Without the universe waking experience ceases to exist because the universe is present in the form of waking experience.

Without the universe  waking experience ceases to exist  because the universe is present in the form of waking experience. Till one has the conviction that he is born in this world and world existed prior to him, he will not be able to assimilate Self-knowledge.

Man  and his experience of the world co-exits within the waking experience. Waking experience is present in the form of Mind. The Mind is present in the form of 'I' . This universe or  waking or dream or duality or mind or 'I' are one and the same thing. 

When 'I' is present  then only the duality is present. Absence of 'I' is absence of duality. Absence of duality is absence of mind. Absence of mind is absence of the universe. Absence of universe is absence of  the  waking or dream.  This proves that they are one and the same thing. The dream is parallel waking and waking is parallel dream.  

The dream entity and the dream world appear  together and disappear together therefore they are the part of the dream. Similarly the  waking entity and waking world  appear together therefore they are part of the waking experience. the one which is aware of the coming and going of the three states is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the formless soul, the innermost self. The soul is present in the form of consciousness. Thus the soul and consciousness are one and the same thing.  the consciousness appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. The nature of the soul is like deep sleep. since deep sleep  is identified in the state of ignorance one remains ignorant of the truth.    

the dream entity and the dream world appear together and disappear together. Similarly  the waking entity  and the waking  world appear together and disappears together therefore the self is neither the   waking entity nor the self is dream entity.  Therefore, it is impossible to judge the truth on the waking entity which is not the self. If one  comes to some conclusion based on the waking entity.  if one accepts judgment  based on the waking entity   then he is  accepting the imaginary truth based on the false self as ultimate truth . Whatever is based on the waking entity, which is  false self within the false experience.  

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana comes through one's own direct realization of truth, not through beliefs and dogmas or by following religious code of conducts. The religion and its concepts have value with in the illusion, and have nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.   

The three states come into being because of ignorance of the permanent self. Thus, they have no existence of their own without a permanent self, which is the soul. There is neither the three states nor the witness in the realm of ultimate reality

Only when the wisdom dawns the waking become unreal. The man who believes himself as a person born in this world and world existed prior to him will not be able to assimilate self-knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana

The three states are unreal in their nature because they are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. the three states  are mere appearances, because there are impermanent.

The waking entity or ego is not the self because it is limited to the waking experience. The dream entity or ego is not the self because it is limited to dream. the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but  the self is the formless witness of the three states which comes and goes in succession. The formless witness is the soul, the innermost self . the soul is present in the form of consciousness.

The soul or consciousness is the formless substance and witness of the three states.  The soul or consciousness is apart and permanent.  The soul is the true self because the three states are dependent on the soul for their existence, whereas the soul exists with or without the three states.

on the standpoint of the soul as self the three states are mere illusion created out of consciousness.  the soul is not subject and the three states are object to the formless subject.  

To understand and assimilate the ultimate truth  or Brahman there is no need for the seeker to lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to the source from which mind  arise and subsides.