Sage Sankara: ~ What the moon is like must be seen with one's own eyes. No one can others do it for you. +

Sage Sankara: ~ ‘Reality can be realized only with the eye of understanding, not just by a scholar. What the moon is like must be seen with one's own eyes. How can others do it for you?"~Vivekachoodamani

Sage Sankara makes a distinction between the soulcentric worldview and the egocentric worldview. 

The egocentric worldview is real to ignorant; though that may not be real from the Soulcentric worldview.

It is wrong to say Gnani sees nothing in Self-awareness.   The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego and, therefore, sees himself and the world in which he exists as a reality whereas a Gnani sees himself and the world in which he exists as an illusion created out of consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that there is no second thing exists other than the Soul or consciousness.

The universe has no independent existence. The Soul which is present in the form of consciousness alone has a real existence. The universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. 

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

A Gnani sees only unity in diversity, just like a goldsmith estimating the gold in various items of jewelry sees only gold. When one identifies the Self with the form then only the form, time and space are present. But when one transcends form, time, and space the duality never remains as reality.

The universe remains a reality until there is ignorance. When ignorance vanishes, there is only Self-awareness. In Self-awareness there is only nondualistic awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion or Maya.

Remember:~

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego and, therefore, experiences birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness. 

Thus, all the egocentric knowledge has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

The world in which we exist is nothing but an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The whole universe is nothing but the Soul. Therefore, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

It is not as if something that was not consciousness suddenly becomes consciousness. Rather, "knowing the truth” means a removal of the ignorance about one's own existence as the consciousness. Thus, to "know the truth” is to "be   consciousness."

Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist.   Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness, because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus,  consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Advaitic wisdom is independent of religion. Sage Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world and the Nirguna Brahman is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion. 

Remember:~ 

People's observations are based on the dualistic perspective, whereas Gnanis' judgments are based on the nondualistic (Soul or consciousness) perspective. What is the use of discussing about the karma, which takes place within the unreal world? Instead, one has to find how this world is unreal (illusion).

In the Atmic discussion, the form, time, and space (universe) are merely an illusion. Karma is possible within the scope of the experience of the form, time, and space (universe).

That is why Sage Goudpada said:~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect. Sage Goudpada suggests that the religious paths and worship of the guru and conceptual god are lower and middling intellect. But in this modern world, people are sharp enough to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Thus people who want the higher truth then it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God.

That is why Sage Sankara says:- VC- 65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.
66. Therefore, the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.
When one realizes the fact that, the whole universe and its contents, movable and immovable, is known to be consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the universe is the universe?

The universe and its contents are bound to be consciousness. Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar