Self-Awareness does not mean one is transforming something into something else.

When one is absorbed in thinking of anything, he forgets the subject, which consciousness the innermost self, that which witnesses all the coming and going of the three states in succession.

One may think for hundred hours continuously but it is all thoughts, hence not consciousness. But when one becomes aware the thinker of the thoughts are one is essence, one do get consciousness, the knower, the formless witness of the three states. Consciousness the innermost self is the eternal.

One has to get rid of his doubts, But that did not mean, simply go and believe everything he is told. all  doubts has to  be got rid  by the sword of wisdom. 

WHO AM ‘I’ and ‘I AM THAT’ is only for a lower stage where one gives up externally in order expose the false nature of the ego, which is not full truth. To get ultimate truth one has to inquire into the nature of the mind, which is in the form of universe.  Inquiring into the nature the mind or universe is higher.  Thus ‘WHO AM ‘I’? and ‘I AM THAT’   is  reveals only half truth therefore  the journey is incomplete.

 ‘WHO AM ‘I’ and ‘I AM THAT’ serves only at starting point. What one has learnt from the teaching of the sages be understood through exercise of reason as far as the reason might go.  And what one has assimilated must be realized. There are stages in the seekers goal.

self-awareness is not physical-awareness ,which is present in the form of universe. Self-awareness does not mean one is transforming something into something else. In self –awareness there is no second thing exist other than consciousness in the midst of diversity.  The body and the world have become on in essence. 

There is no duality in the midst of duality.   There is not even the concept of real and unreal. Of course it does not mean that when one is involved in practical life within the practical world disappears. But in self-awareness one is consciously aware of ‘what truth’ is and ‘what is not truth’ in the midst of duality, because one sees his ego, his body and his experience the world as consciousness.  Thus for a Gnani there is no second thing exists other than consciousness even though he is in the midst of diversity.    

Nothingness is erroneous conclusion because every thought has its opposite every word is tied to its coordinate for all thought and speech can only operate under such dualism. Hence, taking the most fundamental word, existence its implied opposite non-existence is also there, and vice versa. So the nothingness or “non-entity" is meaningless without "entity". Both are there.

Buddhist Idealism: speaks only of ideas. But they are unaware of the knower of these ideas? It is a thought. The thinker of these thought are part of the duality without the thinker there are no thoughts. Without form there is no thinker.

Buddha kept silent, refusing to answer questions on the ultimate. Therefore he was the wisest man in refusing to commit himself.

Zen is quite alright in mentioning non-duality: it is the nearest to true Advaita, but nevertheless it is still inferior because it fails to prove non-duality, it illogically gives koan exercises as a means of attaining That which is beyond attainment, because always here, and it talks of insight or intuition to see Reality when sight involves a second thing, duality.

Zen gives a high important place to meditation practice. The truth is that Zen advocates the necessity of meditation for those of its adherents who cannot grasp the absolute truth.

ZEN is also on this lower stage of Yoga, because it depends on flashes of Intuition gained by meditation, not by reasoning.

When one says "Nothing is" what is the meaning of "is"? "Nothingness” is something which exists: one cannot prove that consciousness does not exist.

Has the Void a meaning? If so then it is only your imagination.  Buddha gave up yoga after practicing it for six years. He saw it could not yield truth.

Buddha gave up his austerities of yoga as impossible and useless. [Page.70/71 "Buddhism in Translation” by Warren]

Thus Buddha got enlightenment only after he gave up Yoga. Unless one exercises his reason--there is no chance of getting truth.

Buddhism has not proved the truth of Nonduality.  There is no doubt Buddha pointed out unreality of world. He told people they were foolish to cling to it. But he stopped there. He came nearest to Advaita in speech but not to Advaita fully.

ZEN Satori is not highest Advaitic or non-dualistic Gnana, because it comes as flashes, it does not depend on seeing the world, and does not depend upon mental sharpness so much as intuition. Zen Buddhists are only mystics--they do not offer proof. How is their main method different from that of Christian mystics, Hindu mystics, all of whom do not seek to prove by reason, but by "I know," intuition?

The 'Void' of emptiness of Buddhism is only a stage. It cannot be ultimate. It says there is really nothing. The mistake of Hinayana Buddhism is to jump to assumptions where Buddha kept silent.

Everything is made of the same substance, whether it be inside--as in dreams--or outside as in waking. Whatever is seen as object, heard as sound or name is of the same substance. Many have   begun to suspect this truth. This is the great lesson to be learnt. Consciousness is all this."

Reason should not be interpreted to mean intellect. Reason is that which finally distinguishes between real and unreal, false and true, and therefore it takes all the three states into account.

 Until that is attained people generally use only intellect which is confined to waking state only. Intellect evolves into Reason as man realizes that study of the waking world is not enough, and that study of all the phenomena of mind, consciousness is required. Such study must embrace dream and sleep; hence there is no perfection of reason without analyzing the three states of consciousness.

Reason literally means 'that which distinguishes the ultimate reality from the rest.' When such discrimination between truth and falsehood by the method of reasoning is confined to the physical plane, it is intellect, logic, but when extended to the spiritual plane it is reason.

Spiritualistic reason is not based on ego but the formless soul, which is the innermost self. Soul-centric Reason is that which enables one to distinguish the real from the unreal, true from false. The intellectuals do not clearly know the difference between intellect and reason.

Knowledge derived from wisdom or Gnana is content less existence, whereas intellectuality is the ordinary dualistic knowledge. Intellectuals have no idea of the first definition of it as yet because they are not aware of the existence of the formless witness of the three states. And they refuse accept anything other than their accepted truth which are based on the false self (ego) within the false experience [waking].  "Intellectuality” is a nothing to do with Brahmic – Gnana or non-dualistic wisdom. Intellectuality is useful   in practical life within the practical world. And its judgment is based on logical conclusions based on the ego which is not the self.   

Many intellectuals have a tremendous intellect; most will agree with their theories based on the ego, which is false self within the false experience. egocentric knowledge  is not  Self –knowledge or non-dualistic wisdom. And knowledge based on the false self within the false experience is limited to false experience (waking) therefore it is certainly not self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Gnana is usually translated as "knowledge" but that is because there is no equivalent word in English. It is more accurately "content less consciousness" or “self-awareness” or "Brahmic -Awareness.

 Most think Consciousness usually implies something, thoughts or things, but it is the formless non-dual nature of the Atman or the soul. 

The consciousness exists with or without the matter because without the consciousness the matter ceases to exist because the matter is created out of consciousness.  It exists as matter in waking or dream.   And when wisdom dawns it is consciously aware of its formless non-dual true nature in the midst of matter, as in deep sleep.