upādāna: 'clinging', according to Vis.M. XVII, is an intensified degree of craving (taṇhā, q.v.). The 4 kinds of clinging are: sensuous clinging (kāmupādāna), clinging to views (diṭṭhupādāna), clinging to mere rules and ritual (sīlabbatupādāna), clinging to the personaljty-belief (atta-vādupādāna).

(1) "What now is the sensuous clinging? Whatever with regard to sensuous objects there exists of sensuous lust, sensuous desire, sensuous attachment, sensuous passion, sensuous deludedness, sensuous fetters: this is called sensuous clinging.

(2) ''What is the clinging to views? 'Alms and offerings are useless; there is no fruit and result for good and bad deeds: all such view and wrong conceptions are called the clinging to views.

(3) "What is the clinging to mere rules and ritual? The holding firmly to the view that through mere rules and ritual one may reach purification: this is called the clinging to mere rules and ritual.

(4) "What is the clinging to the personality-belief? The 20 kinds of ego-views with regard to the groups of existence (s. sakkāya-diṭṭhi): these are called the clinging to the personality-belief" (Dhs. 1214-17).

This traditional fourfold division of clinging is not quite satisfactory. Besides kamupādāna we should expect either rūpupādāna and arūpupādāna, or simply bhavupādāna. Though the Anāgāmī is entirely free from the traditional 4 kinds of upādāna, he is not freed from rebirth, as he still possesses bhavupādāna. The Com. to Vis.M. XVII, in trying to get out of this dilemma, explains kāmupādāna as including here all the remaining kinds of clinging.

"Clinging' is the common rendering for u., though 'grasping' would come closer to the literal meaning of it, which is 'uptake'; s. Three Cardinal Discourses (WHEEL 17), p.19.

Buddhist Dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by NYANATILOKA MAHATHERA

Upādāna. In Buddhist thought, craving (taṇhā) is an impediment to spiritual progress and it may take any of four forms of upādāna, an intensified form of a specific craving: (1) clinging to sensuous desires; (2) clinging or obstinately holding on to narrow or mistaken views; (3) holding on to rituals as though they were necessary for salvation; and (4) clinging to the notion of individual personality.

Geddes MacGregor, Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy, New York: Paragon House, 1989

upādāna 

(Sanskrit; Pāli). Clinging or grasping, an intensified form of craving (tṛṣṇā). It is said to have four forms: (1) clinging to pleasurable sensual experiences (kāma); (2) clinging to views and theories (dṛṣṭi); (3) clinging to rules and rituals (śīlavrata-parāmārśa); clinging to belief in a soul or self (ātma-vāda). In the series of twelve links in the doctrine of Dependent Origination (pratītya-samutpāda), upādāna is preceded by craving (tṛṣṇā) and succeeded by becoming (bhava), illustrating the connection between desire and rebirth. The same point is made in references to the five aggregates as objects of grasping when they are referred to as the ‘aggregates of attachment’ (upādāna-skandha).

A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004 (which is available in electronic version from answer.com)

Upādāna (nt.) [fr. upa + ā + dā] -- (lit. that (material) substratum by means of which an active process is kept alive or going), fuel, supply, provision; adj. ( -- ˚) supported by, drawing one's existence from S i.69; ii 85 (aggikkhandho ˚assa pariyādānā by means of taking up fuel); v.284 (vāt˚); J iii.342 sa -- upādāna (adj.) provided with fuel S iv.399; anupādāna without fuel DhA ii.163. <-> 2. (appld.) "drawing upon", grasping, holding on, grip, attachment; adj. ( -- ˚) finding one's support by or in, clinging to, taking up, nourished by. See on term Dhs trsln. 323 & Cpd. 171. They are classified as 4 upādānāni or four Graspings viz. kām˚, diṭṭh˚, sīlabbat˚, attavād˚ or the graspings arising from sense -- desires, speculation, belief in rites, belief in the soul -- theory D ii.58; iii.230; M i.51, 66; S ii.3; v 59; Dhs 1213; Ps i.129; ii.46, 47; Vbh 375; Nett 48; Vism 569. -- For upādāna in var. connections see the foll. passages: D i.25; ii.31, 33, 56; iii.278; M i.66, 136 (attavād˚) 266; S ii.14, 17, 30, 85; iii.10, 13 sq., 101, 135, 167, 191; iv.32, 87 sq., 102 (tannissitaŋ viññāṇaŋ tadupādānaŋ), 390, 400 (= taṇhā); A iv.69; v.111 (upāy˚); Sn 170, 358, 546; Ps i.51 sq., 193; ii.45 sq, 113; Vbh 18, 30, 67, 79, 119, 132; Dhs 1059, 1136, 1213, 1536 sq.; Nett 28 sq., 41 sq., 114 sq.; DhAiv.194. -- sa˚ full of attachment (to life) M i.65; Vin iii.111; S iv.102; an˚ unattached, not showing attachment to existence S iv.399; Vin iii.111; Th 1, 840; Miln 32; DA i.98.
   -- kkhandha, usually as pañcɔ upādāna -- kkhandhā the factors of the "fivefold clinging to existence" [cp. BSk. pañcɔ u˚ -- skandhāḥ Av. Ś ii.1681 & note] Dii.35, 301 sq.; iii.223, 286; M i.61, 144, 185; iii.15, 30, 114, 295; Ps ii.109 sq.; Vbh 101; Vism 505 (khandha -- pañcaka). See for detail khandha ii.B 2. -- kkhaya extinction or disappearance of attachment S ii.54; A iii.376 sq.; Sn 475, 743; It 75. -- nidāna the ground of upādāna; adj. founded on or caused by attachment Ps ii.111; Vbh 135 sq. -- nirodha destruction of "grasping" Vin i.1 (in formula of paṭicca -- samuppāda); S ii.7; iii.14; A i.177. -- paccaya = ˚nidāna Sii.5; iii 94; Sn 507, 742.

Pali-English Dictionary, TW Rhys Davids, William Stede,

upâ-dāna n. the act of taking for one's self, appropriating to one's self MBh. Mn. &c

• perceiving, noticing, learning, acquiring (knowledge) Hit. Vop

• accepting, allowing, including

• employment, use Sāh. Sarvad. Kap

• saying, speaking, mentioning, enumeration Vedāntas. Kāś. Siddh

• abstraction, withdrawing (the organs of sense from the outer world) L

• (with Buddh.) grasping at or clinging to existence (caused by tṛṣṇā, desire, and causing bhava, new births)

• (with Rāmānujas) preparation (of perfumes, flowers &c. as one of the five elements of worship) Sarvad

• cause, motive, material cause

• material of any kind Sāṃkhyak. Vedāntas. Kap. &c

• offering, present L

Sanskrit-English Dictionary, by M. Monier William

Clinging.

Sarvastivada Abhidharma, Sanskrit-English Glossary, by Bhikkhu KL Dhammajoti

nye bar blang bya

[translation-san] {N} upādāna

[translation-eng] {Hopkins} that which is appropriated{N}

Jeffrey Hopkins' Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Dictionary

nye bar len pa

[translation-san] {MSA,MV,N} upādāna

[translation-san] {C} upādānatā

[translation-san] {C} upādatta

[translation-eng] {Hopkins} substantial cause; object appropriated; that which is appropriated{N}; appropriated; causal contributors

[translation-eng] {C} grasping; to gain; grasps at; grasped

Jeffrey Hopkins' Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Dictionary

nyer len

[tenses]

• nye
• bar
• len
• pa/

[translation-san] upādāna

[translation-eng] {Hopkins} substantial cause; object appropriated; appropriated; appropriation{D2}

synonym

• [bod] don gcig rgyun bcas kyi dngos po/
• [eng] Syn.: [according to rgyu 'bras che ba'i rnam bzhag]: functioning thing of which the continuum is cut off

Jeffrey Hopkins' Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Dictionary