Sage Sri, Sankara makes the important point that the ultimate realization is not an experience of the Self, but, rather, it is the direct Knowing that the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the self is the formless s soul,which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.

Sage Sri,  Sankara makes the important point that the ultimate realization is not an experience of the Self, but, rather, it is the direct Knowing that  the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the self is the formless s soul,which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.

Sage Sri,  Sankara was very sparing in his use of the word “samadhi,” which has come to mean, since the time of Swami Vivekananda and his “Neo-Vedanta,” a form of superconscious trance.

For Sage Sri, Sankara and the traditional Advaitins, it is clearly pointed out that no experience or change of state yields the realization of the self, or self ’s true nature. It is rather, a simple error of knowledge, a mistaking of the real for the unreal. Since everything is already consciousness (Brahman), there is no way or path of getting closer to it or experiencing it. Thus the seeker is inevitably frustrated.

Enlightenment or liberation is ordinary, not extraordinary. Therefore, it is easily overlooked, particularly for the experience hungry and experience oriented paths of mysticism, as well as most forms of spirituality.

“Sitting in silence” and receiving a special “transmission” of energy, Shaktipat, or awakening from the Guru is the path of  orthodoxy  not  the pure Advaitic path.  A Gnani with his writtenthoughts and spoken words held the key to cracking the identity code of the false self (waking entity) within the false experience(waking).

Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana helps   to open the eyes of the wisdom  of the ripe seekers  and  propelling him into realization. The thinking function is actively engaged and the intellect raised to soulcentric  discrimination.  Self-realization is  not a product of samadhi or trance but it is  the product of the  Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana

This is to be stressed again and again. The  spiritual states are of no value  because they are based on the false self (waking entity or ego)  within the false experience (waking). All other paths and practices based on the false self   are - only that they are of intermediate use as an aid to to reflect the Self and allow the seeker  to engage the ultimate inquiry into self’s true nature.

 Only the yogis  who value the destruction of the mind in samadhi to be the truth. Since everything is consciousness, however, the man  and his experience of the world  are alsoconsciousness. Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana  heralded by  Sage Sri, Sankara as a basic means for Liberation.

Mere observing  silence and meditating is not fruitful, since “silence is compatible with both ignorance and wisdom.

Swami Vivekananda aptly described Sage Sri, Sankara’s Advaita as the fairest flower of philosophy that any country in any age has produced. 

Sage Sri Sankara had enormous regard for Sage Sri Gaudapada.  Sage Sri Sankara’sphilosophical position had its base in Sage Sri Gaudapada thoughts. The doctrine of the Absolute Brahman, the identity of the Absolute Self with the individual self, the concept of Maya, the dual aspects of Advaita methodology-(Adhyaropa –Apavada), the relative and Absolute levels of existence, and the notion of transformation (vivarta) as against evolution (parinama); all these are present in Sage Sri, Gaudapada ,  in a nutshell.  Sage Sri Sankara integrates Gaudapada views with those of Badarayana and constructs an elaborate and consistent edifice on these foundations.

Sage Sri Sankara aptly regards Gaudapada as Pujyabhi_Pujya, the most adored among themost adored.

Sage Sri, Gaudapada: - The non-dual Atman is realized when the individual self (jiva) is awakened from its ignorance. Atman is unborn, dreamless, sleepless, and motionless; and isbeyond duality. It is cognition at its purest. It is Brahman- Ayam Atma Brahma, this Atma is that Brahma; Thus epitomizing the core of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sri, Gaudapada expands further on these states of consciousness. The Self is AUM. It represents manifest and un-manifest aspects of Brahman. It is the single syllable that symbolizes and embodies Brahman, the Absolute Reality. It is the Pranava that which pervades all existence and is our very life breath.

Vaisvanara in waking state is A the first part of AUM, One, who realizes this, attains his desires.

Teijasa in dream state is U the second part of AUM. One, who realizes this, attains knowledge.

Prajna in deep sleep is M the third part of AUM, concluding the sounds of the earlier twoparts. One, who realizes this, attains compressive understanding of all.

The Syllable AUM in its entirety stands for the fourth state, Turiya the one beyond thephenomenal existence, supremely blissful and non-dual.

AUM in its integral whole stands for the fourth state which is transcendental, devoid ofphenomenal existence; and is the source of all existence. AUM represents Ultimate Reality. AUM is thus verily the Self itself. One who realizes this merges into that Self. Meditate on AUM as the Self.

Sage Sri Sankara was an original thinker. Sage Sri Sankara was a great spiritual leader. He was not a dreaming idealist but a practical visionary.Scripture and reason were the two aids in his arguments. He was a great logician, who based his arguments entirely on the principles of logic but without contradicting the intuitional revelations of the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Sage Sri Sankara’s thought gave a new dimension to nondualistic  philosophy. It restored the position of Upanishads as the pristine source of knowledge. It established wisdom as the truesource of light. It put reason and discretion at the center stage and pushed the rituals out of contention.  One may wonder how it was possible for Sage Sri, Sankara to have written so manybooks during such a short term of existence. The truth is that he wrote very few books. Those actually written by him were Commentaries on Brahma Sutras and the Upanishads and on the Bagvada  Gita. All other books ascribed to him were not written down by his own hand. They are merely collections of notes recorded by his disciples from his sayings, talk and discussions.

Sage Sri, 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 Mandukya is purephilosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.  Sage Sri, Sankara wrote his Mandukya commentaryfirst, and then as this revealed that he thoroughly understood the subject, his gurus requested him to write the commentary on Badarayana's Brahma Sutras, which was a popular theological work universally studied throughout the world. That is why his commentary is written from a lower dualistic point, for those who cannot rise higher, save that here and there Sankara occasionally has strewn a few truly Advaitic sentences.  Advaitic  orthodoxy propagates  mysticism and deification. Advaitic wisdom is based on   rational truth.

Sage Sri, Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was no fool in writing.  Sage Sri, Sankara did more than write books or initiate Sanyasins: He brought India into a unity as a nation. He advised people : Worship what they  wish, remain in their particularreligion, but remember also they are part of a larger whole(illusion).

Few orthodox pundits have caught the spirit; they are merely fond of his words. For his spirit is that of an appeal to reason, with scripture dragged in as a second and lesser supportafterwards.  So many centuries  have passed since Sage Sri, Sankara appeared; yet it is very hard to find his true teachings understood anywhere in the world today because so few could rise to his level. Hence orthodoxy  and others came to supply the common demand.

 Nearly  most of  thinkers hold views of illusion which are entirely incorrect and untenable. They do not know  Sage Sri, Sankara's Upanishad Bashyas, but only the Brahma Sutra Bashya.  Sage Sri, Sankara had only four fully trained disciples, although he advised some rulers of thattime. His doctrines spread after his lifetime. His books were dictated to secretaries as he traveled. So few therefore were capable of understanding his philosophy. The orthodox  followers of Sage Sri, Sankara have constituted a religious sect. Thus all movements ultimately degenerate.

Biographical anecdotes about his persecution of Jains and Buddhists or of his challenges toself-immolation for the loser of a debate, are all foolish tales invented after his lifetime eitherby his own followers who took him to be a religious propagator (and not a philosopher) or by his critics.

Sage Sri, Sankara's :- The Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. (Commentary to Brahma Sutras Chap.3.4.50)

Sage Sri, Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never advised them to give up their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.  Sri, Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. 

Sage Sri, Sankara' gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the mass 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. 

The Advaitin pundits relate boastfully pseudo-historic stories of how Sage Sri, Sankara's school put down, persecuted and exterminated the Buddhists, as though this was something to be proud of. This is because those pundits are mere followers of religion, never having understoodSage Sri, Sankara’s Advaitic  philosophy. However, these stories are orthodox  exaggerations.

Sage Sri, Sankara 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 Sri, Sankara’s supreme Brahman is Nirguna (without the guns), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without attributes) and Akarta (non-agent). He is above all needs and desires. Sankara says, "This Atman is self-evident. This Atman or Self is not established by proofs of the existence of the Self. It is not possible to deny this Atman, for it is the very essence of he who denies it. The Atman is the basis of all kinds of knowledge. The Self is within, the Self is without, the Self is before and the Self is behind. The Self is on the right hand, the Self is on the left, the Self is above and the Self is below".