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Book Review
S. A. JAIN- Reality, an English translation of Shri Pujyapada's Sarvårthasiddhi, second edition, Jwalamalini Trust, Madras, 1992, pages xxii+300, Price Rs, 95.00.
It is indeed a pleasure to see the second edition of the English translation of Shri Pujyapada's Sarvarthasiddhi which is the earliest commentary on Umäsvāmi's Tattvärthasūtra. This edition was reprinted after thirty years. This shows the popularity and the demand of this translation by the scholars.
Umāsvāmi's Tattvärtha-sūtra, describing in a nutshell the quint. essence of Jain Philosophy, is a well-known work on Jainism; it is also known as Moksa-sastra, a treatise which describes the path of liberation. This work is held with great reverence by all sects of the Jains. There are several commentaries on the book of which Pujyapada's commentary, entitled Sarvarthasiddhi, is notable and preeminent. This commentary was translated into English in 1960 for the first time by Professor S. A. Jain under the title Reality. The reprint of the first edition is done by Jwalamalini Trust, Madras, who is to be congratulated for their benign endeavour.
The book contains Umäsvämi's original Sapskrit text in Devanagari character together with their Roman transliteration with diacritical marks for those who do not have any free access to the Devanagari script. Umäsvāmi's 357 sutras are translated into English along with the Sanskrit commentary of Shri Pujya pada. The book is divided into ten chapters by the translator. These chapters are- the Faith and knowledge (ch. 1), the category of the living (ch. II), the lower world and the middle world (ch. III), the celestial beings (ch. IV), the category of the non-living (ch. V), the influx of Karma (ch VI), the five vows (ch. VII), bondage of Karma (ch. VIII), stoppage and shedding of Karma (ch. IX), and liberation (ch. X). It has a good index, but no bibliography; it has no introduction either. His Holiness Karmayogi Chărukeerthi Swami of Sravanavelagola has prepared a synopsis and a glossary of the technical terms of this book. It goes without saying that the contribution of His Holiness has enhanced the value of the second edition.
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