There is no need to renounce the worldly life in order to get self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, by being in the practical world as a householder by following the path of love and compassion and being in the world not of this world in his pursuit of truth.

 Love and hate propel one to action and I am the doer-notion also arises when one propel himself to do the action to gain or to get rid of those objects of likes and dislikes. The notion of doer-ship arises in the resulting actions - the binds one further since it leaves with him with some more ingrained impressions which propel him into further actions, etc - thus becoming a vicious circle. The one who has all the above notions is - is bound himself to his notions.

These transactions are possible when one has the notion that what he sees as a person of the world as real - - That is practical  truth is taken as real due to lack of the knowledge of the non-dual truth or lack of knowledge of the true self, which is ever formless.

The formless witness is beyond any bondage or liberation. One can also understand as the formless witness appears to be bound since bondage is notional and not real due to false identification with the false; but which is taken as real.

When the false- hood of the false is understood when one realize that ‘I’ is not the true self but the soul or consciousness is the true self. Then false remain as false only, but a notion that that false is real is gone for good.

Coming to the point the ego means physical self or limiting the mind to the physical body. Every action is associated with a series of thought processes within the waking experience. But the point is, the ego, while being involved in this action does not get into other thoughts which are unrelated to this action. If one leaves the ego to itself it will wander aimlessly over things totally unrelated to each other. This dissipation of the ego does not occur when one focuses it into one action.  While doing that action it dwells on only those things which are related to the main action. To this extent action itself disciplines the ego. Of course it may not be a complete discipline.  But in some sense there is mostly a uni-directional restriction or piloting of the ego. The whole human experience is based on the ego. The ego cannot be destroyed by action and conduct and deeds. 

One has to understand the fact that,   the ego, physical body and the world exists together. If one is missing the duality is impossible. Thus it is no use of struggling to overcome only the ego. All other teachings propagate to overcome the ego to get self-knowledge. There is no use of struggling to overcome the ego. It is impossible to overcome the ego with the ego. Only by proper and perfect understanding of the mind, it is possible to overcome duality.  

The seeker has to realize the fact that, the right path to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the inner (mental) path.   

The path of love and compassion is meant for practical life within the practical world. One need not renounce the practical life in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. There is no need to renounce the worldly life in order to get self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, by being in the practical world as a householder by following the path of love and compassion and being in the world not of this world in his pursuit of truth.   Pursuit of truth is nothing to do with the egocentric paths therefore discussing of egocentric paths is of no use. The path of truth is the path is soul-centric path. No one can become Buddha physically but he becomes one with Buddha’s nature (formless soul) mentally.  

The individual must find the truth on his own way and should verify everything, even his own accumulated knowledge, from inherited religion. The path of truth is a path of rationality there is no place for blind faith and dogmas.  

The approach of rational self-inquiry is more scientific and it also enables the aspirant of truth to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.