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## The Author of Tattvarth Sutra: A Critical Analysis
**62**
**Sarvarth Siddhi** is one of the most important commentaries on the Tattvarth Sutra. A Shvetambar commentator of the Tattvarth Sutra was also familiar with this view. He mentioned this view in his commentary and tried to warn his community.
**Review:** There are seven different views regarding the author of the Tattvarth Sutra. Except for the mention of the early Shvetambar Tattvarth Bhashya, all other mentions are not from before the 13th century and mainly point to the two names, Gṛddhpiṭcha and Umāsvāti. The final view that "Acharya Kundakunda is the author of the Tattvarth Sutra" seems unusual, but it seems that this view gained popularity because Acharya Kundakunda was known by the name Gṛddhpiṭcha. There are two main views that need to be considered here. First, Acharya Gṛddhpiṭcha is the author of the Tattvarth Sutra, and second, the commentator Umāsvāti wrote the Tattvarth Sutra.
Generally, while discussing the topic of "Tattvarth Sutra," we have shed light on many important points by writing the section "Differences of Opinion in Sutra Texts" and comparing Sarvarth Siddhi and Tattvarth Bhashya through the section "Prioritization Consideration." The summary of these points is as follows...
1. The commentator Umāsvāti wrote the Tattvarthadhigama Shastra. But this name is not of the Tattvarth Sutra but of the Tattvarth Bhashya.
2. While mentioning the differences of opinion in the Sutra texts, it has been proven and explained that if the authors of the Tattvarth Sutra and Tattvarth Bhashya were the same person and the Shvetambar Acharyas understood this fact, then there should not have been as much difference of opinion in the Shvetambar Sutra texts as is available.
3. While considering the prioritization of Sarvarth Siddhi and Tattvarth Bhashya, we have explained that many commentaries on the Tattvarth Sutra were already in circulation before the commentator Umāsvāti wrote the Tattvarth Bhashya. There, we also mentioned a Sutra that is related to the Sarvarth Siddhi-approved Sutra text and which the commentator Umāsvāti has quoted in his Tattvarth Bhashya. Considering the development of meaning, it has also been explained in this section that when Sarvarth Siddhi and Tattvarth Bhashya are considered together, it is clear that there are many instances that prove the Tattvarth Bhashya to be a later composition than Sarvarth Siddhi. And while proving this, we have also given an example that in the section on the benefits of time, only two distinctions have been made in Sarvarth Siddhi regarding Paratva-Aparatva, while three are available in the Tattvarth Bhashya.
Therefore, even after it becomes clear from these and other facts that the commentator Umāsvāti should not be the original author of the Tattvarth Sutra, it is necessary to pay attention to some other points for the final decision on this subject.
To determine the community, etc., of any author, the scripture written by him is the main evidence. There are some seeds in any scripture that shed important light on the time of composition of that scripture and the community of the author, etc. While considering the time, etc., of the author of the Tattvarth Sutra, the wise scholar Pt. Sukhlalji has also adopted this approach. But there, he has tried to consider both the Tattvarth Sutra and the Tattvarth Bhashya as one. This has caused a lot of confusion. In fact, this matter should be considered only by keeping the Tattvarth Sutra in front, and even in that, only those Sutras of the Tattvarth Sutra should be considered which are accepted by both communities in the Tattvarth Sutra. This helps a lot in reaching a single decision through an impartial review.
1. Pt. Kailashchandraji's Tattvarth Sutra, Introduction 50 171 2. For this, see the introduction to the Tattvarth Sutra written by us. 3. See Dr. A.N. Upadhye's introduction to Pravachansara. 4. See the introduction to the Tattvarth Sutra written by Pt. Sukhlalji, page 8, etc.