Vedantasara :4.

II. SUPERIMPOSITION:




31. Such a Guru through his infinite grace instructs the pupil by the method of de-superimposition (Apavada) of the superimpositions (Adhyaropa) – as in such Sruti passages: “To that pupil who has approached him with due courtesy, whose mind has become perfectly calm, and who has control over his senses, the wise teacher should truly impart that Knowledge of Brahman through which he knows the Being, imperishable and real" (Mund. Up. I-2-13).



32. Adhyaropa is the superimposition of the unreal on the real, like the false perception of a snake in a rope which is not a snake.



 33. Reality is Brahman which is without a second and is Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss. Unreality is Nescience and all other material objects.



34. However, ignorance is described as something positive though intangible, which cannot be described either as being or non-being, which is made of three qualities and is antagonistic to Knowledge. Its existence is established from such experiences as “I am ignorant”, and from such Sruti passages as, “The power belonging to God Himself, hidden in its own qualities” (Svet. Up.I-3).



 35. This ignorance is said to be one or many according to the mode of observing it either collectively or individually.



 36. As, for instance, trees considered as an aggregate are denoted as one, viz., the forest, or water is collectively named as the reservoir, so also ignorance, existing in Jivas being diversely manifested, is collectively, represented as one – as in such scriptural passages as, “There is one unborn etc.,” (Svet. Up. IV-5).



 37. This aggregate (of ignorance) on account of its appearing associated with Perfection (Pure Intelligence of Brahman) has a preponderance of pure Sattva.



 38. Consciousness associated with this is endowed with such qualities as omniscience, universal lordship, all-controlling power, etc., and is designated as the undifferentiated, the inner guide, the cause of the world and Isvara on account of Its being the illuminator of the aggregate of ignorance. As in the Sruti passage, “who knows all (generally), who perceives all (particularly)” (Mund. Up. I-1-9).



39. This aggregate of ignorance associated with Isvara is known as the causal body on account of its being the cause of all, and as the
Anandamayakosa (the blissful sheath) on account of its being full of bliss and covering like a sheath; it is further known as the Cosmic sleep as into it everything is dissolved, and, for this reason, it is designated as the state of dissolution of the gross and subtle phenomena.



 40. As a forest, from the standpoint of the units that compose it, may be designated as a number of trees, and as a reservoir from the same point of view may be spoken of as quantities of water, so also ignorance when denoting separate units is spoken of as many; as in such Sruti passages as, “Indra through Maya appears as of many forms” (Rig-Veda VI-47-18).


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