

Without the ‘I’ there is no illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth, life, death, and the world. 

There is something that exists prior to the appearance of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ appears along with the world in which you exist. The Soul, the Self, exists prior to the appearance of the ‘I’ and it prevails even after the disappearance of the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ or the world in which you exist is merely an illusory appearance created out of the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness.  

Thus, the ‘I’ is an illusion and impermanent. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is permanent and eternal.  

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.    

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

Intellectual answers to various questions remain in the domain of form, time, and space. The answers may satisfy one intellectually within the scope of the form, time, and space. The truth is beyond form, time, and space.

The path of wisdom is the Soulcentric path. Thus, egocentric intellectualism is nothing to do with the truth which is beyond form, time, and space. All accumulated dross leads to hallucination. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Mentally reducing the dualistic illusion into nondualistic reality is Advaita.+

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana reveals the knowledge of the imperishable and the eternal Soul, which is the real ‘Self’. In Self-awareness, the Soul is free of the illusory experience of form, time,  and space.

The seeker has to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.     Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is like a boat crossing a river the river of ignorance.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is even greater wealth than the accumulated wealth in the practical world

Consciousness is the ultimate truth. There is no higher truth other than consciousness.  To realize this truth there is no need to follow any path. There is no need to follow anyone. There is no need to become a wandering monk. There is no need to renounce worldly life. Realizing the consciousness (Spirit) is the ultimate in spirituality.

There is nothing else to realize other than realizing there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Realizing the consciousness is second to none is truth realization.

Even if you search for million years you will only come to a final conclusion and realization that the world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness.

If the world, in which you exist is nothing but the consciousness,  then what else is there to realize other than realizing the consciousness alone is real and the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.
If the world in which you exist is merely an illusion the experience of the birth, life, and death that happens in the illusory world is bound to be an illusion.

If the world, in which you exist is an illusion then the division of the form, time, and space is merely an illusion because the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is the Self.  the Soul, the innermost Self is the fullness of the consciousness.
Remember:~
Mentally Reducing the world, in which you exist to consciousness leads to Self-awareness. Realizing the consciousness as the ultimate truth is Advaita. That is mentally reducing the dualistic illusion into a non-dualistic reality is Advaita.
Sage Sankara has declared Advaitic truth 1200 years back but it is hidden and a chosen few will be able to discover the hidden treasure.
Even scientists declare in the future the world is nothing but the consciousness the Sage Sankara alone is qualified for the Nobel Prize, not the scientists because Sage Sankara declared it 1200 years back.
Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify. Advaita is not a theory but Advaita is the rational truth, the scientific truth, and the ultimate truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and the Gurus or religion do not want to inquire into truth and have no time for it.
Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with religion.  Thus, all his religious teaching which is meant for the ignorant populace has to be bifurcated from his wisdom.:~Santthosh Kumaar  

Know the Atman as the Real God not that which people here worship in temples. Vedas, Upanishads confirm the Soul is the real God.+

Know the Atman as the Real God, not that which people here worship in temples.  Vedas, Upanishads confirm the Soul is the real God.

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

The existence of God or no God is only a belief. Belief is not the truth.  Religion imposed people to blindly follow their inherited belief verification. Religion is based on blind belief. Every religion has its own beliefs and dogmas. Religion discourages people to verify whether it is based on truth or not.

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.

Lord Krishna himself says that he can do nothing to make a man intelligent straight away. The adepts give Prasad, blessing, initiations, mantrams, etc. only to confer temporary peace of mind, to help one to get rid of worries, but not to confer Gnana. The capacity to receive it must first be inborn in man by evolutionary degree.

All sect-based beliefs are dualistic and unphilosophical nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.  In spirituality the ultimate truth is God.  The God of Vedas is nothing to do with the religious Gods.

Realize that God is the Soul, the innermost Self. Nothing is real but Soul which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Nothing matters but love for the Soul, which is the real God.  The Soul, the real God is everywhere and does everything.  The Soul, the real God is beyond form, time, and space.  The Soul the real God is everything. The Soul the real God alone is real and all else is an illusion.

Swami Vivekananda:~ This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, the Soul. Self is infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because the Self is infinite Spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. Self is the entire world. Who can help you? -

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone.

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

Rig-Veda 1.164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

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

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27)

People who are stuck with the religious idea of Gods will never be able to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion

Swami Vivekananda: ~ The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the Gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods? ... The Gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my Soul. You are infinite, deathless, birthless. Because you are the infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda  (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

Swami Vivekananda:~ This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, the Soul. Self is infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because the Self is infinite Spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. Self is the entire world. Who can help you?

Bhagavad Gita Chapter:~ All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods. (7- Verse -20)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10) 

People who are worshipping religious Gods are hallucinating about their Gods of belief as truth.   They must know what God is supposed to be in truth according to their own scriptures.  First, they must know what is God without knowing the truth of God worshipping a false God leads to hallucination.

Kena Upanishad (6) Chapter I: ~  “That which cannot be apprehended by the mind, but by which, they say, the mind is apprehended- That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (7) Chapter I:~  That which cannot be perceived by the eye, but by which the eye is perceived-That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (8) Chapter I:~  That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the hearing is perceived-That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (9)- Chapter I:~ That which cannot be smelt by the breath, but by which the breath smells an object-That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.
By practicing religion or yoga or indulging in glorifying the religious God and Goddesses because God exists prior to the form, time, and space. The form, time, and space cease to exist as a reality when wisdom dawns. Thus, the Gods and Gurus have no place in the domain of the Advaitic reality. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is the real God. Thus, Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

By worshipping the religious Gods and Gurus one will not get Self-realization or God-realization. :~Santthosh Kumaar

Nothing is real but Soul which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.+

Swami Vivekananda: This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, the Soul. Self is infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because the Self is infinite Spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. Self is the entire world. Who can help you? - 

People who are worshipping religious Gods are hallucinating about their Gods of belief as truth.   They must know what God is supposed to be in truth according to their own scriptures.  First, they must know what is God without knowing the truth of God worshipping a false God leads to hallucination.

The existence of God or no God is only a belief. Belief is not the truth.  Religion imposed people to blindly follow their inherited belief verification. Religion is based on blind belief. Every religion has its own beliefs and dogmas. Religion discourages people to verify whether it is based on truth or not.

That is why Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me 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.

Lord Krishna himself says that he can do nothing to make a man intelligent straight away. The adepts give Prasad, blessing, initiations, mantrams, etc. only to confer temporary peace of mind, to help one to get rid of worries, but not to confer Gnana. The capacity to receive it must first be inborn in man by evolutionary degree.

All sect-based beliefs are dualistic and unphilosophical nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.  In spirituality the ultimate truth is God.  The God of Vedas is nothing to do with the religious Gods.

Realize that God is the Soul, the Self. Nothing is real but Soul which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Nothing matters but love for the Soul, which is the real God.  The Soul, the real God is everywhere and does everything.  The Soul, the real God is beyond form, time, and space.  The Soul the real God is everything. The Soul the real God alone is real and all else is an illusion.

Swami Vivekananda: This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, the Soul. Self is infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because the Self is infinite Spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. Self is the entire world. Who can help you?

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone.

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

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

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth,  Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realize  God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

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

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth or God in truth.  The ultimate truth itself is God in truth. 

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.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~    God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. 

Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

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

The Bhagavad Gita: ~ brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27)

People who are stuck with the religious idea of Gods will never be able to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar