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PREFACE : XXXI
şya, Vācaka Umāsvāti, be taken as earlier to that of Syāmacārya, the author of Prajñāpanā, the period of Candravedhyaka's composition comes to some where near the 1st century AD. Though the validity of this estimaton is also not beyond doubt, the absence of the stages of spiritual development (Guņasthānas) and the seveñfold predication (Saptabhangi) from the Candravedhyaka, just as in the Tattvartha, only proves that Candravedhyaka is a contemporary composition of the Tattvārtha Bhāșya and the Praśamarati Prakaraṇa. From all this discussion, we can come to a conclusion that Candravedhyaka was composed some time before the 5th century AD.
The Subject Matter -
It becomes clear from the name, Candravedhyaka itself that the code of conduct for an aspirant of observing Samā dhimarana is prescribed in this work, which is as difficult to follow as it is to pierce the eye-ball of the mechanically rotating statuette (Rādhā Vedha). Seven fundamentals described in this work, through the seven respective doors, are as under :
cimtvión
Fundamentals regarding Humility (Vinaya Guna), Basic qualities of a Master (Ācārya Guņa), Basic qualities of a Disciple (Śişya Guna), Ethical Code of Conduct (Vinaya Nigraha Guna), Righteousness of Knowledge (Iñāna Guņa), Fundamentals of the Right-conduct (Cāritra Guna), and Fundamentals regarding the Voluntary Peaceful Death (Samādhi Marana Guņa).
Generally, the beginning of any book is with an auspicious invocation. It is so in this work as well. In the auspicious invocation the author offers his obeisance to the Jinavaras (The supreme conquerors of the foes of spiritual development), who are the masters of right-knowledge and the right-belief and who
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