Sage Sankara: ~ Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration.+

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 means Advaita and Advaita mean Sage Sankara. Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is not theology. Theological Advaita is not Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.

The main hurdle in his way of thinking is the fact that Sage Sankara did not claim to be an original thinker at all, and his philosophy took the form of commentaries on the generality of the scriptures, particularly the Upanishads and the Gita.

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences –

1, “The ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices”.

2, “The advanced seekers who seek to know the ultimate truth or Brahman.”

Thus, the Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond form, time, and space.

Thus, those who are seeking truth have to discard the Theological Advaita without mercy in order to realize the Advaitic truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara was an independent thinker. His wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India, because, most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodox.

It is that philosophy in India was for centuries more an exposition of the ancient classics than the independent thought of individual thinkers as in ancient Greece or modern Europe and America.

Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada are independent thinkers other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic wisdom is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the ‘I'. The dualistic philosophy cannot escape the charge of dogmatism.

Intelligence and thoughts do not apply to Advaitism, intelligence and thought are based on a false self (waking entity) within the false experience (waking). The whole Advaitic philosophy is an attempt to transcend the limitations of intelligence and thought.

The two points of view A Gnani is not cut off from the experience of practical life within the practical world because Advaitic truth is neither realism nor idealism; it is beyond both these.

Sage Sankara said: - Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Advaitic wisdom does not begin with the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Lots of Advaitin scholars will teach that all is yourself, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. The rational proof is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana.

Theirs is mere dogma, parrotism, and repetition of what they read in scripture. Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

Sage Sankara endeavored toward establishing the Vedic religion and overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism reappeared in the Advaita of Sage Sankara. His inability to revive the Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.

Sage Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mandukya, he gave the highest non-dual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Ishvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Only through Self -knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana negation of duality is possible. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Consciousness is the cause of the origin, maintenance, and withdrawal of the universe is Advaita (i.e. non-dual), which means that consciousness transcends all conceptions, positive and negative. Nothing positive can ever be imagined or said about it.

Consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute. The existence of absolute means that consciousness is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness. Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness.

The nature of the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the non-dualistic silence. Non-dualistic silence is like a deep sleep state.

The silence indicates that the nature of the Soul, the ‘Self’ is inexplicable, indescribable, and unimaginable. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

In Manduka Upanishad Brahman and Atman are defined as the same.+

In Manduka Upanishad Brahman and Atman are defined as the same:~ All indeed is this Brahman; This Atman is Brahman; God in truth.  While Atman, which is present in the form of consciousness lies behind the sum total of the objective universe, some human minds boggle at any attempt to explain it with only the tools provided by reason. Atma is beyond the senses, beyond the mind, beyond intelligence, beyond imagination.  Indeed, the highest idea is that Atman is beyond both existence and non-existence, transcending and including time, causation, and space, and thus can never be known in the same material sense as one traditionally 'understands' a given concept or object.

If at all we said that there was a ‘Seen’ or ‘known’ substance produced at the beginning of creation, you may legitimately question us about its origin. But that has never been our argument. 

We are consistent in our assertion that there has been no legitimate cause behind anything ‘seen’ at the beginning of creation or even later on at any time. Hence there is nothing ‘seen.’ Because there has been no-thing seen, the consciousness is forever without bondage. Consciousness cannot be captured in words.

How did the “I” originate?

How did the world” originate?

How does one know that he exists in this world?

There was no cause for the universe even at the very start. So nothing was ever born. The entire universe is only an illusion. The universe in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

What exists is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness only.

Consciousness cannot be expressed in words because it is the existence itself. It is eternal, self-effulgent, and unblemished.

The illusion has no value. The universe is the illusory nature of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Mentally reduce the universe into consciousness by realizing the universe is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness.

There is no reason behind the illusion! From the ultimate standpoint, there is no illusion at all! Everything is nothing but consciousness.

You are still going by an attempt to establish a sequence of cause-effect relationships. There has to be a touchstone that can establish the correctness or otherwise of the sequence of causes and effects.

If we examine based on that yardstick, the causes will evaporate.

For example, doubt is a cause for a question. The cause for the doubt is ignorance. If we can get rid of ignorance, there is no scope for doubt and the later questions.

So go on finding answers to your doubts on your own. When all the questions are resolved, you will automatically land in and be at ease as consciousness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar 

Consciousness is the creator and also the creation. The creator and creator are made out of consciousness.+

From the absolute standpoint, the creation is an impossibility. The creation and creator theory is a false theory based on the false self (ego). Whatever is based on the false Self is bound to be an illusion or Maya.

Consciousness is the creator and also the creation. The creator and creator are made out of consciousness.

The creation is the very nature of the Soul, the Self. It is his inherent nature that simply emanates and flows from the Soul. But even this is only an appearance for in truth, there's no creation at all.

Sage Sankara says:~ Consciousness  alone exists, and the rest is all superimposition on that One, due to ignorance

For Gnani, the world is an illusion. Viewed from the absolute, there’s neither birth nor life nor death, neither appearance nor disappearance, neither production nor destruction, neither bondage nor liberation. There's none who seeks for freedom nor is there any who is liberated - this is the highest truth.

A Gnani knows that there's neither unity nor plurality - the world is neither one nor many. Just as a piece of rope is mistaken for a snake, the Atman is mistaken for this diverse world. Duality is an appearance and the non-dual Atman is the real truth.

The universe is not different from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness because the universe is made of consciousness. Thus, consciousness alone is real and all else (universe) is merely an illusion. Thus, the illusion is not different from consciousness, which ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~Santthosh Kumaar 

Your existence is a reality within the illusion.+

You are not your own creation because you and the world in which you exist are an illusion. The illusion is created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Self is nothing to do with you and the world in which you exist.

Your existence is a reality within the illusion. The ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Self is not separate from consciousness because the’ Self’ itself is consciousness.

If the ‘I’ prevails as reality then the world in which you exist prevails as a reality. If the world in which you exist as a reality then the dualistic illusion is experienced as a reality.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ helps you to overcome ignorance (I).

Until ‘I’ is present, ignorance is present. Until ignorance is present you will not be able to unfold the mystery hidden by the ‘I’.

Unless one drops all his garbage accumulated knowledge it is impossible to realize the ‘Self’ hidden by the dualistic illusion or Maya (I).

Remember:~

The only real knowledge is Self- Knowledge. The knowledge of the Soul is hidden by the dualistic illusion.

The idea of the creation and creator within the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, the idea of creation and creator waking world becomes unreal when wisdom dawns. The wisdom dawns when the waking entity realizes the fact that, the matter is created out of Spirit.

Without the Spirit (consciousness) there is no matter. The Spirit alone is real and all else is merely an illusion created out of the spirit or consciousness.

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

You, search for the ‘Self’ you will find only the Soul. You, search for truth and you will find only the Soul. You, search for God you will find only the Soul.

Thus, the Soul is the Goal. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

What exists with or without the world, in which you exist, is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  

When the Soul, the Self remains in its own awareness in the midst of the world, in which you exist, it is in its swa swaroopa or Self-awareness.

The unreal is created out of the real. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness without any division. A Gnani is fully aware of the division of form, time, and space is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, consciousness is one without the second.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Ignorance is destroyed by realizing the Self is not you but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

Many Gurus say that sticking to "I AM" is a way out of the physical shackles. But that "I AM" itself’ is creates the prison to the Soul, the Self.

By thinking repeatedly, ‘I AM THAT’ the Advaitic wisdom will not dawn. The thought, ‘I AM’ is the bondage. The thought, ‘I AM’ is the dualistic prison’. The thought ‘I AM’ is the cause of ignorance.

‘I AM' represents you not the Soul, the Self,  which is genderless.  I AMNESS is present only when the illusory universe is present. The illusory universe is present only in the domain of ignorance. 

Ignorance is destroyed by realizing the Self is not you but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

The one, which expresses itself as 'I', is not 'I' but is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is prior to the appearance of the ‘I’. The ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the witness of the ‘I’.

Remember, the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is not the ‘Self’. Considering the ‘I’ or ‘I AM as the ‘Self’ is an error.

The Soul, the ‘Self’, which is in the form of consciousness cannot be called anything nor approached because it is prior to anything that exists.

The Soul or consciousness is the substance of the whole universe with all contents.

The thoughts and the words are part of the dualistic illusion. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is not a thing or entity, or identity within the universe. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space.

Remember this: ~ I or 'I' AM’ is an illusory expression of the Soul. Holding the Self’ as the ‘I’ or ‘I am’ is holding the illusion as reality.

The mind ceases to exist without the ‘I’.

The mind ceases to exist without form, time, and space.

The mind ceases to exist without the universe.

The mind ceases to exist without waking or the dream.

The mind ceases to exist without the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

The mind ceases to exist without the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

But remember:~

The Soul, the Self can exist with or without the ‘I’.

The Soul, the Self can exist without the mind.

The Soul, the Self can exist without the universe.

The Soul, the Self can exist without waking or the dream.

The Soul, the Self can exist without the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

The Soul, the Self can exist without the dualistic illusion.

The consciousness pervades everywhere and in everything in the universe, which is a dualistic illusion.

The existence of the Soul, the ‘Self’ which is hidden by the ‘I’ has to be mentally grasped and assimilated.

The ‘Self’ is the Soul, the witness of the ‘I’.

Unless the ‘I AM is present the world in which we exist prevails as a reality, the thoughts of liberation and bondage will remain. So long as one thinks of the Self as “I AM”.

Advaitic Wisdom dawns when you realize the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ Is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Giving up one physical identity such as ‘I AM’ and replacing it with ‘I AM THAT, will not get to the root of the problem of false identification.

By thinking, ‘I am self-realized is only an imagination. In the realm of truth, there is no scope for such imagination.

The seeker has to transcend the dualistic illusion in order to enter the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana free the Soul, the Self from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality. :~Santthosh Kumaar  

Meditation is not the cause of Advaitic wisdom. Meditation will not help to get rid of ignorance.+

Meditation will not help to get rid of ignorance. Without Advaitic wisdom, ignorance will not vanish. Thus, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone leads to Self-awareness.

By sticking to some Guru and surrendering to him, the Advaitic wisdom will not dawn. Surrendering is a religious fable. Surrendering is nothing to do with the ultimate Truth or Brahman.

Surrender implies duality. There is no duality in reality. When wisdom dawns, one realizes the whole universe in which we exist is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. The knowledge of the single stuff is Self-knowledge or Brahma GSimplytma Gnana.

By simply saying surrender without realizing the ultimate truth, is like trying to sweeten the seawater by putting a spoon of sugar. 

For the wise who realize everything as consciousness, what is there to meditate or not to meditate, what to speak or not to speak, what to do or not to do?

Only the Soul or the consciousness is Real and all else is an illusion. Only your constant remembrance will allow you, one day, to realize what truth really is, and, in so doing realize the ‘Self',

The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation. 

He who meditates on the ‘I’ does not comprehend it, for it is then incomplete because the Self is not the ‘I’ but the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. 

When it is associated with the ‘I’, the Soul, the Self is not revealed in its totality. The Soul, the Self alone, in its totality, is to be meditated upon, for in it all things become unified . . . .

This Soul, the Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, because it is the inner Reality.

One should meditate upon the Soul, the Self alone as dear. He who meditates upon the Soul, the Self alone as dear ~ what he holds dear will not perish.

The sun shines during the day. The moonbeams at night. The sun and the moon and stars and planet or the whole cosmos exist only with the dualistic illusion.

The Soul, the Self was indeed Brahman or God from the beginning. The Soul, the ‘Self’ was in its own awareness. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is the fullness of consciousness.

Whosoever comprehends this truth also becomes Brahman. Whosoever realized the Soul, the Self as Brahman or God," becomes one with Brahman or God.

If a man worships God as though God is one thing and he (the man) is another, then this man is far from the truth.

If the seeker after the truth who has realized the Soul itself is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God through and through, then the ignorance diminishes and fades away.

Meditation is not the cause of Advaitic wisdom. When one comes out of meditation he again confronts duality. When the ‘‘Self’’ is formless then who is doing meditation how can one know what is pure and impure consciousness, when the illusion, which is full of diversity is made of single stuff? The duality is a reality within the dualistic illusion.

Neither the body nor the world exists as a reality in reality, because both are created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. We are discussing within the illusion,  about the consciousness, without being aware of the fact that, our thoughts and words, and experiences are also an illusion created out of the consciousness. Therefore, diversity has no value when one becomes aware of the fact that, the ‘‘Self’’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the consciousness. The beyond is hidden within the world in which we exist as consciousness.

Until man thinks that he is an individual separate from the world and he is born in this world,the  and world existed prior to him until this conviction is there the Advaitic truth is impossible to grasp and realize.

Modern science discovers the truth of the fragments. Sage Sankara has discovered the truth of the whole. Advaita is the truth of the whole universe. The universe is created out of single stuff and that single stuff the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. the single stuff is real and the universe is merely an illusion created out of single stuff.

Science and its invention are based on the dualistic perspective (ego) whereas the ultimate truth, is based on the non-dualistic perspective (Soul). Thus, it is impossible to discover the truth which is hidden by the universe from a dualistic standpoint.

Modern science has to discover the truth of this mind first, and then only it is possible to investigate further. It is impossible to investigate the mind because the scientists and their scientific inventions are going on within the mind. The mind cannot be investigated in laboratory conditions.

Many scientists still think that the mind is within the brain so they will not be able to go deeper because they consider the physical ‘‘Self’’ as the real ‘‘Self’’ and physical existence as a reality, whereas from the ultimate standpoint the physical existence itself’’ is an illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

From the non-dualistic perspective, there is neither creation nor creator only unity in diversity.+

Existence is nondual. Nonduality cannot be described by means of words for all uses of language fail to express it. Nonduality is sought to be indicated the mental negation of duality (all attributes and characteristics).

Sage Sankara says:~ How can the talk of diversity, dvaita, apply to the Supreme Reality which is one and homogeneous, Advaita? Who has ever observed diversity, dvaita, in the unmixed bliss of the state of profound sleep?

Sage Goudpada: ~ 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 understand and assimilate. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

From the non-dualistic perspective, there is neither creation nor creator only unity in diversity. The duality is merely an illusion. The duality is a reality only from the dualistic perspective, from the non-dualistic perspective, the duality is merely an illusion. 

The dualistic illusion is created out of consciousness, which is real and eternal. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness which is Brahman or God in truth. 

Nothing is ever created because the illusory universe in which we exist is nothing but consciousness. There is only consciousness, which is Brahman or God in truth and all else is an illusion.

The theory of creator and creation is a religious fable. The idea of creator and creation is possible only in the domain of the illusory dualistic universe. From the ultimate standpoint, The duality is an illusion.

In non-dual reality, there is neither creation nor creator. The cause and effect theory holds good, only on the base of the ego. The ego is the false self within the dualistic illusion.

When you realize the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul all the theories built on the base of the ‘I’ falls like the house of cards.

All the theories are based on the dualistic perspective. From the non-dualistic perspective, all these theories hold no water.

All the theories are based on judgment and reason is based on the base of the ‘I’ and they are a reality on dualistic logical conclusions.

The dualistic theory says: ~

If there is a watch then there has to be a watchmaker, therefore, if there is creation there has to be a creator. If this is so, then who is the creator of that creator? 

It is a never-ending thought process and it is impossible to find the answer and reach any conclusion and reach the ultimate end. Such dualistic theories are imagined theories holding the false self (ego) as the real ‘Self’ and false experience (waking) as reality. Therefore, there is a need to first make sure whether the ‘Self’ is the form, or ‘Self’ is formless before accepting any theories.

All these religious theories can only satisfy those who are not interested in knowing the truth of their true existence but who are immersed in practical life by accepting the practical world as reality. 

Orthodox classes are the prisoners of theoretical teachings and theoretical philosophy who stay like a frog in the pond and lock themselves in egocentric prison. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar