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INTRODUCTION
CIX1
Adhyasa is not found in any of the philosophical writings prior to Sankara Probably Sankara took a hint from Amritachandra who freely uses this concept in his commentary called Atmakhyatı on Sri Kunda Kunda’s Samayasara. Probably Amritachandra and Shankara must have lived in the same century, Amritachandra being slightly older than Sankara. The language of Atmakhyatı is very similar to Sankara’s Sareeraka Bashya This suggestion is made because Sankara himself speaks on one occasion that he is in.luenced by one Dravida Acharya Probably this refers to Amritchandra—the great Commentatoi on Samayasara. The following quotations from Atmakhyatı will clearly bear out our suggestion that Sankara and Amritachandra were of the same age and that the former was acquainted with the writings of Amritachandra especially in his commentary Atmakhyati.
“Ajnana or ignorance causes Adhyasa or confusion of the intellect On account of this, thirsty animals run towards mirage to quench their thirst thinking it is a lake full of water.
Again the same Adhyasa or confusion caused by ignorance frighten men is dusk at the sight of a rope and make them run • away from it thinking it is a snake.
Similarly on account of this confusion caused by ignorance men falsely identify their pure and unruffled nature of the Soul with the body and imagine that they are the author of the various psychophysical activities caused by impure karmas, just as the numerous waves in the ocean are caused by atmospheric pressure while the ocean itself remains calm and unrufied But Jnana or knowledge produces discrimination between the self and the non-self just like the hamsa bird is able to separate water from milk Unruffled self firm in its pure nature is able to understand that it is not the author of the various impure psycho-physical changes caused by an alien agency."
ATMAKHYATI
