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It should be considered that when Siddhasena Ganika wrote his commentary on the Tattvartha Sutra, did the Tattvarthavartika exist or not? This is the relevant point to be considered.
There is no doubt that Siddhasena Ganika was a great scholar. In his commentary, he has mentioned many variant readings, different opinions, texts, Acharyas and proofs of the Tattvartha Sutra, which shed light on many historical facts. In this context, he has not forgotten Bhatta Akalanka Deva's Siddhivinischaya and Tattvarthavartika. While mentioning Siddhivinischaya in the commentary on Chapter 1, Sutra 3, he writes:
"Thus, the relationship between cause and effect is to be understood as the form of the result, which is determined by the cause, as explained in the Siddhivinischaya, which is to be applied by those who seek special meaning through the door of criticism."
Siddhivinischaya is one of the most influential philosophical works available in the literature of Bhatta Akalanka Deva, and it also contains the section on the examination of creation. This confirms that this reference is to the same Siddhivinischaya. We have also done a comparative study of Siddhasena Ganika's commentary with the Tattvarthavartika. From this, we have reached the conclusion that the Tattvarthavartika must have been available to Siddhasena Ganika when he wrote his famous commentary on the Tattvarthabhashya. For comparison, see:
"The case ending arises due to the meaning. For example, "Pray to the high houses of Devadatta." Devadatta is understood." - Tattvarthavartika, Chapter 1, Sutra 7
"The case ending arises due to the meaning, "Pray to the high houses of Devadatta." - Si. D. Utpanika, commentary on verse 6
Similarly, other sentences indicating similarity are available, which have been pointed out by Pandit Paramananda Shastri in Anekanta Varsh 3, Kiran 11, in the context of Sarvarthasiddhi and Rajanaitik Lekh. In addition to these sentences indicating similarity, there are also some mentions in Siddhasena Ganika's commentary, which provide special support for his position being established after the Tattvarthavartika, such as:
In the Tattvarthavartika, while explaining the causes of hell, this sentence comes:
"He who has many beginnings and attachments, he is one who has many beginnings and attachments."
Siddhasena Ganika expresses the same point with a difference of opinion in these words:
"Others say - He who has many beginnings and attachments, he is one who has many beginnings and attachments."
The explanation of this verse is also available in Sarvarthasiddhi. Therefore, it can be said that Siddhasena Ganika must have expressed this difference of opinion with Sarvarthasiddhi in mind. However, there is a fundamental difference between the above-mentioned analysis and the analysis done for the verse in Sarvarthasiddhi. In Sarvarthasiddhi, this analysis is available as follows:
"He who has many beginnings and attachments, he is one who has many beginnings and attachments."
But Siddhasena Ganika's commentary follows the Tattvarthavartika in this matter, not Sarvarthasiddhi. Therefore, we are compelled to believe that Siddhasena Ganika is referring to the Tattvarthavartika author by the word "others" here.
In Siddhasena Ganika's commentary, there are other mentions of readings or differences of opinion that point towards the Tattvarthavartika.
This makes it clear that Siddhasena Ganika must have had the Tattvarthavartika in front of him when he wrote his commentary on the Tattvarthabhashya.
1. For this, see the Utthanika of the first Sutra and Chapter 6, Sutras 16, 17, 18, etc.