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."