Katha Upanisad (1.2.5) says;- "Caught in the grip of ignorance, self-proclaimed experts consider themselves learned authorities. They wander about this world befooled, like the blind leading the blind."
The Atman is the innermost self. The Atman is in the form of consciousness. The Atman only knows the Atman. The Atman is the knower not the known. The physical body and the world are known; therefore they are mere mirage on the standpoint of Atman as self.
Many people give the impression that "they know the Atman; the Atman exists prior to the body and the universe, thus the knower is apart from the known. But knower is within the known as its formless substance and it is without the known as its formless witness.
Until one takes the whole known to be Atman the Atman cannot be grasped and realized.
Seeker should take few moments and think what he states and its implications before saying ‘I’ am Atman or ‘I’ am that, without verifying and assimilating what it is. It is not the man who has to realize the self, but it is the self that has to realize it is not a man, but it is the soul or consciousness.- Gnani is the one who has that wisdom - hence from his self-analysis and understanding he realizes the non-dual truth – Atman alone is real and the true self is that Atman.
Spiritual quest is a personal adventure. Guru is not needed in pursuit of truth, seeker may require only guidance. Religion and yoga are not spirituality, because they are based on the ego, which is the false self, within the false experience. Whatever is based on the ego is not the means for self-realization.
A Gnani is will not accept anyone as his disciple but he will guide every seeker as his own friend. A Gnani never wears any religious robe he is free from all religious fables.
The one who acquired physical based wisdom is called genius, on the base of in physical dimension. The one who acquired self- knowledge or non dual wisdom is called Gnani, in Spiritual dimension.
It is quiet evident that no seeker of truth would conceive of a freedom from experiencing duality as reality without transcendence of individuality, i.e. giving up the holding the ‘I’ as self. Since everyone is trying to view and judge the truth on the standpoint of false self, it becomes difficult understand and assimilate the non-dual truth.
Non-dual wisdom is not based on the physical experience, because the true self is beyond physical/individual experiences. On the standpoint of the true self [Atman] all experiences are mere mirage, thus the non dual truth has to be grasped and realized.
How can the ‘I’ know the truth, when ‘I’ itself is false? Since, many teachings hold ‘I’ as self and physical body as false and world as reality, it becomes very difficult to understand and assimilate non-dual truth. That is why step by step one has to remove all his accumulated ideas and obstacle and move towards his non-dual destination.
It is easy to assimilate the truth for one who is free from religious/philosophical/yogic/theoretical knowledge.A Gnani will never condemn the religion and its idea of god and gurus but he will highlight in what way they blocks realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.A Gnani never claims himself as Gnani , and anyone claims himself as Gnani he is not a Gnani. 
Ashok Kumar was added by Santthosh Kumaar.
Does inert have consciousness?
The inert itself is consciousness or Atman. Atman can prevail, with or without the illusion, which has been superimposed on it.
The Atman is the knower -since the physical conditioning within illusion hides, the existence of inert creates the ignorance of the truth. Thus, the seeker has to realize the fact that, all this experience of ‘duality ' is nothing but Atman and - there is nothing whatsoever - other than Atman, the true self, and ultimate truth.One cannot say it is truth [like ice cannot exist by itself without the support of water] nor it can be said that, it is untruth [since ice is], neither one can say it is both truth and untruth. Similarly, one cannot say, it is same as Atman nor one can say it is different from Atman, nor one can say it same and different from Atman, One cannot say it has parts [from the point of its substantive] nor one can say it does not have parts [from the point of superimposed], nor one can say that it has no parts and have parts - It is of the nature of indescribable, on the standpoint of ‘I’ as self. To understand the truth the seeking mind has to view and judge on the standpoint of Atman or consciousness as self. Then only everything becomes clear. Being in dualistic reality, viewing, and judging on the dualist standpoint, will lead only to logical and theoretical understanding.
The general supposition amongst most seekers is that sannyasa demonstrates one’s commitment to following the spiritual path full time, and by extension, somehow makes it easier to meditate and realize the Self. But it is not so that the inner renunciation is more important than outer renunciation which is base on the body.
Seeker of truth need not subscribe generally accepted premise that sannyasins were in a better position to realize the Self than householders. Living a normal life in the world is not a disadvantage when it comes to making spiritual progress.
Non-dual Peace can never be attained by one who subjects himself to ignorance by embracing the body and the world, regarding them as enduring and beneficial. Equally, suffering or fear will never be experienced by one who renounces this ignorance and reaches the permanent resting place of the mind, which is Atman.
What is it that remains as impossible to renounce after all that can be renounced has been renounced? It is the Atman the true Self, which cannot be renounced.‘So long as one thinks “I am” is the self”, thoughts of liberation and bondage will remain. When seeker sees the true self through the inquiry and becomes aware of the fact that, “Atman is the true self”, and the Atman alone remains, eternally attained and eternally free. The one who realize the ‘I is not the self but Atman is the true self for him the thought of bondage ceases to exist.’
A man may wish to live for a hundred years, performing his duties as prescribed by the scriptures, but he will not be able to assimilate the self-knowledge. If one does duties in the way prescribed in the scriptures, it may be good for the worldly life within the waking experience. The results of whatever one do will cling to the duality, which he is experiencing it as reality. There is no other way other then, finding the true self and realizing the fact that , ‘I’ is not the self, but the soul is the true self.
Seeker of truth has to know somewhere he is going wrong, and it is for the seeker to go on his own and remove the obstacle. The greatest hindrance is mixing religion, god, scriptures, and yogic theories. Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal god and religious code of conduct keeps one permanently in the grip of duality.
When the self is not the body [‘I’] whatever one sees, knows, believes, experiences and feels on the base of the body [‘I’] as self is bound to be illusion. Thus, the karma performed in illusion is bound to be illusion. The birth, life and death is happening within the illusion, therefore it is bound to be illusion. Thus, rebirth and reincarnation theories based on the false self within the false experience are bound to be illusion on the base of the true self. Only the witness of the illusion is real [Brahman]. Therefore, everything has to be viewed and judged, on the base of the Formless Witness [soul] in order to overcome the illusion/duality.
Isa Upanishads indicates that: By worshiping gods and goddesses and going to the world of gods after death is of no use. The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend same time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non dual destination by glorifying god and goddesses and by doing that, one goes deeper and deeper into darkness. It surely indicates the fact that, the seeker of truth has to drop the worshiping god and goddess in order to get self-knowledge.
It also indicates that, Religious Rituals [Avidya] is Karma[action] and therefore a hindrance. By performing Agnihotra and other sacrifices [Avidya] is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark.It is soul or consciousness, alone that appears to be born, to move, or to take the form of matter. However, this soul is really ever unborn, immovable and free from the traits of materiality; it is all peace and non-dual.
Thus, the soul or self or consciousness is never subject to birth. All beings, too, are free from birth. Those who know this do not fall into false knowledge.
A substance may be the cause of another substance and a non-substance, the cause of another non-substance. However, the soul cannot possibly be anything like a substance or a non- substance.
Thus, appearances (three states) are not caused by the soul, nor is the soul caused by them. Hence, Gnanis hold to the principle of absolute non-creation.As long as a person clings to the belief in causality, he will find cause producing effect. However, when this attachment to causality wears away, cause and effect become non-existent.
As long as a person clings to the belief in causality, waking will continue to real for him. However, when this attachment to causality wears away, waking becomes non-existent reality.
The three states are created by false knowledge; therefore, nothing in it is eternal. Everything, again, as one with Ultimate Reality, is unborn; therefore, there is no such thing as destruction.The term permanent or impermanent cannot be applied to the birthless Ataman or self or consciousness. What is indescribable in words cannot be discriminated about as permanent or impermanent.
As in dream, the soul/self acts through illusion, presenting the appearance of duality, so also in the waking experience, the soul acts through illusion, presenting the appearance of duality. There is no doubt that the soul/self, which is in reality non-dual, appears to be dual in dreams; likewise, there is no doubt that what is non-dual i.e. Atman or consciousness, appears to be dual in the waking experience.
--Birth is ascribed to the individual; but such birth is not possible from the standpoint of soul/ which is reality. Their birth is like that of an illusory object. That illusion, again, does not exist.
The illusory sprout is born of the illusory seed. This illusory sprout is neither permanent nor destructible. The same applies to the individual.
Dharmendra Sajnani was added by Santthosh Kumaar.
Come close… closer… even closer!
How long will this hindrance last?
If you are me and I am you,
What is this separation between you and me?
We are the light of God, we are God‛s mirror.
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FORMLESS PATH: Since every one has having inborn conditioning [samskara] it is difficult to realize.sunthosh-formlesspath.blogspot.com 
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“The stories teach them valuable life lessons. That good things happen to bad pe...See MoreBy: Ashok Kumar
sunthosh-formlesspath.blogspot.com 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 or accumulated knowledge as yardstick, 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.
They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Ataman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. [Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada]
Only 1% people will show interest in path of wisdom. And path of wisdom is for those who found the path of religion, path of yoga and all theoretical philosophy and scriptural studies inadequate and useless in quench their inner thirst.
People are searching for remedies for their problems of practical life within the practical world. Path of love is very valuable in practical world. A Gnani follows path of love in practical world and he loves the whole humanity but he inwardly he is fully aware of the fact that, the practical life within the practical world are part mere mirage.Chandogya Upanishad
"When a person is sleeping soundly, free from dreams, with a still mind, that is the Self, fearless and deathless. That is Brahman, the supreme."
The validity of the judgements which one continually pass on events taking place around him is not denied but all these experiences are happening within the universe [waking or dream] is mere illusion. It is true that the phenomenal world is the outcome of ignorance, but it has a certain relative reality but the relative reality is mere illusion from ultimate standpoint. Thus the relative reality is based on the false self within the false experience because there is no second thing exist other than consciousness thus there is only nondual reality.
The true nature of the soul [consciousness] is camouflaged by the illusion/duality. To know the truth one has to discover and realize the formless substance of the mind or illusion. One has to learn to view and judge the worldview on the standpoint the formless soul as self. Self-Knowledge is the prime goal of the truth seeker. This goal is hidden within the mind as its invisible substance and witness. Therefore, it is necessary inquiry, analyse and reason in to the nature of mind/ duality/illusion in order to unfold the mystery of mind or duality or illusion.
Without the matter there is no duality. Without duality there is no experience. Without experience it is non-dual reality. Therefore, whatever prevails without the mind is ultimate reality.
Mind ceases to exist without the matter. Without the matter mind ceases to exist as mind but it exists as matter- less awareness or consciousness. Without the mind neither the world nor its perceiver can exist.
The moment one knows the mind [universe] is consciousness, and then there is no ignorance. If one knows consciousness as self then everything is consciousness, the consciousness is second to none. The mind is consciousness but due to ignorance one mistakes it for something else. One thinks the self is within the body; but the self is without the body and the world.
The mind [universe] is emanating from soul [consciousness] means the mind is being effect from consciousness is not different from it. Deeper analysis shows it. Analysis needs deeper thinking and reasoning. Mind is whole universe thus it has a form. But where is the form in consciousness [soul] because consciousness is like an ocean and mind is like wave. The universe is same consciousness, as the ocean produces the wave, so the consciousness produces the mind [universe].
To think once own body and his experience of the world is an illusion is difficult matter, unless one realizes the self is not physical but it is formless soul it is difficult to have glimpse of truth.
When one realizes the fact that, the self is not physical but the formless soul, naturally the body and universe becomes illusion.The mind is in the form of Universe. Universe appears as waking or dream. Waking as it presents itself is unreal, same way as the dream. Thus waking or dream is simply illusion created out of consciousness. To the man within the universe it is not an illusion because he has the conviction that he is an individual separate form the universe and he is born in this universe and universe existed prior to him. Until this conviction is there he is bound to believe the birth, life, death and universe as reality. Only in deeper self-search he becomes aware of the fact that, the mind is not within the body but body and the universe are within the mind. And he also becomes aware of the fact that mind itself is the whole universe ,which appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.
Neither the control of breath, or regulating the breath, nor the performance of selfless service, nor by devotion to gods and gurus, not the performance of penance, nor pilgrimaging, nor by yoga nor by scriptural mastery, the ignorance will not vanish. But only through non-dual wisdom the ignorance can be eradicated. The three states are state of ignorance. All the three states are falsehood. The formless substance and witness of the three states is real and eternal.
What is Gnana? Gnana means the full and firm realization of truth – a realization beyond all doubts, change and contradiction.
Without the self-knowledge it is impossible to cross the illusory ocean of the pain and pleasure. There no vessel to ferry man across the ocean of illusory form, time and space except Gnana.
Kabir views humanity as being caught up in illusion, searching for Ultimate Reality in all the wrong places, always seeking It outside of ourselves in various rituals, temples, forests and mountaintops, not realizing That for which we seek is already hidden within us.
The individual ego falsely imagines that it exists independently, and that other beings have similar independent existence. The ignorance, which accounts for this, is the root of all evil. The soul through ignorance is misunderstood, and instead of being known as it is, it is identified with the three states. The ignorance is cause of the limitations. The limitation is cause of the duality. The duality is cause of experiencing the illusion as reality. Until one becomes aware of the formless true self mentally, it is difficult to cross over to the limitless existence.
Within the illusion the false self thinks of itself as doer, agent and enjoyer within the false experience of waking or dream. And it is this illusory self, alike deceiving and deceived by the intoxication of illusion. Through self- knowledge, the self becomes free from experiencing the illusory bondage of birth, life and death and the world. The consciousness is everything. The universe is consciousness because it created out of consciousness. It is not through becoming something which now it is not, but by realizing what it is: the consciousness is the true self and ultimate truth or Brahman.There is no individual, individualized god and universe exists in the realm of truth because the whole experience of diversity [waking or dream] is created out of single stuff, which is consciousness. Consciousness is universal and ultimate truth. The ultimate truth is God. For those who believe in practical life within the practical world as reality, and have belief in individualized God feel the path of Gnana is atheistic.
The inner most self is the soul. The soul is in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is ultimate truth and ultimate truth is God.Self is the “Soul”. The soul is in the form of consciousness. The consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states. Consciousness is essentially the Self Luminous in everything that exists in waking or dream because the consciousness is the formless substance and witness of the three states.
The consciousness is the cause of everything that exists and it itself is uncaused. The self is the soul. The Soul is in the form of consciousness. Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman, knowing which one is free from experiencing the duality as reality.Self is nothing more than a mental idea within the falsehood, how can one surrender to his own mental idea, as surrender itself means dropping of the inborn conditioning or samskara of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ by realizing ‘I’ or I AM’ is not the self but the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is the true self.
Self is nothing more than a mental idea within the falsehood, how can one surrender to his own mental idea, as surrender itself means dropping of the inborn conditioning or samskara of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ by realizing ‘I’ or I AM’ is not the self but the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is the true self.
What is required is only non-dual wisdom. All else follow. Without Self- Knowledge, when one tries to detach himself from the practical world, he finds it impossible, because he feels he is the doer. The doer ship and doing belongs to individuality. Individuality is falsehood from the ultimate standpoint because the self is not an individual entity; it pervades the whole of the illusion, which is in the form of the universe, which appears as waking or dream.
When one realizes the self is not ‘I’ or ‘I am’ but the self is the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ , he is freed from the attachment to result and then what ever he does it detached work. Similarly, when he recognizes that consciousness is everywhere and in everything in all the three states than that very recognition leads to a total dissolution of the ignorance and leads to self-awareness.
Without overcoming this conviction one is in the grip of form, time and space. Until self is in the grip of form, time and space, the duality will prevail as reality. If duality prevails as reality the ignorance prevails. If ignorance prevails the wisdom will not dawn. Without wisdom detachment to attachment is impossibility.
Detachment to attachment is impossible without wisdom. Only when one realizes the fact that, the self is not form but self is formless, than only it is possible to detach the ‘self’ from the false attachment.
Man and his individual experience of the birth life and death are reality within the falsehood. Until one has a firm conviction he is an individual separate from the universe and universe existed prior to him, and he is born in it afterwards he will never be able to acquire non-dual wisdom. Because of this reason he will not be able think beyond form, time and space. Until this conviction is there all his views, judgments and conclusions are based on the false self within the false experience. Thus there is a need for overcoming this conviction by realizing the fact that the self is not form but self is formless.
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. 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 non-dual wisdom dawns.
Sri Sankara, 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.Say something about this...
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