Acharya Prashant explains that the Sanskrit term 'neti-neti' translates to 'not this' or 'not that.' It represents the refusal to assume or take something to be what it is not. He emphasizes that before one can know reality, one must first recognize that their existing beliefs and assumptions are misplaced. Thought often comes with a false assurance of truth, and 'neti' serves to challenge that belief by acknowledging that a situation or person is not what one initially thought. This process is essential because holding stubbornly to opinions prevents honest inquiry and discovery. A person who believes they already know the truth remains closed to it, prioritizing their opinions on life, career, and relationships over actual reality. Acharya Prashant further clarifies that one cannot move directly into the truth without first having the courage to challenge the false. He uses the analogy of hands full of rubbish; to pick up a diamond, one must first drop the rubbish. This act of freeing oneself from false beliefs is 'neti-neti.' He notes that truth is not inaccessible or far away; it is omnipresent but obscured by the opinion that one already knows. By relaxing these cemented ideas and admitting a lack of knowledge, the possibility of true knowing arises. He cites the Zen scholar Sozan, who taught that to know the truth, one must simply get rid of their opinions.