A note on adhyAsa

[Guest guest]

Namaste Shastrji,

Thank you very much for a very clear exposition of adhyasa. A question just

to clarify my understanding of Samasarga Adhyasa:

 

You Said:

"Because of the superimposition of the non-self on the self, the

existence of the self is not recognized at all, and the non-self, (that is,

the body, mind and organs), is alone recognized as existing. This is

svarUpa- adhyAsa. In the superimposition of the self on the non-self, only

the existence and consciousness aspects of the self are attributed to the

body, mind and organs. This is samsarga-adhyAsa."

My Question:

If in samsarga adhyasa, both the substartum and the superimposed object are

simultaneously available for perception eg. flower and crystal, how can the

superimposition of self on the non-self be called that when the self itself

is not available for perception?

S.Venkataraman

 

Namaste Venkataramanji,

In svarUpa AdhyAsa one thing is totally superimposed on another, as in the

rope-snake case. In samasarga adhyAsa only the quality of one thing is

super-imposed, like the red colour of the flower on the crystal. Both

crystal and flower are physical objects and so they can be seen. In the case

of self-and not-self, what is meant is that two different things are

considered (though wrongly) to be existing and the qualities of each are

attributed to the other. When one says 'my hand', 'my leg', etc, one speaks

as if there are two different things, namely 'I' or the self and the 'body'

or the not-self. This assumed relationship between the self and the not self

is what is superimposed in the samsarga adhyAsa of the self and the

not-self. Two things are considered to exist in this manner, though one is

absolutely real and the other is only phenomenally real. The qualities of

the body-mind complex, such as doership and enjoyership are superimposed on

the self. By the mutual superimposition of self and not-self, the

existence and consciousness aspects of the self are attributed to the

not-self, just as the existence of the rope is attributed to the illusory

snake. The qualities of the not-self such as agency and enjoyership are

attributed to the self.

Please let me know if you have any further doubts.

Sastri