Adhyāsa
अध्यासपुंल्लिङ्ग (masculine) · अधि उपसर्ग (adhi — upon) + √अस् धातु (as — to throw, place) + घञ् प्रत्यय
adhyāsa
Fundamental Concepts
Superimposition — attributing qualities of one thing onto another
Adhyāsa is the fundamental mechanism of ignorance: projecting onto the real (ātman) qualities of the unreal (body, mind, world). Mistaking the body for 'I', the mind for 'I' — every form of suffering arises from this superimposition. Śaṅkara opens his commentary on the Brahma Sūtra with the Adhyāsa Bhāṣya, demonstrating that all worldly knowledge depends on this confusion between subject and object.
Using this in academic work? Get formal citation
Vishva Vidya (2026). Adhyāsa (अध्यास). Vishva Vidya — Vedanta. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/adhyasa
Vishva Vidya. "Adhyāsa (अध्यास)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026, https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/adhyasa.
Vishva Vidya. "Adhyāsa (अध्यास)." Vishva Vidya — Vedanta, January 1, 2026. https://vedanta.com.br/en/glossary/adhyasa.
Related terms
Want to study Vedānta in depth?
Learn about our study programs →