Knowledge of the self is the direct means to the attainment of self -realization

All the three states are impermanent.  The formless substance and witness of the three states is real and eternal. The soul,which is in the form of consciousness  is immortal. The birth, life and death are part of the waking or dream. There is neither Heaven nor Hell nor rebirth because all these are happening within the waking or dream, which is mere mirage.  Thus the formless substance and witness of the mirage has to be grasped mentally.  

There is no scripture, revelation, creation, prophet, priest or teacher to be revered. Only the soul  or consciousness can be revered because it is ultimate truth or Brahman. Reflecting and revering on the nature of the self is the greatest worship.

There is no distinction. Everyone is equal. Distinctions like caste, race, creed, colour, gender, nationality etc. are not needed in the pursuit of truth. There is no need for priests, places of worship, long sermons etc. "Glorifying “God-men” Swamis are denounced because there is no one required in this mental journey of reason. 

Knowledge of self is the direct means to the attainment of self -realization, it is necessary to keep in mind the means-end relation. The tool that one chooses must be suitable and appropriate to the end, which he wants to attain. It is not the case that through any tool any end can be attained. On the contrary, what tools has to be chosen and how far it is relevant and appropriate to the end we have in view, must be considered from the point of view of the nature of the end which is to be attained.

The tool must be warranted by the end. In other words, the choice of the tool as well as its suitability and appropriateness is determined by the end. This point must be borne in mind in understanding and assimilation of non-dual truth or ultimate truth or Brahman. 

Mistaking one thing for another or superimposing the attributes of one thing on another is due to ignorance. Not knowing the real nature of the Self which is  formless and non-dual, which is existence, knowledge and infinitude, which is free from attributes, which is free from activity, which is neither an agent nor an enjoyer, the ignorance is superimposed on it.

The ignorance is cause of experiencing the illusion as reality.  Ignorance is the root cause of our bondage. So in order to put an end to our bondage and attain liberation from experiencing the illusion as reality, ignorance which is the root cause has to be destroyed; and ignorance can be destroyed only by attaining the self-knowledge, discriminating it from the illusion. Wisdom is the means by which Self -Realization is desired to be attained. Self-realization is the highest end of man's understanding  since it destroys the root of the ignorance, the cause of the entire universe.  

Through deeper self-search one has to eradicate the foundational ignorance, Self -Knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone is the means to the attainment of liberation from  illusion. Only Self -knowledge destroys the ignorance. 

Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana negation of duality is possible. The soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is ultimate truth or Brahman. The consciousness is the cause of the origin, maintenance, and withdrawal of the universe is Advaita (i.e. non-dual), it means that the consciousness transcends all conceptions, positive and negative. Nothing positive can ever be imagined or said about it.  The consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute.  The existence absolute means that consciousness is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness.  Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness.

The nature of the formless soul, the innermost self is non-dualistic silence. Nondualistc silence is like deep sleep state.  The silence indicates that the nature of the formless soul, the innermost self is in inexplicable, indescribable and unimaginable.  The formless soul, the innermost self is the one without a second. There is not the least shadow of multiplicity in the formless soul, which is present in the form of consciousness." 

The universe will not vanish, when wisdom dawns, only the ignorance disappears and unreal nature of the universe or mind or waking is exposed

A Gnani do not consider himself as wise and others are less wise. No one is wise or less wise in in pursuit of truth. The inner revolution starts within and ends within. Gnani is neither a scriptural scholar nor he is a philosopher.  Gnani neither a teacher nor he has any teaching.  He silently works and helps the fellow seekers inspiring them guiding them towards inner reality in his own way. The scholar will remain as scholars and philosophers will remain as philosophers and intellectual remains as intellectuals arguing on their point of view. I am not propagating any philosophy because philosophy is nothing to do with pursuit of truth.  

I respect all the sages of truth of the past. Sharing the knowledge is my only mission.  Inspiring the serious and sincere seekers of truth and divert their attention towards the inward reality is very much necessary.  And I humbly request all my fellow seekers do not hold any teacher or teaching or wise men as a yardstick and indulge in argument instead try to list out the doubts and confusion arises from that teaching or declaration and try to find answer independently on their own, which opens the inner dialogue, and the inner discrimination will start on its own in subconscious, and then the truth will start revealing on its own without intellectual spoon feeding. It is not my advice but it is my humble suggestion because the advice comes from the ego and suggestion comes from the inner core of the existence.  

There is no need to follow anyone. If one wants Brahman follow the inner guru not Hinduism.  If one wants ultimate truth follow Christ within not Christianity.  If one wants Nirvana follow Buddha not Buddhism.  By glorifying the form and name of the sages will not yield truth. Deeper self-search is needed in order to realize what is what. It is not the man who has to get self-realization but it is the self that has to realize it is not the man and the world but it is consciousness. Thus it is the self, which has urge for freedom from this illusory prison called universe or mind. 

The universe will not vanish, when wisdom dawns, only the ignorance disappears and unreal nature of the universe or mind or waking is exposed, same way as the unreal nature of the dream exposed when waking takes place. The wisdom dawns in the midst of duality because in reality there is no duality. Nothing is needed other than perfect understanding of what is what is needed.      

The truth cannot be experienced,  because it is prior to any experience. Experience belongs to individuality. And individuality is falsehood. There is neither individual nor his experience in reality.

Man and his experience of the world cannot exist without waking experience. Whatever we are discussing, we are discussing within the waking experience, which is mere illusion from ultimate standpoint.  Thus whatever is known, seen, believed and experienced as a person is bound to be falsehood.

The path of religion, path of yoga and path of wisdom are meant for different classes of people. Mixing up with one another is like mixing oil in water.

A   person, seeing a rope in dim light, mistakes it for a snake. He is as much frightened as he would have been if there had been a real snake there.  The snake is said to have ‘illusory reality’.  The illusory snake is described as a superimposition on the rope. The snake is not real, because, it is found on examination with a light that it never existed there. At the same time, it was experienced as reality till ignorance prevailed. Similarly, this waking experience experienced as reality due to ignorance. When wisdom dawns then the unreal nature of the waking experienced is exposed.  At the dawn of Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana the waking experience has no existence apart from consciousness. Consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman. The waking experience is therefore said to be superimposed on consciousness same way as the dream is superimposed on the consciousness.  The  waking experience   is practical   reality,  because  it  is  real  until  the  attainment  of  Self-realization.  Consciousness alone has absolute reality; because it is absolutely changeless because it is formless.

      

Maya and Brahman, Jagat (world) and lshvara (creator), Guru (teacher) and Shishya (disciple), the holy rituals, traditions, the three worlds, the three bodies and so forth are reality within the illusory duality.  This seeming duality is a hypothesis, not to establish duality, but to disprove it. Advaitic or non-dualistic truth has nothing to do with the illusory duality. The formless soul consciousness which is present in the form of consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman. Consciousness   is neither dual nor non-dual.  Some orthodox claim Atman is dual, some that Atman is non-dual; they do not know the ultimate truth. The Atman or soul is above duality and non-duality". The seeker has to realize the fact that, the duality is reality only on the standpoint of the waking entity or ego. One thinks that he is an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards. Till this conviction is there he will not be able to grasp the Advaitic or non-dualistic truth. 

  

One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Most of the saints and sages of the past are mostly social reformers, thus they are more concerned to the humanism rather than the truth. Their contribution is very valuable to live in the practical world.  Thus humanism is part and parcel of the universe, which is mere illusion. 

People think love is the means to Self-realization but they are unaware of the fact that, love and hate are made of the same stuff. Love is not the means of self –realization. Love is very much necessary in practical life within the practical world. Love implies duality.  Whatever is of duality is falsehood. Thus love is reality within the falsehood.  Lover and love ceases to exist in reality because the experience of duality is not reality.  The experience of practical life within practical world is reality within the waking experience but waking experience itself is mere illusion created out of consciousness. Thus lover and love are one in essence. Thus path of love is religious path because religion is path of individuality or duality.  

The humanism is limited to practical life within the practical world.    The path of love is path for humanity therefore, it is individualized path. Thus path of love is limited to the physical structure, it cannot transport one to ultimate end.  Thus seeker has to understand the fact that the practical life and practical world are part of the mirage from the ultimate standpoint. 

The simple reason is that the average person may have desire for knowledge but when the whole society is immersed in belief system and feeling himself   out of place because of societal fear and surroundings circumstances and he thinks it unfits him to pursue the path of truth. 

The seeker of truth is one who is ready verify and has courage to accept and reject the truth when he finds out what is truth and what is untruth. The meek will stick to their inherited conditioning remain experiencing duality as reality.

When a yogi realizes that yoga is not the means to acquire Self-knowledge Brahma Gnana or  Atma Gnana than takes up deeper self-search by dropping all the yogic discipline.  Yoga is inadequate and useless in quenching his inner thirst. By indulging in deeper self –search he realizes the self is formless consciousness and the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness. Therefore he attains Gnana.

The ignorance is the cause of experiencing all sorrow and calamities as reality. Thus eradicating the ignorance completely is necessary. And this is possible only through self-knowledge or Gnana.   Thus, there is no other road to freedom other than Gnana.  There is no other entrance other than except Gnana.  The ignorance will vanish only when the nondual wisdom dawns.

Maya and Brahman, Jagat (world) and lshvara (creator), Guru (teacher) and Shishya (disciple), the holy rituals, traditions, the three worlds, the three bodies and so forth are reality within the illusory duality.  This seeming duality is a hypothesis, not to establish duality, but to disprove it. Advaitic or non-dualistic truth has nothing to do with the illusory duality. The formless soul consciousness which is present in the form of consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman. Consciousness   is neither dual nor non-dual.  Some orthodox claim Atman is dual, some that Atman is non-dual; they do not know the ultimate truth. The Atman or soul is above duality and non-duality". The seeker has to realize the fact that, the duality is reality only on the standpoint of the waking entity or ego. One thinks that he is an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards. Till this conviction is there he will not be able to grasp the Advaitic or non-dualistic truth.

Sage Sri, Sankara ’says:- "Kuruthe Ganga sahar gamanam Vratha paripal mathva dhanam. Gyana Vihine.Sarva Mathene.”

Gnana is common to all religions.  There is nothing like One Gnana for a Hindu and another for a Christian.

The entire philosophy of Sage Sri, Sankara can be summed up in the following statement:-

Brahma satyam, jaganmithya, jivobrahmaivanaparah: - Brahman alone is real; the world is non-real; and the individual Self is essentially not-different from Brahman.

This is the quintessence of Sankara’s metaphysics.

The Advaita taught by Sage Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sage Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman Itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

Sage Sri, Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mundakya, he gave the highest nondual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave a lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Isvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

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.

Then it is no use going 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 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. 

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 Adavaita meant for those orthodox who believe their conduct oriented life style leads to Moksha (liberation).  But religious based Adavaita is not   the means to acquire self –knowledge or nondual wisdom.  Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or  Atma Gnana. 

When wisdom dawns, the ignorance vanishes and the consciousness alone prevails as eternal reality.

Investigation of the Self and Investigations of the 3 states of existence - waking, sleeping, deep sleep,  the self (soul) has a single unitary existence; its inherent nature is "Existence, Consciousness and Awareness". Universe and its contents are truly this at its core, but have seemingly forgotten about their true nature, in the present state of duality, which is caused by ignorance of the reality.

The non-dual awareness  is not an individual experience but it is the nature of the soul or  consciousness, which is the innermost  self.  Consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in  all the three states.  Thus the self is not limited to the waking entity or waking world or dream entity or dream world.  Consciousness is the formless witness of all the three states and witnesses the waking or dream experience as a whole without the physical apparatus.

This uninterrupted awareness  is achievable by every being in this  very life itself, once he/she realizes this and works towards discarding the "unreal” by discriminating between real and unreal mentally.

Soul or Consciousness, which is the “innermost  self”, does not have birth, life and death. It has not taken birth and it will not take birth. It is beyond birth, life and death, it is immortal, and it is ancient, it does not perish when the mind, which is in the form of universe, perishes. The universe or mind is like the wave of the sea but not the sea, which is the  soul or consciousness.

Consciousness cannot be cut, cannot be burnt, cannot be melted; neither can be dried. It is eternal, unmoveable, unlike the universe or mind which perishes.   It is the cause of duality. It is the consciousness or self, which oversees the duality or the universe or the mind.   

The consciousness projects itself as the inherent power of the universe.  The self-i.e., Consciousness is the essence of all happenings and circumstances in, which the seeker attempts to know the truth of his true existence.

All experiences of individual actions, conducts happenings are within the universe are mere mirage created out of the true self, which is consciousness. All the conceivable actions and happenings are attributable to the true self in the form consciousness.  

Consciousness is real and consciousness is both real and unreal because the unreal universe or mind is erupted out of the real, which is consciousness. Whoever does not know the truth that the self is consciousness, falls prey to his ignorance and suffers by experiencing the illusory pain and pleasure as reality.   

All the experiences of  happenings such as birth, life and death, good or bad pain and pleasure, past ,present and future are mere mirage created out of consciousness itself . When wisdom dawns, the ignorance vanishes and   the consciousness alone prevails as eternal reality.       

Self-Knowledge is achievable without the grace of any guru or conceptual god or the mercy of some god men. Seeker has to simply wake up to the Reality [consciousness], which is the formless substance and witness of the unreality [universe of mind].

At the end of the quest the seeker becomes aware of the fact that, the true self is consciousness.  There is nothing exists other than consciousness. Thus consciousness is Ultimate Reality.

 Consciousness is being identified by another name "Nothingness", because truly if there was Nothingness in the end, there must be one "final witness" to that Nothingness.

Without understand “what is mind?” and “what is the substance of the mind?” the self –realization is impossible.

Without understanding  “what is mind?” and “what is the substance of the mind?” the self –realization is impossible. Without self-realization the non-dual peace, which is  the nature of the true self is impossible.

Man can live his life either as entangled with the illusory world or being open to the spiritual realities. The human life does not consist in being caught up in the physical existence, but rather in a depth living, in which, one must experience the source of the universe within oneself.

The task of human life is not to search for one’s ultimate destiny externally, but to move into himself and discover the ultimate truth of his own existence. It is not a new knowledge, but a realization of what one really is. It is a self-realization, in which one realizes consciousness as one's indwelling spirit (soul).

The goal of self-realization is consciousness, the ultimate universal spirit behind the mind, which is in the form of the universe and soul, which is in the form of consciousness, the ultimate principle within the three states. Only when one has true knowledge about both mind and soul can one begin to experience the oneness between the two. The seeker of truth has to clarify these two notions in preparation for the analysis of the nature of mind and the self.

The mind, which is in the form of the  universe, is created out of consciousness.  Consciousness is principle substance and the cause of the illusion, which is in the form of the  universe. Consciousness is the unitary and supreme reality, which is hidden within the illusion but remains the same and resists change, thereby the knowledge of which frees one from experiencing the illusion, which is in the form of universe as reality.

There is only mind which is present in the form of the  universe. Thus the seeker has to investigate the world that confronts him. 

The soul the innermost self is present in the form of consciousness. The soul is that which knows everything, that which sees. The soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone remains after one gets rid of all thoughts and ideas by identification with self.

The soul or consciousness is only the seer; it is not Brahman that is an error. It becomes Brahman only after realization of truth.

Firstly, one has to realize the mind is not within the body but the  body and world are within the mind. Therefore all our practical life within the practical world is within the mind, which is in the form of  the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality or mind) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality or no mind).  Thus the waking entity is not the self. The self is that which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.  The self is not an individual because it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states. Therefore our practical life within the practical world, which is based on individuality, is nothing to do with the self, which is ever formless

One becomes aware of the fact that, the universe or mind, which appears and disappears, is only  the form and the  shape created out of consciousness and nothing else. The consciousness alone is positive proof and on the standpoint of the consciousness or soul as self, one becomes aware of the   falsity of this universe or mind, which is mere appearance. The one which appears as mind (universe) and disappears as no mind (soul) is consciousness alone. Therefore, the mind and soul are one in essence.  Without consciousness, which is the innermost self, the universe ceases to exist.

Mental analysis shows that, the existences of the formless witness, which witnesses the three states coming and going without a break. This, on closer analysis, is found to be that changeless, soul or consciousness itself.

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion.  Self-discovery is the only way, towards non-dual Absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching the truth of our true existence.

The beliefs of god, religion, yoga are based on the false self, is nothing to do with the mental (inner) journey.   The religious, rituals, worships, prayers god and guru glorification may be useful in the worldly life, for those  ignorant  who believes their experience of  birth, life, death and the world as reality, but they are not  the useful tool in realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman. On the base of consciousness (soul) as self, everything other than the consciousness is mere mirage.  Thus, man and his experience of the world and his belief of God and religion are part and parcel of the mirage created out of consciousness. 

Arguing with believers is fruitless. Belief in tradition and scripture as if they were true or factual quite clearly is the  delusion, but the payoff for holding such delusions is, for those who hold them, extremely compelling--the avoidance of the "wrath of God," the hope of heaven or salvation, or the imagined "end of suffering."

When Sage Sri, Sankara says the world is  the illusion, it includes birth, life and death, which happens within the world.  Thus seekers main aim is to mentally trace the formless substance of the illusion, which is also the witness of the illusion. The formless substance and witness of the illusion (world) is the Ataman, and this Ataman itself is Brahman.

Consciousness is the cause of the illusion, which is in the form of the  universe and it itself is uncaused.  Consciousness signifies the absolute and unlimited reality, which forms the substratum and the foundation of the illusion, which is in the form of the mind or the  universe, and on which everything depends for its existence.

Consciousness is self-sufficient and does not depend on anything else for its existence. Hence, it must be a spiritual entity since matter is dependent, limited and subject to change.

Whatever exists is in the illusion or the universe is created out of  the single substance, and this one universal substance is consciousness. Consciousness is absolutely homogeneous in nature. It is pure. It is absolutely destitute of qualities, and whatever qualities or attributes are conceivable can only be denied of it. Thus, consciousness is without qualities and beyond the order of one’s empirical and worldly experience; so one cannot grasp consciousness with his empirical experience. In other words, consciousness is a priori and cannot be grasped by a posteriori or limited experience. 

Though consciousness is the ultimate reality that underlies the multiplicity of the phenomenal universe cannot be strictly expressed in terms of empirical language. 

The consciousness is the true self. When the seeker realizes the fact that, the self is not physical but self is the formless consciousness then he also realizes the fact that, the universe in, which he exists is a mere mirage created out of consciousness. Thus there is no second thing exists other than consciousness. When one realizes the fact that his body and universe also consciousness, then he realizes the fact that, there is no second thing exists other than the consciousness, which is the true self.  Thus the consciousness, which is the true self, pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.

Consciousness is eternal; is not bound by time; imperishable, deathless and changeless; and immaculate and not affected by any limiting adjuncts. Just as electricity works through different equipment, yet remains unaffected, so also consciousness, though it functions through everything visible, is unaffected by it. Consciousness is liberated, i.e., it is not affected by  the burden and bondage of the illusion or  the universe and always free.  Thus knowing the consciousness as self is important for getting freedom from experiencing the illusion or duality as reality. 

Consciousness is One. Though due to superimposition, the illusory universe is projected on consciousness it remains untouched by them. Just as a dream is superimposed on consciousness, so also the waking experience is superimposed on consciousness.  Only by realizing the fact that, the self is not physical but self is consciousness one become aware of the fact that the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.   When the self- knowledge dawns, the illusory reality or the universe becomes unreal and only consciousness exists.

Consciousness is unbroken existence. Unlike the passing joys derived from material things, the unbroken tranquillity of Self-realization is absolute and eternal. Therefore, the consciousness is unbroken and everlasting. Consciousness is non-dual. The consciousness is all pervading. It alone exists, and it exists everywhere. If it were not so, there would be a place where consciousness has no access and it would limit consciousness. So it is limitless and all pervading.

Consciousness is formless. Since it is all pervading and existing everywhere, it is beyond form. Having a form limits a being. So, limitless consciousness is  the formless. The consciousness is ultimate truth, because it is that which remains the same at all times -- in the past, the present and the future. The  soul which is present in the  form of consciousness as truth is ever the same and unchanging. Consciousness as, wisdom, is absolute knowledge.

One cannot have knowledge of consciousness, as he has knowledge of sound, smell, taste, pain and pleasure; but consciousness is unconditional knowledge. Knowing consciousness as self is self-realization. Consciousness is endless and infinite.

Waves have temporary existence, but the sea is permanent. In the same way, the three states are passing and consciousness, The infinite and the endless is the substratum upon which the mind or the universe appears.

Because of one’s inability to grasp the true nature of consciousness, only with the help of deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning, whatever positive descriptions one develops about consciousness in the light of the discrimination will remain in the level of physical experience.  As consciousness is beyond the physical experience, so is it beyond physical based knowledge.

At the same time the word existence' cannot be attributed to consciousness and to the empirical world in the same way, for consciousness’s existence is of a different nature. The existence of consciousness is opposed to all empirical existence, so that in comparison with this it can just as well be considered as non-existence.

The Consciousness is the formless substance and witness of all the three states.  The nature of consciousness is so transcendent that it cannot be compared with anything in the world one knows. At the same time, consciousness is present in all its manifestations, for without the consciousness nothing can exist. Yet the empirical experience of consciousness is not possible. Thus, consciousness is that unalterable and absolute Being, which remains identical with itself in all its manifestations. It is the basis and the  ground of all experience, and is different from the space-time-cause world. Consciousness has nothing similar to it, nothing different from it, and no internal differentiation, for all these are objective distinctions. It is non-, non-objective and wholly other, but it is not non-being.