Katha Upanishad :~ The Soul cannot be realized through hearing a scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.+

                           The famous peace invocation of Isa Upanishad says: ~

Om Purna- madah, purna-midam purnat-purnam-udacyate  Purnaysa purna-madaya purna-meva-vasisyate

This means: ~ All this is full /from fullness, fullness comes when fullness is taken from fullness/ fullness still remains.

 This belief is all-comprehensive and all-absorbing. There is nothing that is not God.

This truth has been told by the seers. This is the only truth but is described by the people differently.

 Truth is one, but the people describe it in different ways. Those on the journey to Eternity may differ,  but once reached there, all the differences sink into oneness.

The whole of humanity has to arrive at this eternal truth one day. 

Remember:~

What is there to discuss argue and exchange opinions? If one is seeking truth there is no need to discuss no need to argue but read words of wisdom and think and reason deeply the truth will start revealing on its own.

Be an independent thinker. Do not accept anything without verification the seeker should not argue and waste his time. The argument will not yield truth.

Only the intellectuals argue to exhibit their intellectual wealth. The intellectual argument is based on ego. The egocentric intellectuality is limited to form, time, and space. 

The truth you are seeking is based on the Soul. The Soul is beyond the form, time, and space. Thus, what is the use of egocentric argument in the soulcentric discussion?

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

The wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is the consciousness. Freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But to those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or the consciousness, the innermost Self, is quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truthy.

Ashtavakra: ~ Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.

Intellectuals argue, that if everything is the consciousness, how can one give up anything? Can you give up anything? These types of questions are speculation based on the waking entity (ego), which is the false self within the false experience. Without knowing the ‘Self is not the form but the ‘Self’ is formless it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

All their speculation is limited to the domain of form, time, and space whereas the truth is beyond form, time, and space. They are incapable of understanding and assimilating truth, which is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. they refuse to verify and they want the truth on their own terms. 

Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely  wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.” 

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~“The weak and timid cannot realize the Self. Self-realization is not possible through intellect or hearing spiritual discourse. One who welcomes God in every activity, through a thorough controlled, and disciplined life, to him also the Soul is revealed.

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~  The Soul cannot be realized through hearing a scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.

Katha Upanishad 1:3:6:~  “Through the knowledge of the Soul God, one is pure and clean constantly.” Neither by reading the books nor by taking a bath at holy places has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant Soul Consciousness is real purity. 

Kena Upanishad 2:4:~ When it is known through every state of cognition, it is rightly known, for (by such knowledge) one attains life eternal. Through one's own Self one gains power and through wisdom, one gains immortality. 

Kena Upanishad 2:5:~ If here one knows it, then there is truth, and if there one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

The scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

The Upanishads are Self-contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. The final authority, therefore, is using one’s own reason. One should apply his reason to them.

The scriptures are for ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem.

The Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth. They have no value as authority for those who use reason.   

I quote only verified citations from the scriptures. I need no scriptures but I quote them to help the seekers realize the scriptures are saying   

Sage Sankara:~ VC Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

Sage Sankara: ~ Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us knowledge about the  Self.

Sage  Goudpada says: - The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect. 

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures. 

The rituals mentioned in the karmakanda of the Vedas are sought to be negated in the jnanakanda which is also part of the same scripture. While the karmakanda enjoins upon you the worship of various deities and lays down rules for the same, the jnanakanda constituted by the Upanishads ridicules the worshipper of deities as a dim-witted person no better than a beast. 

This seems strange, the latter part of the Vedas contradicting the former part. The first part deals throughout with karma while the second or concluding part is all about Gnana. Owing to this difference, people have gone so far as to divide our scripture into two sections: the Vedas (that is the first part) to mean the karmakanda and the Upanishads (Vedanta) to mean the jnanakanda. 

Remember:~

Sage Sankara:~ VC Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

Sage Sankara says: ~ The scriptures dealing with rituals, and rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.

Sage  Sankara: ~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage  Sankara says, that the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the 'Self' has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the Self with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. –Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara: ~ Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us knowledge about our own Self. 

Sage Goudpada says: - The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect. 

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures. 

The rituals mentioned in the karmakanda of the Vedas are sought to be negated in the jnanakanda which is also part of the same scripture. While the karmakanda enjoins upon you the worship of various deities and lays down rules for the same, the jnanakanda constituted by the Upanishads ridicules the worshipper of deities as a dim-witted person no better than a beast. 

This seems strange, the latter part of the Vedas contradicting the former part. The first part deals throughout with karma while the second or concluding part is all about Gnana. Owing to this difference, people have gone so far as to divide our scripture into two sections: the Vedas (that is the first part) to mean the karmakanda and the Upanishads (Vedanta) to mean the jnanakanda.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar