________________
ĀPTA-MĪMĀṀSĀ
be applied to this collection of one hundred and fourteen
verses.
8
Some commentators of Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra accept that the following is the opening verse of the said work: “मोक्षमार्गस्य नेतारं भेत्तारं कर्मभूभृताम् ।
ज्ञातारं विश्वतत्त्वानां वन्दे तद्-गुणलब्धये ।। ”
i.e. "I bow to him who is the guide on the path to liberation, the destroyer of mountains of karmas and the knower of the principles of the universe, so that I may attain these qualities belonging to him.”
These commentators urge that at the beginning of the Mokṣa-śāstra, i.e., the Tattvarthādhigama-sūtra, the above mentioned salutation has been laid down. He who is thus saluted is Āpta. So Samantabhadra, at the beginning of his commentary on the Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra, has examined the qualities of Apta in his attempt to explain the opening verse of the Tattvärthadhigama-sutra.
Vidyānandi who wrote a commentary (named Aṣṭasahasri) on Aṣṭaśati of Akalanka has accepted the fact that the verse is the opening verse of Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra and that consequently Samantbhadra has discussed Apta described in the verse. Vidyānandi says: "This work named Devāgama has established the Apta which is the subject-matter of praise composed at the beginning of the Sastra, i.e. Tattvārtha-sūtra. Vidyānandi himself later on clearly mentions: "By that Apta of the most excellent qualities praised by the sages for liberation and auspiciousness at the beginning of Niḥśreyasa-śāstra".1
Vidyānandi has again in his Mangalacharana to Aṣṭasahasri said: "I am now adoring the work of the determination of the trustworthy (Āpta-mimāṁsā) which is the subject-matter of praise in the beginning of the
1. “तदेवं निःश्रेयस-शास्त्रस्यादौ तन्निबन्धनतया मंगलार्थतया च मुनिभिः संस्तुतेन निरतिशयगुणेन भगवताप्तेन । ” Astasahasri.
