Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the ‘Self’ in truth.
The path of wisdom attracts only those who are in search of truth and they appreciate it greatly.
The ignorant are not spiritually matured the receive Advaitic wisdom or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The ignorant indulge in argument and provocation and personal attack, which hinders their own realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.
Skill is required in every field to drive a car or ride a bicycle, preliminary training is required before a person is allowed to handle the vehicle but in the field of spirituality, the science of the Spirit, the Self, is the most difficult of all sciences.
Sage Sankara says: - VC-47 All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the not-Self.
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.
Yoga Vasistha says:~ Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only by means of inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.
Remember:~
In ancient days, men were primitive in their thought so that a man having little knowledge was considered a genius.
Present days our knowledge is so advanced that the genius of those days would be an ordinary man of today. Therefore if one finds the truth, free his -Self from the tyranny of environment and tradition, not by condemning them but by examining and testing them by deeper self-search o find out whether they be true or not. Accept nothing on the authority of Godmen or genius of the past or present but only if it proves true after the examination.
Sticking to physical Guru or yogi sentimentally and emotionally will block Self- realization. No Guru can transmit wisdom to you. You have to do your own homework.
The like-minded people are always willing to examine facts and judge them calmly whereas the religious scholars and intellectuals will be immune to all facts and hold hard to their delusions. Such people do not want the truth, but only what pleases them. This is because of their egocentric attitude. Their attitude is “What pleases them is the truth what they dislike is false.
The worship or glorifying Gurus does not free one from ignorance. The rewards are none to them, the reward achieved in their lives is of consequence and not the result of worshiping and glorifying the Gurus.
People always need some sort of hope when their minds are not yet enlightened. "Self is closer to man than his own veins." "With the Self- Knowledge, one will begin to know the ultimate truth, so as to finally realize the fact that, the Self is not the form and becomes conscious that the ‘Self’ is the ‘Spirit’.
Most people lack the patience and perseverance in investigating and collecting all the data before judging: hence they assume Guru and Godmen are great because other people say so, or that he is wise because he himself says so, or that what he teaches is true because it attracts them. Such an attitude and easy assumptions become an obstacle to fold the truth and it requires some trouble to put into effect.
Even the best of the world’s Guru cannot transmit wisdom. Loud sermons consisting of a shower of ornamental words, the skill in expounding the egocentric knowledge, and likewise erudition ~ these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the Guru but are no good for Self-realization.
Remember:~
Many people think of themselves as Guru and he is competent to transmit Advaitic Gnana because ~
He has mastered the scriptures.
or
He has studied under a famous Guru
or
He has performed all religious rituals and leading orthodox oriented life and he has accumulated good karmas.
or
He has got a Ph.D. on world philosophy from a famous university
or
He is a scientist but he is also well versed in Vedas.
or
He is the disciple of the famous Guru
or
He has done penance in the Himalayas.
or
He has stayed without food for years
or
He has renounced worldly life and takes sanyasa
or
He has done lots of charity
He is well-versed in tantra and he got enlightenment through sex
or
His Guru given him the power of transmitting enlightenment to others
or
He is a hata yogi.
None of the above qualifies to acquire Advaitic wisdom or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. From the Advaitic perspective, all these things have no value.
This ‘I’ know’ attitude is a great obstacle to acquiring Advaitic wisdom or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seeker must get rid of this know attitude’ to realize the truth, which is hidden by the ‘I’.
Humanity has to awaken to the reality of its true existence by realizing the world in which humanity exists is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness through Advaitic wisdom or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Advaitic wisdom or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana frees the Soul, the Self from the cage of the dualistic illusion or Maya
People dwelling in ignorance, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round by various blind beliefs and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.
The truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to grasp because of ignorance. You have to only realize 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.
Thus, you and your body and the world in which you exist are nothing but consciousness because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.
A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.
It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again until it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’.
People need reading and hearing the words of wisdom to think reason and reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end.
It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is hidden by ignorance. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar
