All the religions of the world talk about the self realization as the supreme realization. Knowing this self is understood to be the highest form of understanding. The Self or the Atma is considered as the only thing worth knowing. Almost all the religions of the world focus on one’s self.
Socrates has been heard to say, “Know Thyself” That is, know your self. Understand what it actually is. Socrates was determined to know the things. For him or any other religions, instead of believing, knowing is the key.
The Zen people or even Gautam Buddha goes one step ahead of Socrates. These two ways believe that there is nothing to know, or in other words, when you know, there remains noting. Socrates said “Know Thyself” But Zen people say, when you know, there are no you, there is no your self. There remains nothing, only knowing remains.
If Socrates were in India, or even Asia, probably he would have been one of the greatest enlightened persons on the earth.