Tattvartha Sutra

SR No.: 006796
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sukhlal Sanghavi, K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 596
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth
File Size: 10 MB

Page 127

110
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
Tattvārthasūtra, but where it first occurs and how old it is—that cannot be made out for the present.
(7) I cannot yet say anything exact about Pūjyapāda and Akalanka but Vidyānanda has certainly mentioned Umāsvāti as the author of Tattvārthasūtra; in ślokavārtika grdhrapiccha has been given as his alternative name and in the Āptapariksacommentary etc. the name Umāsvāti too is perhaps mentioned.
Here is an answer to both your letters that was just now possible. A detailed consideration should be possible some time later on.” (d) My Own Understanding
The Digambara master Vidyānanda belonging to the 9th10th centuries in his auto-commentary on Āptaparīkņā (śloka 116) says 'tattvārthasūtrakārair Umāsvamiprabhṛtibhiḥ' and the same master in his auto-commentary on Tattvārthaílokavārtika (p. 6, line 31) says "etena grdhrapicchācāryaparyant-amunisūtrena vyabhicāritā nivāritā”. These two statements indicate that the text named Tattvārtha is a composition of Umāsvāti and that Umāsvāti and Grdhrapicchācārya are one and the same person—this seems to be the view of Pt. Jugalkishoreji. But the view is open to consideration and so it will be proper if I briefly place forth my own understanding of the matter.
In the first statement the adjective Tattvārthasūtrakāra (=The author ofs Tattvārtha aphorisms) qualifies the masters like Umāsvāti etc. and not Umāsvāti alone. So if it is understood as Mukhtarji suggests then its net meaning ought to to be that the masters like Umāsvāti etc. are an author of Tattvārtha-sūtra. Now if the word Tattvārthasūtra here stands for the text named Tattvārthādhigama then the net meaning in question proves to be defective, for the text named Tattvārthādhigama is understood to be a composition by just Umāsvāti and not one by the numerous masters like Umāsvāti etc. So the word Tattvārtha occurring in the adjective in question should stand not just for the text designated Tattvārtha but for the totality of texts expounding the