"Sunya" is something that exists: one cannot prove that consciousness does not exist.+

ZEN Buddhism Satori is not the highest wisdom because it comes as flashes, it does not depend on seeing the world, and does not depend upon mental sharpness so much as intuition. Zen Buddhists are only mystics--they do not offer proof. How is their main method different from that of Christian mystics, and Hindu mystics, all of whom do not seek to prove by reason, but by "I know," intuition?

ZEN may get a flash of peace but that is not the same as Vedantins who realize that the whole world is yourself. Zen is mysticism.

Zen is quite alright in mentioning non-duality: it is the nearest doctrine to true Advaita outside India, but nevertheless, it is still lower because:

It fails to prove non-duality

It illogically gives koan exercises as a means of attaining That which is beyond attainment, because always here

It talks of insight or intuition to see Reality when sight involves a second thing, duality.

When one says "Nothing is" what is the meaning of "is"? "Sunya" is something that exists: one cannot prove that consciousness does not exist.

Zen Buddhism gives a high important place to meditation practice, but then so does the Advaita. The truth is that Zen advocates the necessity of meditation for those of its adherents who cannot grasp the absolute truth.

ZEN BUDDHISM is also in this lower stage of Yoga because it depends on flashes of Intuition gained by meditation, not by reasoning. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is your Sadguru. It is only the inner Sadguru that will walk with you to the goal, for it is the goal.

Swami Vivekananda also 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 the Soul.”

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is your Sadguru. It is only the inner Sadguru that will walk with you to the goal, for it is the goal.

Thus glorifying Gurus’ form is erroneous, because the body and the universe are a myth from the ultimate standpoint. Thus, indulging in glorifying and worshiping myth becomes the greatest obstacle to the pursuit of truth.

The seeker of truth has to identify the Soul the Self as a Guru and proceed in his spiritual endeavor. The inner grace of the inner Guru (Self) will guide until the ignorance disappears and one realizes the body and the universe is a merely an illusion created out of the Soul which is present in the form of the consciousness

Religious or yogic Gurus propagate that, once a seeker identifies a Guru, he must totally surrender to the Guru, and then from there onwards, the spiritual journey is fully the Guru's responsibility, not his... Hence, the importance to choose the right Guru is necessary, but in the pursuit of truth, the Guru is not necessary, because the truth is not theoretical. Truth has to be ascertained by the seeker on his own through Soulcentric reasoning.

The one who identifies himself as a swami, a Guru or yogi, is not a Gnani. A Gnani never identifies himself as a swami, Guru, pundit, or yogi. Swami, Guru, pundit, or yogi belongs to the religious or the yogic path not to the path of wisdom.

Sage Sankara's commentary:~ On Gnani:- "The knower of Brahman (Self-realized or Gnani) wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior."

~ When the knower of Brahman wears no signs -- it means he does not identify himself as a Guru or a teacher.

Yogis and Gurus are not Gods.

This idea of worshiping Guru as God is not a Vedic idea but adopted from Jainism and Buddhism.

Vedas bars human worship: ~

"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."- (Yajurveda 40:9.)

Then why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities and it also warns people who indulge in such activities 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.

No one has ever seen God by practicing religion or yoga or indulging in glorifying the religious God and Goddesses because God exists prior to the form, time, and space. The form, time, and space cease to exist as a reality when wisdom dawns. Thus, the Gods and Gurus have no place in the domain of the Advaitic reality. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is the real God. Thus, Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

By worshipping the religious Gods and Gurus one will not get Self-realization or God-realization. The Soul, the inner Guru reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what. Thus, there is no other Guru other than the Soul. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Consciousness is the one single reality or Brahman. The individual self is a reality within the illusory universe or Maya.+

Consciousness is the one single reality or Brahman. The individual self is a reality within the illusory universe or Maya.

The waking experience is based on the ‘ego’. You are the waking entity, therefore, you are the ego. The ego is the false self within the false experience.

You are born, live, and die within the world. The world in which you exist appears as the waking experience (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). The dream is the parallel waking experience and the waking experience is a parallel dream.

Within the waking experience, you view and judge the worldview as a person. If you want to realize the truth you must realize the 'Self' is not you but the 'Self' is the ‘Soul’, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Only when you learn to view and reason the worldview from the standpoint of the formless Soul, the  'Self’, the truth will start revealing on its own.

You cannot attain truth while existing on the empirical base and you cannot conduct your worldly activities on the transcendental base. Both life and truth are important. Life has to be lived and you have to reach the truth to overcome the burden and the bondage of the illusory experience of the birth, life, and death (duality). 

The seeker has to develop Soulcentric reasoning faculty to judge the dual and non-dual experiences, in order to discover and realize ‘what truth is’ and ‘what is untruth’. Without knowing what is untruth it is impossible to accept the truth which is beyond form, time, and space.

Deeper self-search helps the seeker to discover and realize the fact that, from the standpoint of the Soul, the  Self, the waking experience is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness.

Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ helps you to transcend into the formless substance of the world in which you exist. The substance of the world in which you exist is consciousness. The Soul, the Self is present in the form of consciousness and the eternal identity.

When the seeker learns to view and judge the worldview on the base of the Soul as the 'Self’ then the waking experience, which is experienced as reality becomes unreal. In the same way, the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place.

The one that appears as a waking experience, the one that appears as a dream, and one that remains without the waking or the dream is nothing but consciousness.

The appearance and disappearance are mere an illusion created out of consciousness. In reality, the three states are non-existent as a reality.

All the three states are created out of single clay and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The difference between duality and nonduality is, that duality is merely an illusion created out of non-dualistic stuff. There is no such thing as duality in reality because the reality is nondualistic.

From the standpoint of the Soul, all the appearance itself is an illusion. The Soul, which is  present in the form of the consciousness alone, is real and eternal

One who has not learned to view and reason the worldview on the base of the Soul, the 'Self' will not be able to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

People are stuck to the ‘I’ because they are sentimentally and emotionally stuck to the I-centric Gurus and their teaching.+

People are stuck to the ‘I’ because they are sentimentally and emotionally stuck to the I-centric Gurus and their teaching. Getting stuck to the ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching is getting stuck to ignorance.

Unless you discard the ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching, it is impossible to mentally transcend from the dualistic illusion to Advaitic reality.

Advaitic can never be reached by argument and provocation. Discard all the accumulated dualistic knowledge by realizing the world in which you exist, exists because of ignorance. Get rid of the ignorance by realizing the world in which you exist is created out of single clay and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Realizing the ‘Self’’ is not you but the Soul is Self-realization. The Soul is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused.

A religious and yogic mindset is not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seekers of truth accept only the truth nothing but the uncontradictable truth.

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

Do not believe in a thing because you have read about it in a book.

Do not believe in a thing because a wise man has said it was true.

Do not believe in words because they are hallowed by dualistic knowledge.

Find out the truth for yourself. Use Soulcentric reason, which leads to the realization of the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Advaitic can never be reached by argument and provocation. Discard all the accumulated dualistic knowledge by realizing the world in which you exist, exists because of ignorance.

Get rid of the ignorance by realizing the world in which you exist is created out of single clay and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Realizing the ‘Self’’ is not you but the Soul is Self-realization. The Soul, the Self is the cause of the universe and it, itself is uncaused.

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 truth of the Soul, the Self.

Even after you know the Self is not ‘I’ but you still stuck up to the ‘I’ and you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’ because some gurus have said the Self is ‘I’ then you are not a true seeker.

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ “If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," if you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers.

Remember:~

The ‘I’ is duality. Without the ‘I’, there is no duality.

The ‘I’ is ignorance without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

The ‘I’ is an illusion without the ‘I’ there is no illusion.

The ‘I’ is form, time, and space together without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is the mind without the ‘I’ there is no mind.

The ‘I’ is the universe without the ‘I’ there is no universe.

The ‘I’ is waking or dreaming without the ‘I’ there is no waking or dream.

The dualists, having the idea of difference, even the least notion of the ‘I’, can never get Self- realization.

For those who are mentally so constituted that they must rely on some authority, who cannot think for themselves, who cannot stand on their own legs, who must quote some man or other, we prescribe scriptures. But for those who have sharp brains, we appeal to reason and so. There is no need for the scriptures to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaita is the God in truth. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness.+

Advaita means the Soul, the Self. The Soul is one without the second. The Soul is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness. The Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

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

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth,  Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

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

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth or God in truth.  The ultimate truth itself is God in truth.  

Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self, which is God in truth. Advaita is the God in truth. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness.

Remember this: ~

The ‘I’ is not limited to you. ‘I’ is the whole universe in which you exist. Without the ‘I’ the world in which you exist, cease to exist.

The world in which you exist appears when ‘I’ appears and the world in which you exist disappears when ‘I’ disappears.

The seeker must dig into old posts as well as new ones all your doubts about the ‘I’ will vanish.

The ‘Self is the whole hidden by the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind, therefore; ‘I’ is the mind.

The mind is present in the form of the form, time, and space together; therefore, the form, time, and space together are the mind.

The duality is present only when the form, time, and space are present, therefore, the form, time, and space together is the duality.

The form, time, and space are present in the form of the universe, therefore, the form, time, and space together are the universe.

The universe appears as the waking or dream, therefore, the waking or dream is the universe.

The waking is a parallel dream and the dream is a parallel waking.

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, which is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

People think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal.

Remember this: ~

Without the ‘I’ there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the mind, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the form, time, and space, there is only the Soul, the fullness of consciousness.

Without the universe, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the waking or the dream, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the individual experience of birth, life, and death, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Remember this: ~

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the ‘I’ is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the mind is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, form, time, and space are an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the universe is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, waking or dream is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the individual experience of birth, life, and death is an illusion.

The Soul is the cause of all that exists as an illusion and the Soul itself is uncaused.

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

Realize, ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality and what is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

If you realize the ‘Self ‘is not the ‘I’ but the Soul then whatever is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

Realizing the Soul is not the ‘I’ but the Soul is the Self, is Self –realization.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist. Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs.

It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The ‘I’, the illusion hides the truth of the Soul, the Advaita.

The Soul becomes an illusion in waking (duality) and waking become the Soul is deep sleep (nonduality).

The one that becomes the duality (waking or dream) and one that remains nonduality in deep sleep, is the Soul, the Self.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God in truth) 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 truth other than consciousness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara:- In matters of spiritual attainment, one’s own realization was the sole authority and it cannot be disputed.

India is the ancient land, where wisdom made its home India whose soil has been trodden by the feet of the greatest sages of truth like Bhagavan Buddha, Sage Sankara, and Sage Goudpada.

Swami Vivekananda: ~ “Advaita encompasses everything. Since Advaita requires heavy-duty intellectualism, it had to be progressively simplified. (From 'The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda )

India is the fountainhead of Advaitic wisdom. Advaitic wisdom is brighter, greater which unfolds the mystery of the universe and contains the whole of humanity.

The goal of the truth seeker is to acquire Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is inherent in every seeker of truth.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana does not come from outside, it is hidden within the world in which we exist.

Sage Sankara strongly advocated the study of Upanishads, and at the same time cautioned that the study of Upanishads alone would not lead to moksha. In matters of such as spiritual attainment, one’s own realization was the sole authority and it cannot be disputed

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 in order to acquire non-dualistic 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.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe

Sage Sankara ~ VC~ "All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe rises from the Soul, the innermost Self like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Sage 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).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

When the sky, clouds, and the world in which you exist are made of single clay then there is no second thing that exists, other than that clay. That clay is the Soul, which is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The reality is hidden by the unreality. The world in which we exist hides the truth. Whatever belongs to you is unreal. The words and thoughts belong to you, not to the Soul, which is the ‘Self’.

Whatever has name and form and attributes and whatever belongs to form, time and space are an illusion. The illusion hides the Spirit, which is God. The illusion and Spirit are one in essence. Spirit, the God alone is real and eternal.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the witness consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theater, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

One knows everything within the waking experience is consciousness because the waking experience itself is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. The physical apparatus is absent in deep sleep, so one cannot know anything by intuition because there is no duality in deep sleep. This proves that the duality is present only in waking or dream. And also, it proves that if there is such a faculty as intuition it must be limited to the physical Self within the physical existence.

You are the body with a name. It is foolish to say I am not the body when the ‘Self is not you because the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is nothing to with you and your experience of the birth, life, death, and the world because the Soul, the ‘Self is birthless and deathless. The Soul is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades everywhere and in everything in all three states.

The Soul, the Self is not within the body but the world in which you exists rises from the Soul, the Self. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara:-All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms is nothing else but consciousness.+

In fact, Sage Sankara states a paradox- the world is and is not. It is neither real nor unreal. It leads us to recognize the existence of Maya (illusion). He thinks that the world is illusory from one perspective and from the second it is nothing but Brahman (God in truth), itself in manifestation. This apparent world is Maya and has its basis in Brahman, the Eternal. It looks as real. It has names and forms and actually, it is not real In the light of true knowledge, it disappears and Self-alone shines as real. However, Sage Sankara's Mayavada has not been accepted by many preachers and philosophers.

When Sage Sankara says clearly, that the universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Soul, the Self is Real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances, then it indicates the form (waking) is unreal and the formless soul (consciousness) is real. Therefore, only Atman is real because there is no second thing that exists other than Atman, which is in the form of consciousness.

Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is the means to Self-realization. Self-realization is the realization of the highest truth Self-realization destroys the root of ignorance, the seed of the illusory universe.

Since in the ultimate analysis the problem is one of eradicating the foundational ignorance, Sage Sankara says Self-knowledge alone is the means to the attainment of liberation and brings an end to ignorance.

Sage Sankara says those who possess a clear knowledge of the Self and the not-Self, who renounce the ignorance, who determine the nature of the universe in the light of the Advaitic wisdom are Gnanis and their thought ever dwell on Brahman only.

Remember:~

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

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe.

Sage Sankara ~ VC~ "All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Soul) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe raises from the Soul, the Self like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Sage 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).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

When the sky, clouds, and the world in which you exist are made of single clay then there is no second thing that exists, other than that clay. That clay is the Soul, which is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The reality is hidden by the unreality. The world in which we exist hides the truth. Whatever belongs to you is unreal. The words and thoughts belong to you, not to the Soul, which is the Self.

Whatever has name and form and attributes and whatever belongs to form, time and space are an illusion. The illusion hides the Spirit, which is God. The illusion and Spirit are one in essence. Spirit, the God alone is real and eternal.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the witness consciousness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

One knows everything within the waking experience is consciousness because the waking experience itself is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. The physical apparatus is absent in deep sleep, so one cannot know anything by intuition because there is no duality in deep sleep. This proves that the duality is present only in waking or dream. And also, it proves that if there is such a faculty as intuition it must be limited to the physical self (ego) within the physical existence(universe).

You are a body with a name. It is foolish to say I am not the body when the ‘Self' is not you because the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is nothing to with you and your experience of the birth, life, death, and the world because the Soul, the ‘Self is birthless and deathless. The Soul is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness pervades everywhere and in everything in all three states.

The Soul, the Self is not within the body but the world in which you exists rises from the Soul, the Self. :

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore, the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it.

It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world that he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of Maya.

First, the seeker must inquire into the nature of the three states to realize the three states are one in essence. One has to observe everything in the three states because all three states are one in essence and that essence is consciousness (Soul or Atman) Atman is Brahman.

The seeker should not shut his eyes to the nature of the three states because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Form, time, and space are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God. Brahman cannot be described because description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than Soul, the Self.

The three states have no independent existence. The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness alone has real existence. The three states are a mere illusion created out of consciousness.

A Gnani sees only unity in diversity, just like a goldsmith estimating the gold in various items of jewelry sees only gold. When one identifies the Self with the form then only the form, time, and space are present. But when one transcends form, time, and space the duality never remains as reality: ~ Santthosh Kumaar