Bhagavan Buddha started the quest for truth and Sage Sankara completed the journey.+

Bhagavan Buddha:~ There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting

Bhagavan Buddha was a Gnani, not his followers. Bhagavan Buddha’s wisdom was lost, it is because it is mixed up and messed up with other religions in Asia wherever it existed. Bhagavan Buddha started the quest for truth and Sage Sankara completed the journey.

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven, or hell."

That is why 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 wisdom consists of knowing the truth, that everything (the universe) is the consciousness. The freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But to those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or the consciousness, the  Self, is 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.

Bhagavan Buddha & Sage Sankara both are Sage of truth. Humanity has to bow with gratitude to the great sages of truth.

Many people are struck with awe or reverence at the outer indications of renunciation, and thus, blindly accept a religious Guru or Godmen to be a Gnani. The two have no connection. Because he has no wife, no family, and no possessions" they think a man who has merely repressed these desires as though these things had anything to do with the wisdom he is merely a religious man.

People are quite incompetent to judge who is a Gnani between Godmen, intellectuals, and yogis.

A Gnani is neither Godmen, nor a yogi, nor an intellectual.

The man who speaks about religious God, scriptures, and religion, is not a Gnani.

A yogi who speaks about yoga is not a Gnani.

A Godman who indulges in miracles is not a Gnani. An intellectual who argues on his own speculated theories is not a Gnani.

A Gnani is the one who shares knowledge and guides people towards the source of the mind (physical existence) is real Gnani.

A Gnani never claims himself a teacher nor does he accept anyone as a disciple.

Sage Sankara’ regards personal realization as independent and convincing evidence.

Sage Sankara says that an individual’s experience cannot be disputed because the experience he went through was real to him; though that may not be read from the absolute point of view.

Sage Sankara makes a distinction between the absolute view and the relative view of things.

A Guru who speaks of knowing Brahman within the body is thinking only of his head or heart, i.e. of his body. He is hallucinating.

You will not be able to find the truth because you are blindfolded by dualistic illusion. If you have to traverse the path, you will have to seek the aid of the one who knows the truth beyond the form, time, and space; else you will wind up meandering here and there without gaining anything.

The ‘Self’ is not within you because the ‘Self’ is not the body. If the ‘Self’ is not you, then why you think the Self is within you.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you and the world are within the Soul, the Self. Perfect understanding and assimilation lead to Advaitic Self-awareness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

You are roaming around aimlessly to find the truth, not knowing where to find the truth you are seeking for.+

You are roaming around aimlessly to find the truth, not knowing where to find the truth you are seeking.

You are caught up in the prison of accumulated knowledge, beliefs, dogmas, superstition, and trying to search for the truth within the framework of the world of religion and yogic path.

You are so sentimentally attached to your religious beliefs and yoga so, it makes it impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden under the debris of your inherited beliefs. Religion keeps the Soul in the cage of ignorance.

A Gnani knows ‘what is truth and what is the untruth. A Gnani says there is no need to search for the truth in the world in which he exists. The world is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Consciousness is prior to the world in which you exist. The consciousness is the cause of the world in which you exist and it itself is uncaused.

This truth is already declared by Sage Sankara 1200 years back. So, there is no need to search for the truth you have only realized the truth by removing all the mental blocks one by one, which is obstructing you to realize the ‘Self is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

The pursuit of truth is a mental journey. The path is straight. The path is the inner path. You will not find the path in the world in which you exist. Because you have chosen the outer path you are facing difficulty finding what you are seeking. If you drop all the accumulated baggage you can go straight without obstructed by any obstacles and reach the inner destination.

The Self is the destination. The ‘Self is that you are seeking for. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara : On Gnani:~The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life.+

Sage Sankara  On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior." (page 482:)

When the knower of Brahman (Gnani) wears no signs it means he does not identify himself as Guru or a yogi or teacher or Swami.

If someone has acquired Self-knowledge and shares his acquired knowledge with others, they cannot say that there is nothing for them to do. Everyone has to discover a fresh for himself by verifying all the facts. Each one has to grasp assimilate and realize it until he gets a firm conviction of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The mind appears due to ignorance. Without ignorance, the mind (I) ceases to exist. Thus, the mind is in the form of the universe and appears as the waking or dream. The waking or dream is a state of duality or ignorance. Thus seeker has to hold wherever there is duality there is ignorance.

If duality is considered as reality then the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is considered as reality.

If experience birth, life, death, and the world are considered as a reality then the form, time, and space become a reality.

If form, time, and space become reality as reality, then there is diversity in unity.

To bring back the unity in diversity, one has to put the ego into reverse gear until he reaches the ultimate end or source from where the mind rises and subsides. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Reincarnation is based on the ignorance. Reincarnation is religious fable based on the birth entity.+

Dalai Lama said: ~ Buddhism need not to be the best religion, though it is most scientific and religion and inquisitive. But Buddhism has no answer to certain questions like the existence of Atama [Soul] and rebirth. Dali lama said that as an individual he believes in rebirth as he had come across a few cases of rebirth. Modern science, Dalai Lama hoped would unearth the mystery behind the rebirth. (In DH –dec-212009-Gulburga).

Reincarnation is based on ignorance. Reincarnation is a religious fable based on the birth entity (ego). The experience of birth, life, death, and the world is a reality only on the dualistic perspective.

On the non-dualistic perspective, there is really no reincarnation at all, either now or before. Nor will there be any hereafter. This is the truth.

Religion propagated reincarnation happens to the individual Soul after the death of the body. Some claim that the Soul goes to heaven or hell while others claim that it is reincarnated in a new body.

Reincarnation theories are based on the imagination based on the birth entity. The birth entity is the false self within the illusory world (dualistic world). Religion is dualistic because religion holds s the experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. Religion holds the Soul as an individual and the Soul is within the body. All the religious and yogic theories are based on the individual Self

On the non-dualistic perspective, the reincarnation theories collapse. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, there is no birth or death, no heaven or hell, and no reincarnation.

Religious people who are unable to assimilate the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space, think that reincarnation true. If one imagines on the base of the ego (birth entity) then he would imagine he would new body and a new life in the new world.

Once the one realizes the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’ but ‘Self’ is the Soul then the ‘I’ cease to be a reality ceases and the unreality of the experience of the birth, life, death, and the world is exposed. All theories about birth, life, death, the world, and reincarnation belong to the dualistic illusion or Maya.

The Self is birthless, therefore, it is deathless. The one which is born lives and dies within the world (waking) is not the Self. The idea of reincarnation is based on the birth entity (waking entity or ego) which lives and dies within the illusory world (waking). The Self is the one which witnesses the coming and going, of the dual (waking or dream) nondual (deep sleep) experiences. When the experience of birth, life, and death takes place in the illusion, then recantation also is part of the same illusion.

The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, the waking becomes unreal when wisdom dawns. Wisdom dawns when the Soul, innermost Self, consciously remains awake in its formless non-dual nature. When the substance and the witness of the three states are one in essence and that essence is the consciousness. Then what value is there for the universe in, which the experience of birth, life, death, and reincarnation happen?

Even you take reincarnation as a reality, but the reincarnation happens within the world, which is an illusion, from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.

On the standpoint of the Soul, the t 'Self' the world in which we are born is merely an illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A Gnani does not spend his life sitting in meditation as a sanyasi or giving sermons but he shares Advaitic Gnana.+

For a Gnani sees the world in which he exists as the consciousness, just as the goldsmiths view the ornaments as nothing but the gold.

A Gnani does not spend his life sitting in meditation as a sanyasi or giving sermons but he shares Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana to the seeking world.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

Many times we get insights in a mysterious way and mysterious people and in mysterious circumstances. The advanced seekers will be able to grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.

India is the home of mysticism and deification and very few are keen on rational Advaitic truth. Indian populace is most interested in their caste and creed propagated by different founders in different regions of India.

Very few are interested in Advaitic wisdom. In Atmic path has no place for an extra-cosmic God or for anything supernatural.

Without Sage Sankara, there is no Advaita. Without Advaita, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara’s whole wisdom can be summed up in one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman. He says that the Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge, and Absolute Bliss are real. The universe is not real. He says that Brahma and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances.

Genuine philosophy must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world, and the Nirguna Brahman is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion.

Sage Sankara pokes fun at ascetics and points out that all their austerities do not cause desires to go (Altar Flowers" Page 205, v.2 P.207 v.4)

The Brahma Sutras together with Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain the higher wisdom. They are intended for those who are incapable of thinking rationally.

Sage Sankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on an orthodox and mystic basis, with an appeal to the Vedas as a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage Sankara explains in Manduka that those who study the Sutras are orthodox minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Shruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God. A Gnani says the scriptures for children, but wise seekers will think rationally.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie, nevertheless one will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion, dogmatism, but in the commentary Sage Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that a number of Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, only a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Scholars' translation of Brahma Sutras in Sacred Books of East must be read cautiously as he has not understood its highest sense, e.g. for Advaita, they wrongly put "Unity" instead of “Non-duality."

Sage Sankara gave religion and scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the seeking world. He was great enough to be able to do so. His commentary on Manduka is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.

Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification that is why they are not keen on rational truth. Thus, Sage Sankara is the Jagadguru to the religious followers and he is a Brahma Gnani to the seeking world.

You will not be able to find the truth because you are blindfolded by dualistic illusion. If you have to traverse the path, you will have to seek the aid of the one who knows the truth beyond the form, time, and space; else you will wind up meandering here and there without gaining anything.

The ‘Self’ is not within you, because the ‘Self’ is not the body. If the ‘Self’ is not you, then why you think the Self is within you.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you and the world are within the Soul the Self. Perfect understanding and assimilation lead to Advaitic Self-awareness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara was the first Sage scientist who unfolded the mystery of the universe 1200 years back.+

Sage Sankara was the first Sage scientist who unfolded the mystery of the universe 1200 years back. Sage Sankara's Advaitic wisdom more rational and scientific and nothing to do with religion and its dogmas.

Sage Sankara says this entire 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.

In the scientific field, the knowledge one can bank on the discoveries of different scientists. Newton discovered the law of gravity and Einstein formulated the principle of relativity. In addition, scientists take it for granted that these principles are valid. It is not so in pursuit of truth. If one sage discovers the ultimate truth then the seeker without verification cannot accept it as truth blindly.

Newton discovered the law of gravity, which is applicable only to the waking experience, which is only half-truth. Nobody has discovered there is no gravity in deep sleep. All three states have taken into account to get the whole truth.

Only Sage Sankara has discovered the whole truth 1200 years back. The scientific inventions are limited to form, time, and space. The mystery of the universe is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara: ~VC~ if the universe is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams.

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.

Chandogya Upanishad:~ One who meditates upon and realizes the Self discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantrams and meditation--all come from the Self.

Sage Sankara says: ~ ‘Whatever thing remains eternal is true, and whatever is non-eternal is untrue. Since the world is created and destroyed, it is not true.

Truth is the thing that is unchanging. Since the world is changing, it is not true.

Whatever is independent of space and time is true, and whatever has space and time in itself is untrue.

Just as one sees dreams in sleep, he sees a kind of super-dream when he is waking. The world is compared to this conscious dream.

The world is believed to be a superimposition of the Brahman. Superimposition cannot be true.

On the other hand, Sage Sri, Sankara claims that the world is not absolutely false. It appears false only when compared to Brahman. In the pragmatic state, the world is completely true—which occurs as long as we are under the influence of ignorance.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

Remember:~

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed, and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, experiences the birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as the consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness.

Thus, all the egocentric (religious) adulteration has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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).

Remember:~

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.

Sage Sankara was criticized for his views on Maya (illusion) without understanding him.

Sage Sankara said: ~

(1) Brahman (Atman) is real

(2) The universe is unreal.

(3) Brahman is the universe.

He did not stop at second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the ‘Self’ and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self. Hence Maya or illusion and reality are one and the same.

The realists criticize the concept of illusion without understanding it.

Sage Sankara said that:~

(1) Consciousness (Atman) is real

(2) The universe or mind is unreal

(3) Consciousness is the universe because the universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

One need not stop at second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the Self (Atman or consciousness) and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self (consciousness). Hence illusion and reality are one and the same because both are one in essence. Realizing the essence, which is consciousness as the innermost Self, is Self-Realization or Truth-Realization of God-Realization.

Thus, Sage Sankara‘s declaration is rational truth, scientific truth, and also the ultimate truth.

Sage Sankara: ~ “The world, filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream: it appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.

Sage Sankara:~ “As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation; for Liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge." (Self-Knowledge)

Sage Sankara:~ As the moon appears to be moving when the clouds move in the sky, so also to the non-discriminating. Atman appears to be active when in reality the senses are active.

Sage Sankara said: ~ Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Brahman or the Soul, the Self. If one gets knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake will vanish. Even so, if he gets knowledge of Brahman, the illusion of the body and the world will vanish.

The snake is only an idea: it disappears on inquiry but deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the rope is also an idea and its reality will be exposed when wisdom dawns. There is neither snake nor the rope in reality because from the ultimate standpoint the duality is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the root element of the universe. From the consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into the consciousness, the universe is dissolved.

Consciousness is the parent of all that is there is. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman is God in truth.

Consciousness is the only reality, and the universe to but an illusory manifestation.

Sage Sankara says you must first know what is before you. If you cannot know that, what else can you know or understand? If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.

Sage Sankara says in a commentary in Vedanta-sutra that 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, in something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Sage Sankara not only proved the existence of God on the Vedic perspective but also proved the existence of God rationally by pure reason.

The seeker has to discover a fresh by dropping all the egocentric dualistic knowledge to realize’ what is truth’ and ‘what is not truth’ and accept only the truth and mentally drop the untruth. Thus, constant reflection on the subject is very much necessary in pursuit of truth. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the Ocean of ignorance on these poor rafts of I-centric knowledge.+

Identifying the ‘Self’ as 'you' is a great error. The Self is not you but the’ Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The form, time, and space are an object to the Soul, which is the subject. The Soul witnesses the form, time, and space together.

The form, time, and space appear as ‘I’. When ‘I’ disappears then the form, time, and space also disappears.

The ‘I-centric Gurus hold you as the Self are unaware of the truth hidden by the ‘I’.

The knowledge expounded by the ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching is lower knowledge. The seeker has to ignore these ‘I-centric teaching and search for higher knowledge, which is hidden by ignorance.

This is your bondage that you are stuck up to the ‘I’ centric teaching. ‘I’ centric teachings are lower knowledge meant for lower stages.

The seeker has to ignore these ‘I’ based teaching and search for higher knowledge. ... Such teachings are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of ignorance. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of the ignorance on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

The Soul, the Self is verily Brahman (God), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Awareness. The Soul is not the ‘I’ which is non-existence itself. Realization of this truth is called Self- Knowledge by the Sages of truth.

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 Soul, the Self, which is ever nondual. 

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

First, you must make sure the ‘I’ itself is illusory because the ‘I’ is not permanent.

The seeker has to find for himself the truth of his true existence and to come to a fuller and deeper understanding and realization of the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

The purpose quest for truth is to first find out what is the untruth to realize the truth and discard the untruth.

Do not try to get rid of the ego you will never succeed in getting rid of the ego. Think in a different direction. The ego exists only in the domain of the form, time, and space.

The form, time, and space exist only when the mind exists.

The mind exists only when the universe exists.

The universe appears only when the waking appears.

The waking appears only when the ‘I’ appears.

Remember:~

The ‘I’ disappears in deep sleep.

There is no form, time, and space when ‘I’ disappears.

There is no mind when ‘I’ disappears.

There is the universe when the ‘I’ disappears.

There is no waking when the ‘I’ disappears.

Remember:~

‘I’ appears means the duality appears.

The duality that appears means there is the division of form, time, and space.

If there is a division in the consciousness of the form, time, and space then it means there is diversity in the unity.

Remember:~

When ‘I’ disappears there is nonduality.

Nonduality is the fullness of consciousness without the division of the form, time, and space.

The fullness of consciousness means unity in diversity.

Unity in diversity in consciousness is Advaita.

Consciously becoming aware of the Soul in the midst of diversity (waking) is Self- awareness or Brahmic awareness.

If you desire Self-realization, but you still say "I,” and if you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise seeker. You are simply ignorant.

‘I’-centric knowledge is unsafe rafts for crossing The Ocean of ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the Ocean of ignorance on these poor rafts of ‘I-centric knowledge. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

The ‘I’ is the cause of the forgetfulness of reality.+

 A Gnani imparts Self-knowledge and encourages the seeker to seek the truth. A Gnani helps the seeker to drop all the accumulated knowledge.

The only thing worth remembering is the Soul, the Self. The ‘I’ is the cause of the forgetfulness of reality. The ‘I’ hides the reality, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ itself is form, time, and space.

The form, time, and space itself is the universe.

The universe itself is the waking experience.

The waking experience itself is the mind.

The mind itself is the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ itself is the dualistic illusion.

The dualistic illusion hides the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Stick to the Soul, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman, and drop the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion. Whatever prevails without the ‘I’ is the Soul, which is the fullness of the consciousness without the division of the form, time, and space. : ~Santthosh Kumaar