Jaina World of Non Living

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 30

The Jaina world of Non-living
during their periods between 720-840 A.D. They are entitled as Vārtikas (semi-aphorismic or versified explanatories) in contrast to the other short or long prose-based commentaries. The term “Vārtika' is defined by lexicographers as a type of Explanatory which elaborates (i) what is said (ii) what is left unsaid (iii) what is imperfectly, difficultly or dormantly said and (iv) supplies the omissions. Both these explanatories satisfy these criteria excellently to be called by this name. Of course, the Akalanka explanatory is in a semi-aphorismic (most of its semiaphorisms are the important sentences of SS) prose form while Vidyananda's semi-aphorisms are in the versified form. Both have elucidatory autocommentary on them. Royal Semi-aphorismic Explanatory of Akalanka : Rajavartika
Out of the commentaries Nos. 2, 3 and 4, the Akalanka's explanatory named 'Tattvārtha Vārtika' or popularly called as “Tattvārtha Rāja-Vārtika' or simply “Rajavārtika' (Royal Semi-aphorismic Explanatory on Reals) has an intermediate position. It is also called ‘Tattvārtha-Vārtika-Vyakhyanālankāra' because of its elucidative autocommentary. It draws its base from No. 2 and gives base to No. 4. Just as the basic text “Tattvārtha-Sūtra' was composed during the period of aphorismic sacred texts, “Rājavārtika' was also composed during the period of Vārtika-type texts illustrated by (i) Nyāya-Vārtika (Udyotakara, 550-650), (ii) Pramāņa Vārtika (Dharmakirti, 7th century and (iii) Mima nsā- Sloka -Vārtika (Kumarila, 750-800). Akalanka followed the Udyotkara tradition for his Vartikas (prose-form) which are simple as well as exhaustive. This commentary is a highly advanced text involving the complexity of language due to logical base, refutation of related concepts of alien philosophical systems, grammatical maturity and excellent show of keen observation power of natural phenomena in comparison to much simpler SS and TSB. This single text alone is sufficient to learn the Jaina concepts and thoughts. In fact, this royal explanatory seems to be an original work for its treatment and methodology.
This Explanatory has some special points which occur quite repetitively under elaborations of many aphorisms. Of course, they are always at points wherever needed. These points may be mentioned here for the benefit of the general readers : (i) The explanatory contains an elucidative question-answer type treatment of the topics to make them easily graspable. (ii) The use of possessive or genitive case, possessive suffix or word conveying the possessiveness in the aphorismic structures has been elaborated by illustrating the relation to be therapeutenforme states of