[Advaita-l] Adhyasa as per Sri SSS

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste Michael Ji,

I am continuing on a separate thread what you stated in another,
 deliberately in order not to disturb the thoughtflow in the other. You
wrote

//  For SSS avidyā is adhyāsa — a false cognition, the taking of one thing
for another — neither a positive cosmic entity nor a mere absence of
knowledge //.

I am responding since you are repeatedly mentioning about mananam. Not for
raising any controversy.

In my understanding of Sri SSS, an important point has been missed out when
he states ** avidyā is adhyāsa — a false cognition, the taking of one thing
for another **. And that is ** the relationship of tAdAtmya between the two
- * one thing for another **. This requirement has been completely ignored.
In my understanding of Sri SSS, that is the consequence of dropping the
definition by Sri Bhagavatpada of adhyAsa as ** स्मृतिरूपः परत्र
पूर्वदृष्टावभासः । (smRRitirUpaH paratra pUrvadRRiShTAvabhAsaH | ) ** and
preferring to use the other definition mentioned by Sri Bhagavatpada **
अध्यासो नाम अतस्मिंस्तद्बुद्धि (adhyAso nAma atasmiMstadbuddhi ) ** which
retains only the ** परत्र (paratra) ** part from the first definition. Sri
SSS himself has  explained why he has dropped the other three terms from
the first definition. In my understanding, this is the most fundamental
 deviation from the Bhashya leading to consequential differences. Since you
mentioned mananam, I thought it may be useful to ponder over this issue.

I am not suggesting you should respond. You may just like to do some
mananam on this. And if you feel there is any substance in it, please do
advise.
Regards