Question:

Ektaji, is it the correct understanding of Superimposition – The person needs to do certain tasks. The assumption is that the body-mind can not DO. Appearances of arisings are assumed as a task that is done by the body-mind, Consciousness is superimposed on body-mind. Is my recognition complete and correct? 

Answer:

Superimposition is a loose translation of the word Adhyaasa. Let me explain Adhyaasa instead of just superimposition, my dear. As this is a higher level seeing by Adi Shankaracharya, we will have to let go of any previously learnt steps in order to move higher.

Adyaasa is like a web of superimposition. There is never a singularity there.

Adhyaasa is comprised of several stages of operation:
1] The ignorance that leads to the superimposition
2] The superimposition of one on another
3] The multiplied illusion [illusion after illusion after illusion]

These stages can be further broken down to several levels of Adhyaasa [Not necessarily in the sequenced order].

Adhyaasa Level I: The realization of Non-Doership propels the person to say, ‘I-the-Consciousness cannot do:
This is the first level of Adhyaasa where ‘I’ is being used by the Waker but superimposed on Brahman. Brahman truly is beyond the identifications of ‘I’ & ‘You’.

Adhyaasa Level II: The second level of Adhyaasa is where the body-mind’s doership is superimposed on Brahman. Brahman is beyond the ideas of ‘Doing’ and ‘Non-doing’.

Adhyaasa Level III: The third level of Adhyaasa is the idea of ‘Action is happening’ superimposed on the ‘Alive nothingness of Brahman’. Nothingness itself implies absence of ‘action’ and ‘inaction’.

Adhyaasa Level IV: The fourth level of Adhyaasa is the idea that ‘The body is conscious enough to DO’. ‘Consciousness’ aspect of Brahman is superimposed on the body-mind that is not inherently conscious by itself.

Adhyaasa Level V: The fifth level of Adhyaasa is the idea that ‘The mind is conscious enough to understand this knowledge of non-doership and accept that it is not a doer’. This understanding ability of the wakers mind is Adhyaasa Of the Intelligence aspect of Brahman on the mind.

This is how one should recognize the different levels of Adhyaasa in one’s DIRECT SEEING, moment to moment.

These are not exhaustive. There are several layers of Adyaasa that need to be identified. 

P.S. We will dive deeper into the different layers of Adhyaasa in Volume 2 of It’s a Rope not a Snake. Let’s first attempt to directly SEE not memorize or intellectualize the basics of Adhyaasa as highlighted in Volume 1 of It’s a Rope not a Snake. When you see it directly, then you have developed ADYAASA DRISHTI. Let’s begin our direct seeing journey! 

Here is the Amazon US link for the first volume of It’s a Rope Not A Snake – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8ZBRWWK [Available globally]

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