Ascetic life style is not the means to acquire non-dual wisdom.

Most  people draw a wrong inference in thinking a Gnani must ascetically reject the world; this is only for those in the lower rungs of the ladder. Asceticism is for those strongly believe the physical self is real self . But  when one becomes aware the self is not physical but formless spirit then   the continuance of asceticism is foolish.

The indifference practiced by people  is external; the indifference practiced by a Gnani is purely internal, and mental.

The greatest mistake is to think that a Gnani sees nothing. This blind reverence for Samadhi is as valuable as revering a man who has taken Anastasia .

The Gnani sees the essential universal unity and the diversity  of the  objects simultaneously. The person in deep sleep or  yogic Samadhi leaves out the diversity of the  objects and sees the essence; hence he has not got the non-dual wisdom.

God men cannot  influencing humanity en mass. Otherwise the god men  could have saved the world from all the wars, terrorism, calamities and epidemics.  The mass of mankind cannot be influenced. If  any god men  has such yogic powers of influencing others by thought waves why cannot they influence terrorists and stop the violence ,which is going on in the name of god and religion.

 Either they are  incompetent to do so or incapable. The range and influence of telepathic power is mere exaggeration, it is restricted. Even is one has all the power he is exhibiting within the illusion.  What is the use of the miracle performed or happening within the illusion is bound to be falsehood.   They are no proof as truth.   

Those ascetics who are more interested in their  following and luxuries life style. A man who  is materialistic  cannot find truth. Thinking then becomes hazy and a luxury. The god men   who stays in  posh ashrams  has no interest in the truth but more interested in glorifying themselves  to earn the dollars. Besides they  feels narcotized, lazy, dreamily content.  Ascetic life style  is not the  means to acquire non-dual wisdom.  

 
A scholar is proud that he has accumulated so much knowledge;  Gnani is humble householder  he knows no more.


A Gnani is not a swami, guru, scriptrurl scholar or pundit or priest.

Kenopanishad II – verses 1-3:-He who thinks that he knows really thereby proves himself ignorant. He who realizes that he cannot know Him has best understood Him. Those who seek to know Him, as they can grasp things of ordinary knowledge, can never achieve their object. Those who realize the limitation of the human mind in respect of the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit and, therefore, frankly confess ignorance, really approach a true understanding of it.

The limitation of human knowledge, when trying to comprehend the Supreme Being, is brought out in the above epigram.

Kenopanishad II – verses 4:-When it is known through every conscious state, it is rightly known and one attains eternal life thereby. Through his own self he gains strength and through his knowledge immortality. Not by reasoning but only by an awakening can we get a vision of the Supreme Spirit. Life, in relation to the Ultimate Reality, is like a state of sleep. Reason, in respect of Ultimate Reality, is like the impossible conception of a sleeping man trying to know what he is about, without waking up. As sleep is to waking, so is ordinary life to the state of realization.

The one who identifies himself as swami, guru or yogi is not a Gnani. A Gnani never identifies himself as swami, guru, pundit or yogi. Swami, guru, pundit or yogi belongs to religious and yogic path not to path of truth or wisdom.  

Swami Vivekananda said: - “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

Sri, Sankara's commentary:-

Page 489: "The knower of Brahman (self-realized or Gnani) wears no signs.  Page 500 asks in effect "Tell us what you know, show it, and let us examine it under the mental microscope." It means we must bring notions and beliefs out of vagueness into clearness. It also criticizes the mystics who claim superior knowledge but who cannot communicate it for purposes of verification.

On page 482: On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life,…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior."

The ultimate truth alone, sets one free from experiencing the illusion as reality.

There is no need to  give up anything in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Renouncing  from the world in order to get freedom is religious fable. One has to be serious in pursuit of truth and must have humility and courage to accept the truth when untruth is traced. By mere scriptural knowledge and intellectual arguments one does not become a Gnani.

 Renouncing the worldly life is not the means to Self-Realization.  The three states    must be investigated;  without investigating the three states  it is impossible  understand and assimilate the non-dual truth.  Weak minds cannot take a comprehensive view and so decry what they cannot understand.

There is no need to get  aversion to existence, as do the ascetics and yogis; on the contrary one  should go on living in the world as a householder, working and accepting the  ups and downs of the life. That he  should accept life as bundle of pleasure and pain.   There is no need to renounce  anything in order to acquire Self-Knowledge. The ultimate  truth is nothing to do with the the worldly life.   

Asceticism is only for a lower stage where one gives up externally in order to help one get into the internal attitude of freedom from desire. The mental renunciation is higher.  When one realizes the fact that, the self is not physical, he realizes the the burden and bondage of the physical life is mere illusion.  It appeared  spontaneously and it disappears also the same way.

The enjoyment and sufferings are part of the illusion. Pleasure hunting keeps one in grip of illusion. Yoga is based on individuality. It is not possible to  reach the ultimate goal through Yoga. 

The seeker has to mentally  detachment of the the formless witness from the illusion  , and realize the fact that it is unaffected from the happenings within the illusion.  And also realize the fact that , the illusion also is  the spirit.

Love and Blessings are mere religious fable; it  has no value in the realm of truth.  The concept of love   blessings are emotional tools in physical existence.    Love and blessings are mere expressions but they are no the means to Self-Realization. A Gnani neither blesses nor curses.

Miraculous occult power and the  mythological  stories of their feats, are fairy tales which were meant for dullards  and  uneducated mass, i.e. those whose minds have not developed. Mythological  stories are fables, yet they  are taken seriously by the mass.  When one realizes the fact that, the self is not physical but formless spirit  or consciousness or soul,  the physical existence becomes mere illusion. Therefore, whatever seen, known, believed and experienced within the illusion is bound to be illusion.  Therefore, whatever based on the physical self has to be mentally negated, and whatever prevails without the illusion is non-dual reality.  This has to be mentally grasped, therefore yoga and religion is based on the physical form thus they will not yield fruits.  They are good for the mass who are incapable of inquiring.

The yogi in Samadhi fail to see non-duality, Because he believes there is bliss  to come to him from Samadhi. That shows he does not know truth, but still seeks bliss as something apart from his-self. The ultimate truth alone, sets one free from experiencing the illusion as reality.  

Yoga is not the means to self-knowledge,

Pathanjali Yogasutras are meant for the lower web. Yoga is not the means to self-knowledge, because it is practiced on the base of the physical self/false self. Yoga is based on imagination .  One has to imagine that there are seven chakras and practice which leads only to hallucinated Samadhi experience.  And all the yogic recommended yogic  prescriptions are impossible to practice in this materialistic  world.     The deeper inquiry revels the fact that, the “Self” is not physical therefore  it  is no use of  yoga, because  the ultimate  truth lies beyond physicality. Thus, whatever is based on physical self is bound to be falsehood.  Yoga is only good for physical fitness and temporary peace. 

v  The idea of detaching oneself from the world of senses and sense impressions is deeply embedded in Yoga.

v  Patanjali’s yoga Sutras specifically mention the various steps in reaching Enlightenment including Pratyahara. Pratyahara means to withdraw the senses from the outer world.

v  The great yogis say that without detachment, one cannot make clear progress towards the goal of Self-Realization.

v  Practice of yoga, meditation, and detachment from the world is central to many traditional teachings on Moksha, NIrvana, and Liberation.

Radical nondual texts like Ashtavakra Gita also speak about dispassion. For example, after King Janaka asks the Sage Ashthavakra how to attain liberation (Chapter 1, verse 1), Ashthavakra immediately says, “If you are seeking liberation, my son, avoid the objects of the senses like poison and cultivate tolerance, sincerity, compassion, contentment, and truthfulness as the antidote.” (Chapter 1, verse 2).

However, later in Chapter 15 (verse 12), Asthavakra says, “My son, you consist of pure consciousness, and the world is not separate from you. So who is to accept or reject it, and how, and why?”

When we review the Advaitic texts, they seem to alternate between religious based Advitic  teachings and non-religious  teachings. It appears that different verses are meant to appeal to aspirants at different levels of understanding. The highest and the most subtle teaching of the Self typically comes after one rejects the religious based Advitic teaching and  bifurcates all religious add-ons  from them .

Indeed, if we inquire, analyze and reason  deeply into the nature of the mind , it becomes clear that, there is no need for physical based  practice of  detachment, because the self is not physical.  People  have the conviction that  they are individual separate from the world due to ignorance. This is ignorance is the cause for experiencing the birth, life and death as reality. When one becomes aware of the fact that the self is not physical but it is formless spirit, then he also becomes aware that in reality the “Self” is birthless and deathless. 

One has to mentally detach the illusion from the formless witness and become aware of the fact that, to realize that there is neither  witness nor witnessed on the ultimate standpoint.

 The  the whole notion of detachment is religious idea based on the physical self  . whatever is based on religion is mere  assumption that there is something to be detached from.  This has to be understood very clearly.

All religion based non-dualism is also is dualism, because their preaching is based on non-duality and practice is based on duality. If dualism is sought to be rejected as a philosophy or a world view, it only ends up reinforcing dualism. The very attempt to reject implies a holding on, an attachment to something perceived as real and important. This is not the way of Oneness.

Only  through wisdom  the ignorance  vanishes  and reality is realized . the reality  is the formless substance and witness of the three states ,which is illusion. What is required is awareness of that formless substance and witness.

One need to understand the body and the world together is illusion therefore, there is a need to mentally  negate them both together in order to grasp and realize the non-dual truth.  Yoga keeps one in the grip of individuality. Individuality makes one think he is an individual separate from the world. Until the world is not included in his realization, one will remain in the conviction that, the birth, life and death as reality.   Till birth, life and death is accepted as reality one cannot cross the threshold of duality/illusion/mind.

  

 Therefore, there is a need to know the “mind” and the substance of the “mind” in order to overcome the illusion in which I , you , others and the universe exists.   When one becomes mentally become aware of the formless substance and witness of the illusion, then  he will  be able to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.

There is no place for a personal God in pursuit of truth

There is no place for a personal God in pursuit of truth, because personal  God  is also is part of the illusion. Illusion appears as real because of the curtain of ignorance. Just as the dream world  is reality until waking takes place, similarly, waking world  is also reality until ignorance prevails.

The difference between the  the  soul  and the mind  decreases and upon true knowledge, liberation occurs.

 That is why swami Vivekananda said :- 

 

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 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

 

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is a part of Vedas, Declares that:-Brahman is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself. 

Thus the soul or Atman is ultimate truth or Brahman. ultimate truth or Brahman is God.