Sage Sankara also said the study of the Upanishad was neither indispensable nor a necessary prerequisite for attaining moksha.
Sage Sankara pointed out; even those who were outside the Upanishad fold were as eligible to moksha as those within the fold were. He declared that all beings are Brahman, and, therefore, the question of discrimination did not arise. All that one was required to do was to get rid of ignorance (Avidya or duality).
The seeker's aim is the search for the Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The search to find the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth that in actuality never was lost, only hidden.
Upanishad aspiration is best expressed in the following sutra:~
OM Asato ma sad gaMaya, tamaso ma jyotir gaMaya, mrityor ma aamritaam gaMaya. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
"OM Lead me from ignorance to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. Peace, Peace, Peace" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (1/3/28)).
Upanishads are based on the insights of the sages and seers, serve primarily as a guidebook. One has to accept the ultimate reality as Brahman or God in truth.
Remember:~
Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the Vedas and other scriptures to acquire non-dual wisdom.
That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of god, and scriptures.
Therefore, there is no use in taking the strain to understand, assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy through their excessive analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusions if one tries to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through scriptures.
That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ 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, in something detrimental to our spiritual progress.
Sage Goudpada: ~ 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. (Manduka Karika)
That is why Bhagavan 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.
Swami Vivekananda said:~“You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own Soul.”
Katha Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom it chooses. To such a one, Atman reveals its own form. (Ch-II -23-P-20)
Mundaka Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker its true nature. (3 page-70 Upanishads by Nikilanada)
Why follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth without them?
By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides, one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.
The mind arises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding, assimilation of non-dualistic truth.
There is no need to renounce worldly life to get Self-Realization. Any householder can attain it if they have the inner urge.
Ashtvaraka:~ "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him, and only those like him understand his state. :~Santthosh Kumaar
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