Upanishad:~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman.+

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)

"The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, Not in a mansion of wood and stone.  Split a piece of wood and God is there, Lift a stone and you will find God." (Gospel of Thomas)

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.

 There is a need for an atmosphere of free will; wherein deeper ‘Self’-search is the order of the day. The more one indulges in deeper self-search, he learns and is able to grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

This helps the seeker of truth to be inquisitive and opens his vistas and dialogue with like-minded fellow seekers. The dialogue between the religious, yogic, and non-religious will not help to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’ which itself is the cause of ignorance.

As what is important is the truth of the existence is first and then the rest in the Atmic path.  The Seeker of truth needs to work towards, how he has to find answers to all his doubts and confusions. Most people consider the ultimate truth as a threat to their religious beliefs.

The ultimate aim of the human being is to find and realize the truth and work towards it rather than fight that one has the truth to oneself and that other truths are wrong or inferior. Realization of the truth of one’s true existence is an important factor as mankind is caught up in the crossroads of the witness wars and terrorism in the name of fundamentalism.

There are  three  kinds of aspirants:  ~ 

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

2.      Middling intellect who desires peace and well-being follows a yogic path or meditation.

3.     The more advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth and follow the Atmaimc path. The Atmic path with its emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom is meant for those who wish to go beyond form, time, and space.

Only through deeper self-search do beginners and intermediates gradually become aware of ‘what is what’. Only after they have realized the fact that the  ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’  is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, they are ready for the inner journey towards reality, which is beyond the form, time, and space. 

Upanishad:~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

If you are seeking truth you have to know the  ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Sage  Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says:~ [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. 

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman. 

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant only for those who have an intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get a firm conviction. 

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom.  The path of wisdom is the only means. 

Sage   Sankara says the world is an illusion, it includes birth, life, and death, which happens within the world.  Thus, the seeker's main aim is to mentally trace the formless substance of the illusion, which is also the witness of the illusion.

Sage Sankara indicates ~ VC-56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means. 

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

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.

Sage Sankara clearly indicated that - yoga, intellectualism, and scriptural mastery are not the means to Self-knowledge.  But by the realization of one's identity with consciousness, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman, freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality is possible, and by no other means. 

It is necessary to repeat the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar