[Advaita-l] What are different types of Adhyasa-s?

[H S Chandramouli]

> Pranams Sri Sadananda Ji,
>
> Reg  << Without getting confused with these names, what are
> different types adhyaasas and how one can explain these in simple and
> understandable language? >>,
>
> AdhyAsa is never an easy concept. The fact that later AchAryas like Sri
> Ramanujacharya and Sri Madhvacharya and others were very critical of the
> concept itself and would never accept it itself shows that it is not an
> easily understood concept. Some of the complexities could be appreciated
> from the following.
>
> Simply translated, it means superimposition. The fundamental definition of
> adhyAsa as given by Sri Bhagavatpada himself in the AdhyAsa BhAshya of BS.
>
>
> << अध्यासो नामअतस्मिंस्तद्बुद्धिरित्यवोचाम । >>
>
> << adhyAso nAma atasmiMstadbuddhirityavochAma | >>
>
> Translation by Swami Gambhirananda    <<  And we said that
> superimposition means the cognition of something as some other thing >>.
>
> Elsewhere in the Bhashya, while presenting the definitions of other
> DarshanAs obtaining at that time concerning superimposition, Sri
> Bhagavatpada concludes that there is no difference amongst all the
> DarshanAs as far this lakshaNa is concerned. ( It might have been so at the
> time the Bhashya was written. I am not sure if Sri Ramanujacharya or Sri
> Madhvacharya would have agreed ).
>
> This lakshaNa given by Sri Bhagavatpada is elaborated to a certain extent
> in another adhyAsa lakshaNa statement in the Bhashya
>
> <<  कोऽयमध्यासो नामेति । उच्यते — स्मृतिरूपः परत्र पूर्वदृष्टावभासः । तं
> केचित् अन्यत्रान्यधर्माध्यास इति वदन्ति । >>
>
> <<  ko.ayamadhyAso nAmeti | uchyate — smRRitirUpaH paratra
> pUrvadRRiShTAvabhAsaH | taM kechit anyatrAnyadharmAdhyAsa iti vadanti |
> >>
>
> Translation by SG  << What is it that is called superimposition?? The
> answer is ::  It is an awareness, similar in nature to memory, that arises
> on a different (foreign) basis as a result of some past ex[erience >>.
>
> Right  at this stage itself, there is considerable disagreement in the
> understanding of this lakshaNa amongst advaitins themselves. For example,
> BhAmati and VivaraNa. Not to mention the latest interpretation by Sri SSS.
>
> The classifications you have listed are needed to understand the term
> adhyAsa (superimposition) in all its complexities in different contexts. It
> is not as if one classification would fit the bill or make it
> understandable in all contexts. It would be best to choose the
> classifications which suit the context best.
>
> Regards
>