Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Soul which is present in the form of Consciousness is the true Self. Consciousness is in this universe but it is not of this universe. It is in this universe, but not of this universe means it is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of the mind (I). The mind (I) appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. The self who is in the form of consciousness is the formless knower of the mind, which comes and goes.   

Consciousness is above; it is transcendental to all the miseries, which are inevitable in this illusory universe.  Therefore, there is a need to realize the fact that, the mind, which is in the form of universe is mere mirage created out consciousness.   Thus, the birth, life, death and world are mere mirage on the stand point of the consciousness, which is the true self. Only on the base of physical self the universe is reality.  Thus the Self is within the universe but it is without the universe.

Only a Gnani alone can actually create the awareness of the truth. He can enliven and illuminate others to get out of this ignorance by being transcendental to the illusory birth, life, death and the universe. Gnani tries to guide the seekers get rid of the inherited ignorance and, rise above the waking -centric concepts, be in this universe, but not of this universe, be in tune with the consciousness, which is his  true identity and the ultimate truth.

This material existence is mere mirage. It is like a wax in the candle it will burn away.  All attempts for freedom is possible only when one is ready to overcome the ignorance. To overcome the ignorance is possible only when one realizes the birth, life, death and the world are mere illusion created out of consciousness.  The consciousness is ultimate truth. And the one which  knows this truth knows the knower (consciousness) is free from the known (mind).

Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, all of one’s waking-centric successes and all of his credible accomplishments within the duality are ultimately evaporated and consciousness alone will prevail as non-dual existence. 

 

A Gnani is free from experiencing the illusion (body + universe) as reality, he is fully aware of the fact that, his body and his experience of the world as consciousness, which is ultimate truth. 

People who are incapable to inquire and reason are tending to follow some philosophy without verification. Therefore the more ignorant they are the easier to get them into a religious fold. Religion is so strong and popular because it makes no demand on the intelligent; it simply requires belief in guru and his teachings.

It never strikes believer to doubt whether his inherited belief system is true. They never use their reason because they start and conclude that their belief system   alone is true, because they never question the validity of their inherited belief. 

For religion one can interpret texts as he likes, in whatever way that pleases him, he simply imagine away.  The idea of god injected in the past and inherited by people and they refuse to verify the facts, because they think it blasphemy even to question their inherited belief system. 

In pursuit of truth the ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Pundits who take scriptures for granted are not Gnanis.

Pundits teach that all is your-self, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. Rational proof is needed, so that one arrive at knowing truth i.e. wisdom; punditry is mere dogma, parrotism, repetition of what they read in scripture. Scriptures are not yardstick and scriptural truth is not proof.   Pundits take scriptures as authority.   Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

One  has to test truth in this world not in the next world.  There is no proof other than blind belief based on the scriptures, belief is not truth.  So, doctrines are not the means to realize the ultimate truth. There is no need to follow them.

Gaudapada says: - the merciful Veda teaches karma and upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for the higher knowledge or wisdom.   The path of wisdom is the only means. 

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immersed themselves in ritualistic oriented life style and follow the path of karma and upasana which is meant for lower and middling intellect   and not for realizing the Advaitic truth.  Many chose these orthodox scholars as their gurus. But these gurus are good to learn the conceptual Advaita meant for those orthodox who believe their conduct oriented life style leads to Moksha (liberation).  But orthodox Advaita is not   the means to acquire Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The Consciousness (ultimate truth or Brahman) is one without the second, the one is not in the sense half or two, but the one that remain forever One, without the second.*****

Consciousness (ultimate truth or Brahman)  is one without the second, the one is not in the sense half or two, but the one that remains forever One, without the second.  The consciousness is all pervading. There is no place where consciousness is not.

Consciousness is in everyone, consciousness is in everything .consciousness is one behind many. Consciousness alone is. It means the universe and its contents are the visible forms of consciousness. And consciousness, in turn, is the invisible form of the universe, which appears to the mind.  

 Since people, all are not aware of the fact that, they are an experience within another experience (waking or dream). The mind is an experience, which contains everyone and everything and the universe. Since one limits the mind to the physical entity, he forgets the fact that, his body and the universe is an experience, within waking or dream experience. It is impossible to unfold the mystery of his true existence without realizing the fact that, the self is not physical but the self is consciousness.  

If the self is not physical then it is erroneous to judge and conclude the truth on the base of the physical self or ego.  The ego (waking entity) is false self within the false experience (waking). Thus the truth has to be judged on the base of the true self, which is formless consciousness which is not an individual but it pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.

Until and unless one rectifies the reasoning base from the form (ego) to formless (soul or consciousness), the ultimate truth or Brahman will not be revealed.

Sage Sri, Sankara says in 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.

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.

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.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

67. The question that thou hast asked today is excellent, approved by those versed in the Scriptures, aphoristic, pregnant with meaning and fit to be known by the seekers after Liberation.

That is why Sri Sankara, indicated 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 the religion is not the means to self-realization.

When Upanishad itself declares:-   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 [ Chandogya Upanishad]. 

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.

Thus, self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own-selves to get the firm conviction.