Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana cannot be acquired by the study of the scriptures, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books

Many people are not even aware what is soul, which is in the form of consciousness; though knowing of it, many do not comprehend. Only few expound the knowledge of consciousness and very rare assimilate and realize it. It is all because of their inherited religious and social background and grooming.

There is a need to dismantle the inherited physical structure mentally to overcome the duality. The whole physical structure is built on the foundation of the ‘ego’. Since they think the ‘ego or waking entity ’ as self, it becomes difficult to grasp and assimilate and realize the non-dualistic or Advaitic  truth.

The ‘mind ’ appears as universe. The universe  waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep is impermanent, hence it is not the self. The formless knower of the ‘the three states is the true self. Since people think whatever is propagated by the guru or yogi as ultimate truth and blindly accept it as truth, without verifying the validity of their preaching. This blind acceptance becomes a big hindrance in pursuit of truth. If one is seeking truth, one has to verify the validity of any claim through deeper self-search and accept only un -contradictable truth.

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.
 

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  when taught by an unqualified person is not easily comprehended, because it is diversely regarded by disputants. But when it is taught by him who has become one with consciousness(Gnani) , there can remain no more doubt about It. Consciousness is subtler than the subtlest and not to be known through argument.

Self- Knowledge cannot be attained by reasoning based on the ego or waking entity. Consciousness becomes easy of comprehension, when taught by a Gnani. One has to attain self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana  right now in this very life not in next world or next life.

Gnani, by means of concentration on the innermost self, realizes that ancient, effulgent hidden and which dwells and pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states as its formless substance and witness.

The consciousness is the true self.  The knowing the innermost  Self is birthless; it does not die. It has not sprung from anything; nothing has sprung from It. Birthless, eternal, everlasting and ancient, it is not killed when the body is killed or when the world disappears. If the murderer thinks he kills and if the killed man thinks he is killed, neither of these apprehends aright. The consciousness kills not, nor is it killed.

Consciousness exists in smaller than the small, greater than the great, and is hidden in the three states as its formless substance and witness. A man who is free from viewing and judging the worldview on the base of ‘ego’ beholds the consciousness through self- awareness and becomes free from experiencing the duality as reality.

Gnani, having realized consciousness as dwelling within impermanent states is bodiless, pervades the three states as its formless substance and witness and permanent and eternal.

 The true self is soul or  consciousness. Self-knowledge or  Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana cannot be acquired by the study of the scriptures, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one the soul consciousness, the innermost self-reveals its own form.

He who has not rectified his reasoning  base from the ‘ego’(form) base to soul(formless) base , who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dual truth and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive , cannot acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana . It is realized only through inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base.