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 37

20
TATTVĀRTHA SUTRA
hand it presents a brief but true history of the author of our text.
(a) The Date of Vācaka Umāsvāti :
The above eulogy says nothing about the date of Vācaka Umāsvāti, nor is yet there at our disposal some other material that might enable us to correctly determine this date. Under such conditions the following three things are being made use of with a view to giving some consideration to the problem in question.
(1) The mention of the branch. (2) The date of the oldest commentators. (3) A comparison with the other philosophical texts.
(1) It is difficult to say definitely as to when the branch mentioned in the eulogy as 'Uccairnāgara Śakhā' originated; yet the Sthavirāvali pertaining to Kalpasūtra does mention a branch designated 'Uccānāgarī'. This branch originated from Arya śāntiśreņika. Now Arya śāntiśreņika belonged to the fourth generation coming after Ārya Suhasti. Thus Arya Suhasti had for his disciples Susthita-Supratibuddha, the latter for their disciple Indradinna, the latter for his disciple Dinna, the latter for his disciple śāntiśrenika. In his turn this Ārya śāntiśreņika was the preceptor of Arya Vajra and a co-disciple of Arya Simhagiri; hence he belongs to the first generation preceding Arya Vajra. And it is found mentioned that Ārya Suhasti died 291 years after Mahāvīra, Ārya Vajra 584 years after Mahāvīra. That is to say, within the period of 293 years that intervened in between the death of Arya Suhasti and that of Arya Vajra there are found to have flourished five generations in all. Thus on roughly assigning a period of sixty years for each generation it turns out that śāntiśrenika who belonged to the fourth generation coming after Suhasti began his career 471 years after Mahāvīra. At about this
1. therehimto nam ajjasamtiseniehimto mādharasaguttehimto ettha nań uccānāgarī sāhā niggayā.-Müla Kalpasūtra-sthavirāvali. p. 55.
For the earlier lineage of śāntiśreņika see the preceding pages of Kalpa-sūtra.