Sage Sankara: It is possible also to show the unreality of the objective world even from pure reasoning.+

Sage Sankara founded his Advaita Vedanta either on reason independent of Sruti or on Sruti confirmed by reason."

Sage Sankara's commentary on the Manduka Upanishad, II, 1: This (the unreality of duality) is borne out by the Srutis ... But it is possible also to show the unreality of the object world even from pure reasoning, and this second chapter is undertaken for that purpose.

Sage Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture. This may be because Sage Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter. He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need for this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason.

Sage Sankara, in debates with Buddhists and others who did not recognize the authority of the Vedas, had been obliged to prove the truth of Advaita by means of reason alone. Manduka Upanishad, a scripture that appealed to reason to the exclusion of Revelation.

Sage Goudpada wrote his Manduka Karika to establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?", etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about.

Some Gurus describe perfection is the awakening to Reality—the realization that pure Consciousness alone is, that the perpetually fluctuating and evanescent contents of the mind derive from it.

This awakening effectively happens in an instant. But in order for the lightning flash to take place, resulting in a firm and unshakable certitude, long labor is necessary, which they seem to underestimate. “Truth is a formless” is their answer.

Their teaching seems essentially negative, potent but bitter medicine for those imprisoned by institutional cults. They break the seekers’ bonds but then lead him to a vast desert where he abandons him. The ultimate state of consciousness they describe is that of the traditional sage or fully enlightened being, but they do not show us the process leading to the realization of this state. These Gurus describe marvelously the goal but do not indicate the steps to be taken: their recurring phrases "unified consciousness" and "let go" are not a roadmap.

These Guru's approach was more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. Thus, these Gurus knew only half-truths because that is a fallacy of the ego (form) they never realized the fallacy of the time and space.

That is why Sage Sankara says in the commentary in Vedanta-sutra that what is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Seekers of truth should not believe blindly in traditional orthodox nonduality without verifying all the facts from every angle. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process. :~Santthosh Kumaar

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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.

Those who are mastered scriptural knowledge and think the scriptural knowledge as the final will not be able to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara: ~ 'Like a servant who carries a lamp in front of you to find your way, and you have found it, so becomes the Veda to that person. What is the Veda? ~ utterances of those who have known the Truth. Here is one who has known the Truth; why should he or she depend upon the Veda further? Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration. The Upanishad itself says that the 'words are only so much of distraction for such minds'.

Sage Sankara:~ VC-63-"Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. All accumulated knowledge is of no use to realize the Advaitic truth beyond the form, time, and space.

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta to realize the Advaitic truth beyond form, time, and space. Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy.

Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self. There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

There is no need to buy books of Sage Sankara to acquire Self-knowledge. Perfect understanding of what is needed. Nothing else is a need other than realizing the fact that, the form, time, and space are one in essence and that essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness to get the Advaitic Self-awareness.

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures to acquire non-dual wisdom. That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and the scriptures.

That is why Sage 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 is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion. Self-discovery is the only way, toward the non-dualistic absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence.

Sage Sankara 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 citations from scriptures are not proofs. The ultimate truth has to be proved without the scriptures. The ultimate truth is the universal truth and it does not belong to any religion. Religion causes diversity in unity, whereas, the ultimate truth brings unity in diversity.

That is why Sage Sankara himself says: ~ 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?

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures. There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make his discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

That is why Sage Sankara says:~ V C:~65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures. There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make his discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

He who has not rectified his reasoning base from the ‘I’(form) base to ‘I-LESS ( Soul) base and one who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth, and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive, cannot acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Identifying the ‘Self’ as ‘you’, is a great error. The Self is not you but the’ Self’ is the Soul.+

Identifying the ‘Self’ as ‘you’ is a great error. The Self is not you but the’ Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

The form, time, and space are an object to the Soul, which is the subject. The Soul witnesses the form of time and space together.

The form, time, and space appear as ‘I’. When ‘I’ disappears then the form, time and space also disappear.

The ‘I-centric Gurus hold you as the Self are unaware of the truth hidden by the ‘I’.

The knowledge expounded by the ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching is lower knowledge. The seeker has to ignore this ‘I-centric teaching and search for higher knowledge, which is hidden by ignorance.

This is your bondage that you are stuck up to the ‘I’ centric teaching. ‘I’ centric teachings are lower knowledge meant for lower stages.

The seeker has to ignore these ‘I-centric’ teaching and search for higher knowledge. ... Such teachings are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of ignorance. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of the ignorance on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

The Soul, the innermost Self is verily Brahman (God in truth), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Awareness.

The Soul is not the ‘I’ which is non-existence itself. Realization of this truth is called Self- Knowledge by the Sages of truth.

There is nothing that exists prior to consciousness. The ‘I’ cease to exist without consciousness. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman

That is why Bhagavad Gita: ~ ‘The permanent (consciousness) is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

First, you must make sure the ‘I’ itself is illusory because the ‘I’ is not permanent.

The seeker has to find for himself the truth of his true existence and to come to a fuller and deeper understanding and realization of the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

The purpose quest for truth is to first find out what is the untruth to realize the truth and discard the untruth.

Do not try to get rid of the ego you will never succeed in getting rid of the ego. Think in a different direction. The ego exists only in the domain of form, time, and space.

The form, time, and space exist only when the mind exists.

The mind exists only when the universe exists.

The universe appears only when the waking appears.

The waking appears only when the ‘I’ appears.

Remember

The ‘I’ disappears in deep sleep.

There is no form, time, and space when ‘I’ disappears.

There is no mind when ‘I’ disappears.

There is a universe when the ‘I’ disappears.

There is no waking when the ‘I’ disappears.

Remember

‘I’ appears means the duality appears.

The duality appears means there is a division of form, time, and space.

If there is division in the form, time, and space- means there is diversity in the unity.

Remember ~

When ‘I’ disappears, there is nonduality.

Nonduality is the fullness of the consciousness without the division of form, time, and space.

The fullness of the consciousness means unity in diversity.

Unity in diversity in consciousness is Advaita.

Consciously becoming aware of the Soul in the midst of diversity (waking) is Self- awareness or Brahmic awareness.

If you desire Self-realization, but you still say "I,” and if you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise seeker. You are simply ignorant.: ~Santthosh Kumaar

The first seeker has to find answers to following doubts and confusion which arise in a deeper investigation of Sage Ramana Maharishi's ~ “Who Am I?- inquiry.”+

Sage Ramana Maharishi Says: ~ The Self is the fullness of consciousness. Therefore, there is nothing apart from it. (Page-8 – Practical Guide To Know Yourself).

Thus, any division (body, ego, and the world) within the consciousness is merely an illusion.   Thus, whatever is experienced as a person within the illusion is bound to be an illusion. 

The first seeker has to find answers to following doubts and confusion which arise in a deeper investigation of Sage Ramana Maharishi's ~ “Who Am I?- inquiry”

v  If the mind is the same as Atman, how can it vanish? How can Atman vanish? (Page 4 para. 3)

v  "Whenever any thought leads you outward" etc, says Sage Ramana Maharishi. What can you be certain of when you leave the external world? And why leave the world if you say everything is Brahman? (Page 6 ~center)

v  The "Mind ceases to struggle" Yes if I commit suicide I shall also cease to struggle! How can you say the world ceases to exist if you don't look at it? ~ (Page ~ 6)

v  Who has seen the subtle mind projecting through the brain and the senses? Can you see it? Is not the brain also a piece of gross matter? Then how can it come into existence after the world is created, if later, depends on the brain? (Page 6 last para)

v  How can you say the world vanishes when you are introspected? The world is still there; whether you see it or not. (Page 7 top)

v  Heart is an idea created by the mind, so how can the Mind emerge from it? (Page 7~ Line 4)

v  One should unquestioningly follow guru"--This is the very reverse of what Sri Ramakrishna taught. What if the guru happens to be a fool or a rascal? Sri Ramakrishna said "Test me! (Page 11, Para 2)

v  "In deep sleep, trance, swoon, mind turns inwards and enjoys atmasukam." Why should any man study or inquire or practice if in sleep he can easily get the Atman? If sleep gives Brahman why trouble with Vedanta? (Page 12: middle)

v  Page 16 middle: "If this truth is appreciated who can refrain from being good?" This is the opposite of real Vedanta. Vedanta says it is not enough to be good, you must serve the world and relieve suffering. ~ (Page 16 center)

v  Is the vanishing of ego to be the end of life? Aham, I must indeed go but tuham (thou) must come; you must know Brahman is everywhere. It is only half to say the ego must vanish. This is only a step, not the highest. (Page 16 last para).

Bhagavad Gita on this point says: ~   The Soul, the Self must see all in itself. (4/34)

Sage Raman Maharishi: ~ He placed his right hand on his right breast and continued, "Here lies the Heart, the dynamic, spiritual Heart. It is called Hridaya and is located on the right side of the chest and is clearly visible to the inner eye of an adept on the spiritual path. Through meditation, you can learn to find the Self in the cave of this Heart." ~ Mercedes de Acosta, Here Lies the Heart

Santthosh Kumaar: ~  The spiritual heart is the Soul, the Self, not the physical heart.   The world in which you exist is within the Soul, the spiritual heart. Mistaking the spiritual heart within the body is a great error. Even some Advaitic guru says that the Self is within the spiritual heart. And the spiritual heart is on the left side.  Such a declaration is merely an imagination, based on the false Self (ego or you). When the Self is bodiless, then the question of the heart being left side or right side does not arise.  

The seeker must realize the Soul, the Self, itself is the spiritual heart.  The Soul the spiritual heart is ever formless. The Soul itself is the spiritual heart that is present in the form of the spirit or consciousness.

Without the form, time, and space, the Soul, the Self, becomes naked. The nature of the Soul, the innermost Self is the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. 

Sage Ramana Maharishi also refers to: ~ Pure Consciousness, which is the heart, includes all, and nothing is outside or apart from it. 

That means the fullness of the consciousness is the ultimate Truth or Brahman or God in truth.

I have the highest reverence for Sage Ramana Maharishi as a sage of absolute purity and unworldliness and desirelessness, but those who are seeking truth have to indulge in much deeper Self-search to realize the truth which is beyond the dual (waking or dream and nondual states).  

The serious seekers who are searching for the ultimate truth or Brahman should not stop till they reach their Goal.

Jesus said: ~"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all." (Gospel of Thomas 2)

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Bhagavan Buddha said: ~ Believe nothing because a wise man said it, Believe nothing because it is generally held. Believe nothing because it is written. Believe nothing because it is said to be divine. Believe nothing because someone else said it. But believe only what you yourself judge to be true

Dattatreya's Song of the Avadhut 1.36-42:~ Advaita taught by some; some others teach duality. They don't understand that the all-pervading Reality is beyond both duality and non-duality.

Mundaka Upanishad 1.3:~ Complete knowledge includes knowledge of the phenomenal world, the spirit behind it, and the source of both of them.  When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing remains unknown is Gnana.”

Sage Sankara’s wisdom will remain a dead letter to the seekers who get stuck with orthodoxy and glorifying God and gurus.     All such acts and worship and rituals are not meant for the seekers of truth. 

Sage Sankara: ~ 'Like a servant who carries a lamp in front of you to find your way, and you have found it, so becomes the Veda to that person. What is the Veda? -- utterances of those who have known the Truth. Here is one who has known the Truth; why should he or she depend upon the Veda further? Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration. The Upanishad itself says that the 'words are only so much of distraction for such minds'

Sage Sankara: ~ Atman, the Self is verily Brahman (God in truth), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss. Atman is not the body that is non-existence itself. This is called true Knowledge by the wise. 

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.

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

The pursuit of truth is not for getting emotionally involved with some guru or yogi and indulging in glorifying the guru or yogi as God but investigating to find out whether there is any valuable material to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond the form, time and space.  

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

Thus, the seeker has to do his own homework to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space.  The seeker's aim is the search for the Ultimate Truth or Brahman, the search to find the non-dualistic truth that in actuality never was lost, only hidden. The ultimate truth has to be realized first, and then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying.

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, worships the Self as~ Atman (God in truth) alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare"

The Soul, the Self is the ultimate truth or Brahman.  The seeker should not search for truth outside of the form, time, and space.  Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Nothing matters but an intense urge to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Soul or consciousness is everywhere and in everything.  Consciousness is beyond form, time, and space and is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

It is better to educate ignorant people to realize what God suppose to be in truth according to their own scriptures.+

Religion is meant for the ignorant populace who are incapable of grasping the truth, which is hidden by form, time, and space. Spirituality is meant for the serious seekers of truth who wants to realize the truth hidden by illusory form, time, and space.

Never mix spirituality with religion. Religion is based on the ego whereas spirituality is based on the Soul, the Spirit, or God in truth.

The religious Gurus are meant to inject morals and ethics and guide the ignorant populace in the human society live with love and harmony.

People who rebelled against the religion, are merely intellectual speculators.

They are not serious about realizing the truth. They are more interested in showing their intellectual acrobatics with the information collected from whatever they have read and heard. Such accumulated knowledge is not the means to realize the truth, which is hidden by ignorance.

Condemning religion and its Gurus and Gods will help the seeker to get rid of the ignorance.

It is better to educate the crowd to realize what God suppose to be in actuality according to their own scriptures.

Religion is regarded as sacred and real by the common people, by the wise as false, and by the politicians as useful.

Religion is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

If one is seeking the truth, then he has to be free from all the religious beliefs and dogmas. Religion is based on the ego (you), whereas, the ultimate truth is based on the Soul, the Self.

Whatever is based on the ego is an illusion and whatever is based on the Soul is the ultimate reality or Brahman. Thus, religion has to be bifurcated from spirituality to realize the truth beyond the form, the time, and space.

There is no use in condemning religion. But one has to highlight how they cause hindrance and becomes an obstacle in the pursuit of truth.

There is no need to rebel against religion but to realize that religion is based on the false self within the false experience whereas spirituality is based on the Soul, the Self.

Religion makes humanity remain in ignorance of the reality of their true existence with its beliefs, superstitions, and dogmas, the ideas of heaven, hell, sin, karma, and rebirth.

Heaven is the abode of physicalized Gods, where one goes after death, rebirth, and karma theories based on the birth entity, which is the false self within the illusory world.

For those ignorant who believe their experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, think that the effect of action done in previous births, as the Prarabdha in this birth, but for the realized one the present birth, life, death and the world itself is an illusion because they have realized the fact that, waking experience itself is an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The heaven, the abode of physicalized Gods, where one goes after death, rebirth, and karma theories based on the birth entity, which is the false self within the illusory world.

When Vedas and Upanishads give clear-cut ideas of what God is supposed to be then all these Gods and Goddesses which people worship have no value from the ultimate standpoint.

Religious Gods are based on blind faith or belief. Belief is not God. Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists. Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Vedic God is Spirit. The Spirit, the God is present in the form of the Atman (Soul). The Spirit, the God is present in the form of consciousness.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ God is 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.

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 Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Even Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Even Bhagavad Gita says: ~ 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 as God other than consciousness.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

No mantras help to get rid of ignorance. All the mantras and rituals are meant for the ignorant populace, which strongly believes, the world in which he exists as a reality. For one who wants to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the mantas will not help to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

That is why Sage Sankara:~VC-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?

VC- v6~ 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. : ~Santthosh Kumaar