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- 17 - In this manner, if the author of the Tattvarthasutra had written any commentary such as "Sarvārthasiddhi," "Rajavārtika," or "Shlokavārtika," then there would never have been any contention of meanings, distortion of words, ambiguity of meaning, or textual variations evident in them. This situation can certainly be understood by looking at the singular nature of the original text and the commentaries. This discussion leaves us with a clear understanding of the singular authorship of the original text and its commentary.
It is quite useful to establish that the original text writer and commentator are one and the same for resolving the question of which tradition they belonged to. The following arguments are sufficient to determine that Umāsvāti was not from the Digambara tradition:
1. There is not a single piece of evidence that the Uccha Nāgara branch or the Nāgara branch mentioned in the praises belongs to the Digambara sect.
2. The assertion in the sutra (5.38) that “time” is a real substance and its commentary is against the Digambara view (5.39). The direct acceptance of the eleven adversities in Kevalī (9.11) along with the explicit mention of the commentary on objects associated with the commentary are also against the Digambara tradition (9.5, 9.7, 9.26). The commentary regarding the gender door and the pilgrimage door among the Siddhas is contrary to the Digambara tradition.
3. The distinction regarding acceptance or non-acceptance of the second utility of Kevalī after knowledge (1.31) is not found in Digambara texts.
Although the above arguments establish that the speaker Umāsvāti did not belong to the Digambara tradition, it remains to be seen which tradition he did belong to. The following points lead to the Shvetambara tradition:
1. The Uccha Nāgara branch mentioned in the praises is found in the Shvetambara Pāṭṭāvalī.
2. For example, see - "Charamadeha iti vā pāṭha." - Sarvārthasiddhi, 2.53. "Alternatively, the remaining phrase in the statement 'There are no eleven Jinas' must be imagined, considering its aspects of sutras." - Sarvārthasiddhi, 9.11.
3. See - Presented preface, pp. 4 and 6-7.