The intricate maze of philosophy of different schools of thought claims to clarify matters and reveal the truth, but in fact they create confusion where no confusion need exist.
To understand anything there is a need to understand the invisible substance and witness of the experience of duality or mind.
Why worry, about the physical body, ego, universe, god, religion, scriptures and yoga when they are unreal on the base of the innermost self or Atman or formless consciousness.
Scriptures first create confusion and then
explain. Why all these details about ego, reason, intellect, creation and
creator?
The innermost self is god. Atman or Consciousness is the innermost self.
No one has seen the innermost self or God by practicing religion or yoga or
indulging in god glorification because it exists prior to the form, time and
space. Form, time and space ceases to exist as reality when wisdom dawns.
Nonduality
does not need the support of any Scripture or Revelation like the Veda. For it
is based, not upon the varying theological fancies, which are as numerous as
the sands of the sea, but upon reason, the common heritage of all mankind,
irrespective of colour or creed or clime.
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-self to get the firm conviction.
That is
why Sri, Sankara says:-
[VC] 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 utter the name of
the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one
cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.
Even Upanishads declare that:-
Katha Upanishad:
This Ataman 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 Ataman reveals
Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]
Mundaka Upanishad :-
This Ataman cannot be attained through study of the
Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Ataman—by
him alone is Ataman attained. It is Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true
nature. [ 3
–page-70 
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada]
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada]
When the Upanishad 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.
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.
For the
same reason Raman Maharshi said: fortunate are the one who do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of
philosophy. Bhagwan says: Take Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of 15 pranas the
names and functions of it which the student is asked to commit
memory. Will it not be sufficient if he thought, only one prana does the whole
work of maintaining the body? Again the antakaran is said to think, to desire,
to will, to reason etc. Why all these details? Has anyone seen antakarana, or
all these pranas? Do they really exist? They are conceptual divisions invented
by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these
concepts end? Why should confusion 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 arise. (GURU RAMANA .By S.S Cohen -vii Danger
of philosophy-Page -58-59)
Uttara mImamsa, also called Vedanta,
does not consider the Upanishads and brahmanas as arthavada subservient to
vidhis. Instead, they are seen to be sources of Brahman knowledge, addressed
solely to those who seek moksha or freedom. The rituals enjoined in the Vedas are applicable
to the realm of dharma, but the
one who seeks liberation does not merely desire a place in heaven; he is in
search of ultimate Reality itself. The Upanishads are viewed as those portions
of the Sruti that address philosophical questions about Reality, here called
Brahman. This tradition of exegesis follows the brahma sutras of
badarayana. Within Vedanta, there is considerable difference of opinion on
whether the Upanishads enjoin anything at all.
According to Adavaita Vedanta, the
Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire
the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual
sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the
purva mimam.sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for
the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the
Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to
go beyond such transient pleasures.
An essential identity between Atman
and Brahman is upheld in Advaita Vedanta. The personality of Sri,
Sankara and the force of Advaita teaching is so strong that most post-Sankaran
schools of Vedanta consciously define their doctrines against Advaita thought.
When Advaita declares Atman and
Brahman then direct realization of truth is possible without the
scriptures. Know the soul to be the true
self. And true self is in the form of consciousness and realize consciousness
as ultimate truth or Brahman.
Self-Knowledge is the aim of every
human being. Since everyone thinks the physical body is the self their aim is
misdirected and they focus their attention on materiality which makes one feel
the duality [waking] as reality.
Therefore there is no need to study
scriptures, or indulge in god and guru glorification or performing religious
rituals. Since, they are not the means
to acquire non-dual wisdom. It is only waste of time and effort to indulge in
those things.
The individual self is not real, is not accepted by many. The non-dual wisdom is based not on the
individual self [ego]. Until people hold
the ‘I’ [ego] as witness, they will not reach the ultimate understanding.
Final conclusion:-
Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by study of the Vedas and intellectual
understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore there is no use of
studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual
wisdom. That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sri, Sankara
indicated that, the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, concept of god and
scriptures.
Therefore, there is no use of taking strain to understand assimilate the
conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive
analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusions, if one tries to
understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through scriptures.
Why to follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself
in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth
without them. By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it
rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as
waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep. The mind raises form
consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Therefore, there is a need
for perfect understanding assimilation of nondual truth.
There is no need to renounce the worldly life to get Self-Realization.
Any householder can attain it if has the inner urge.
ASHTAVAKRA SAMHITA: - "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is
contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.
