Buddha said: - Believe nothing because a wise man said it,

If the reasoning  base is not rectified than  it will lead one towards hallucination. When the mind itself is myth then the man and his experience of the world is bound to be myth. Therefore, perfect understanding of 'What is  mind' and What is substance of the mind' and 'What is the source of the mind'  will help one to unfold the mystery of the mind.

  It is impossible to unfold the truth on the base of false self within the false experience, because the truth is prior to the appearance of the falsehood.  And falsehood creates ignorance.

 Seeker has to burn down the ignorance by rectifying the base of reasoning by realizing the fact that self is not physical but it is the formless consciousness. 



Holding  ‘I’ or  ‘I AM’  is cause of the ignorance. Thus one has to get rid of the ignorance by overcoming the intoxication of ‘I’ or I AM' by realizing  'I' or 'I AM is not the self.  

Holding 'I' or 'I AM as self keeps one in physical prison. Thus deeper self-search is necessary in order to reach the ultimate end.

That is why Buddha said: -
 
Believe nothing because a wise man said it,
Believe nothing because it is generally held.
Believe nothing because it is written.
Believe nothing because it is said to be divine.
Believe nothing because someone else said it.
But believe only what you yourself judge to be true.
-Buddha

Thus accepting anything without deeper verification will not lead one to ultimate end. of understanding  Seeker of truth read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider and discover the truth by using soul-centric reason.  The greatest and noblest pleasure which seeker can have is to discover new truths; and drop old prejudices and accumulated knowledge.

The whole objective  universe is created out of consciousness.  In self-awareness the universe ceases to exist.  Nature of the innermost self is formless and  non-dual.  In self-awareness the ignorance disappears therefore the reality of the illusory universe ceases.  Consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman. Soul or consciousness, the innermost self is the nameless, contentless, effortless and spontaneous existence, beyond form, time and space. 

The self is not ‘I’ but ‘I’ is mind.  Mind is in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.  The ‘I’, which appears as mind or universe is impermanent. The self is ‘I’-less. ‘I’-less self is that witnesses the coming and going of the ‘I’.    If one holds ‘I’ as self he will never be able to cross the threshold of duality. Without crossing the threshold of duality it is impossible to realize the non-dualistic or Advaitic  truth.  Holding the ‘I’ as self is keeps one in the realm of ignorance.   Therefore, Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary to get rid of the ignorance.  

The formless  witness  is that witnesses the coming and going of the three states. This truth has to be grasped mentally to realize the existence of the formless witness. Once this truth is grasped mentally, then one has to cling to the formless witness. Once one clings to this formless witness mentally than the subconscious has the yardstick to accept the truth and reject the untruth. Thus deeper self-search is necessary to understand, assimilate to have firm conviction of what is what in order to get Self-Awareness. 

We have to grow from the inside out. None can teach us, none can make us spiritual. There is no other guru but our own soul.”

Self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Brahma Gnana cannot be attained by one who is without strength or earnestness or without the receptiveness and courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth. If a serious seeker strives sincerely by means of inquiry, analysis and soul-centric reasoning, he will be able to realize it.

It is only seekers sincerity and earnestness in his spiritual pursuit, the knowledge started revealing on its own.  Anyone who has humility and patience and is sincere and ready to drop their accumulated dross and receptive to accept the truth will enter non-dual Self-Awareness when his conviction becomes firm.