Deeper self-search reveals the fact that : There is no need to study Advaith or Buddhism or any other philosophy in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana

As one goes deeper self-search one finds lots of differences between orthodox Advaita and philosophical  Advaita .If one is interested in acquiring  Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana  or Atma Gnana  than there is need to bifurcate Advaitic orthodoxy  from Advaitic philosophy to assimilate the essence of pure Advaita.  

Orthodox Advaita is  is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman because it is based on birth,life,death and the world  whereas Sri Sankara clearly  declares  that  the world is unreal Brahman alone is real.  That means the the birth,life,death,which takes in the unreal world is bound to be unreal.   

 Sri, Sankara' gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the mass but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd. 

Sri, Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya he denies it. This is because he says that at the lower stage of understanding, the former teaching must be given, for people will get frightened as they cannot understand how the world can be without a cause, but to those in a higher stage, the truth of non-causality can be revealed. 

Sri, Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self. [" Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works]

Orthodox Advaitins  are mere followers of religion, never having understood the depth of Advaitic philosophy. Sri, Sankara gave religion and scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the world. 

His commentary on Mandukya is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.  

Some who followed Sri, Sankara are mere followers of religion, never having understood the Advaitic philosophy are religious scholars not Gnanis, and they are unable to grasp the Advaitic truth .

As Ramana Mahrshi indicated: - The intricate maze of philosophy of different schools claims to clarify matters and reveal the Truth, but in fact they create confusion where no confusion need exist. To understand anything there must needs to be the understanding being. Why worry about his bodies, his ahankar, his buddhi, creation, God, Mahatmas, world – the not-Self – at all? Why not remain yourself and be in peace? 

Take Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of the fifteen pranas, the names and functions of which the student is asked to commit to memory. Will it not be sufficient if he is taught that only one prana does the whole work of maintaining life in the body? Again, the antahkarana is said to think, to desire, to will, to reason, etc. Why all these details? Has anyone seen the antahkarana, or all these pranas? Do they really exist? They are all conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these concepts end? Why should confusion be created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to the Source from which they all rise.

Sri, Sankara says seeker must first know what is before him. If he cannot know that, what else can he know or understand? If he gives up the external world in his inquiry, he cannot get the whole truth. 

Some thinkers hold views of Maya which are entirely incorrect and untenable. They do not know Sankara's Upanishad Bashyas, but only the Brahma Sutra Bashya.  The followers of Sri Sankara have constituted a religious sect. Thus all movements ultimately degenerate. 

In commentary to "Brahma Sutras Sri, Sankara writes." "The highest beatitude is not to be attained by Yoga." [Sacred Books of East Series page 298 Vol.1.]   And he also says Samadhi is the same as sleep [p.312]. ---this indicates that yoga is not the means to Self-realization.  And yogic Samadhi is not non dual wisdom. 

Sri, Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras [Chap.3.4.50] shows that the Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. 

Sri, Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never advised them to give up their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.  Sri, Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. 

When the Upanishads says:  the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal gods, scriptures, worship and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized god and scriptures are greatest obstacle to realize non-dual truth or self-realization, because they are based on false self(ego or waking entity) and false experience(waking or universe).  

The seeker of truth has to search the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.

Upanishads declare that:- This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]

Mundaka Upanishad  :-

This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad  Upanishads by Nikilanada)

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that : There is no need to study Advaith or Buddhism or any other philosophy  in order to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana , instead understand  and assimilate and realize “What is mind” and “What is the substance of the mind” and "What is the source of the mind? ,  to realize the form,time and space are one in essence. That essence is consciousness . Consciousness is  the ultimate truth or Brahman because no second thing exist other than consciousness. Thus  the real and unreal are one in essence. 

Deeper self-search revels the fact that , Advaitic truth declared by  Sage Sri, Sankara is scientific truth and  ultimate truth.