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 73

56
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
yet possible to say anything definitive about his date but doubtless he must have flourished some time in between the seventh and ninth centuries A.V. For in his commentary on the bhāsya he has mentioned numerous Buddhist scholars like Vasubandhu etc. Of these one is Dharmakīrti? who belonged to the 7th century, and that makes it definite that he did not flourish before the 7th century. On the other hand, the 9th century scholar Silanka refers to him under the name 'gandhahastin_on which ground he ought to have flourished some time before the 9th century. Siddhasena was the granddisciple of Simhasūrigani-ksamāśramaņa, the commentator of Nayacakra. And Simhasūri was certainly alive about the middle of the 7th century. So it appears that the time of Siddhasena was some period lying in between the last quarter of the 7th century and the middle of the 8th. In his commentary Siddhasena refers to a text named Siddhiviniscaya (p. 37) which may be of Akalanka or more probably of Sivasvāmī. Śivasvāmī's Siddhiviniscaya is quoted by Śākațāyana in his commentary on Strīnirvānaprakarana, p. 19.
(d) Haribhadra
Haribhadra, the author of the above-mentioned small commentary on Tattvārthabhāsya is here under consideration. This small commentary has been published by the organization Shri Rishabhadevaji Kesarimalji of Ratlam. This commentary is not a
1. The famous Buddhist scholar Vasubandhu has been referred to by him as 'Āmisagrddha'; thus he says: "tasmādenahpadam etat vasubandhor āmisagrddhasya grdhrasyevāpreksyakāriņah" "jātir upanyastā vasubandhuvaidheyena"-Tattvārthabhāsyavrtti, p. 68, lines 1 and 29. The five sins designated Anantarya which are dealt with in Nāgārjuna's Dharmasangraha, p. 13 and which are described by Sīlānka in his commentary on Sūtrakrtānga (p. 215) are also mentioned by Siddhasena-Bhāsyavrtti p. 67.
2. "bhikṣuvaradharmakīrtinā’pi virodha uktuḥ pramāņaviniŚcayādau”—Tattvārthabhāsyavrtti, p. 397, line 4...
3. See the present Introduction, p. 57, footnote 1.