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## 76
**Sarvarthasiddhi**
Light is shed on all aspects of the time period. After considering all the opinions and views of scholars, the conclusion they have reached is:
"After such a long discussion, we arrive at the fact that, according to tradition, the time period of Acharya Kundakunda falls between the middle of the 1st century BCE and the middle of the 1st century CE. The Shatkhandagama was written before the middle of the 2nd century CE, so from this perspective, his time period falls around the middle of the 2nd century CE. According to the Tamrapatra of Merkara, the final limit of Acharya Kundakunda can be considered to be before the middle of the 3rd century CE. Along with this, he was perhaps contemporary with King Shivascanda and the author of Kural. This suggests that Acharya Kundakunda lived in the first two centuries mentioned above. Considering all of this, I have reached the conclusion that Kundakunda lived in the 1st century CE."
This is the fact that Dr. A.N. Upadhye has stated regarding the time of Acharya Kundakunda. The time limit mentioned in the Nandisingha Pattavali is almost the same, so considering all these bases, it can be said that Acharya Gṛddhapichcha must have lived after Acharya Kundakunda, who lived in the 1st century CE, because his name appears after Acharya Kundakunda in the Pattavalis and other inscriptions, and it is possible that there was a Guru-Shishya relationship between the two. It is clear from the Nandisingha Pattavali that he is the successor of Acharya Kundakunda.
5. **The reason for the creation of the Tattvarthasutra:** It is a well-known story in the world that a certain Bhavya, considering the creation of a scripture useful for the path of liberation, wrote the sutra "Darshanashancharitrani Mokshamārgaḥ" on a wall. After that, he went out for work, and Gṛddhapichcha Acharya came there for his daily routine. Seeing the sutra written on the wall incomplete, he added the word "Samyak" at the beginning. When that Bhavya returned from outside and saw the word "Samyak" added at the beginning of the sutra, he was surprised. He asked the members of his household about the reason, and knowing the true reason, he went searching for Gṛddhapichcha Acharya and expressed his opinion to him, requesting him to write the scripture. Accordingly, the Acharya Maharaj composed the Tattvarthasutra.
Here, we need to see how this story became prevalent in the world. Is there any reliable basis for its authenticity, or is it merely the emotional outburst of devotees inspired by pure sentimentality? This fact is considered in detail further.
1. Shruta Sagar Suri has written in the beginning of his Tattvarthavritti that once Acharya Umaswami (Gṛddhapichcha) was sitting in his ashram. At that time, a Bhavya named Dvaiyak came there and asked him, "O Bhagavan! What is beneficial for us?" Upon the Bhavya asking this question, the Acharya replied auspiciously, "Moksha." Hearing this, Dvaiyak asked again, "What is its nature, and what is the means of attaining it?" In response, he explained the nature of Moksha, saying that although the nature of Moksha is like this, people who are prone to delusion perceive it in a different way. Not only that, but they also argue about its path. Some consider knowledge without conduct to be the path to liberation, some consider mere faith to be the path to liberation, and some consider conduct without knowledge to be the path to liberation.
1. Based on the preface of Pravachansara, page 22. 2. The basis of this story is known from the Kannada commentary on the Tattvarthasutra written by Balachandra Muni in the 13th century. In it, the name of the Shravaka is given as Siddhayya. See the preface of the Tattvarthasutra by Pandit Kailashchandraji, page 16.