Sri, Shankara says Atman is Brahman and everything is Brahman is scientific declaration

 

 

If one is fully aware of the self is not form but self is formless then, all the three states will naturally become unreal. If one makes no discrimination, the thousands things are as they are, of single stuff. To understand the mystery of this single stuff is to be released from all entanglements. When all things are seen equally the timeless Self-stuff is reached. No comparisons or analogies are possible in this causeless, relation less state, which is mirageless existence.

The observer (Formless witness(FW) and the observed (three states) are one in essence. Until we are able to view and judge the on standpoint of the observer we will not become aware the observer (FW) and observed (three states) are one in essence. The essence is consciousness.   Thus the consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman.  

If the Advaita is bifurcated from all the religious add-on than  it becomes scientific  and  it becomes very easy to understand and assimilate.   The scientific –inventions about consciousness  are nearer to truth but they are not truth in themselves.

Buddha, Sri,Sankara and Sri, Goudpada have declared non-dual truth centuries back but one has to  reach the destination with scientific[rational] investigation not through punditry. Until one mentally reaches the conclusion, the conviction will not arise. Without the firm conviction the wisdom will not dawn.  Therefore, there is a need to know consciousness is real all else is myth, which Sri, Sankara declared as the world is myth Brahman alone is real.

Sri, Shankara says Atman is Brahman and everything is Brahman is scientific declaration not religious or yogic.  Sri,Sankara and Goudpada are more scientific than anyone else in the world. Since, the real Advaitic essence is hidden it cannot be got without the inner [mental] journey.

Gaudapada says that:- The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

Gnana here is  knowledge un-contradictable truth or scientific truth.  Thus their scientific truth of the whole not part is declared by by Sri,Sankara 1400 years back and thought only to those of higher intellect.   Thus karma and upasana[religion and yoga] ,which is meant for the mass  has to be bifurcated from Advaita to reach the ultimate end.     

Wisdom is for those are capable of inquiring into their own existence to know and realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman.

When one goes into the annals of the history it looks like the true Advaith expounded by Sri Sankara and his param guru, Goudpada was lost or mutilated by the orthodox cult, because their preaching is based on non-duality and practices are based on duality.

Sri, Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya 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.

Sri, Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self.( Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works)

Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (brahmano hi pratisthaham, Bhagavad Gita 14.27)

Sri, Sankara’s notion of Maya, the cosmic illusion [mind or matter], which must be transcended in order to realize the truth of Brahman, which means ultimate truth.  

If Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness then, it is necessary to realize, the consciousness as self, which pervades all the three states, to realize the fact that, there is no second thing exists other the consciousness. Thus, consciousness (soul or Atman) is ultimate truth [Brahman].  

The Sruti itself says: "This Atma is NOT to be attained by a study of the Vedas.  (Katha Upanishad I, 2, 23.) 

It means the seeker has to investigate on his own and realize the ultimate truth

   

Ultimate Truth can be known if the seeker keeps up the pursuit to the very end, whereas some asserts that Ultimate Truth cannot be known. 

When the Vedas and Upanishads declare that Consciousness or Atman is actually nothing but Brahman, then why go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. One has to realize the fact that, the mind is in form of universe.  Trace the source of mind and realize that source is consciousness. The mind rises from consciousness as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.  

All are searching truth within the illusion not being aware of the fact that, the illusion is created out of single stuff which is consciousness because everyone thinks their body and their experience of the universe are not consciousness and consciousness is limited to their body.

Thus searching the truth in illusion with the illusory self, within the illusory experience, has to be illusion.  The illusion is created, and sustained, and finally dissolves as consciousness. Consciousness is material of the illusion.   Since, there is no second thing other than the consciousness; the consciousness itself is God or Brahman or Christ.  This conviction derives only through from deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning.

Many People want to take as less trouble as possible and gain as much as possible. They disdain the hard labour of thinking needed in pursuit of truth and hope to get truth by doing nothing i.e. merely believing or refraining from thought in yoga.

 Conversion can occur only in the sphere of religion, never in pursuit of truth. When one knows non dual truth, he becomes free from sphere of imagination.

If one’s reason is not sharp enough, then only religion and yoga can satisfy him. The seeker of truth examines both scientific and religious doctrines and discoveries and to evaluate them.