Through seership, the truth being presented to a seer, a ṛṣi, by īśvara. Or in śravaṇa, the unbiased pure listening to the meaning of the words by the student, during the unfolding of the means of knowledge by the guru, the teacher who stands for the impeccable, reliable tradition of advaita vedānta from the Upaniṣads.

 

It is not knowledge itself that is freedom. When ignorance is removed, the knowledge of īśvara, that sarvajña (all knowledge) shines in its full glory. So knowledge is not gained, no, it is revealed within yourself. That is very important to understand. Knowledge does not travel with the words of a text or from the mouth of a guru. No, the words stimulate the emergence of meaning in the listener. Ultimately, it all takes place within yourself, the self.

 

So it sounds crazy, but knowledge is the going away from ignorance, just as the sun also shone when clouds drifted in front of it. When the clouds drift away, the sun shines in its full glory.