There is no need for studying Bhagavad Gita or any other doctrines in order acquire Self-Knowledge, Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

Yoga Vasishtha:- "Teachers, interpretations of sacred texts, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth which is revealed in the clear reflection of the heart, engendered from contact with the good."

There are hundreds of commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads and other doctrines by different authors. Each one goes on spinning yarns imagining as he likes what the meaning may be.

Ashtavakra:~There is no wisdom whatsoever in the scriptures-just a collection of words.

The seeker should not bother about finding the meaning of what is written in the scriptures.

Mundaka Upanishad:-The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy, and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; the mind cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.

  

Why is the pilgrimage to Kailas enjoined?  One has to plunge into Manasarovar is the plunge into Manas(mind) wherein the whole world is seen, i.e. to perceive the world as an idea. It is a difficult feat, as difficult as the pilgrimage itself. Mahabharata also says that when people are told to go there, they are to plunge deep into the mind, the whole world is made of Manas, mind. After that one reaches Kailas and understands the truth. The bath comes first, it is the inquiry the arrival at Kailas comes second, it is finding realization.

 Most people from the west think that Hinduism is a religion but it is not so. The Indus [Sindu] valley culture is named as Hinduism by the Muslim invaders in the past, who were not able to pronounce Sindu they called Sindu culture as Hindu culture. Thus name Hindu came into existence.  Hinduism is merely a culture, not a religion. This Hindu culture consists of different caste, creeds, ideologies, beliefs, and ways of life in different regions of India.

Santana Dharma was pure Vedic religion prior to the existence of present-day Hinduism.  Hinduism is not pure Vedic religion; it is a hotchpotch mixture of many ideologies adopted by other ideologies, cultures, and traditions.  

As one goes deeper into annals of the history he becomes aware of the fact that the so-called present Hinduism has adopted many things from Buddhism, the religion of Abraham, Jainism, and Islam.    If one goes deeper enough he will become aware everything is mixed up and messed up in time.

No one is taken pains to rectify it because; because people have been inherited them, from their ancestors and they think it is blasphemy even to hear anything against their inherited religion and belief. Once one gets involved with the religious class it is the end of the pursuit of truth.

Prior to Sage Sankara in the 8th century, there was no Advaita in Santan Dharam.  Santana Dharma or Vedic religion has no founders whereas Advaita and qualified Advaita and Dwaita are identified with their founders.   All of them have non-Vedic rituals barred by the Vedas.    

The dualism came only in the 12th century. The orthodox Advaita and Dvaita are adulterated add- ons. Both Advaita and Dvaita schools are based on Vedas and they condemn each other with Upanishads and Puranic citations and try to prove they are right and others are wrong. 

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the mass but pure philosophy 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 Sankara said (VC) 59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

The religion including orthodox Advaita is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman because they worship idols, human worship, and symbol worship and indulge in non-Vedic rituals barred by Vedas.  

That is why Yajurved says:-  not to worship the things which are part of the falsehood.  

Translation 1.

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc).
 

They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc.) [Yajurved 40:9]

Translation 2.

"Deep into the shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent." [Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538]

Translation 3.
"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." [Yajur Veda 40:9.]

So, Yajur Veda indicates that:-

They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc [Yajurved 40:9]

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." [Yajur Veda 40:9.]

 Through soul-centric reasoning, one becomes aware of what they really meant and able to see that there is only one possible interpretation, irrespective of others' opinion or imagination.  There is no need for studying Bhagavad Gita or any other doctrines in order to acquire Self-Knowledge, Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana. 

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?

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’s path is an independent path with nothing to with the religion and scriptures.

FROM  MAHA GITA – OSHO -- We are embarking on a rare journey. Man has many scriptures, but none comparable to the Gita of Ashtavakra. Before it the Vedas pale, the Upanishads speak with a weak voice. Even the Bhagavad Gita does not have the majesty found in the Ashtavakra Samhita - it is simply unparalleled.

The most important thing is that neither society nor politics nor any other institution of human life has had any influence on the sayings of Ashtavakra. They are such a pure expression - transcending emotion, transcending time, and death - there is nothing comparable. Perhaps this is why Ashtavakra's Gita, the ASHTAVAKRA SAMHITA, has not had much impact.

Krishna's Bhagavad Gita has been very influential. The first reason is that Krishna's Gita is a synthesis. He is more concerned with synthesis than with truth. The desire for synthesis is so strong that if necessary Krishna doesn't mind sacrificing the truth a little.

Krishna's Gita is a hodgepodge containing everything; hence it suits everyone because there is something in it for everyone. It is difficult to find any tradition whose voice is not found in the Gita. It is difficult to find anyone who does not take solace from the Gita. But for such people, Ashtavakra's Gita will prove very difficult.

Ashtavakra is not for synthesis - he is a man of truth. He speaks the truth just as it is, without any artifice or coloring. He is not concerned about the listener, he does not care whether his listener will understand or not. Such a pure expression of truth has never happened anywhere before, nor has it ever happened again.

People love Krishna's Gita because it is very easy to extract one's own meaning from it. 

Krishna's Gita is poetic: in it, two plus two can equal five, two plus two can also equal three. No such tricks are possible with Ashtavakra. With him, two plus two are exactly four. Ashtavakra's statements are statements of pure mathematics. There isn't the least possibility for poetic license here. He says things as they are, without any sort of compromise.

Reading Krishna's Gita a devotee extracts something of which he can make a belief because Krishna spoke on bhakti, devotion. The karma yogi extracts his belief because Krishna has spoken on karma yoga, the Yoga of action. The believer in knowledge finds what he wants because Krishna has spoken on knowledge as well. Somewhere Krishna calls bhakti the ultimate, somewhere else he calls knowledge the ultimate, again elsewhere he calls karma yoga the ultimate.

Krishna's statements are very political. He was a politician, a perfect politician. Just to say he was a politician is not right; he was a shrewd politician, a real diplomat. In his statements, he considered and included many things. This is why the Gita suits everyone, why there are thousands of commentaries on the Gita. No one is concerned with Ashtavakra because to accept Ashtavakra you are going to have to drop yourself - unconditionally. You cannot bring yourself along. Only if you stay behind can you come near him? With Krishna, you can bring yourself along. With Krishna, there is no need to transform yourself. With Krishna, you can fit just as you are.

Hence the founders of each tradition have written commentaries on Krishna's Gita - Shankara, Ramanuja, Nimbarak, Vallabha - everyone. Each has extracted his own meaning. Krishna has said things in such a way as to allow multiple meanings; hence I call his Gita poetic. You can draw out any meaning you like from a poem.

Krishna's statements are like clouds surrounding you in the rainy season: you see in them whatever you want. Someone may see an elephant's trunk, someone sees the whole body of Ganesha, the elephant god. Someone may not see anything. He will say, "What nonsense you talk! They are clouds, vapor - how is it you see forms in them?"

In the West, psychoanalysts use the inkblot test: just pour an ink stain onto blotting paper and ask the person to say what he sees in it. The person looks carefully and sees something or other. There is nothing there, only an ink stain on blotting paper - randomly thrown, not thrown with any design, just poured from the bottle. But the person looking at it finds something or other. What he finds is in his mind, he has projected it.

You must have seen lines made by rain falling on a wall. Sometimes a man's face is seen, sometimes a horse's face is seen. You project onto it what you want to see. In the dark of night, clothes hanging on a line seem like ghosts.

Krishna's Gita is just like this - you will be able to see whatever is in your mind. So Shankara sees knowledge, Ramanuja sees bhakti, Tilak sees action - and each returns home in a cheerful mood thinking that what Krishna says is the same as his belief.

Emerson has written that once a neighbor came and borrowed the works of Plato from him. Plato lived two thousand years ago and is one of the world's rare, unique thinkers. Weeks later Emerson reminded him, "If you've read the books please return them." When the neighbor returned them Emerson asked, "How did you like them?"

The man said, "This man Plato's thoughts are in complete agreement with mine. I felt many times: how has this man come to know my thoughts?" Plato lived two thousand years earlier and this fellow suspects that Plato has stolen his thoughts!

This kind of suspicion often arises with Krishna too. Centuries have passed and commentaries on Krishna keep on coming. Each century finds its own meaning, each person finds his own meaning.

Krishna's Gita is like an inkblot... it is the statement of the perfect politician.

You cannot extract any beliefs from Ashtavakra's Gita. Only if you drop yourself as you move into it, will Ashtavakra's Gita become clear to you?

Ashtavakra's message is crystal clear. You won't be able to add even a small bit of your own interpretation to it. Hence people have not written commentaries on Ashtavakra's Gita. There is no scope for writing a commentary; there is no way to distort or twist it. 

Your mind has no chance to add anything. Ashtavakra has given such an expression that no one has been able to add or take anything from it, even though centuries have passed. It is not easy to give such a perfect expression.

Such skill with words is very difficult to come by.

That is why Sage Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman.

Thus, self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get a firm conviction. 

So they clearly indicate the study of scriptures or indulging in rituals and follow theories, which are not the means to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   The path of wisdom is the only means. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

This universe is but a state of ignorance.

Many People adopt the attitude that what   they know is truth. And what others say is false. This attitude makes them not to verify anything other then what they know as truth.   One needs to be rational, not merely logical. Logic is has its value only in physical plane.

As one advances towards spiritual plane he sees the logic underlying experience and becomes more rational. His reasoning is two-fold--implicit and explicit.

There is a need of facts of physical proof in scientific invention, whereas in pursuit of truth the proof has to be grasped mentally and realized.  Therefore, the truth is realized only by few who take this mental pursuit.  “Whatever facts revealed, which is un-contradictable has to be accepted as truth.

The truth based on the formless soul/self is worthwhile; without it, one has something else, not truth.  Most people refuse to venture into pursuit of truth; because they do not want to go into the root of things.

Until one gets firm conviction of the ultimate truth he has to constantly reflect on the nature of the  innermost  self, till he achieves the equilibrium.  Thus renouncing the worldly life is not necessary in order to acquire non-dual wisdom.  

This universe is but a state of ignorance.  In reality universe is nothing but illusion created out of consciousness. The existent and non-existent of forms, name and things do not lose their inherent nature. The consciousness self-existing, which knows both existence and non-existence, never ceases to be because it is cause of the illusion and it itself is uncaused. 

The nature of the consciousness, which is the true self, is free from mental contents (three states), effortless, immutable, and spotless is neither far way nor near but ever present in all the three states as their formless substance and witness. When the formless substance and witness are one in essence the three states are mere mirage created out of that formless essence. 

The universe exists because of consciousness. The moment the ignorance vanishes the universe with all its contents becomes unreal. Thus realizing the unreal nature of the universe or waking experience in the midst waking experience leads to self-awareness. Self-awareness frees one from experiencing the waking experience as reality. 

Non-dual Peace is the true nature of the innermost  self, which is soul or  consciousness. Peace is lost when one admits the second thing, which is the cause of ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the duality (waking) as reality. 

Consciousness, that which know or is.  There can be no ignorance in its true nature. Taking things for what it is not, leads to Self –Awareness. Just as a dream reality lasts only a short time so with Gnana or non-dual wisdom the delusion of the waking reality disappears. i.e. the universe is seen as no reality but as an illusory appearance.  

 

Consciousness is always present everywhere. It is within the form, time and space but it is beyond form, time and space, with not before or after. It is undeniable and obvious. Nothing can be said about it because it exists prior to the appearance of form, time and space and also it prevails after disappearance of the form, time and space.  

As soon as one realizes that self is not the form but self is formless   then he becomes free from experiencing the illusory birth, life, death and the universe as reality.   True Self is free from the bondage of Karma, from the fetters of desires, from the mirage of this mundane life and its concomitant evils and miseries.

One sees the clouds. The clouds move continuously but their moment is within the waking or dream. If one takes a photograph, he sees the Clouds in the picture, but there is no motion of clouds in the picture. Motion is mental creation within the waking or dream.

Motion means duality.  Motion is mind. The object appears to move only. Motion is illusion. Behind the objects that move there is the absolutely motionless consciousness which witnesses the motion. Consciousness is still, it is all-pervading, and Infinite.  Consciousness is everywhere, because it is all-pervading and infinite.

The true self is the soul. Soul is in the form of consciousness, which is hidden within the three states, and its nature is formless and non-dual. It can be known only through discrimination between the dual and non-dual experiences.  And it is beyond the reach of speech and words and thoughts and form, time and space.

Discriminating between the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness and mind, which is in the form of universe one realizes what is real and what is unreal. by identifying  consciousness as true self  one becomes aware the mind which is in the form of universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness  and consciousness alone is real and ultimate truth or Brahman.

All worldly enjoyment depends on the waking experience, which is a second thing; whereas the everlasting happiness is only in non-dual reality.   

If one gets abundant enjoyment by acquiring all kinds of worldly objects than surely he cannot be happy without renouncing all.   But one need not renounce them for the sake of getting wisdom being in the midst of illusion one must know and realize the unreal nature of the waking experience by mentally renouncing the waking experience in the midst of waking experience leads to self-awareness.

Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is not for those who has faith in their inherited belief system*****

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is not for those who has faith in their inherited belief system. If one has the firm conviction about religion and yoga and theories as the only means to highest truth and what he knows or believes is the ultimate truth,  then he must accept scriptures blindly and follow his inherited belief system or yogic path without question. 

Religion and yoga are not the means for Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. religion is used as tool of  conditioning  with its own  frame work  to be, to believe, to behave and to live in the society with its code of conduct with the fear of  God.  but are of no value as proof for those who are searching for ultimate truth because they are based on blind belief.

That is why Sri Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Most of the saints and sages of the past are mostly social reformers, thus they are more concerned to the humanism rather than the truth. Their contribution is very valuable to live in the practical world.  But their contribution is not the means for acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   Thus humanism is part and parcel of the universe, which is mere illusion.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said:~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own Soul.”

Mundaka Upanishad:- Ignorant fools, regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest, do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed their reward on the heights of heaven, gained by good works, they enter again this world or a lower one. (First Mundaka -10-   Chapter I [Source: "the upanishads - a new translation" by swami nikhilananda in four volumes)

The humanism is limited to practical life within the practical world.    The path of love is path for humanity therefore, it is individualized path. Thus path of love is limited to the physical structure, it cannot transport one to ultimate end.  Thus seeker has to understand the fact that the practical life and practical world are part of the mirage from the ultimate standpoint. 

The simple reason is that the average person may have desire for knowledge but when the whole society is immersed in belief system and feeling himself   out of place because of societal fear and surroundings circumstances and he thinks it unfits him to pursue the path of truth. 

That is why Buddha said:~

Do not believe a spiritual teaching just because:-

1. it is repeatedly recited,
2. it is written in a scripture,
3. it was handed from guru to disciple,
4. everyone around you believes it,
5. it has supernatural qualities,
6. it fits my beliefs anyway,
7. it sounds rational to me,
8. it is taught by a respectable person,
9. it was said to be the truth by the teacher,
10. one must defend it or fight for it.

However, only when it agrees with your experience and reason, and when it is conducive to the good and gain of oneself and all others, then one should accept the teachings, and live up to them."
....Buddha.

The seeker of truth is one who is ready verify and has courage to accept and reject the truth when he finds out what is truth and what is untruth. The meek will stick to their inherited conditioning remain experiencing duality as reality.

Intellectuals think that Ultimate truth   cannot be known. They do not want o discuss nor accept anything whatever they know and accepted as truth.  There is no use of discussing with intellectuals  because the intellectuality  is based on individuality and individuality is based on form,t ime and space.  whatever is based on form,t ime and space is bound to be illusion because self is not an individual because it is formless, timeless and spaceless existence.   and show respect and remain silent in their company. 

Everyone  thinks they knows the truth but they never verified what they know is ultimate truth or not. "What I know is right, what another man knows is wrong. This unfortunate vanity is common to all men and prevents realization. A man must begin by doubting his own  accumulated knowledge in order to know what he has accumulated as truth whether it is  ultimate truth or not . Only when doubts begin to arise does a man start in quest of Truth. And such doubts usually first take the shape of asking why God sends or permits epidemics, calamities and wars and unrest. 

Quotation from others should come only after one have shown one’s arguments, convinced by use of reason based on facts, and then only may one introduce quotations in order to show that others have reached the same conclusion. But when a man quotes very extensively it is because of his inferiority complex.

One must go to the very fundamentals, to the root of thinking, to "grasp the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

How does one know what he says is true? This question must come to one’s mind whenever a doctrine is presented to him whether by intellectuals or philosophers.

When that all the doubts are cleared, that means the doubts on every question. However, this natural state could not have been reached without having doubts and asking questions and demanding proofs.

To overcome doubt by the sword of wisdom, it does not mean that seeker should give up his doubt and believe, as the religionists interpret it, but that he should keep on thinking about his doubts until they are solved; that he should not stop until this point is reached.

Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  is the enemy of yogis, mystics and religious Gurus  because it pries into the reality, the source and the validity of the knowledge they claim. Therefore it is the most difficult part of the study of  non-duality .

The ‘ego’ is supreme among men, and lies at the bottom of all their ignorance, mistakes and misunderstanding. Every man thinks "He knows". He does not stop to ask first "What is the meaning of what he  believe he  knows?

most people  say “They know everything and the whole truth. “None stops to doubt or to understand, or to inquire as to what is a fact, or what is the definition of experience. The ignorant takes the simplest path, that of the un-inquiring mind, because the other way, the search for truth, is hard and difficult and laborious. Such questions do not worry the religious believers , the mystic or the ordinary men.

 Many have got the childish and sheepish mentality, and accept statements as merely because they are uttered by famous men. They lack the scientific method of inquiry.

in ancient time people were simply curious sought some knowledge of the sun and stars; but in modern days have brains, they are ready to inquire and reason and acquire Self-  Knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana .” they begin with a doubt and finally clear all the doubt and realize the reality.

In the confusing multiplicity of doctrines, everyone  has his own interpretation,  they do not have time to think and inquire if it be true. Yet doubt is the fist step to knowledge for the thoughtful. On the other hand, seeker of truth must never be satisfied with mere skepticism, have the hope that one’s doubt will be solved and  move  forward.  Reason tells one what is good and what is bad, what should be followed and what let alone.

Seeker should pursue this quest until all his questions will be answered, until his doubts and confusions will disappear and solved. If God is to be Almighty he must be free to change his mind. If he is changeable, He cannot be Truth, as per  ultimate definition.

v 

 How does one know that he is related to God? 

         Has he seen God?

That He created the world, that he has manifested himself is merely supposed. It may be, but how does he know? 

v      How does he know that scriptures are true?

The Sages might have been mistaken. To accept these scriptures without reasoning is to possess the sheepish  mentality.

 Seeker of truth should not start with idea of God because he  does  not know whether there is God or not. There is no proof. If any one mentions of  God's existence than  he must prove his existence.

One need not doubt that mystics saw God. That they saw visions may he an undeniable fact. However, the question is “Was what they saw the Truth?" They no doubt had such vision but they never stopped to inquire if their visions be true.

 Seeker of truth must  take all the facts, science, religion, art etc. and then investigate them, in order to find out which is the truth? One collects as much evidence as possible, even contradictory, and then proceeds to examine all of it.  seeker of truth has to inquire, analyze and reason  in order to find out  how far is it true?” 

People who are incapable to inquire and reason are tending to follow some philosophy without verification. Therefore the more ignorant they are the easier to get them into a religious fold. Religion is so strong and popular because it makes no demand on the intelligent; it simply requires belief in guru and his teachings. 

It never strikes believer to doubt whether his inherited belief system is true. They never use their reason because they start and conclude that their belief system   alone is true, because they never question the validity of their inherited belief.  

For religion one can interpret texts as he likes, in whatever way that pleases him, he simply imagine away.  The idea of god injected in the past and inherited by people and they refuse to verify the facts, because they think it blasphemy even to question their inherited belief system. 

 

Until one gets firm conviction of the ultimate truth he has to constantly reflect on the nature of the true self, till he achieves the equilibrium.  Thus renouncing the worldly life is not necessary in order to acquire non-dual wisdom.