Laghutattvasphota

Author(s): Amrutchandracharya, Padmanabh S Jaini, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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equanimity towards all (sarvatra santaḥ samāḥ) will reside in their own selves (svam adhyasate), which are filled with both intution and knowlege (617). The aspirant, knowing the importance of both knowledge and action, applies himself to the entire field of scriptural knowledge (śruta-jñāna) with great resolution, grasps fully the nature of the soul, and remains secured in the restraints which lead to perfectly pure conduct. Dispelling darkness, he destroys the bondage of the karmas. Such a soul, touching his own reality (svatattvam spṛśan), i. e. the self, attains to the domain of omniscient knowledge which illuminates the whole universe; only then does he come to rest :
viśvodbhāsiviśālakevalamahim akramya viśramyati/ 618.
Laghutattvasphota and the Samayasāra-kalaśa :
The Laghutattvasphota is thus a work dedicated to cultivation of the śuddha or the niscaya ("non-conventional") viewpoint in order to attain undifferentiated consciousness (nirvikalpa-upayoga), the goal of the Jaina aspirant. It can therefore be considered a continuation of the Samayaśāra-kalasa, to which it bears close resemblance in both vocabulary and spirit. Two of its verses (50 and 624) are identical with the Samayasara-kālasa (270 and 141) and numerous verses in both works have the word paśu for the absolutist (ekāntavādin). In addition, there are many passages of varying length in the Laghutattvasphota which can be placed side by side with portions of the Samayasāra-kalasa. 56 Both employ common similies, such as the mass of salt and its flavour (238) or the white-wash and the wall (378), to illustrate the relationship between internal and external divisions, respectively. What is even more remarkable is the frequency of occurance in both works of such terms as anakula, anubhava, uddāma, uddhata, ghasmara, cakacakayita, tankotkirṇa, nirbhara, dvitayatā, sāntamahas, śāntarasa, samarasa etc.; a certain amount of uniformity in style and expression is undeniable. These parallels and resemblansce indicate the possibility that Amṛtacandra composed the Laghutattvasphota after completing both the Atmakhyāti-tikā (of which the Samayasara-kalasa is only a part) and his other known works. Of these, the Tattvärthasara is most certainly the earliest, being merely a summary in verse of the aphorisms of the Tattvärthasutra. The Puruṣārthasiddhyupaya, a brief text of 226 verses, appears to be his next work. Although it is a śravakācāra (Lawbook for the laity), in which the vyavahāra-naya is more relevant, this work foreshadows the author's predilection for the niscaya-naya. 57 His commentaries on the Pañcāstikāya, Pravacanasāra and Samayasāra, three authoritative works written by Kundakunda primarily for the ascetic Order, probably followed. To the author of the Puruşarthasiddhyupāya, these three works must have been a natural choice, especially since he was attracted by the