For religion you can interpret texts as you like, in whatever way that pleases you, you simply imagine away.+

Katha Upanishad (1.2.5) says: ~ "Caught in the grip of ignorance, self-proclaimed experts consider themselves learned authorities. They wander about this world befooled, like the blind leading the blind."

Religion, yoga, and mysticism are so much preferred to spirituality because you have only to imagine, not inquire. The first is easy, and the second is hard.

Religion and mysticism are a species of mesmerism affecting weaker or impressionable minds. Thus, the panoply of a Godman's religious robes, etc. creates an unconscious suggestion in weaker minds of superior power or magical knowledge. Similarly, visitors to ashrams are suggested into thinking they experience great peace because they are unconsciously hypnotized into believing that will happen. But when a strong disciplined philosophic mind meets a Godman or visits an ashram, he is entirely unaffected.

Religion belongs to the world of emotions. That is why everyone likes it. You will always find it in primitive times, as now, linked with music, dancing, and art--both emotional expressions.

Religion changes as it appeals to different emotions. You will find at one pole the nude fakir is admired; at the other, the gorgeously-dressed Godmen is revered.

Religion is the Truth of the ignorant populace. Advaitic wisdom is universal truth hidden by ignorance. This means religious believer takes their feeling as truth whereas the Gnani takes their reasoned judgment, which will be the same under test everywhere in the world.

For religion you can interpret texts as you like, in whatever way that pleases you, you simply imagine away. 

The fallacy of religionists’ appeal to scripture lies in the varying and conflicting interpretations of the same scripture which different men feel entitled to give or hold.

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.

Disappointments in religion or yoga or mysticism or even science imply error or ignorance. Create the question. "Am I on the right?" Where is the certainty that I am proceeding on the right lines?" Thus doubts arise and the inquiring spirit comes and impels to search elsewhere for truth where it will not be possible even to have doubt.

The test is therefore in the realization of the truth. Only in Advaita, where there are no two to argue about views or to have a difference of opinion can such doubtlessness be possible. Belief depends upon unstable bases whereas certainty depends on proof.

Finally, the truth of religion can only be proved by your physical strength or by your imagination, or your power of the sword, or your worldly power, never by reason.

Religions place God as the unknown reality. Every religionist has a different idea of God. Every man has a different idea of the real. Hence, there is a need for definition before accepting anything as truth.

There is nothing so absurd that men have not worshipped in religion, nor sacrificial forms of worship so cruel which have not been indulged in. And every imaginable face has been given to God from the tribal; some have made God with wild in looks and some with the sober look. !

People stop with their imaginations about God, Reality, and Truth, and do not go to the bitter end.

Two ways of religious cheating have always existed and are always successful

(1) Say what happens after death-- nobody can deny it

(2) Say you have seen God by intuition--who can disprove it?

The onus of proof is on those who make an assertion. Religionists and mystics are required to prove; the burden to disprove is not on their critics.

The mystic experience never reveals the truth. The feat of a guru, touching people and thus putting them into mystic states is purely a physical or at best a psychological one; based on the power of suggestions it has nothing to do with epistemology, with the question of truth. It is just a higher variation of the effect produced by patting a friend on the shoulder to encourage him.

Instead of finding fault and maligning others first realize what the Self is in actuality. Amazingly an honest introspection will reveal that all fault lies with “you” and “your "own perceptions and attitudes. If there is an error in understanding what 'Self' is in actuality it is in “you".

Correcting this and changing to a Soulcentric attitude will change your perception and then the Soul; the 'Self' will reveal its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature.

Just as the snake sheds its skin the seeker must shed the untruth by realizing the truth hidden by the dualistic illusion (Maya).

Different paths will not converge to the same Ultimate Reality because they are based on the false ‘‘Self’’. They are not different stages on the same path.

People fight about the differences and greatness of their chosen paths but only through wisdom one can realize the Ultimate Reality. :~Santthosh Kumaar

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’-without knowing what is this ‘I’ suppose to be in actuality?+

People who think, the 'I' in everyone and everything is the Self, without realizing the ‘Self is not the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ is not within you, but you and your experience of the world exist within the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the world in which you exist.

The ‘I’ disappears as deep sleep, so what is the use of being attached to it? It is impermanent and illusory because ‘I’ is physical awareness. Physical awareness is not Self-awareness. ‘I-less awareness is Self-awareness.

It is erroneous to identify the Soul, the Self as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul the innermost Self is not 'I' or I AM’. The Soul the Self, is the witness of the 'I'.

To understand the false nature of the ‘I’, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary.

The Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the Soul which is the witness of the ‘I’. Holding the ‘I as the Self leads to hallucination based on the imagination.

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’ -without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality? Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth beyond form, time, and space. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘Self’ is not you then what is the use of you saying ‘I AM THIS ‘or 'I AM THAT' because you are the false self within the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

When the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

When the Soul remains in its own awareness, the world in which you exist becomes one with the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘I’ is there, then only the mind is present. If the mind is there, then only the universe is present. And the universe is present only when the waking or the dream is present.

One sees differences between things because of ignorance; all these differences would vanish when one gets wisdom and the various thoughts arise because one considers the ‘I’ as the Self.

Holding the ‘Self as ‘I’ blocks you from realizing the Self, which is free from form, time, and space.

First, make sure the Self is not ‘I’.

Make sure what this ‘I’ is supposed to be in actuality.

The ‘I’ is ignorance.

The ‘I’ is the duality.

The ‘I’ is the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is the universe.

The ‘I’ is waking.

The ‘I’ is the dream.

The ‘I’ is the illusion.

The ‘I’ is the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no duality.

Without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space

Without the ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there is no waking.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dream.

Without the ‘I’ there is no illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

There is something that exists prior to the appearance of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ appears along with the world in which you exist. The Soul, the Self, exists prior to the appearance of the ‘I’ and it prevails even after the disappearance of the ‘I’

The ‘I’ or the world in which you exist is merely an illusory appearance created out of the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. Thus, the ‘I’ is an illusion and impermanent. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is permanent and eternal.

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self.

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

Intellectual answers to various questions remain in the domain of form, time, and space. The answers may satisfy one intellectually within the scope of form, time, and space. The truth is beyond form, time, and space.

The path of wisdom is the Soulcentric path. Thus, egocentric intellectualism is nothing to do with the truth which is beyond form, time, and space. All accumulated dross leads to hallucination. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaitic schlors mix up two viewpoints together, therefore, it becomes very difficult to get the Advaitic truth expounded by Sage Sankara.+

It is time to free oneself from the prison of orthodoxy and strive to acquire the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

Adyatma is nothing to do with religious sects or creeds and religious beliefs or any philosophy or thinkers teaching. Adyatma is pure spirituality. Knowledge of Atma is Adyatma. Advaita is Adyatma.

Adyatma is the knowledge of the truth beyond form, time, and space. Bifurcate religion, yoga, and theoretical philosophy and base the truth on the Athma it is Adyathma.

Adyatma is based on the ultimate truth which is based on the Atman or Spirit, which is the Self.

Sage Sankara's Advaitic wisdom is pure spirituality or Adyathma.

Remember:~

There are so many obstacles if one tries to reach the non-dual destination because of orthodox adulteration.

Advaitic wisdom and orthodox or theistic Advaita are not the same. Mixing the Advaitic orthodoxy with Advaitic wisdom is like mixing oil and water.

Most of the scholars are sentimentally and emotionally involved with orthodoxy because both Advaitic orthodoxy and Advaitic wisdom are propagated by the same founder (Sage Sankara). 

Advaitic schlors mix up two viewpoints together, therefore, it becomes very difficult to get the Advaitic truth expounded by Sage Sankara.

It is very difficult to understand and assimilate ultimate truth or Brahman without bifurcating the religion, scriptures, philosophy, and idea of individualized God.

Ultimate truth or Brahman directly realized without Advaitic philosophy by Soulcentric reasoning.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ It is not the absence of Buddhi (reason) that can grasp Advaita but the man who possesses the highest intellect. Brains are necessary. Such a man, by merely hearing the truth mentioned will know it. (Page~ 224).

Sage Sankara believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Shruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason.

Sage Sankara without the scripture one can arrive at the truth of Nondualism by pure reason.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation.

Unless you exercise your reason (Buddhi) -there is no chance of getting the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The seeker has to use his reason (Buddhi) in order to realize the truth hidden by ignorance. the ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

The Upanishad says: - Atman the Self is known by Reason alone, by the sharpened intellect. Yet still, people worship Yoga and mysticism as the sole means of attaining Atman. 

Remember:~

The Advaita propagted by Sage Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sage Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman itself is homogeneous. All differences and plurality are illusory.

Sage Sankara gave out what was of the most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mundaka Upanishad, 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 Brahmasutra he gave lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Ishvara) to explain the creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Sage Sankara says in Brahma Sutras:- that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Manduka Upanishad he denies it. This is because he says that at the lower stage of understanding, the former teaching must be given, for people will get frightened as they cannot understand how the world can be without a cause, but to those in a higher stage, the truth of non-causality can be revealed.

Thus, those who are frightened to accept the world is merely an illusion should never indulge path of wisdom.

Sage Sankara was very careful with his choice of semantic analysis and use of words - taught at different levels of doctrine at different times as the situation warranted. 

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 with 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. 

The Advaitic formula, to be successively realized, is: “the world is unreal; Brahman is real; the world is Brahman.” This is the vision of non-duality. Sage Sankara affirmed a progression of points of view depending on the stage of one’s practice. 

Sages of truth declared that religion is meant for the ignorant populace. Sage Sankara means Advaita and Advaita means Sage Sankara.

The Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is nothing to do with Advaitic orthodoxy. Orthodox Advaita is not Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.

Sage Goudapada says that: - The merciful Veda teaches Karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know the truth beyond form, time, and space. 

Advaitic orthodoxy is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. The Atmic path, with emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom, is meant for those who wish to go beyond form, time, and space. 

That is why Sage Sankara:~ VC- 61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

What you are saying is the religious propagated moksha. Spiritual moksha is different from religious propagated moksha. 

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

I quote Scriptural citation and also the citation of the Sages of truth only after verifying reality and proved truth, to point out that the scriptures indicate the truth, which is the Atman, the Brahman, or God in truth.

I do not require any scriptures. It is only to help the seekers to drop what is not needed to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Spirituality is not for religious-minded people. Spirituality is not suited for religious people. Religious people must tread their chosen path.

As per the scriptures, the three "Ashrams" or stages in life were originally intended for three grades of intelligence thus:~

Religion:- low intellects had to do 'karmas' works, ritual actions, chanting of mantras and indulging in bhajans and prayers, etc.

Yoga:- Middle intellects taking yellow robes, going to caves, ashrams, etc.

Advaitic wisdom:-High intellects who wanted the truth are concerned with no external rites no prayers or sanyasa but depend solely on the Soulcentric reasoning for their path.

Thus, the seeker has to choose his path according to his choice. Without an intense urge to know the truth and the sharpness to grasp the truth, it is difficult to tread the path of wisdom never mix different paths, and make cocktails because it leads to all sorts of doubts and confusion.

The seeker of truth should be aware of everything untrue: stick to the truth and he shall succeed, maybe slowly, but surely.

If one quotes them before having demonstrated the truth, then it is scholasticism.

You have to bifurcate spirituality from religion. There are only a few spiritual insights in the scriptures or books scattered here and there which are signposts that indicate the truth is beyond the realign, which is based on form, time, and space.

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.

Sages of truth restrained themselves parting the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana to the mass and only a selected few. It was hidden from the people who were not qualified and receptive to it. Self- it was given knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few.

Thus, religion was given to the ignorant populace, and knowledge of the Spirit is given to only selected a few. Thus, we find traces of the knowledge of the spirit in the religious books in the form of parables.

Katha Upanishad says: ~ This Atman is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its form. (II -23-P-20)

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

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.

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

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.

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 Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and the scriptures.

Katha Upanishad says ~ 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)

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

Sage Sankara says ~ VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

The Soul, the 'Self' reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar