Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

SR No.: 022529
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: G C Tripathi, Ashokkumar Singh
Publisher: Bhogilal Laherchand Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 2016
Total Pages: 300
Language: English, Sanskrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_English & Book_Devnagari
File Size: 23 MB

Page 36

26 Studies in Umāsvāti
'was established to promote understanding and open discussion between and within faiths and to give voice in to-day's world to the wisdom that speaks across time and traditions' (p. vii). The main problem therefore was how to render into English the specific meaning of the Jaina technical terms and of the Sanskrit phraseology.
Concerning the term sūtra style, Professor Tatia appears to have considered it a feature that did not have to be primarily taken into account as far as the International Sacred Literature Series is concerned.
As a matter of fact, if by choosing this specific literary genre as well as the Sanskrit language, the Jainas of old wished to signal that they were ready to dispute with proponents of Brahmani-cal darśanas, this is of no importance for the common reader of our times, nor does it matter if the sutra genre had a mnemonic function.
The main aim of the translator should be to make the Tattvārthādhigamasūtra—this brief synthesis of the entire Jaina doctrinal system-generally understood. Tatia accepts the challenge and succeeds. At the end of his introduction, he explains how he thought best to proceed (p. XXIII). It will be seen that the Sanskrit text of each sūtra, immediately followed by its English rendering, and further by a more or less synthetical commentary is printed sūtra after sūtra. Tatia explains that 'three main versions of The Tattvärtha Sūtra with commentaries have been used; Svopajña bhāṣya, Svopajña bhāṣya-īka and Sarvārthasidhhi. A single sūtra reading is given unless there is variation between the SB / SBT tradition and the SS tradition in which case the variant readings are given for the same sūtra.
As for the commentary this is a faithful representation of all the three commentaries with their differences properly noted. It will be observed that in this book, as well as in J. L. Jaini's and Pt. Sukhlal's the fundamental unity of the Jaina doctrine is underlined, though the differences opposing the two main sects are not concealed, but clearly mentioned and explained.