Samayasara

SR No.: 006764
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A Chakravarti
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1989
Total Pages: 370
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Agam, & Canon
File Size: 20 MB

Page 128

SAMAYASARA
110
the erroneous views for this forms the foundation of Advaita, which forms the central doctrine of his commentary.
We refer
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Sankara and Amɣticandra: We mentioned above that Sankara wa acquainted with Śri Kundakunda and Amṛtacandra. this fact in connection with Sankara's distinction between the Vyavahārika and Paramarthika point of view. We have here to mention the fact that the doctrine of Adhyasa is also peculiar to Sankara. Adhyāsa is the technical term he used to denote the confusion between self and non-self, a confusion due to Avidya or Ajñāna. This term Adhyasa is not found in any of the philosophical writings prior to Sankara. Probably Sankara took a hint from Amṛtacandra who freely uses this concept in his commentary called Atmakhyāti on Śri Kundakunda's Samayasara. Probably Amṛtacandra and Sankara must have lived in the same century, Amṛtacandra being slightly older than Sankara. The language of Atmakhyati is very similar to Sankara's Sariraka Bhasya. This suggestion is made because Sankara himself speaks on one occasion that he is influenced by one Dravida Acarya. Probably this refers to Amṛtacandra-the great Commentator on Samayasara. The following quotations from Atmakhyāti will clearly bear out our suggestion that Sankara and Amṛtacandra were of the same age and that the former was acquainted with the writings of Amṛtacandra especially in his commentary Atmakhyāti.
"Ajñāna 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 Adhyāśa 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 psycho-physical 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 unruffled But Jñana 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.