Identifying “Self” as he or she, leads to all sorts’ of doubts and confusion.

The seeker has to identify ‘I’ as mind and “Mind as universe. And universe as waking or dream” and ego as “Seeking Mind” in order to assimilate the Self-knowledge or  Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  The seeker has to be aware of the fact that, the true self is not “He” or “She”.

It is wrong to identify the self as he or she because it refers to physicality. The self is genderless because it is formless. Identifying “Self” as he or she, leads to all sorts’ of doubts and confusion.  When the self is identified as he or she it becomes physical self or ego.

When the ego is not the self, it is erroneous to judge the truth on the base of ego/physical self and come to some conclusion of finality on the physical base is erroneous because the truth is the prior appearance of the physical existence. Thus, the truth has to be judged on the ultimate point of view, not on the base of what appeared later on.

Man has been conditioned to think and be and behave and believe and live as an individual separate from the world. Therefore, the self has been identified with the physical body with the name within the waking experience.

The ‘mind’ is the Waking or dream experience. The Waking or dream is not the experience of the physical body but of the Soul , the innermost self. The man and his world are within the mind; therefore the mind is not within the brain. This has to be understood to assimilate the self-knowledge. Without understanding this fact the assimilation is an impossibility.  

The nature of the Self is formless non-dual.  The nature of the mind is duality or diversity. The self is the formless substance of the mind  or duality . Therefore, the whole experience of the diversity created out of single stuff.  Therefore, there is no division in ultimate standpoint is the self ,which in the form of consciousness. Viewing the  three states on the base of the physical self is the cause of division and separation.  

  When the seekers become aware of the fact that the true self is not physical but the soul, he becomes aware of the fact that the mind is mere illusion.   The one who is ignorant of the true self experiences the duality as reality.

A person perceives the world within the mind.  Absent of mind is absent of waking or dream. Thus waking or dream is mind.

One thinks he is an individual separate from the world within the mind. He is unaware of the fact that the mind is not within his brain, but he and his experience of the world are within the mind.  Thus, he thinks he is born in this world and the world existed prior to him. Thus this conviction makes him believe the birth, life and death as a reality.  Till this conviction is there he will   views and judges the three states  on the physical base, which is the cause of ignorance of the fact that, the true self is the formless soul.

This ignorance of the true self is the main hurdle in pursuit of truth. Therefore, it is very much necessary to rectify the seeking base from physical (form) to spirit (formless) before proceeding further in pursuit of truth.

If the seeking base is not rectified it will lead one towards hallucination. When the mind itself is a myth then the man and his experience of the world is bound to be a myth. Therefore a perfect understanding 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.

The seeker has to burn down the ignorance by rectifying the base of reasoning by realizing the fact that the self is not physical but it is the spirit.

The waking entity and the waking world are within the waking experience. And dream entity and dream world are within the dream

The true self is consciousness. The consciousness pervades in all the three states. Consciousness it is not an entity or identity within the three states because it is formless. Since human understanding is based on form, time and space and consciousness is within the form, time and space but without the form, time and space.  One has to learn to view and judge the  three states not on the waking entity, which is the false self within the false experience but on the formless witness of the three states. This takes very long time because we are habituated to judge and conclude on the base of waking entity or false self [ego]. As one becomes aware the self is not the form but the self is formless consciousness  and as this   conviction grows,  one will be able to rectify his reasoning base from form to formless than the truth will start revealing on its own. But it all depends on the seriousness of the seeker.     

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, the sense of ‘I’ is not limited to a physical body but it pervades the whole physical existence or universe. The universe is in the form of mind. The mind appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).  (That is mind becomes soul, which is in the form of consciousness and the soul becomes mind)

The sense of ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present and it disappears along with the mind. The mind is present only when the universe is present. The universe is present only when waking or dream is present. The waking is parallel dream and dream is a parallel waking experience. 

The seeker will come to the conclusion after thoroughly verifying this fact through deeper self –search and then come to the firm conviction that ‘I’ is mind.

If ‘I’ is mind and in turn mind is universe. The mind, ‘I’, and waking or dream is one and the same thing. 

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, the mind is not within the body but body and the universe are within the mind.  The waking entity and the waking world are within   the waking experience. And dream entity and dream world are within the dream.  The individual experience of the birth, life, death and the world of the waking experience are reality within the waking experience. Similarly the individual experience of the birth, life, death and the world of the dream are reality within the dream.  Both waking and dream are absent in deep sleep. Thus there is a need to know what it is that transcends as waking experience and what it that transcends as dream   and what is it that transcends into deep sleep. The transcending essence is consciousness.  Without consciousness the three states are nonexistent.  Thus the consciousness is not limited to waking entity and experience alone because it pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness. The substance and witness of the three states are one in essence and that essence is consciousness.

The mind or universe or waking or dream or ‘I’ rises and subsides into consciousness as consciousness. Thus the consciousness is the source of the mind or universe or waking or dream or ‘I’. The mind or universe or waking or dream or ‘I’, is a mere mirage created out of consciousness.  When the substance and the witness of the mind or universe is consciousness then there is no second thing other than consciousness. Thus all individual experiences of birth, life, death and the world are mere illusion created out of consciousness. When there is no second thing exist other than consciousness the form, time and space have no value.    Thus only when one has firm conviction that the self is consciousness and it alone is real and eternal the realization happens then and there in the midst of duality.

  Thus the Gnana makes one realize his body, ego and experience of the world as consciousness. A Gnani never identifies his body as body, his ego as ego, his experience of the world as the world but he sees them as consciousness, therefore, he gains unity in diversity in the midst of diversity.  Thus for Gnani everything is consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman.

Atman itself is Brahman.

Because of the inherited conditioning an average person cannot accept anything else as truth, other than his inherited truth.  Only the seekers who have intense urge and receptive and sharpness to grasp will be able to reach their inner destination. The rest will remain in the illusion (outer) experiencing the birth, life, death and the world as reality.     

It is necessary to for the seeker of truth to inquire on his own and realize the non-dual truth without any scriptures in this very lifetime, and make sure of the fact that, the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness and consciousness alone is real and eternal.     

 Thus by quoting one authority from one scripture, and other authority from another scripture, and trying to prove and realize the truth is like, trying to drain the ocean drop by drop.

Scriptural knowledge is 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.

The direct path to the truth is by tracing the source from which the false arises. Thus the source is the soul or  Atman, which is the innermost  self. Atman itself is Brahman.  Thus it is necessary to view the three states  on the base of the source, which the true self, and formless substance and witness of the experience of diversity. Thus deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base, one can acquire the self –knowledge in lesser time and effort.  The unity in diversity is possible only through self-knowledge not by mastering the scriptural knowledge.    

When the self is not form but the self is formless soul, then how the karma will affect the birthless self.

The body, ego and the universe appear along with the waking experience or dream. The waking is parallel dream and dream is a parallel waking experience. 

As an individual one may believe in rebirth as they may have come across many cases of rebirth. From the ultimate standpoint the present birth, life itself is a happening within the illusion. Thus whatever takes place within the illusion bound to be an illusion.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, the self is neither the body nor the ego but self is birth-less because it is formless consciousness.    Consciousness, which is the true self pervades in everything and everywhere in the universe, which is mere illusion. Thus the birth, life and death, which take place within the illusion is bound to be an illusion. 

 Thus, there is no second thing exists other than the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Thus the birth, life, death, rebirth and reincarnation and Avatar are mere illusion on the standpoint of the consciousness, which is the true self. The consciousness also identified by different people with different names such as God / Spirit/ Brahman/Christ/Buddha.

The reincarnation is based on the karma theory. The karma theory is based on the birth, life and death. The birth, life and death are reality only on the base of the false self. Thus whatever based on the false self is bound to be falsehood. By accepting the karma theory is accepting the falsehood as reality. Thus whatever is based on the birth identity will not yield any truth. If one accepts the karma theory then it is impossible to treat the world as illusion. All the pundits’ explanation of karma theory carries no weight on realm of truth from the ultimate standpoint.

When the self is not form but the self is formless soul, then how the karma will affect the birthless self.

That Karma which is done in a previous life which produces the present life is a mere religious theory.  ‘Ego’ (ego or waking entity) is not the self, and the true self is birthless entity, because it is formless. Karma theory has no value in the realm of truth, because self has no birth. The one which is born, lives and dies is the false entity within the false experience.

Essence of scriptures: - Dehum- Nahum-Kohum –Sohum – which indicates the body is not the self – the self is that. Which clearly indicates the self is without the body. Therefore, the self is the formless knower of the body and the world. Without the body and the world, the self is free from birth life and death.  Therefore, karma theory, which is based on the idea of birth, life, death and rebirth are part of the illusion from ultimate standpoint. Thus one has to learn to view and judge the  three states  from ultimate standpoint to know what is truth and what is not truth. 

Yes it takes us to the inner realm but all the Buddhist sutras limited to physicality, we have to go beyond physicality by perfect understanding.

As per my conviction derived from deeper self-search:-

Gate gate para gate parasamgate Bodhi svaha.

 Heart Sutra is a great Sutra.  Yes it takes us to the inner realm but all the Buddhist sutras limited to physicality, we have to go beyond physicality by perfect understanding.  Since the self is not the form self is formless. All the skandas are in physical realm [Form, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness].   The self is not limited the physicality but it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states.  Thus the heart sutra yields only half-truth.  

The Buddhist scriptures were completely distorted by the time of  Sage Sri, Sankara. sage Sri, Sankara had to criticize the Buddhist literature prevailing then as the Buddhists themselves were confused as to what Shunyata is. Vasubandhu and his disciple Dignaga (the latter lived about a couple of centuries before Adi Sankaracharya) could not retain the original teachings of Lord Buddha. At first Vasubandhu did not agree with his half-brother Asanga and wrote one book on Abhidharma and later on he went to the side of Asanga and wrote a second book, where? he opposed his own earlier views on Abhidharma. Adi Sankaracharya? had to criticise the Buddhist knowledge? and literature of his time as he wanted to bring to us back the Pure Vedantic knowledge through his work on the Prasthanatraya.. That is why there is reference to the writing of Dharmakirti in Sutrabashya.

There is another aspect also The? Vishnu Purana also says that Lord Buddha created confusion. In Sarnath he first taught about the Moral code which is basic. He talked about Anatma. Then? two decades later he taught the concept of Shunyata and? the tenets of the Mahayana Buddhism.? In spite of Nagrjuna's telling that Shunyata is not Nihilism and that Parajanaparamita also mentioning about the Shunyata after one leaves? the five? skandhas, there are and there will always be people who will go on calling Buddha's philosophy as Nihilism. About the origin of the? Tantric Buddhism also? there are controversies.

The most valuable contribution of Sage  Sri, Sankar is that he gained general consciousness on the issue that the authoritative explanation of Upanishads, Gita and Brahma Sutra was the final say in the matter of religion. Anything that goes contrary to the trio is not authentic. He also made a clear distinction between the Vedas and Upanishads in his commentary on Gita. He stated that the Karma Kand of the Vedas deal with the injunctions relating to the performance of duties and actions. These are for ordinary householders.

  

The path of religion, the path of yoga and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Sage Sri Sankara’s whole teaching can be summed up into one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahma. He says that the Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Bliss is Real. The universe is not real. He says that Brahma and Atmana are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances.

 In fact  Sage Sri, Sankar states a paradox- the world is and is not. It is neither real nor unreal. It leads us to recognize the existence of Maya. He thinks that the world is illusory from one perspective and from the second it is nothing but Brhma, Itself in manifestation. This apparent world is Maya and has its basis in Brahman, the Eternal. It looks as real. It has names and forms and actually, it is not real In the light of true knowledge, it disappears and Self-alone shines as real. However Sri, Sankar’s Mayavad has not been accepted by many preachers and philosophers.

When Sage Sri, Sankara says clearly, the universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is Real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances, then it indicates the form [waking/duality/mind] is unreal the formless is real (soul or consciousness).  Therefore, only Atman is real because there is no second thing other than Atman.

He also clearly mentions that:

The path of religion,  theory of karma, the path of yoga and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Thus we have to know the fact that the Buddha, Goudpada and Sage  Sri,Sankara are not only reformers but also  the greatest  scientists. From there original thesis has been lost in the labyrinths of philosophy and mutilated by pundits and priest craft, it becomes very difficult understand and assimilate the wisdom expounded by the great masters. In addition, the conservativeness of the orthodox scholars will not allow any research other than playing with the words, which suits the mass mind sets, because of their egocentric outlook.

 All the add-ons have to be deleted, in order to understand and assimilate the real fragrance of the wisdom expounded by the great masters of Advith, but it is hurricane task.  Thus, it is no use going through all the scriptures, when there is a direct path to nondual truth.  The same time and effort can be used to reach the nondual destination, in lesser time and effort. 

  

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.

Seeker of truth has to know that something is inadequate in Buddhist or Advaitic teachings to reach the nondual destination because of the add-ons and adulteration. Thus it becomes difficult to reach the destination directed by the Buddha, Sri, Sankara and Sri,Goudapada.  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.

For the same reason Raman Maharshi said:  fortunate are the one who does 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)

The duality is reality on the standpoint of the false self [ego or body as self].  The duality is a mere mirage on the base of the true self, which is formless consciousness. This understanding comes only to the serious seeker, who has a real urge to know the ultimate truth, which is beyond the all the teachings and teachers. There is neither teaching, nor teacher, nor student in the realm of truth.  

Different paths will not converge to the same Ultimate Reality because they are based on the false self. They are not the different stages in the same path. People fight about the differences and the greatness of their chosen paths but only through wisdom one can realize the Ultimate Reality.

One has to have perfect understanding and march ahead, surely and steadily, towards that Ultimate Reality, which is consciousness or Brahman or Christ or Buddha. One becomes limited to the concepts, names and forms within the waking or dream. Waking/dream originates from the soul.

The soul is the true self.  The soul is in the form of consciousness. Realizing the consciousness as the true self is truth realization. Consciousness is formless, limitless, permanent and unchanging, and by its nature non-dual and universal. The consciousness is the formless knower of the mirage (universe) which comes and goes. The knower(soul, which is in the form of consciousness0 and the known(three states) are one in essence, therefore there is no second thing exists other than consciousness.  

Realize Brahman or ultimate truth here and now, in this very life, not in next life and in the next world by realizing the fact that, this life  within the waking experience itself is illusion because the waking experience is itself is an  illusion.    

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, the self is not a form but formless consciousness. Thus our judgment and reason also has to be on the formless not the on the form

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, the self is not a form but formless consciousness.  Thus our judgment and reason also has to be on the formless not the on the form.  Thus rectifying the reasoning base is necessary to understand and assimilate’ what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’, otherwise it leads to pursuit of argument or intellectual speculation or logical conclusions. .

When the self is not physical, but the self is formless consciousness, then the question of evolution does not arise. Only when one takes the physical apparatus as self, then this then the evolution theory is reality. The body and the world are with in the mind. The mind is illusion, on the standpoint of its formless substance, which is consciousness. Consciousness is the true self and

The truth is hidden within the illusion and it is without the illusion. When self is formless, then the body [brain] and the world are mere illusion. That is why the truth realization is possible only through perfect understanding and assimilation.

The reasoning base has to be rectified from form to formless in order to unfold the mystery of the mind or illusion. When self is not physical it is erroneous to judge and reason and conclude the truth on the base of ego, which is the false self within the false experience because it leads to intellectual speculations.

Even science:-

 -
Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness

by :Alva Noë. Hill and Wang, 2009

Alva No, a University of California, Berkeley, philosopher and cognitive scientist, argues that after decades of concerted effort on the part of neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers "only one proposition about how the brain makes us conscious ... has emerged unchallenged: we don't have a clue." The reason we have been unable to explain the neural basis of consciousness, he says, is that it does not take place in the brain. Consciousness is not something that happens inside us but something we achieve it is more like dancing than it is like the digestive process. To understand consciousness the fact that we think and feel and that a world shows up for us we need to look at a larger system of which the brain is only one element. Consciousness requires the joint operation of brain, body and world. "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."

Everything in the duality exists when wisdom dawns but their unreal nature is revealed.

Panchadashi:- The Atman is the witness-consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

Everything in the duality exists when wisdom dawns but their unreal nature is revealed. There is self-awareness.  A Gnani is fully aware that, his own body and his experience of the universe is a mere mirage created out of consciousness. Thus the form and names has no value because they are part of the mirage.

The real, is the consciousness from which the whole universe is made. Thus through wisdom one reaches the stillness of the self, which is formless nondual in its nature. Thus the one is aware of the material [consciousness] not the things [mirage] made out of the material.

As gold is an important material in making ornaments, so, consciousness is the material is essential for the three states to arise. Without the gold remains as gold when it is not ornaments. In self- awareness the consciousness remains in its formless nondual true nature in the midst of duality.

Form, time and space are the product of ignorance. Until ignorance is there the waking remains as reality when ignorance vanishes  in the midst of waking experience the waking  experience also  becomes unreality, same way as the dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place. 

Gnani knows his body, ego and his experience of the world as consciousness.

If self is not a form but formless than our judgment and reason and conclusion has to be based on the formless than only it is possible to acquire Self –knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Since our judgment is based on the waking entity, which is the false self within the false experience, we end up with all sorts of doubts confusions. It takes a long time to rectify the reasoning a base subconsciously. 

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal universe observed and experienced.

The botanist viewing a flower will see it differently than a nature lover viewing the same flower. Each one interprets the object that he sees in terms of his existing knowledge.   Gnani knows his body, ego and his experience of the world as consciousness whereas the meditator or yogi thinks he is experiencing the bliss because of his physical effort. When the waking experience itself is a false hood whatever experienced on the base of waking entity is bound to be falsehood.

A man of perfection is one who has realized the fact that, the true self is within the three states but it is without the three states.  And he has a firm conviction the true self is the formless substance and the witness of the three states.  Thus your true identity is without the body and the universe and unaffected and witnesses the three states as passing show.  Thus when you become soul centric then your egocentric experience is mere mirage. Thus one becomes fully aware in the midst of duality the waking life is the mere passing show.   A Gnani is fully aware of the fact that, the substance and witness of the mirage are one in essence and that essence is consciousness.   Thus there is no second thing exist other than consciousness. Other than consciousness all else is illusion.

Experience is possible only where there are two (duality). Thus, where there is an experience [duality] unity in diversity is impossible.  Therefore, only a realization of truth is necessary to reach the experience- less (non-duality) state.   Thus whatever experienced as a person within the waking experience (duality) is falsehood.  Thus it is necessary to realize the fact that, how the three states are falsehood and on what standpoint. 

The religionists viewing the three states will see it differently from the Gnani viewing the same three states. Each one interprets the three states that he observes in term of his existing knowledge.

One knows nothing about the deep sleep except the recollection of its repose on waking. And on waking one becomes aware the dream is unreal.  The reason for this is the apparent absence of continuity of events between two or more dream and absence of corroboration about the dream on waking.  It is erroneous to view and judge the three states on the standpoint of the waking entity. When the inquiry and reasoning reveals the fact that, the physical body is not the self, then it is clear that one which is without the body [formless] is the knower of the three states, which come and go. Therefore, it is erroneous to view and judge the three states on the standpoint of waking entity or ego. Thus there is a need to become aware of the formless witness of these three states. 

Even the dream is self-contained and it has perfect inner logic and sequence. During the dream experience the dream entity and the dream world are reality, within the dream.  But the dream is unreal. Similarly, the waking entity, and the waking world, is reality within the waking, but the waking is unreal on the standpoint of the true self (consciousness).

However, if one analiyze deeply one becomes aware every state is self-contained; it has perfect inner logic and sequence.  During the subsistence of the dream there is no doubt about its reality. Thus one can easily conclude that each state has its own illusion which can be got over only if one wakes up from that particular illusory state into another.  Just as the dream appears unreal to the one who is awake, so too would waking itself be if one awakes from it to the nondual natural state.   Natural state is ‘I’-less [duality less] state in which the mind stays merged in the consciousness the true self.  It is only when one traverses beyond the mind [‘I’/waking] through inquiry and reasoning on the true base that it is possible to negate the whole waking experience.  Then one is in the state of awaken sleep, a state which combines the conscious of the waking experience with the repose of the deep sleep. In this state of awaken sleep one is fully aware of the fact the waking experience also as real as dream. 

The observation of the three states will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, one’s mental and intellectual conditions will determine the dual and nondual experiences observed and experienced.  The religionists viewing the three states will see it differently from the Gnani  viewing the same three states.  Each one interprets the three states that he observes in term of his existing knowledge. 

 The man of truth sees consciousness in everything and everywhere. Because he is fully aware of the fact that, the consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states, therefore he has the firm conviction that everything is consciousness  and no second thing exists other than the consciousness in experience of diversity. Then only unity in diversity is possible. Thus three state analyses are the one of the steps in pursuit of truth. 

Just as a dream appears “unreal” when waking takes place, the waking becomes unreal when the wisdom dawns.

Consciousness is Absolute is alone and real.

Blinded with the illusion very few grasp the non-dual truth. Only few escape from the web of illusion, only few seekers are able to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Consciousness is ultimate truth. Consciousness  is  Absolute is alone and  real. The waking is unreal; and the three states are non-different from Consciousness because they are created out of consciousness.

Whatever is, is Consciousness. Consciousness itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory."  Consciousness is not a person. But if one wants to call it God or Paramataman , then fine but it is neither  a person nor an entity nor thing.

The realization of truth is not intellectual understanding. Self- Realization is about realizing the fact that, the self is not physical, but it is the formless soul or consciousness.  Intellectual, logical, analytical perspective is based on the false self, will not help the seeker to reach his non-dual destination. The truth is beyond intellectual understanding and only the serious seekers who are free from preconceived accumulated ideas can get there.

To make the mind still one has to have the perfect understanding of the whole experience without mixing up with accumulated ideas from the religion, scriptures and yogic ideas and theoretical knowledge based on the logic.

The mind becomes still only when one accepts the fact that consciousness is the true self, and rejects ‘I’ as self mentally.  There is no use of seeking truth on the base of ‘I’ which is not the self.  This base can be rectified through deeper Self-search through perfect understanding and assimilating. Though it may look difficult at first gradually the serious seeker will get a hang of it, and will start feeling the non-dual tranquillity.   This is possible only through constant mental effort through reflection on the formless witness of the three states.

The word illusion is used as a suggestion to the subconscious to bifurcate the real from the unreal. Since truth pursuit is completely a mental journey, suggesting the right suggestions to the subconscious is the only way. The word illusion scares many, but there is no need to get scared, nothing is lost, only the ignorance will disappear and one will be able to view and judge the birth, life and death on the base of consciousness, thus the burden of the duality will be shifted from form to formless thus one gets freedom from experiencing the duality which he is experiencing as reality right here and now, consciously living within the duality, until it disappears on its own and become one with the eternal identity.  

Soulcentric Inquiry and reasoning reveal the fact that,  neither that, neither physical body nor the ‘ego’ the true self.  The formless witness of the ‘I’ is the true self.  The formless witness is consciousness.  The three mental states of waking, dream and deep sleep are unreal, because they have no permanence. Man and his experience of the world is the reality within the waking  or dream. But the point is the waking is also as unreal as dream. They come and go.  Thus one has to realize the fact that there must be a knower [witness] of these three states which appear and disappear in succession.

Second-hand knowledge of the self-gathered from books or gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that.

Second-hand knowledge of the self-gathered from books or gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that.  Realize yourself, turning the mind inward. – Tripura Rahasya, 18: 89

The pursuit of truth is a mental journey. Deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning make one aware of what the truth is and what is untruth and the subconscious  will be able to reject the untruth after knowing, what is Truth. Whatever prevails after rejecting the untruth is the ultimate truth.

The seeker has to overcome all the obstacles in pursuit of truth on his own .  They are so many scholars who mastered philosophy.  It is impossible to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana through theoretical philosophy. Because their preaching is based on spirit and practices is based on ego or physical entity.

Experience of diversity (form) becomes oneness in deep sleep and Oneness (formless)becomes diversity in waking or dream. Therefore, that which becomes diversity (form), and that which becomes Oneness (formless)is not our physical entity, because the physical entity is present only in waking and dream. The one, which is aware of all the three states, is formless, apart and eternal which is the soul. The soul itself is ultimate truth or Brahman or Buddha's nature.  

The Soul or consciousness, the innermost Self is neither the waking entity , nor the dream entity ,  but the self is formless soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states without the physical apparatus. 

 The Soul, the innermost self is neither the breath, nor the heart because it is ever formless. Soul or consciousness, the innermost Self is in the form of the spirit  or  Consciousness.  The experience of duality is a mere mirage created out of the Soul or consciousness or spirit.  Thus there is no second thing other than the consciousness. Therefore, holding anything else other than the formless soul or consciousness  as God is ignorance caused by illusion.

The one which powers the illusion is the soul or consciousness or spirit. Consciousness is ultimate truth and ultimate truth is Brahman or GOD.  We are talking of truth or god in illusion. We argue discuss about the ultimate truth or Brahman within the illusion. In reality there is nothing to argue, nothing to judge, because there is nothing exists other than Consciousness.  Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman. 

Buddhism has no answer to certain questions like the existence of Atma (soul) and rebirth

H.H. Dalai Lama said:  Buddhism need not to be the best religion though it is most scientific and religion and inquisitive. But Buddhism has no answer to certain questions like the existence of Atma (soul) and rebirth.   Dali lama said that as an individual he believes in rebirth as he had come across a few cases of rebirth.  Modern science, Dalai Lama hoped would unearth the mystery behind the rebirth. (In DH –dec-21-2009-Gulburga).

The same way all other religions of the world and all philosophies of the world are based on the individuality or ego, find no answers for many questions. Truth seekers all over the world are trying to find answers for themselves, and they imagine and write articles and books of their ideas and others will read and blindly accept them as truth.

There is no need to condemn anyone views and ideas or writing, but without being judgmental, the seeker has to verify whether the author is speaking on the standpoint of ego, or whether he is speaking on the standpoint of soul, the innermost self.  If his views are based on the standpoint of the physical self or ego, then there is many doubts and confusion. If his views are based on the soul as self then there is no confusion and doubts of any sort.  

 

Nothing has to be accepted without verifying the validity of any claim in pursuit of truth. Only the un - contradictable truth has to be accepted as truth.  There is no need to condemn any religion or any saints or sages, but seeker has to think beyond religion, scriptures and individualized gods.   

The religious, yogic and worldly truths are individual truth based on the ego.  The spiritual truth is universal truth, which is based on the soul or consciousness or spirit. The truth which is based on the soul, the innermost self is the ultimate truth or Brahman or Emptiness.  

The religion is based on the body (form) as self, since it is based on the birth. Spirituality is based on the soul (formless). Thus there is a need to bifurcate the religion from spirituality. Religion views and judges on the standpoint of the physical self or ego, whereas the in pursuit of truth everything is viewed, judged and concluded on the base of the formless  soul, the innermost  self.  Whatever is based on the physical entity(ego or waking entity) is not spirituality because the soul has no form, so it has no religion.  Therefore, seeker of truth has to rectify the reasoning  base, from form to the formless, to understand and assimilate the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

    

Thus, viewing judging the ultimate truth on the base of ego or false self or accumulated knowledge will not unfold the mystery of the mind or the universe or duality.  There is no need of religion, god glorification and scriptures in pursuit of truth, since the Soul, the innermost Self is  the cause of our dual and non-dual experiences.

Experience of diversity (universe or form) becomes oneness in deep sleep and Oneness (formless) becomes diversity in waking or dream. Therefore, that which becomes diversity (form), and that which becomes Oneness (formless) is not our physical entity, because the physical entity is present only in waking and dream. The one, which is aware of all the three states, is formless, apart and eternal which is the soul. The soul, which is consciousness itself, is ultimate truth or Brahman or Buddha's nature.   

 To realize this truth one has to realize first “What is truth? and “What is untruth?” between the dual (waking or dream) and non-dual experiences.  Searching the truth on the base of inherited religious conditioning and accumulated bookish or scriptural knowledge is not the means to Self-Realization. 

It is very difficult to talk to people about ultimate truth or Brahman because everyone thinks he knows the ultimate truth or Brahman. This- I know business is dangerous.  And whatever his reached conclusion is second hand stuff.  Therefore, accepting accumulated knowledge without verification will lead the seekers to hallucinated realization based on the ego.