Sage Sankara’s missions were to wean people away from the orthodox approach and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation.+

Sage Sankara’s missions were to wean people away from the orthodox approach and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation.

Seekers of truth should not believe blindly in traditional Advaitic orthodoxy without verifying all the facts from every angle. 

The orthodoxy has nothing to do with spirituality, which is based on the Soul or spirit. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process.

Even the arguments that religions have been followed since time immemorial make no difference to them because if people have believed a false thing over millions of years, the length of time does not prove it true. 

All the million years are within the dualistic illusion because from the ultimate standpoint, the form, time, and space.

Religion has nothing to do with the ultimate truth of Brahman. If one is seeking the truth, then he has to be free from all religious beliefs and dogmas. 

Religion is based on the ego (you), whereas, the ultimate truth is based on the Soul, the Self. 

Whatever is based on the ego is an illusion and whatever is based on the Soul is ultimate reality or Brahman. Thus, religion has to be bifurcated from spirituality to realize the truth hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

The Advaitic orthodoxy has nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Advaitic orthodoxy considers, the birth, life, death, rebirth, heaven, hell, sin, karma, and the world as a reality, whereas Sage Sankara declares the world in which we exist is merely an illusion. If the world is an illusion, then the birth, life, death, rebirth, heaven, hell, sin, karma, and the world, are bound to be an illusion.

Without Sage Sankara, there is no Advaita (non-duality). Since it was mixed up with orthodoxy there is a lot of confusion. Sage Sankara’s quotes (selected verified) are quoted in my blogs and postings to show what Sage Sankara meant and ‘what is blocking the seekers from realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman. There are so many non-dualistic masters of the East and also from the West who expound on Advaitic or non-dualistic knowledge, but none of them help reach the ultimate end.

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 most 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.

Sage Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras (Chap.3.4.50) shows that the Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life, and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement.  

Sage Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never advised them to give up their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time, he showed just one step forward toward the truth. Sage Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words.

Sage Sankara' gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the masses, but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Sage Sankara says in the commentary in Vedanta, sutra that what is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Remember: ~

Sage  Sankara says, that, orthodoxy is meant for ignorant people.

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

~ This shows he was wearing the religious robe only for the sake of bread."

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp the God beyond the form, time, and space.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from a ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the orthodox texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sage Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

That is why Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, 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 a 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:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for Self) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction, and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are, therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, the person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is Avidya, an error that can be removed by Vidya. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the Self which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman. ~Adhyasa Bhashya

No conceptual God can exist, apart from consciousness. People are not aware of the fact that there is no individual God can exist, apart from the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness. 

Thus, the Soul or Consciousness is the true Self. If there is no consciousness, then there is no physical body, no ego, no universe, no religion, and no conceptual God. 

Remember:~  

There are two kinds of audiences: ~ 

1. The ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices.

2. The most advanced seeker who seeks to know the truth beyond form, time, and space.

The Advaitic orthodoxy is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. The path of wisdom with its emphasis on Advaitic wisdom is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom has nothing to do with religion religious Gods and the scriptures.

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC ~ “Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us the knowledge of our own Self. The firm conviction of the nature of the Self is seen to proceed from inquiry along the lines of the salutary advice of the wise.

Sage Sankara said:~” Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

The fortunate is the one who does not lose himself in the orthodoxy. Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to and realizes the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. 

Realize that form, time, and space are created out of single clay and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Knowledge of the single clay is Advaita.

Upanishad says ~ “The human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate that belief in the personal Gods, yoga scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self–Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. 

The religion, concept of individualized god and scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing non-dual truth or Self-realization because they are based on false self. 

The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper Self-search and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ “One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. (Bhaja Govindam)

Thus, the path of wisdom is the only means. Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and the witness of the universe (mind). By tracing the source of the mind or the universe, one will be able to realize the Brahman.

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ “Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only through inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

Sage Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self. (" Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works)

Sage Sankara: - Loud speech, the profusion of words, and skilfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned. They do not lead to liberation."

Perfectly tame your own self by knowing ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is the truth’ to have a mental yardstick to discard the untruth. Sage Sankara’s seeker must know what is the truth and what is the untruth.

Sage Gaudapada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Mandukya Karika)

Sage Sankara says you must first know what is before you. If you cannot know that, what else can you know or understand? If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.

Swami Vivekananda: ~ “Oneness is the Secret of Everything”.

Nothing is needed for acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana other than perfect understanding, assimilation, and realization of ‘what is what”

The dualistic illusion is present only when the form, time, and space are present. 

The form, time, and space are one, in essence. The ego, body, and the world are one, in essence. 

The birth, life, death, and the world are one, in essence. The three states are one, in essence. That essence is consciousness. 

The thinker thought and the world, are one, in essence. Thus, there is no division in consciousness in reality.

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 life observed and experienced. The commoner viewing life will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same life. Each one interprets the life that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, the life he experiences as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees life as an illusion created out of the consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that there is no second thing exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness (subject). 

Thus, all the objective observation is based on the false self and has to be bifurcated to realize what I am saying. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar