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.

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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)

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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. 

Sage Sri, Sankara said:~ Worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come***

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.

The beliefs of God, religion, yoga are based on the false Self, is nothing to do with the mental (inner) journey.   The religious, rituals, worships, prayers glorifying  God and Guru may be useful in the worldly life, for those who believe in the birth, life, death and the world as reality, but they are not useful tools in realizing the ultimate truth. On the base of consciousness (Soul) as the ‘Self’, everything other than the consciousness is mere an illusion.  Thus, man and his experience of the world and his belief of God and religion are part and parcel of the mirage created out of  the consciousness. 

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. 

All God propagated by belief systems are nothing but imaginations.  There is nothing so absurd which men have not worshipped in religion, every imaginable face has been given to God.  If God is creator then it is foolish to worship anything as God from his creation because the creation is apart from the God. 

Every belief system has its own idea and conviction of God.  Every belief system is based on the false ‘Self’.  Therefore, whatever is based on the false ‘Self’ has to be a falsehood? Thus, the idea of God of any belief system has is mere imagination based on the false ‘Self’.

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

God is formless, timeless and spaceless existence. According to the Vedas God neither has any neither image nor God resides in any particular idol or statue. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.

Mythological God and Goddesses based on the belief. The belief is no God. The belief implies duality. From the ultimate standpoint, duality is mere an illusion. Thus, whatever one sees, knows, believes and experiences within the dualistic illusion is bound to be an illusion.

Mythological stories are a  myth. Whatever is based on myth is mere a superstition.  Mythology was introduced in the past for the ignorant masses. It has to be discarded as one progress in his spiritual advancement. 

All the mythological Gods are worshipped in the form of idols.  The belief system which propagated ideas of many Gods and Goddesses Bhakti is the only way to God is simply tries to lead the people to darkness with its dogma and idea of many Gods, which is apart from the ‘Self’.

Mythology breeds superstition, blind belief and senseless rituals and most irrational and gives them divine outlook. Mythological stories are  a myth. Whatever is based on the myth is mere a superstition.  Mythology was introduced in the past for the ignorant masses. It has to be discarded if one has to realize the  ultimate truth or Brahman or real God.

The Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material  then  nothing has to be accepted  other than consciousness a God. 

Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost ‘Self’.   In reality, there is no dualities, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirms God is Atman (spirit), the innermost ‘Self’.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and   worship in place of real God.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

When Upanishad it’Self’ declares: ~   Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad). 

Sage Sri, Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described, because description implies distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not the distinction of substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sri, Sankara is impersonal.

Sage Sri, Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman  (God) ~ that thou art."

Sage Sri, Sankara:~  VC Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be

invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity With the ‘Self’, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not  even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

Sage Sri, Sankara:~  VC Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be

invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity With the ‘Self’, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not  even in the life times of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

Sage Sri, Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with the orthodox belief systems. Some philosophers in the past dissented from this interpretation of Vedanta philosophy, holding that the incarnated Souls were separate from the Divine Essence and only finally merged with it after the cycles of birth. 

All these theoretical philosophy is based on the imagination based on the false ‘Self’ (ego or you) within the false experience (waking).