Sage Sri, Sankara’s wisdom is complete and perfect.***

The Advaita taught by Sage Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sage Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman, itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

Sage Sri, Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mundaka, he gave the highest nondual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave a lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Isvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Sage Sri, Sankara's  Advaitic wisdom ~ Without a Parallel.  Sage Sri Sankara's wisdom is lofty, sublime and unique. It is highly interesting, inspiring and elevating. No other wisdom can stand before it in boldness, depth and subtle thinking.  Sage Sri, Sankara’s wisdom is complete and perfect.

Sage Sri Sankara was a mighty, marvellous genius. He was a profound thinker of the first rank. He was a sage of the highest realization. His wisdom has brought solace, peace and illumination to countless persons in the world. The Western thinkers bow their heads at the lotus-feet of  Sage Sri Sankara. His wisdom has soothed the sorrows and afflictions of the most forlorn persons and brought hope, joy, wisdom, perfection, freedom and calmness to many. His wisdom commands the admiration of the whole world.

Biographical anecdotes about his childhood about the crocodile story and the story in Sage Sri,   Sankara's life of going to Benares and occupying the body of another man and then having sex intercourse with his wife, is a myth created by orthodoxy hiding the real fact the reason best-known to the orthodoxy. Sage, Sri, Sankara had the scientific spirit and when told by Saraswathi the woman that he was talking emptily about sex, being a Sanyasi, he at once went to learn the truth by having actual intercourse himself and thus learning by experiment and observation.

Thus,  all the myth about Sage Sri, Sankara is nothing to do with the seeker of truth because the seeker is concerned only with the wisdom of the Sage Sri, Sankara.  

Sage Sri, Sankara:~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)

Sage Sri, Sankara:~  The Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. (Chap.3.4.50; Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras)

Sage Sri, Sankara's work has got two aspects: the practical and the spiritual. He gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the populace but pure wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence, the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Sage Sri, Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never told them to give their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.

Sage Sri, Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was no fool in writing.  Sage Sri, Sankara did more than write books or initiate Sanyasin: He brought India into a unity as a nation. He told people to worship what they wish, remain in their particular religion, caste and creed, but remember also you are part of a larger whole.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced.  The orthodox pundit   seeing Sage Sri, Sankara will see differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sri, Sankara.  Each one of them interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge.  The orthodox sees Sage Sri, Sankara as the founder of their religion and also as a guru of Advaitic orthodox sect.  A man of truth sees Sage Sri, Sankara not as a guru but as a Gnani. The orthodoxy believes their experience of the birth, life, death and rebirth and the world as reality. Whereas a Gnani sees the world is a mere illusion created out of consciousness.  Thus,  Gnani sees no second thing other than consciousness. The one who treads the path of wisdom gains the knowledge of the reality beyond form, time and space. A  Gnani has delved into and he transcended consciously all identification with the experience form, time and space.

Similarly, orthodoxy has to be bifurcated from philosophy. To know the Non-dualistic wisdom of Sage Sri, Sankara, one has to be free from all superstitions and dogmas and orthodoxy and scriptural knowledge.  The seeker has to be more rational and scientific in his attitude.

According to Advaita 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. 

Sage Sri, Sankara said: ~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Philosophy does not begin with the ultimate truth. Ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Most  of Advaitin scholars will teach that all is you, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analysed it scientifically, and none can prove it. The rational proof is required so that one arrive at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana.  Theirs is a mere dogma, parrotism, a repetition of what they read in scripture.  Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

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

Sage Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman, Brahman, itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory***.

The Advaita taught by Sage Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sage Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman,  itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

Sage Sri, Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mundaka, he gave the highest nondual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave a lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Isvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Genuine philosophy must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sri, Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world, and the Nirguna Brahman is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion.  

Sage Sri Sankara pokes fun at ascetics and points out that all their austerities do not cause desires to go (Altar Flowers" Page 205, v.2 P.207 v.4)

The Brahma Sutras together with  Sage Sri Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain the higher wisdom. They are intended for those who are incapable of thinking rationally.

Sage Sri, Sankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on an orthodox and mystic basis, with an  appeal to the Vedas as  a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sri, Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage Sri, Sankara explains in Manduka that those who study the Sutras are orthodox minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God.  A Gnani says the scriptures for children, but wise seekers will think rationally.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sri, Sankara takes for granted, assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie, nevertheless one will find Sage Sri, Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion, dogmatism, but in the commentary Sage Sri, Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that a number of Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, only a few Upanishads do not, but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Scholars translation of Brahma Sutras in Sacred Books of East must be read cautiously as he has not understood its highest sense, e.g. for Advaita they wrongly put "Unity" instead of “Non-duality."

Sage Sri Sankara gave religion and scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the seeking world. He was great enough to be able to do so. His commentary on Mandukya is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.

Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification that is why they are not keen rational truth. Thus, Sage Sankara is the Guru to the religious followers and he is a great Gnani to the seeking world.  

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study the Scriptures, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~ then why you indulge in studying the scriptures.

 Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study philosophy, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why you indulge in studying the philosophy.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge rituals, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why you indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge yoga, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why you indulge in yoga.

Sage Sri, Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani)

~ then why you are sticking a Guru who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sri, Sankara says ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then  why yo are indulging in other types of meditation.

The seeker has to find out: - ‘What is this ‘I’?’, in order to realize the nature of the mind (I).***

Sage Sri,Sankara said:~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

 There are  three  kinds of aspirants:  ~  

1.   The ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices follow religion.

2.      Middling intellects who desire peace and well being  follow yogic path or meditation.

3.     The  advanced seeker who seeks to know  the ultimate truth follow the Atmaimc path. The Atmic path  with its emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom  is meant for those who wish to go beyond the form, time and space.

Only through  deeper self-search  beginners and intermediates gradually become aware ‘what is what’. Only after they have  realized the fact that the  ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’  is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness they ready for the  inner journey towards the reality , which is beyond the form, time and space. 

Upanishad:~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

There is no need to study Vedanta.  The seeker has to find out: - ‘What is mind or ‘I’?’, ‘What is the substance of the mind (I)?’  And what is the source if the mind?  (I),  in order  to realize the nature of the mind (I). 

The non-duality has to be grasped in the midst of the duality (waking experience).  When one is Soul-centric  than he  will realize ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ and ‘what is reality’ and what is unreality’  and able establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the Soul, the innermost Self.  The Soul  which is present in the form of the consciousness is  ultimate truth or Brahman.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false Self, and imagine about nonduality and say nothing exist other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the consciousness.  Everything arises from the consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Thus, the whole diversity (three states) has no relevance, on the standpoint of the consciousness as  the Self.

Everything (illusion) is nothingness (consciousness) realizing the three states are created out nothingness (Consciousness). Nothingness is the nature of the consciousness because there is no second thing exists other than itself.       

Religion, mysticism, and yoga are meant for the mass mindset, which are incapable investigating and verifying their inherited beliefs.  The path of wisdom  is to get the pure essence of non-duality or Advaita.

The ultimate truth is based on the formless Soul, the innermost Self.  Soul-centric reasoning leads one to non-dual Self-awareness.  Therefore, there is a  need to rectify the reasoning base from ego base to Soul base to understand, assimilate and realize the Non-dualistic or Advaitic truth.

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi:~  Self –inquiry is not the critical study of the scriptures. When the source is reached, the mind (I) gets merged into it. The result of Self-knowledge is cure for getting rid of the ignorance. It is the highest of all the results. There is nothing greater than it.  there is no necessity to study the scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. 

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi says:~

Q by D:- Is not necessary to study the Vedas or at least the Prasthanatraya (the Bhagavad Gita, Dasopanishad and Brahma Sutras, all with commentaries)to ensure firm realization?

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi: ~ No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explaining doubts and difficulties if others rise them or if you yourself encounter them in the course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your thirst. (Page 111/112 of Practical guide to know yourself c/e by A.R.N).

This surely indicates Sri, Ramana Maharishi indicates the path of truth is independent path nothing to with the religion and scriptures.

--

Even the Upanishads clearly indicate:~

Katha Upanishad:~ This Atman 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 Atman reveals Its own form. ( Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad:~  This Atman cannot be attained through the study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad (Upanishads by Nikilanada)

--

Sage Sri, Raman Maharishi explains (in page 111/112- practical guide to know yourself):~

Q: D: Is it not necessary to study the Vedas or at least Prastnatraya (Bhagavad gita.Dasoponishad and Brahma Sutra all with commentaries) to ensure firm realization?

A: Bhagavan:~ No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explaining  doubts and difficulties if others rise them if you yourself encounter them in the course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your quest.

Sage Sri, Raman Maharshi :~  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)

The above passages further prove that: Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by the 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  Sage, Sri, Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, concept of god and scriptures. 

Upanishads:~ 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)

Therefore, there is no use of taking  the 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 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 arises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness.  Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding,  assimilation of non-dualistic or Advaitic  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.

Sage Sri, Sankara believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason.