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 Mandukya, 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 (Ishvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.
In Advaita Vedanta: ~ Brahman is without attributes and strictly impersonal. It can be best described as infinite Being, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. It is pure knowledge itself, similar to a source of infinite radiance. Since the Advaitins regard Brahman to be the Ultimate Truth, so in comparison to Brahman, every other thing, including the material world, its distinctness, the individuality of the living creatures and even Ishvara (the Supreme Lord) itself are all untrue. Brahman is the effulgent cause of everything that exists and can possibly exist. Since it is beyond human comprehension, it is without any attributes, for assigning attributes to it would be distorting the true nature of Brahman. Advaitins believe in the existence of both Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman; however they consider Nirguna Brahman to be the absolute supreme truth.
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 Self –Knowledge or brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is goal of the true
seeker. Self-knowledge is end of all
egocentric knowledge.
Sage Sri , Sanakara said:-Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way.(1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25
The soul is the innermost self. The soul is present in the form of the consciousness. The awareness is the nature of the soul. Awareness of the soul is obstructed due to ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of the physical awareness. The physical awareness is present in the form of mind (I). The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).
The entire search in the spiritual path must end in discovery of the self, which is beyond form, time and space. The wisdom dawns when the ignorance vanishes. When ignorance vanishes then the unreal nature of the universe is exposed. When the unreal nature of the universe is exposed then the duality will never prevail as reality. Thus, perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is very much necessary in order to realize the ‘Self’ beyond the form, time and space.
Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: ~ the world in which we exist is mere an illusion. Therefore, whatever karma is done in the illusory world is bound to an illusion. The experience of Birth, life and death and the world are reality within the waking experience, but the waking experience is falsehood.
Whatever appears as the form is false. Whatever has a name is false. Whatever appears and disappears is falsehood. The people who live in the appeared universe are bound to be false because the universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. All the three states are falsehood. Whatever is permanent is reality whatever impermanent falsehood is. Thus, the three states which appear and disappear are falsehood.
All the contents of the universe are false. Thus whatever is born, lives and dies within the universe is falsehood. The individual experiences are reality within the falsehood.
A Gnani is one who has realized the ultimate truth of the identity the soul, the innermost self. Thus, Moksha is not a result of ritual action (path of karma a) or of devotional service (path of bhakti). These paths are egocentric paths therefore they will not help anyway to get rid of the ignorance. In fact, Moksha is not a result of anything, for it always exists. All that is required is the removal of ignorance. The path of wisdom helps the seeker to acquire the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. ~Santthosh Kumaar
Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is declared by the Indian sages in the past has to be mentally excavated from labyrinths of philosophy. So many conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis and different idea of truth and interpretations. All these concepts and ideas are never ending process.
The seeker of truth need not take the path of doubt and confusion, which takes him nowhere. Fortunate is the seeker who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of these theoretical philosophies. By perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ leads to non-dual self-awareness. Seeker has to behave in a normal and sane way and silently reflect on the subject constantly.
There is no body, no ego and no experience of the world in the realm of truth because the body and the world are one in essence. That essence is consciousness.
The one who has the firm conviction that, he is an individual separate from the world and world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards is egocentric. And he is unfit to grasp the ultimate truth or Brahman.
The seeker has to trace the source of the mind or universe to realize the fact that, mind and its formless substance and the source are one in essence.
The truth is hidden within the mind which is in the form of the universe and it requires deeper self-search mental excavation, the removal of the ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the illusion or duality as reality.
Grasping the transparent truth of the self, which is hidden by illusion or waking or universe, is to be attained through soul-centric reasoning, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted egocentric arguments.
People think the self-knowledge is very difficult to achieve or understand. Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana which has to be acquired carefully and gradually, through deeper self-search.
In the past, spirituality was treated not as a separate subject but as a part of religion, but it is not so. Religion is based on the form and spirituality is based on formless. Therefore, spirituality is nothing to with religion. Spirituality is a rational enquiry regarding all that is known to exist. Everyone, each to the extent to which one's reasoning power admits, is by nature free to exercise this faculty, at whatever stage one may be. One is able to devote himself exclusively to a pursuit of the highest Truth, by means of reason.
In the ancient time, religious, Yogic or mystic disciplines, which were not an end in itself, considered to be means for self-realization. But such discipline is almost impossible task for the modern man to adopt. Day by day modern man is becoming aware of the fact that religion and yoga are nothing to do with the pursuit of truth.
The modern mindset is pre-eminently scientific owing to the great progress that science has made. And the best method of freeing the one from his inaccurate ways of thinking is to imbue him as fully as possible with the scientific spirit. It is therefore only one who possesses a clear knowledge of its methods and results i.e., who is able to make reason the highest means of enquiry that would be fit for self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Vedanta itself admits its highest Truth that is Atman or Brahman cannot be reached by any path other than that of reason and unless the reason is sharper than the ‘Edge of a razor'.
Reason on the true base is the highest means of attaining self- knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion, theology, mystic practice and yoga are not the means to acquire non-dual wisdom. Absence of reason is the absence of wisdom.
Sage Sri , Sanakara said:-Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way.(1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25
The soul is the innermost self. The soul is present in the form of the consciousness. The awareness is the nature of the soul. Awareness of the soul is obstructed due to ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of the physical awareness. The physical awareness is present in the form of mind (I). The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).
The entire search in the spiritual path must end in discovery of the self, which is beyond form, time and space. The wisdom dawns when the ignorance vanishes. When ignorance vanishes then the unreal nature of the universe is exposed. When the unreal nature of the universe is exposed then the duality will never prevail as reality. Thus, perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is very much necessary in order to realize the ‘Self’ beyond the form, time and space.
Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: ~ the world in which we exist is mere an illusion. Therefore, whatever karma is done in the illusory world is bound to an illusion. The experience of Birth, life and death and the world are reality within the waking experience, but the waking experience is falsehood.
Whatever appears as the form is false. Whatever has a name is false. Whatever appears and disappears is falsehood. The people who live in the appeared universe are bound to be false because the universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. All the three states are falsehood. Whatever is permanent is reality whatever impermanent falsehood is. Thus, the three states which appear and disappear are falsehood.
All the contents of the universe are false. Thus whatever is born, lives and dies within the universe is falsehood. The individual experiences are reality within the falsehood.
A Gnani is one who has realized the ultimate truth of the identity the soul, the innermost self. Thus, Moksha is not a result of ritual action (path of karma a) or of devotional service (path of bhakti). These paths are egocentric paths therefore they will not help anyway to get rid of the ignorance. In fact, Moksha is not a result of anything, for it always exists. All that is required is the removal of ignorance. The path of wisdom helps the seeker to acquire the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. ~Santthosh Kumaar
Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is declared by the Indian sages in the past has to be mentally excavated from labyrinths of philosophy. So many conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis and different idea of truth and interpretations. All these concepts and ideas are never ending process.
The seeker of truth need not take the path of doubt and confusion, which takes him nowhere. Fortunate is the seeker who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of these theoretical philosophies. By perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ leads to non-dual self-awareness. Seeker has to behave in a normal and sane way and silently reflect on the subject constantly.
There is no body, no ego and no experience of the world in the realm of truth because the body and the world are one in essence. That essence is consciousness.
The one who has the firm conviction that, he is an individual separate from the world and world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards is egocentric. And he is unfit to grasp the ultimate truth or Brahman.
The seeker has to trace the source of the mind or universe to realize the fact that, mind and its formless substance and the source are one in essence.
The truth is hidden within the mind which is in the form of the universe and it requires deeper self-search mental excavation, the removal of the ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the illusion or duality as reality.
Grasping the transparent truth of the self, which is hidden by illusion or waking or universe, is to be attained through soul-centric reasoning, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted egocentric arguments.
People think the self-knowledge is very difficult to achieve or understand. Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana which has to be acquired carefully and gradually, through deeper self-search.
In the past, spirituality was treated not as a separate subject but as a part of religion, but it is not so. Religion is based on the form and spirituality is based on formless. Therefore, spirituality is nothing to with religion. Spirituality is a rational enquiry regarding all that is known to exist. Everyone, each to the extent to which one's reasoning power admits, is by nature free to exercise this faculty, at whatever stage one may be. One is able to devote himself exclusively to a pursuit of the highest Truth, by means of reason.
In the ancient time, religious, Yogic or mystic disciplines, which were not an end in itself, considered to be means for self-realization. But such discipline is almost impossible task for the modern man to adopt. Day by day modern man is becoming aware of the fact that religion and yoga are nothing to do with the pursuit of truth.
The modern mindset is pre-eminently scientific owing to the great progress that science has made. And the best method of freeing the one from his inaccurate ways of thinking is to imbue him as fully as possible with the scientific spirit. It is therefore only one who possesses a clear knowledge of its methods and results i.e., who is able to make reason the highest means of enquiry that would be fit for self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Vedanta itself admits its highest Truth that is Atman or Brahman cannot be reached by any path other than that of reason and unless the reason is sharper than the ‘Edge of a razor'.
Reason on the true base is the highest means of attaining self- knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion, theology, mystic practice and yoga are not the means to acquire non-dual wisdom. Absence of reason is the absence of wisdom.
