Consciousness is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things.+

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

The Soul, the Self is present in the form of consciousness, is the innermost self. Consciousness is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

What is not consciousness (formless) in the experience of diversity [waking or universe]?  The waking and the dream cease to exist without consciousness.  The seeker, seeking and his destination   all are one in essence.

There is only need to realize the whole universe in which we exist is created out of consciousness (soul or Atman), the innermost self.  On the standpoint innermost self, the universe is mere illusion created out of consciousness.  Thus on the ultimate standpoint no second thing exists other than consciousness. Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.  

Ultimate Truth is no theory, no speculative system of philosophy, no intellectual insight. Ultimate Truth is exact correspondence with reality. For human, the ultimate truth is the unshakable knowledge of his real nature, his true Self.

When one becomes aware of the fact that, the self is not the form but self is formless then idea of Moksha “is an Illusion, because it is mere an idea or imaginary "thing" introduced in the past by people who were tired of war/greed. It was also an attractive mirage for the the people who failed many times. So the rulers and priest craft of the past used it as a tool to lure mass towards religion. Religion and its code of conduct are out dated and some religions are forcing and trying to impose its old law and code of conducts on people, in the name of protecting their religion and god by indulging in war and violence. 

Some organized religion teaches very passive life which is not possible in present era. All Religions books are full of interest. Many religion have noble poetry in them; and some intellectual fables; and some violent history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies. 

People are groomed in such an imaginary society where there is no room for the investigation interrogation, and scientific analysis. They just believe what they have inherited from parental grooming societal and religious imposed conducts they never try to explore the truth. A blind faith is prevailing all around. 

It is high time the people who find their belief system is inadequate and useless to quench their spiritual thirst to think about their belief system, think about the truth of their true existence. Many people read books or hear from someone and accept it accept them as truth. And some people accept only the truth derived from logical thinking or intellectual understanding. Some accept only the truth which comes from self-experience. But the non-dual truth comes only from reasoning based on the true self, which is formless consciousness. 

People believe that they are spiritual, and talk about the ultimate truth. But the problem is they don’t even know the truth about their true existence, which is basic. Many People don’t read scriptures; they don’t?' know what scriptures contain. They just believe that they contain everything. 

In pursuit of truth one should not accept anything blindly without verifying their validity. There is nothing metaphoric, scriptures are straightforward. They contain good as well as bad stuffs. 

People think that they are spiritual because they believe in God ,religion and scriptures. Religion, and its idea of God and its scriptures are based on the false physical self ,therefore they are not spiritual. whatever is based on the spirit or soul ,which is the innermost self, is spirituality. Spirituality is pursuit of the ultimate truth. Can such blind belief lead one to non-dual truth? Truth cannot be found through imagination and gullibility. Truth can only be found through reality. Not only believers, non believers are also in the same boat. Without study, without inquiry, analysis and reasoning they just reject everything.

Only the reason based on the true Self leads to the ultimate truth. The religious path is not the path of the truth. Yogic path is not the path of truth. Devotional path is not the path of actuality. Rational path is scientific path and real spirituality, which leads to the ultimate end.:~ Santthosh Kumaar 

There is a clear-cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita. And also there is a clear-cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of God in truth.+

Vedas do not permit idol worship. All the idols are of the Puranic Gods priests are referring to the Puranic Brahma as God they are ignorant of the God in Vedas even though they speak of Vedas.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

What God is like? God is the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. Thus according to the Vedas God neither has any image nor God resides in any particular idol or statue. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.   

               

Some scholars believe that Lord Krishna has been just a Bramha Gnani and not God himself. Hinduism is not Vedic religion or Sanatana Dharma.    Hindus do idol-worship, while Vedas bars idol worship. 

God in truth pervades in everything and everywhere. Ignorant people do not understand the meaning of the Brahman, which is present in the form of consciousness.

There is a clear-cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita. And also there is a clear-cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of God in truth.

Rig Veda 1/164/46: ~ “They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni or the heavenly sunbird Garutmat. The seers call in many ways that which is One; they speak of Agni, Yama, Matarishvan.

Rig Veda 8/58/2:~ Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways; only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe; only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things. In very truth, the One has become the whole world.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of God in truth.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

There is a clear-cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita. And also there is a clear-cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of real God.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ ‘All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods. (7- Verse -20)

Only the path of wisdom leads the seeker of truth on his journey to the ultimate realization of the true nature of the Universal Essence, which is the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, worships ‘Self’ as~ Atman (God) alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare"

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

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

Bhagvad Gita - All those intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many gods. (Chapter 7- Verse -20)

Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost ‘Self’. In reality, there are no dualities, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

Thus, by sticking up to the Gods, which are not God in truth, you are sticking up to the illusion. Sticking up to illusion means sticking up to ignorance. sticking up to ignorance means you are not qualified to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

The Vedic pantheon of Gods is said, in the Vedas and Upanishads, to be the only higher manifestations of Brahman. For this reason,- "ekam sat" (all is one), and all is Brahman.

The Soul is the ‘Self’. The seeker's goal is to realize the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness) is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, is nothing but God because the Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman. The ultimate truth is God in truth. 

If Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness then, it is necessary to realize, the consciousness as the Self, which pervades all the three states, to realize the fact that there is no second thing that exists other the consciousness. Thus, consciousness (Ataman) is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.  

Remember:~ 

The Vedas talk about Brahman (God) which refers to the ultimate truth or ultimate reality. Consciousness is the ultimate truth, therefore, consciousness is Brahman and Brahman is God in truth.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32: - God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.

Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Vedas do not permit idol worship. All the idols are of the Puranic Gods priests are referring to the Puranic Brahma as God they are ignorant of the God in Vedas even though they speak of Vedas.

Priests do not understand the meaning of Brahman, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Vedic Gods, hardly have any significance in the present-day Hindu belief system. The Gods and Goddesses important to the Hindus of today are Ram, Krishna, Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the respective consorts of the last three, namely, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Shakti. None of these deities figured prominently in the Vedic pantheon and some of them are clearly non-Vedic.

Yajur Veda indicates that:~(Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc (Yajurveda 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajurveda 40:9.)

Why worship and glorify the non-Vedic Gods in place of Vedic God when Veda bars such activities and it also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.

God exists prior to the form, time, and space. The form, time, and space cease to exist as a reality when wisdom dawns. Thus, the Gods and Gurus have no place in the domain of the Advaitic reality. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is the real God. Thus, Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

Bhagavad Gita itself says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

Lord Krishna says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know 'Self' in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost Self. In reality, there are no dualities, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter: ~ “All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many gods. (7- Verse -20)

God is nondual. How can you worship God? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshipped, whereas the God is nondual. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as apart.

Kena Upanishad (6) Chapter I: ~ “That which cannot be apprehended by the mind, but by which, they say, the mind is apprehended-That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (7) Chapter I:~ That which cannot be perceived by the eye, but by which the eye is perceived-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (8) Chapter I:~ That which cannot be heard by the ear, but by which the hearing is perceived-That alone know as Brahman and not that which people here worship.

Kena Upanishad (9)- Chapter I:~ That which cannot be smelt by the breath, but by which the breath smells an object-That alone know as Brahman, and not that which people here worship.

Even in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself’.

Thus, it clearly indicates the God is without the form and attributes and ever free. The real God is stolen by ignorance and people worship ignorance as God.

When Upanishads and Vedas declare that, “God in the form of the Athma, and God is indeed Athma itself” then why accept another God in place of the Atman or worship other than the Atman. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

All this (universe) is verily Brahman.+

Sage  Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam: - (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. 

Thus it proves he religion is not the means to Self-realization.

When Upanishad itself declares:- sarvam khalvidam brahma - All this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).

Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind. By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman.

Thus, self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth. Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get a firm conviction.

Sage Gaudapada says: - the merciful Veda teaches karma and upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So Sages clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom. The path of wisdom is the only means. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Buddha said, “Let me repeat again: APPA DIPO BHAVA — be a light unto yourself.+

The last statement of Gautama the Buddha to his disciples was: Be a light unto yourself. They were crying and weeping, naturally — the master was leaving and they had lived with the master for almost forty years; a few older disciples had lived with him the whole time. These forty years were of tremendous joy, of great experiences. These forty years had been the most beautiful time possible, humanly possible. These forty years had been days of paradise on earth. And now the master is leaving! It was natural, they started crying and weeping.
 

Buddha opened his eyes and said, “Stop crying and weeping! Have you not listened to me yet? Why are you crying?”
 

His chief disciple, Ananda, said, “Because you are leaving, because our light is leaving. We see, we feel darkness descending upon us. I have not yet become enlightened and you are leaving. If I could not become enlightened while you were alive, what is the hope for me now when you will be gone? I am in great despair, my anguish is incalculable, I have wasted these forty years. I have been following you like a shadow, it was tremendously beautiful to be with you, but now you are leaving. What is going to happen to us?”
 

Buddha said, “You are crying because you have not heard me yet. I have been telling you again and again: Don’t believe in me — but you have not listened. Because you have believed in me, and now I am dying, your whole structure is falling apart. Had you listened to me, had you created a light into your being rather than becoming knowledgeable through me, if you had experienced your own self there would have been no need to cry.
 

“Look at Manjushree!” he said — Manjushree was another disciple of Buddha, one of the greatest. He was sitting under a tree just close by, with closed eyes, so serene, so quiet, so utterly blissful, that Buddha said, “Look at Manjushree! Go and ask him why he is not crying.”
 

They asked Manjushree. He laughed and said, “What reason is there to cry? Buddha has helped me to know my own light. I am thankful, I am grateful, but there is no darkness descending. And how can Buddha die? I know I cannot die — how can Buddha die? He will be here. Just as a river disappears in the ocean he will disappear into the cosmos. But he will be here! He will be spread all over the cosmos. It is going to be something tremendously beautiful. Buddha was confined to a small body; now his fragrance will be released, he will permeate the whole of existence. I am tremendously happy that now Buddha will be spread all over space. I will be able to see him rising in the sun and I will be able to see him flying in a bird and I will be able to see him in the waves of the ocean… and I will be able to see him everywhere.
 

“He is simply leaving his body. It was confinement. And how do I know it? I know it because I have known my own soul. I listened to him and you have not listened to him — that’s why you are crying.”
 

Buddha said, “Let me repeat again: APPA DIPO BHAVA — be a light unto yourself.” Then he closed his eyes and disappeared into the cosmos. But his last statement was also his first statement. In fact that was his whole message — the whole of his life he was repeating the same message again and again and again.
 

Source – Osho Book “The Dhammapada, Vol3″

You are not separate from the ego because you are the ego.+

You are not separate from the ego because you are the ego. Without the ego you and the world in which you exist cease to exist. In the awareness of the ego, the world in which you exist is a reality.

In the awareness of the ego, your individual experience of the birth, life, death, and the world experienced as a reality.

In the awareness of the ego, the form, time, and space prevail as a reality.

In the awareness of the ego, the dualistic illusion, or Maya prevails as reality.

In the awareness of the ego, the three states prevail as reality.

In the awareness of the ego, the ‘I’ prevails as a reality.

If ‘I’ prevails as reality the ignorance prevails as reality.

Self-knowledge or Advaitic wisdom is necessary to get rid of ignorance.

Without Self-awareness, the universe prevails as reality. Self-awareness means the conscious awareness of the Soul hidden by the ‘I’. In Self-awareness, the reality of the universe fades away. 

Sage Sankara says liberation comes, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way. (1) Vivekachoodamani v 56, pg 25:~Santthosh Kumaar

Intellectually grasping these spiritual ideas doesn’t get you anywhere.+

Intellectually grasping these spiritual ideas doesn’t get you anywhere. You have to live and breathe these truths. 

The difference between an enlightened person and a non-enlightened one is only of awareness; the enlightened one is aware that he is enlightened!”

When one speaks of the separation of the soul from the body, he endorses the concept of reincarnation. The soul never dies. Birth, life, and death are mere illusions. 

We hear day in day out about cases of reincarnation. Children recalling minute details of places they’ve never seen, people they’ve never met. But they happen in the waking experience. And waking is as real as a dream. 

Individual experiences cannot happen without waking or dream. Thus whatever is known, seen, believed, and experienced as a person is happening within the waking or dream. Thus birth, life, and death are individual experiences and part of the waking or dream.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Just as a snow is all water, so also is the waking or dream all Consciousness.

People perform all their actions in and through Consciousness, but on account of ignorance they are not aware of that, just as through ignorance persons do not know that snow and clouds are nothing but water.

Just as there ever exist the relation of cause and effect between water and a snow, so does the same relation exist between Consciousness and the waking/dream; this has been established here on the strength of inquiry, analysis and reasoning.

Just as (the consciousness of) water forces itself upon our mind while thinking of a snow, so also does the idea of Consciousness flash on us while contemplating on the waking/dream.

Consciousness, though ever pure to a Gnani, always appears to be impure to an ignorant one), just as a rope always appears in two different ways to a knowing person and an ignorant one.

Just as a snow is all water, so also is the waking or dream all Consciousness. The division, therefore, into the Self and non-Self is made by the ignorant to no purpose. Just a nacre to be a piece of silver, so is the Consciousness determined to be the body by an ignorant person.-FORMLESS PATH

When the waking or dream is known to be Consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Consciousness?

Just as water is thought of as a cloud (made of it) and threads as a cloth, so is Consciousness, Just as gold is thought of as an ornament and water as waves, so is the Consciousness, Just as the stump of a tree is mistaken for a human figure and a mirage for water, so is the Consciousness, Just as a mass of wood work is thought of as a house and iron as a sword, so is the Consciousness, Just as one sees the illusion of a tree on account of water, so does a person on account of ignorance see Consciousness as the body and perceives the world within the waking or dream.

Thus through ignorance arises in Consciousness the delusion of the body, which, again, through Self-realization, disappears in the supreme Consciousness.

When the waking or dream is known to be Consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Consciousness?

The scriptural theory, that karma does not lose its hold upon one even after the origination of the knowledge of Consciousness, is now being refuted.

After the origination of the knowledge of Reality, one becomes aware of the fact that karma theory is mere imaginary theory based on the ‘I’ which is false self. The waking becomes non-existent when the wisdom dawns; just as a dream does not exist on waking.