Sage Sankara says:~ For a man of knowledge the karma has no value because he is free from ignorance.+

The Karma theory:~

Sage Sankara says clearly, the universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the ‘Self’, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals.

The individual has no reality. Only the ‘Self’ is Real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances, then it indicates the form (waking) is unreal the formless is real (Soul). Therefore, only Atman is real because there is no second thing other than Atman.

Sage Sankara also clearly mentions that:- The path of religion, the theory of karma, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate truth or the ultimate Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have the inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

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.

It means the people who follow religion and worship of guru and conceptual God and believe in karma theory 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 in truth.

Thus, it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God in truth.

Religious people believe the Karma theory is universal. The Karma theory is a religious and yogic fable.

The Karma theory is a universal theory for those who believe the dualistic illusion as a reality. Karma is a reality only for those who believe the false ‘Self’ (ego or you) as the real ‘Self’ and the false experience (waking or universe) as a reality.

The Karma theory is a reality for those who believe the experience, the form, time, and space as a reality. Karma theory is a reality for those who believe in an individualized God. The Karma theory is a reality for those who believe in the experience of birth, life, death, and rebirth and the world as a reality.

The karma performed in the dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place. Similarly, the waking karma becomes unreal when wisdom dawns.

The karma theory is the universal theory when karma is limited to the waking experience alone.

The wisdom dawns when you (doer of karma) realize you are not the ‘Self’, but the ‘Self’ is the formless Soul.

Thus all theories based on you (form) are a falsehood because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is ever nondual.

Sage Sankara says:~ For a man of knowledge the karma has no value because he is free from ignorance.

 As per Sage Sankara: ~

The karma theory is merely a religious and yogic fable. The path of religion, the theory of karma, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people.

The path of wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Sage Sankara says in Aparoksh Anubhuti:~

88. When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?

89. O enlightened one, pass your time always contemplating on Atman while you are experiencing all the results of Prarabdha; for it ill becomes you to feel distressed.

90. The theory one hears of from the scripture, that Prarabdha does not lose its hold upon one even after the origination of the knowledge of Atman, is now being refuted.

91. After the origination of the knowledge of Reality, Prarabdha verily ceases to exist, since the body and the like become non-existent; just as a dream does not exist in waking.

92. That Karma which is done in a previous life is known as Prarabdha (which produces the present life). But such Karma cannot take the place of Prarabdha (for a man of knowledge), as he has no other birth (being free from ego).

93. Just as the body in a dream is superimposed (and, therefore, illusory), so is also this body. How could there be any birth of the superimposed (body), and in the absence of birth (of the body) where is the room for that (i.e., Prarabdha) at all?

94. The Vedanta texts declare ignorance to be verily the material (cause) of the phenomenal world just as the earth is of a jar. That (ignorance) being destroyed, where can the universe subsist?

95. Just as a person out of confusion perceives only the snake leaving aside the rope, so does an ignorant person see only the phenomenal world without knowing the reality?

96. The real nature of the rope being known, the appearance of the snake no longer persists; so the substratum being known, the phenomenal world disappears completely.

97. The body also being within the phenomenal world (and, therefore, unreal), how could Prarabdha exist? It is, therefore, for the understanding of the ignorant alone that the Shruti speaks of Prarabdha.

98. “And all the actions of a man perish when he realizes that (Atman) which is both the higher and the lower”. Here the clear use of the plural by the Shruti is to negate Prarabdha as well.

99. If the ignorant still arbitrarily maintain this, they will not only involve themselves in two absurdities but will also run the risk of forgoing the Vedantic conclusion. So one should accept those Shrutis alone from which proceeds true knowledge.

The above proves that karma is a reality only on the base of the false Self, where one thinks body and the universes as reality. When one becomes aware of the fact that, the true Self is the nondual Soul, then karma becomes part and parcel of illusion.

My point is that, if one accepts the karma theory as reality, he will never be able to come out of ignorance. And ignorance makes him believe the cycle of birth, life, and death as a reality. Thus, the freedom which one is seeking will remain a distant dream.

For the one who accepts the birth life, death, and the world as reality, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is impossible. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

You are being conditioned by the religious myth, which has made you a non-thinker. Come out of the religious myth by realizing God in truth.+

You are being conditioned by the religious myth, which has made you a non-thinker. Come out of the religious myth by realizing God in truth.

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

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman 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)

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.

Remember:~

Religion is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

If one is seeking the truth, then he has to be free from all the 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 the ultimate reality or Brahman. Thus, religion has to be bifurcated from spirituality to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

There is no use in condemning religion. But one has to highlight how they cause hindrance and becomes an obstacle in the pursuit of truth.

There is no need to rebel against religion but to realize that religion is based on the false self within the false experience whereas spirituality is based on the Soul, the Self.

Religion makes humanity remain in ignorance of the reality of their true existence with its beliefs, superstitions, and dogmas, the ideas of heaven, hell, sin, karma, and rebirth.

Heaven is the abode of physicalized Gods, where one goes after death, rebirth, and karma theories based on the birth entity, which is the false self within the illusory world.

For those ignorant who believe their experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, think that the effect of action done in previous births, as the Prarabdha in this birth, but for the realized one the present birth, life, death and the world itself is an illusion because they have realized the fact that, waking experience itself is an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When Vedas and Upanishads give clear-cut ideas of what God is supposed to be then all these Gods and Goddesses which people worship have no value from the ultimate standpoint. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

A Gnani is one who is endowed with the power of seeing the world in which he exists from a non-dualistic perspective.+

A Gnani is one who is endowed with the power of seeing the world in which he exists from a non-dualistic perspective.

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, therefore, experiences the 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 Consciousness. 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 removal of the ignorance about one's own existence as consciousness. Thus, to "know the truth” is to "be the 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.

Remember:~

Gnani shares Self- knowledge of Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana to the seekers and helps them to reach the ultimate end of understanding.

A Gnani is unattached to the dualistic illusion though externally living in the illusory world but internally he is not of this world.

A Gnani has renounced all kinds of worship of religious God, rituals, and yoga, and scriptural studies.

A Gnani’s sole aim is to impart the Self-knowledge of Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Gnani mixies with the company of people from all walks of life, behaving as they did, not claiming to be different from them. He occasionally is dropping some words, giving some suggestions which created curiosity to know the reality beyond form, time, and space. Thus, he will instill hope into the seeker's hearts that is really possible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

A Gnani will neither talk too volubly like shallow persons nor observe complete silence like some yogis and Gurus. He will talk as much as is necessary but no more. Thus, he follows the inner (mental) path.

The Gnani will follow whatever occupation he wishes according to circumstances. There are no prohibitions for him. He may be a peasant or a billionaire.

A Gnani is within the world, but he is not of this world. He only has renounced the ignorance he knows that the world in which he exists is an illusion. :~ Santthosh Kumaar

Ishopanishad says: ~ “They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery."+

Religious Gods are not God in truth. One must know God in truth. There is a difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

Vedas say God is Supreme Spirit has not an idol or the material shape because God is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.

The idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas. All idolatry Gods are based on Puranic concepts.

There is no scope for belief based on God because the belief is not God. Religion and its ideas of Gods are based on the false ‘Self’ (ego), within the false experience (waking). Thus, whatever beliefs are based on the false ‘Self’ are bound to be a falsehood.

Ishopanishad says: ~ “They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery."

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

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

Even Bhagavad Gita 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.

That is why Lord Krishna says Ch. V:~ “Those who know the 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.

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.

Gods or no Gods have nothing to do with the spiritual path. The spiritual path is the inner (mental) path. Your path is your own. The Soul the innermost ‘Self’ is real God, not the objectified God you worship in the world. No one can walk your path for you.

When the Soul, the Self’, relates its identity with the waking entity (ego or you) and the waking world then it remains in ignorance of its own formless and non-dual nature.

It is because of the inborn conditioning or samskara one remains ignorant of the Soul, the ‘Self’, which is beyond form, time, and space. Identifying itself as a person perceiving the world it becomes attached to them…

Sage Sankara exclaims, ‘Soul is unattached, its pure awareness isn’t identified with any labels, it isn’t attached to anything it is not entangled with anything at all…’

As the seeker realizes that the Soul, the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’, he must, again and again, reflect and realize this truth.

The Soul, the ‘Self’ is eternal, it is non-dualistic awareness, and it is completely free of all bondage of the diversity because it is ever formless, eternal and it is the whole. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is forever undecaying and indestructible…

The seeker has to remember this truth and constantly reflect on it, and gradually he will find the Soul start becoming disengaged and separate from all ‘identities’. And when the Soul, the ‘Self’ will re-emerge into this world of labels and identity, then it will l find itself-becoming detached and disinterested in the illusory world of names and forms.

Nothing touches the Soul, the ‘Self’; it is not tarnished by any feelings or impulses. It is not attached to anything at all.': ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Advaitic wisdom dawns when you realize the ‘Self’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

All these thought-centric Gurus and their teachings will not yield Advaitic wisdom because their knowledge is dualistic. The Advaitic truth is nondualistic.  

The one who realizes that fact that he, his thoughts and the words he utters, and the world in which he exists are created out of a single clay and that single clay is consciousness. Thus, everything is consciousness. Realizing everything is consciousness leads to Self-awareness.

The thoughts arise only in the domain of form, time, and space. The thoughts come to you because you exist within the domain of form, time, and space.

You are the thinker. You are the false self within the false experience. Without you, the thoughts will not arise.

In the dream, the thoughts come to the dream entity. The dream entity is a thinker within the dream. The dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place. Similarly, the waking becomes unreal when Advaitic wisdom dawns. 

The Advaitic wisdom dawns when you realize the ‘Self’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘Self’ is not you then what is the use of asking yourself Some Gurus say simply ask yourself, To whom do these thoughts come? Find out the source of your thoughts?

The thoughts come to you, not to the Soul, the ‘Self’ because the Soul is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, form, time, and space are merely an illusion.

If the form, time, and space are merely an illusion then you, your thoughts, and the world in which you exist are merely an illusion.

Thus, what is the use of finding out about the thoughts which come to you, not to the Soul, the ‘Self’?

Thus, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Be an independent thinker. You should not stop seeking until you find the ultimate truth.+

Be an independent thinker. You should not stop seeking until they find the ultimate truth.

Jesus said: ~"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all." (Gospel of Thomas 2)

Jesus said: ~” Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. (THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS- Saying 5)

***

Jesus said: ~ Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ Jesus meant Self-knowledge or Knowledge of the Spirit (pearls) should not be shared with unqualified people(pigs).

Remember:~

If you are seeking the truth, but you still say "I," If you think the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise seeker. You are simply a person dwelling in ignorance, but thinking yourself wise and erudite, you go round and round by following the Gurus and their teaching and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.

Remember, the Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

A Guru is needed in the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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 by means of 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.

The Seeker has to think deeply instead of passing opinion on his own point of view and he has to drop the judgmental attitude, which bars the realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Intellectual discussion is a great hindrance in the pursuit of truth because intellectual knowledge is limited to the domain of form, time, and space.

There is no fear of losing anything because only ignorance vanishes and one becomes fully aware of ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal’ in the midst of the unreal waking experience.

This will ensure that one has reached the right path of progress and will eventually get the knowledge of the Self. A true seeker should seek only truth, nothing but the truth. His sincerity and urge to know the truth will lead him, not his mental decisions.

The seeker should be aware of everything that is untrue: stick to the truth and he shall succeed, maybe slowly, but surely.

Remember:~

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

All the Gurus glorified the ‘I’. Thus, it becomes very difficult to discard the ‘I’.

Those who have accepted the ‘I-centric' teaching refuse to accept anything other than their accepted truth.

Till you hold the ‘Self’ as the ‘I’, your knowledge remains skin deep.

What is it that appears as the ‘I’ and disappears as the ‘I-less? It is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not make the mistake of holding the Self as ‘I’ because it is not permanent. ‘I’ disappears and becomes ‘I’-less.

‘I’ is an illusion and the ‘I-LESS- Soul’ is real and eternal. The ‘I-LESS-Soul ‘appears as ‘I’ and ‘I ’‘disappears as I-LESS-Soul.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ The permanent is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal.

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," If you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, You are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Till you hold the ‘Self ‘as the ‘I’, you will never be able to get Self-realization.+

Till you hold the ‘Self ‘as the ‘I’, you will never be able to get Self-realization. ‘I’ hides the Soul, which is the Self. ‘

I’ is ignorance.

‘I’ is the duality.

‘I’ is the form, time, and space.

‘I’ is the universe.

‘I’ is the waking.

‘I’ is the dream.

‘I’ is the illusion.

‘I’ is the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no duality.

Without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space

Without the ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there is no waking.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dream.

Without the ‘I’ there is no illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole. The ‘I’ hides the truth.

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say ‘I,’, If you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ The permanent is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

It is time to discard the ‘I’. Never use the world the ‘I’ or I AM for the Self. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar