Sage Sankara said: The Soul, the Self is Brahman—that is, the Soul is ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.+

The seeker has to find out what is it that becomes duality (waking or dream) and nonduality (deep sleep) to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

As the seeker indulges in deeper Self-search he becomes aware that which becomes dual and nondual is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Once one becomes aware of it, then he becomes aware that duality is merely an illusion created out of nondual stuff. That essence is consciousness. Everything is consciousness. 

No second thing exists other than consciousness. Thus form, time, and space are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. If form, time, and space are one in essence then the duality has no value.  

The intellectuality is limited to the physical existence (waking). The Advaitic wisdom is beyond intellectuality.  The seeker has to learn to view and judge the three states on the base of the Soul, the Self, which is the witness of the three states.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, there is neither doer nor doing.  A Gnani treats the waking experience as merely an illusion and views and judges from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.  

A Gnani is fully aware that the experience of diversity (waking) is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Hence, there is no second thing other than consciousness.

People, who expound non-duality or Advaitic on the base of the ego or waking entity and try to explain it, are mere scholars, not Gnanis. Thus, a perfect understanding and assimilation are required for Self-realization.  

Whatever they have read heard and accumulated as truth has to be verified through Soulcentric reasoning. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification

There is neither guru nor disciple nor teaching because everything is the Soul, the Self, or consciousness. 

That is why Sage Sankara said: The Soul, the Self is Brahman—that is, the Soul is ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Remember:~

The ultimate truth has to be realized first then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. I do not require any scriptures.

I quote Scriptural citations and also citations of the sages of truth only after deeper verifying a reality and proving the truth, to point out that the scriptures teach the same thing. If one quotes them before having demonstrated the truth, then it is scholasticism.

Scriptures are not needed in the pursuit of truth. Even the Upanishads and the sage of truth declare the scriptures are needed to acquire  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Nothing is needed for acquiring  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, other than perfect understanding, assimilation, and realization of ‘what is what'.

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 of this idea of divine causality, and can therefore dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

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 Mundaka, 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 Brahma sutra, he gave lower 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.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, and dogmatic instruction to the masses, but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Even Sage Sankara says: ~ 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. 

The seeker 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. (Commentary on Vedanta sutra)

Advaitic orthodoxy is the path meant for ignorant people. The Advaitic orthodoxy is not a means to acquire  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  

Advaitic orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant mass that is unfit to grasp the highest truth.   Thus the Advaitic orthodoxy has nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.

 Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana helps to a raft upon which one crosses a swift river to get to the other side; once one is on the far shore; there is no longer any need to carry the raft. The far shore is Moksha or Freedom, and it is also said that when one arrives, one can see quite clearly that there was never any river at all.

 The scriptures, theories, and teachings based on the ego are not the yardstick. Using them as a yardstick to understand and assimilate the truth will lead one towards a pursuit of arguments. 

The seeker of truth has to discover on his own, the truth of his true existence by inquiring “What is the mind?” and “What is the substance of the mind?” “What is the source of the mind?” and move forward.  

 The ultimate truth is one without the second, the one is not in the sense of half or two, but the one that remains forever One, without the second.  The consciousness is all-pervading. There is no place where consciousness is not.

Sage 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)

The ultimate truth has to be ascertained without the scriptures, by realizing the  Self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the  Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

In the realm of truth form, time, and space are created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Realizing the single stuff as the ultimate truth is  Self-realization or truth realization. To realize this truth there is no need for the scriptures.

Scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana 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 the Advaitic wisdom.  

That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion,  Gods based on blind belief and scriptures.

Scriptures mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is truth and ‘what is untruth.  

When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of a single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time, and space

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 a non-dual 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 the true existence.

One must go beyond form, time, and space. The theistic tradition has been kept alive by the orthodoxy. The orthodoxy is the path of ignorance because it is based on ignorance.  

The orthodoxy has nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. Thus it is not the path of ultimate truth or Brahman. 

People who are stuck to orthodoxy never will be able to cross the prison of duality. Without crossing the prison of duality Self-awareness is an impossibility.  

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana is necessary to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

If one is seeking truth there is no need to discuss no need to argue, read and think and reason deeply.

What is there to discuss argue and exchange opinions? If one is seeking truth there is no need to discuss no need to argue, read think, and reason deeply, then the truth will start revealing itself on its own. Be an independent thinker.

Do not accept anything without verification the seeker should not argue and waste his time.

The argument will not yield truth. Only intellectuals argue to exhibit their intellectual wealth.

The intellectual argument is based on ego. The ego-based intellectuality is limited to form, time, and space. The truth you are seeking is based on the Soul.

The Soul is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. Thus, what is the use of egocentric argument in the soulcentric discussion?

That is why 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

The Advaitic wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is consciousness.

Freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or consciousness, the Self, are quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Ashtavakra: ~ Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.

Intellectuals argue, that if everything is consciousness, how can one give up anything? Can you give up anything? These types of questions are speculation based on the waking entity (ego), which is the false Self within the false experience.

Without knowing the ‘Self is not the form but the ‘Self’ is formless it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

All their speculation is limited to the domain of form, time, and space whereas the truth is beyond form, time, and space. They are incapable of understanding and assimilating truth, which is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. They refuse to verify and they want the truth on their own terms. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A perfect understanding removes all sorts of obstacles in the pursuit of truth.+

Reading my posts often propels the reader into the thinking process. By reading, repeated reading the words on this subject the inner whirling in the subconscious takes place which replaces the old thoughts by accepting the new thoughts

A perfect understanding removes all sorts of obstacles in the pursuit of truth.

Only through constant repetition of words in my posts will make one think differently, but it also creates more doubts and confusion in his subconscious and his inner urge to know the truth even more intense. And it also helps to overcome some of our conditioning, which we have inherited from parental grooming and circumstances.

Repetition of the words assists the seeker to help to focus his attention from form (body) to formless (Soul or consciousness), which is very much necessary in the pursuit of truth.

Repetition is an effective tool and has an effect on the subconscious mind, which is not receptive to receiving new truth because it is conditioned to receive only logical conclusions based on ego(waking entity or you).

Repetition and constant persistence is the way to sow the seed of non-dual truth

Constant repetition and persistence is the way to sow the seed of the non-dual truth, in the subconscious.

One of the reasons I have been expressing about its repetition of the same thing, again and again, is to grasp the non-dualistic or Advaaitc truth.

It takes a few months for seekers to assimilate what is been said through the messages, the seeker not only reads the messages by constantly reflecting on the true Self in these messages is with constant mental exercises he will be able to grasp and assimilate the self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The seekers who have an intense urge, are truth-oriented, ready to verify everything, and ready to accept the truth after verification will reach the non-dual destination without many hurdles.

Religionists, theorists, and some intellectuals can never grasp what is being said here; because they have preconceived ideas of their accepted truth therefore they refuse to verify the facts.

Always anything communicated through these messages comes from the inner core of existence'(Soul), not from judgment based on the ego.

The seeker may find it a bit irritating at first repetitive messages, but it will be stirred enough to divert their attention to the Ataman and the point of view I am emphasizing. Only through frequent

Repetition the seeker will be able to grasp and focus his attention from form (body) to formless (soul) and able to grasp and assimilate the Self-knowledge.

The seeker has to read, write repeatedly, and reflect on the subject repeatedly, which helps the seeker to get a firm conviction of un-contradicted truth.: ~Santthosh Kumaar

Upanishads: ~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of the Soul, the Self.+

Upanishads: ~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of the Soul, the Self. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

Most thinkers’ point of view of nonduality is based on the dualistic perspective. Ultimate truth or Brahman can be realized only when one is able to view and judge from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.

The thinker, the thought, and the world are part of the illusory waking experience. The individual experiences are happening within the waking experience. The waking experience it Self is an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self.

The waking entity (ego) is the false self within the false experience (waking). Thus, individual experiences like birth, life, death, and the world are part of the illusion because the waking experience itself is an illusion.

If someone kills someone within the waking experience, it is as good as killing is taking place in the dream. The killer and killing and the world are one in essence.

Until ignorance is there the waking experience prevails as reality. Only when wisdom dawns then the waking experience become unreal.

The man who has the firm conviction that he is born in this world and the world existed prior to him, and he is born in this world afterward will not be able to assimilate Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana because he is unaware that he is part and parcel of the waking experience, which is illusory reality. Thus, his understanding is limited to form, time, and space.

The seeker has to become aware of the fact that, he is the waking entity (you) and he is not the Self but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The formless Soul witnesses the coming and going of the three states without the physical apparatus. from the non-dualistic perspective, the witness (Soul)and witnessed(universe) are one in essence. That essence is consciousness.

There is only one Consciousness. One becomes many and many become one. Thus there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The witness of the three states is not the waking entity, but the formless Soul, which is in the form of consciousness. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the three states are unreal.

Whatever is happening within the waking experience is reality, within the waking experience. But the waking experience itself is an illusion.

The illusion appears as a waking, and dream and disappears as deep sleep.

The Soul, the Self, witnesses the coming and going of the three states. The Soul, the Self, which witnesses the states, is unaffected and apart.

To realize this truth takes a lot of mental effort. A perfect understanding leads the seeker to Self-awareness. The one who is able to grasp this truth is a Gnani.

Nonduality refers to consciousness because everything (three states) is created out of formless consciousness.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, there is nothing that exists other than the Soul, the Self. Thus, everything, which is formless consciousness, is perfectly perfect.

People who view and judge the worldview from the dualistic perspective, therefore, will not be able to understand and assimilate Nondualistic or Advaitic truth.

They are stuck with the reality of the world, which they take as real. They are scared to lose their enjoyment of the worldly life and their attachment to family life. There is no such fear of losing anything but they realize only the unreal nature of the waking experience.

Even though they are of the world they are not of the world. Those who are scared to accept the world as an illusion are not fit for Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. To accept the truth one needs courage.

That is why there are so many gurus and teachers who cook their own spirituality as truth and propagate ornamental words to please the people. But such truth is a half-truth or no truth.

The seeker has to go alone. Just remember to drop all their accumulated knowledge. There is no need for any teacher or teaching.

People go on teaching this is the truth and that is the truth none of them know what truth really is. They say right now and right here, realize the truth.

Some gurus describe perfection as the awakening to Reality. This awakening effectively happens in an instant. But to get Self-awareness resulting in a firm and unshakable certitude, long labor is necessary that they seem to underestimate.

Many gurus break the seeker’s bonds but then lead them to a vast desert where they abandon them. The ultimate state reality they describe is that of the fully enlightened being, but they do not show them the process leading to the realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman. They describe marvelously the goal but do not indicate any roadmap.

Most of the Gurus' approach is more practical, and they are stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. Therefore they are unable to beyond form, time, and space so they promise instant bliss within the illusory world. Such claims of instant enlightenment are false enlightenment.

People claim to meet Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, and Devi in their vision but such claims are reality within the duality. But the duality in any form is not a reality.

Some thinkers started with One substance and some with the Absolute; but where is the proof of the existence of this One or the Absolute. Hence they started with assumptions; whereas Advaita starts with no assumption whatever but proves every step taken, it does not even start with assumptions that Brahman exists; the discovery of the existence of Brahman comes only at the end of Soulcentric inquiry and reasoning and not at the beginning

Accepting intuition or imagination as truth is disastrous because they are not verified truth. A person may claim “he has seen and spoken to God of his belief and he has realized the Absolute" but he must prove it. Similarly, those who speak of the creator of the creation (Universe) are hallucinating, for whoever could possibly have seen God creating the universe? They are merely using their imagination because they were themselves created later.

This is the great difference between the path of wisdom and other paths no matter how similar their tenets may seem because the path of wisdom is a path of verification. There is no scope for accepting anything blindly.

Most people’s tendency is to be lazy; whereas the seeker of truth wants proof because he realizes his own ideas may be false. Most people want their previous notions to be confirmed and unaffected.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Yoga Vasistha: ~ The sun and the worlds become non-objects of perception, to those who have gone beyond the realm of objective perception and knowledge.+

Yoga Vasistha: ~ Even as particles of sand floating in water settle down when the water is absolutely steady, the mind of the man who has gained the knowledge of truth settles down in total peace.

Yoga Vasistha: ~ The sun and the worlds become non-objects of perception, to those who have gone beyond the realm of objective perception and knowledge, even as lamps lose their luminosity while the mid-day sun shines.

From the standpoint of the formless Soul the Self, the effect is non-different from the cause. However, in the realm of duality cause is different from the effect. The non-difference of the effect from the cause has to be grasped perfectly to realize from the ultimate standpoint there is neither the cause nor the effect because the cause and effect are one, in essence. That essence is consciousness.

Sage Sankara says: - If the cause is destroyed, the effect will no longer exist. For example, if from the effect, cotton cloth, the cause, threads, are removed, there will be no cloth, i.e., the cloth is destroyed. Similarly, if in the effect, thread, the cause, cotton, is removed, there will be no thread, i.e., the thread is destroyed. (Brahmasutra Bhashya, commentary on the Brahma-sutra, (9) 2.1.9)

Despite the non-difference between cause and effect, the effect has itself in the cause but not the cause in the effect. The effect is of the nature of the cause and not the cause, the nature of the effect. Therefore, the qualities of the effect cannot touch the cause because the cause and effect are present only when the duality is present. The duality is present only when there is an illusion. The illusion is there only when there is ignorance. 

When there is no ignorance then there is no illusion. When there is no illusion then there is no duality. When there is no duality then there is no cause and effect. When there is no cause and effect then there is a non-dualistic reality.

Sage Sankara says: - During the time of its existence, one can easily grasp that the effect is not different from the cause. However that the cause is different from the effect is not readily understood.

As to this, it is not really possible to separate cause from effect. But this is possible by imagining so. For example, the reflection of the gold ornament seen in the mirror is only the form of the ornament but is not the ornament itSelf as it (the reflection) has no gold in it at all. (Chāṃdogya Upaniṣad Bhāṣya, commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad, 6.3.2)

All names and forms are real when seen with the Brahman but are false when seen independent of Brahman (Soulm the Self).

This way the seeker of truth establishes the non-difference of the effect from the cause.

In the context of Advaita Vedanta: ~ Jagat (the world) is not different from Brahman (Soul); however, Brahman (Soul, the Self) is different from Jagat

It has not been possible to preach Advaitic Truth entirely free from the settings of dualistic weakness it has not been more operative and useful to mankind at large because only a few will be able to grasp and realize it.

'To realize the Advaitic Truth a freer and fuller scope the seeker has to realize the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. And the Soul the innermost Self is present in the form of consciousness.

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone.

A Gnani will easily appreciate the high flights of Sage Sri, Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic structures and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

The truth has to be rightly investigated and realzed through direct realization.+

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 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 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. 

The Soul, the   Self 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 or God in truth. Brahman cannot be described, because description implies distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than the Soul, the  Self.

People think ‘I’ is the Self and their body is an illusion, whereas, the body, world, and the ‘I’, all are part of the illusion. 

They think whatever exists within the waking experience that is, man and his experience of the world is a reality but they are unaware of the fact that the waking experience is a reality within the illusion. 

If the waking experience is a reality within the illusion then the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is a reality within the dualistic illusion or Maya.

There are so many obstacles if one tries to reach the non-dual destination through Advaitic because of orthodox adulteration.  Advaita philosophy and orthodox or theistic Advaita are not the same. Mixing the orthodoxy Advaita with Advaitic philosophy is mixing oil and water.     

Most scholars are sentimentally and emotionally involved with orthodoxy because both Advaitic orthodoxy and Advaitic philosophy are propagated by the same founder (Sage Sankara).  They mix two viewpoints together, therefore, it becomes difficult to get the Advaitic truth expounded by Sage Sankara.

It is very difficult to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth or Brahman without bifurcating the religion, scriptures, philosophy, and idea of the personal God.  The ultimate truth or Brahman can be directly realized without Advaitic philosophy and Buddhism by Soulcentric reasoning.  

There is nothing more rational, more intelligible, and more un-dogmatic insights of Sri, Sankara, is to drop all the theistic nonduality or Advaita which is meant for those who are incapable and not receptive to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

If one merely theorizes, tries to understand through his intellect, and contends he cannot become a Gnani but he becomes a scholar or pundit.   

The seeker of truth must make what he has understood and assimilated has to be realized, to get a firm conviction of the non-dualistic truth or ultimate truth or Brahman,   then only it is possible for him to transcend all the limitations of the experience of form, time, and space.   

The existence beyond the limitations of form, time, and space is known as Moksha or Nirvana. Spiritual freedom or  Self-realization is the goal of every seeker of truth. 

Upanishads~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Ch. II-5 P-14)

Only Deeper self-search helps the seeker to remove all the obstacles in pursuit of truth.  There are so many scholars in India who mastered Advaitic philosophy.  

It is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge in the present form of Advaitic philosophy. Because their preaching is based on non-duality and practices are based on duality.  Becoming Soul-centric is the only way.

Katha Upanishad: ~ The Soul, the Self 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 the Soul, the Self, reveals its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch.-II -23-P-20)

It is very difficult to talk to people about Advaita because everyone thinks he is the scholar and authority on Advaita. This- I know business is dangerous.  And whatever his reached conclusion is secondhand stuff.

Tripura Rahasya, 18: 89~ Second-hand knowledge of the Self-gathered from books or gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. Realize yourself, turning the mind inward. ~ (18: 89)

The essence of Advaita is:

"DVI" means two. DVI" connotes dual existence and "Advaita" the non-dual, which of these two is non-existence? People think that there is God and that the Jivas~Souls-- like them form the second, other than them. There is no such duality at all. "Brahman” is the only reality and there is nothing other than this Absolute Supreme Being. That Brahman through Maya or the multiplying power of illusion appears as many Jivas. But this is just the play of Brahman, even as an actor in a drama remains unchanged throughout although Brahman plays different roles. The seemingly obvious duality between Brahman and Jiva does not actually exist because both are one and the same the Soul, the Self. If only one transcends this phenomenal illusion and experience of duality with Brahman, he would then be not the individual Souls with all his little failings but one with it--the Absolute, infinite Reality. This is the tenet of Advaita philosophy taught by the great Sage Sankara.

The seeker has to think and reason deeply then only it is possible to acquire  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   The seeker has to find ‘What are the obstacles in Sage Sankara Advaitic teachings?’ ‘Where the scholars are going wrong?’ How to overcome all the obstacles?

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,  gods based on blind faith or blind belief, and the scriptures.

Scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

I quote Scriptural citation only after verification of the reality and is proven truth to point out that the scriptures teach the same thing. If one quotes them before having demonstrated truth, then it is scholasticism.

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 a non-dual 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.

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you, yourself test and judge to be true.

Many people quote Advaita without understanding it really in its highest aspect. One who follows the path of Advaitic orthodoxy is taken the path of ignorance. "How does he know that what Sage Sankara says is true?  There are conflicting teachings. 

People get confused as to which are true?" People will be unable to prove because they do not know the proper test of truth.

The Veda serves at the starting point. What one has to learn from Veda must be understood through the exercise of reason, as far as reason might go. And what one has understood must be realized in one’s life.

Only pretenders show such external works or claims. People who do not understand the scriptures generally misinterpret all scripture's references to the ‘indifference’ of the sage as meaning sitting idle, remote from worldly concerns. 

Though the scripters speak of direct knowledge of ultimate truth by a study of the holy texts it does not become established. It is, therefore, not enough to understand the theories of Advaita; he may grasp idealism and Manduka but it is not enough.

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. 

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: ~ VC-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 means searching truth independently on your own, therefore, there is no need for any teacher or teaching. The truth has to be ascertained by the seeker himself. 

Until the seeker realizes the truth, he will not be able to know what is untruth.  How can one know if the teacher knows the truth or if the teaching speaks the truth?  The seeker should not accept anything as truth without deeper introspection. 

Only uncontradictable truth has to be accepted as the ultimate truth of Brahman or God in truth. The path of truth is the path of verification. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification.

The Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known Guru is needed in the religious and yogic path.  There is no need for the guru to acquire  Self-knowledge. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The egocentric paths have nothing to do with the path of truth or wisdom, which is soulcentric.+

The egocentric paths have nothing to do with the path of truth or wisdom, which is soulcentric.

A deeper self-se–search reveals the Self is not the waking entity or ego but the Self is the Soul, the Self, which is in the form of consciousness then why follow the paths based on the false self.

Only by realizing the form (universe) is formless because form (universe) is made of the formless stuff (Soul) leads one to Self-awareness.

All other paths are based on the ego, which is the false self that holds practical life within the practical world as reality never realizes the truth because they accepted something else as truth and their accepted truth is the greatest hindrance is realizing the ultimate truth.

All egocentric paths are meant for the ignorant people who are incapable of inquiring into the nature of the universe (waking or mind) in which they exist.

It becomes very difficult for people who are incapable of grasping the ultimate truth because of their inherited and inborn conditioning.

The seeker must have the knowledge of the matter (universe or mind) and the spirit (Soul or consciousness).

A seeker of truth has to know somewhere he is going wrong, and it is for the seeker to go on his own and remove all the obstacles.

The greatest hindrance is mixing religion, god, scriptures, and yogic theories. Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal god, and religious code of conduct keep one permanently in the grip of duality.

Remember;~

As one goes into a deeper investigation finds nothing satisfying in any religion.

The more he learns of any religious doctrine he becomes aware of the fact that religion is not the means for Self-realization because the true ‘Self' is not the form but the true Self is the Soul, which is formless timeless, and spaceless existence.

Religion is based on the false Self (ego) and false experience (universe). Religion takes the false self as the real Self and false experience as reality. Thus whatever is based on the false Self and false experience is bound to be a falsehood.

The obsession with "our sins" having been "washed away by the water of the river would be regarded as evidence of a serious mental illness in an individual within any sane society, but when this is an obsession of millions of people it becomes "religious faith", held by many others to be something that should never be criticized.

It was desperately important for the believers of their belief system for some reason that others shared their beliefs because they assumed that their religious doctrine was literally true, and then justified their beliefs because "God says so in their doctrine ".

It is no use in arguing with someone who has faith in his belief system because for him there can be no possible refutation of what he believes, so rational argument is entirely useless. He clings to his belief so strongly that he makes no distinction between the truth and his belief.

One has to know that a religious God cannot exist without man's existence.

The truth does not depend on the religious gods’ existence but it entirely depends on the Soul, which is the cause of the universe.

Thus, it is foolish to venture into knowing the truth of god's existence without verifying the facts about the true existence.

The seeker has to have the courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth.

Most people will not be able to subscribe to the path of truth because they are sentimentally and emotionally involved with their inherited religion and even if one does he has to overcome all his doubts, confusion, and despair.

These are problematic for the seekers who are from a religious background because of their conditioning and they are made to accept their blind belief or blind faith as the ultimate truth and their interest or insight is not very deep. :~Santthosh Kumar